by Amber Flora
Cody was surprised Algon had thought of this so quickly. It certainly wasn't as dangerous as betting a vibrant wouldn’t double-cross them. It did however circle back to his friends putting themselves in danger.
“We should only take two people, too many of us trying to sneak in is overkill. Algon and I will go.”
“The hell ya will. You think I’m going to let ya fellas get all the glory? I’m not letting you two feet inside that compound without me,” Mac argued.
Had Cody lost his damn mind? Even if they weren’t going to save Ashtyn, Mac would never let Cody go into danger like that without him. Either he goes or no one does. Mac wasn’t the type of guy to sit anything out, especially if it involved his friends.
“Algon is a wizard as well as Ashtyn's father, he should be there. If anyone would be useful in this expedition it’s him.”
“Then you will sit out and pappa bear and I will go. I’m not negotiating this, lad. I will be there.”
Katrina stepped between Mac and Cody to defuse the situation.
“Gentlemen, please let’s focus on the task at hand. We first need to find where Damon is keeping her, which means locating the council rat. Then we can work out the logistics.”
Kat was right, they had more important things to worry about at the moment. They only had four days to find Ashtyn and come up with a rescue plan. It all seemed like an impossible feat, but if they managed to pull it off it would all be worth it.
“Fair enough, Kat. Let’s allow Algon to get some rest. We can all meet at Mac’s apartment bright and early to go over details. We have to flush out the spy. I think we can still use the council's money to do so. If they are watching our moves to report back to Damon then no one is going to get close to that money without being watched. We can all work together to lead them out into the open. Once we have them, Algon can interrogate him until he spits out Ashtyn's whereabouts.”
All parties agreed to revisit the plan in the morning. Cody knew everyone was exhausted, especially Algon and Victoria. It took a lot of power to accomplish what they did, but it had worked. For the first time in nearly a month they had made contact with Ashtyn. She was alive. Algon had spoken with Cody in private before he departed. He told him that Ashtyn wouldn’t reveal what deal she had made to procure Mac’s freedom, but knowing Ashtyn, she would have slit her own wrists if it meant her friends’ freedom, which had him on edge. Why was Damon treating her like a permanent resident? If all he wanted was the location of Ser’ie then why was he throwing her a ball? He didn’t even want to begin to speculate why Damon hired a vibrant to to train Ashtyn in fighting. Cody had never met a vibrant in person, but their ruthlessness and fighting skills were legendary. The whole scenario had him scratching his head. What was Damon's end game? Where did Ashtyn fit into it all? All he could do was hope that eventually finding whoever was working on the council would fill in the holes. Until then, he had to stay focused and more importantly he had to figure out a way to keep Mac away when things went down. If they were caught, which was a likely scenario, he didn’t want to worry about how he was going to save Ashtyn and Mac from the hangman's noose. First order of business: Take a little trip to dream realm. There were only five people on the council and Cody was fairly certain neither Ben nor Gloria was the traitor. That left three more suspects. Before he did anything else Cody had to determine if his own mother could be crossed off the list of suspects.
Chapter 8
I sat in the drawing room attempting to feign interest as the seamstress went over colors and patterns for my dress. I should have been more excited. After all she was the first woman I had seen in a month. The only problem was she had to be in her eighties, and that’s if she were human. If she were a dreamwalker she might be over five hundred. I really missed Lori, she would know what stupid pattern went with what color. I would give just about anything to be sitting with her at Hart’s listening to the latest drama. I wondered if she’s met anyone. I was guessing no. Knowing Lori she had pitched a tent outside of Mac and Cody’s apartment to make sure they kept her in the loop. I giggled to myself imagining Mac and Lori going head-to-head over her sticking her nose in his business. They were a lot alike, probably more than either of them would ever admit. Maybe that’s why I had always been so drawn to Mac. Even when he was being a vulgar ass, I still felt comfortable in his presence.
“Miss, excuse me?” I looked up from my daze.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” I hadn’t even realized the seamstress was talking to me.
“What color did you decide upon?”
I looked at the color swatches to choose from. I had no idea. Did it really matter? If all goes according to plan I’ll slip away soon after it begins and be out of Damon's reach for good.
“She’ll take the emerald one.”
I turned to see Herrick standing in the doorway wearing his trademark black leather jacket and tight blue jeans. I wondered if he ever took a brush to those locks of his or if he just threw product in it and ran.
“Good choice, sir,” the lady said, marking it down on her notepad.
“You’re picking out my clothes now?” I was surprised to see he knew of any other color than black. I could tell he wore designer clothes but he wasn’t flashy about it. I just always felt like I was in a live showing of “Grease” whenever he was around.
“I've seen your taste in clothing. Trust me, this is best left to me.”
He had me there. I was a notorious bad dresser, but to trust him? My father made it very clear vibrants were not to be trusted. Herrick seemed to always be honest with me even if he knew I wouldn’t like what he had to say, but it could all be a ruse. Was that his way of roping me in, giving me just enough information to gain his trust before blindsiding me?
“I need to measure you. Please remove your shirt and pants,” the old lady said, motioning at my wardrobe. Embarrassment flushed my cheeks.
