by J. P.
He pauses again as he shuts his eyes. He opens them again and sighs.
“Since Jeremy wasn’t coming with us as a distraction, I had to put on the show of a lifetime. I had to convince everyone, including you, that I was back, and I was ready to take on my responsibility as the Prince of Malum. Tricking you was awful, especially knowing that you didn’t believe me.” He smiles for a moment at me. “It was maddening that you never gave up. I was waiting to finally lose you for good. You said you hated me, but I could tell from the look in your eyes that you didn’t mean it. Then there were the times I would slip up, like when I kissed you.” He throws his head back and groans. “I have never wanted anything so badly than when I wanted to kiss you. I felt awful afterward. Not only did I not have any willpower left, but then I had to crush you afterward.”
“Stop,” I say and hold a hand up to stop his ramblings about our kiss. “I forgive you for that. Keep going.”
“I enlisted Olivia immediately to help me. We get into it sometimes, but she’s been on your