“Oh, heaven’s sake, love. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”
“Stop invading my emotions,” I barked.
“I’d be happy to go but then I can’t tell you what I came here to say. Decisions, decisions. What’s a lady to do?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Can’t it wait until I’m done here?” I couldn't possibly imagine what was so damn important that he couldn’t give me five minutes of privacy.
“Perhaps but should we really wait to find out?”
I stood up reaching for my shirt and squared my eyes on Herrick’s.
“At least turn around. Or are you going to find some kind of excuse why you can’t do that as well?”
Herrick smiled slowly before turning in the opposite direction.
“Very good. Now stand completely still while I get your measurements,” the hunched-over seamstress said.
“So what's so important it requires you to be a voyeur?” I asked over my shoulder.
“Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not interested in what you look like in your undergarments.”
I wanted to stick my tongue out at him like a three-year-old but he wouldn’t see me doing it, so there was really no point. Oh, what the hell, I did it anyway.
“Don’t be a child, Ashtyn. It’s unbecoming.”
Why did everyone use that word with me? Maybe I was just an unbecoming person but they all wanted to believe otherwise. I felt like I was the only one who wasn’t in denial.
“How did you know? Is childishness an emotion?”
“No, there’s a mirror on that wall over there.”
I pushed the old lady out of the way and bolted behind the loveseat, crouching down. My cheeks flushed with humiliation and I vowed he would pay dearly for his crime during our next training session.
“You’ve been watching me this entire time? You are such an ass!”
“You said turn around and I did. I didn’t want to embarrass you further. There is a silver lining here.”
“Seeing me half-naked made you blind?”
“Are you fish
ing for a compliment? I don’t think any man would kick you out of bed for eating crackers. Now that I stroked your feminine ego, I meant your undergarments. Your bra and panty combination has proven I definitely have better taste in clothes.”
I crawled to the side of the loveseat and reached for my jeans.
“Madam, we haven’t finished yet,” the seamstress scolded.
“Oh, yes we have. You’ll have to use your imagination on the rest I’m afraid.”
Herrick walked over to the lady, handing her a wad of money.
“Thank you for your service, ma’am, you may go now.” The old lady bowed, smiled at him and left the room.
“Sometimes I forget you're not human. You’re so good at pretending.”
Watching him interact with others was like watching a businessman close a big deal. He was personable and categorical at the same time.
“Is that what you think? You believe because I don’t feel things that I’m so different from you?”
He was different from me, there was no denying that. Aside from the obvious fact that he couldn’t feel anything, I was a dreamwalker and a wizard who grew up as a human knowing nothing of my heritage or abilities. Herrick seemed to be very well versed in his ancestry, which struck me as odd given the fact he was traded back and forth between two parents who didn’t love him.
“We’re more similar than you care to admit, hummingbird. Perhaps one day you will truly open those teal eyes of yours and come to that realization.”
“What do you want, Herrick. You came here for a reason, so get on with it.”
“I’m leaving tonight.”
My heart skipped a beat as a sense of dread came over me. He tilted his head to one side, looking confused.
“Why are you afraid of my absence?”
“I’m not,” I lied.
“Ashtyn, I can taste your fear. Tell me why.”
Why was I afraid of him leaving? His absence should be a good thing. Herrick was a vibrant, loyal to his cause only. It was better for me for him to be out of the picture. He was an unnecessary distraction.
“It’s just that with you gone Grison might come after me again.”
Was that really the reason I didn’t want to him to leave? It was plausible. Grison advancing on me was more probable without him being there to stop it, but I had learned a lot during my training with Herrick. I could probably fight him off.
“I’ll only be gone a few days. I’ll be back in time for your party.”
My party, the night I would make my great escape. Would he make it back in time for me to see him one last time? Should that really matter?
“Oh, where are you going?” I wondered if he had another client and cringed at the thought of him leaving to go assassinate an unsuspecting soul.
He smiled and his gray eyes sparkled with mischief.
“I have some personal matters to attend to.”
“Going to try and find who stole your personality?”
“Actually I was thinking about finding you a charm teacher. What kind of mother would you make with that tongue of yours?”
His words hit me like a ton of bricks. A mother? To Damon’s child. It was only a week away. If I didn’t get out here Damon was going to make me hold true to my promise. Tears began to form in my eyes at the thought of what could become of me.
“Ashtyn, I didn’t mean anything by it. It was merely a joke.”
“What do you care?! You don’t give two shits what happens to me. I’m just another paycheck. Stay gone, everybody would better off.”
Herrick turned to leave and stopped at the door.
“I’ll have a gift for you waiting in the greenhouse tonight. It should ease your mind a bit in my absence.”
With that he strode out of the room, and I fell to floor and wept.
Sitting at the dinner table with just Damon for company was a sure fire way to kill an appetite. I tried to eat but my stomach was in knots. Algon was right about vibrants. They were selfish, untrustworthy people. I don’t care if he did teach me how to fight or stop Grison from hurting me. All I was to Herrick was a business transaction. Once Damon no longer needed him he would leave and he wouldn’t think twice about the protégé he left behind. When and if Herrick would come back no longer mattered. I knew what I had to do and forgiving him wasn’t a priority.
“How was your meeting with the dressmaker?” Damon asked in an attempt at small talk.
“It was nice, thank you. Although I am afraid I don’t have a very good fashion sense.”
“I’m sure whatever you picked out will be lovely.”
Except I didn’t pick it out, Herrick did. I wondered what Damon would do to him if he found out Herrick saw me in nothing but my bra and panties. Would he have killed him for looking at me? Or would he gloat about his prized possession?
“I have a surprise for you.”
Oh great, another surprise. Perhaps he sacrificed a puppy in my honor.
“Oh? That isn’t necessary.”
“Nonsense, I aim to spoil you a great deal in the future.”
Fat chance of that happening. Maybe it should be a puppy. With enough training it might be the one thing that doesn’t run from him.
“I have invited your friend Gloria to the ball.”
My jaw hit the floor.
Gloria can’t come to the ball. It was too dangerous for her. If Damon caught me trying to escape she could get caught in the crossfire. This was bad — very bad.
“That isn’t necessary, I’m sure she has better things to do. Besides, we weren’t really friends. More like acquaintances.”
Damon leaned back in his chair interlocking his fingers.
“Ashtyn, why do you lie? I thought you would be ecstatic to see your friend. You have my word: No harm will come to her while she is our guest.”
“I just don’t want her knowing our location, it’s too dangerous for us.” I knew he wasn’t going to buy it, but I had to at least try.
“How kind of you to worry about our safety, my dear, but I can assure you that precautions will be taken. She will be picked up by one of my men and blindfolded until she reaches the estate.”
He considered that not being harmed? They were going to kidnap and blindfold her just so I could see a friendly face? Damon was some kind of twisted.
“Please don’t do that. This is not a way to treat a guest.”
Damon rose, staring at me with contempt.
“I do something nice and it upsets you? I didn’t have to allow you to have a friend, I could have them all murdered if that would please you more. Instead of arguing with me over a settled matter you could in turn say thank you.” He slammed his fist down on the table before turning and stalking out of the room without looking back or waiting for a response.
I wanted to argue, to beg for him to reconsider and leave my friend alone, but the time for reasoning with him had past. I had hurt his feelings by not being grateful for what he considered an act of kindness. This day just kept getting worse. Gloria couldn’t be here, she just couldn’t. I wasn’t about to save one friend’s life just to trade it for another. I had to figure something out. Whatever he wanted I had to give it to him. Did Damon know I was trying to escape? Is that why he invited Gloria? As insurance? If he invited her and she didn’t show he would know something was amiss. Damon was a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. If my friend passed on the opportunity to make sure I was all right it would be a big red flag for Damon. If she did show and he caught me trying to escape then Gloria would become his new pawn in the game to win my loyalty. Yes, Damon was a smart man. He had probably played out every scenario in his mind and had a contingency plan for each one. My hope started to dissipate. I would never outsmart him, he was always two steps ahead. He could have intended to use Mac as a bargaining chip all along. He got what he wanted: my friends out of the picture and me surrendering to his wishes without even putting up a fight. He might be cleverer, but I had something he didn’t: friends. I
didn’t have to buy or lie to obtain them. My friends were loyal simply because they cared for me. I doubted Damon had ever had a true friend in his life. I decided that would be his downfall. The only person he had to rely on was himself and he couldn’t be everywhere and handle everything by himself. He would eventually slip up, and I had half a dozen people willing to do whatever it took and wait as long as necessary to rescue me. I would not let Damon win. Come hell or high water I was getting out of this place and going home.
After remaining at the dinner table staring at my cold food for another hour I finally decided I couldn’t fix my problems that night. There would be nothing I could say to Damon while he was angry that would defuse the situation and turn the tables in my favor. I was headed to bed when I remembered Herrick telling me he would leave me something in the greenhouse. I felt as though Damon's surprise was enough for one evening, but curiosity got the best of me and I made my way to the end of the estate. When I walked inside the garden I saw nothing out of the ordinary. No gift box sitting on the bench by the orchids or letter by the door. I walked along the stone path toward the rose bushes when something on the ground caught my eye. It barely poked out from beyond a row of bushes so I stepped closer to investigate. When the object came into view I stopped in my tracks. My face turned pale and bile rose in my throat. Lying among the beautiful red roses was a body. Herrick had killed someone — and not just any someone. He had killed Grison. My thoughts of our conversation in the drawing room ran through my mind. I told Herrick I was afraid for him to leave because of what Grison might do to me. Did Herrick kill him so he wouldn’t be a threat to me in his absence? That was impossible, he doesn't have feelings and he would never do something out of kindness. Not that taking someone's life was an acceptable gift to give a girl but maybe in Herrick's mind it was. He may have just wanted me to feel safe and this was the only way he knew how to do it. A small part of me was upset that he got to see Grison take his last breath, but the greater part of me felt guilt. It was my fault he was dead, regardless of what kind of man he was, did he deserve to die? That shouldn’t have been Herrick’s choice to make. When he came back, if he came back, we were going to have to have a serious talk about what’s an acceptable gift to give a woman. A dead guy in a rose bush, not on that list.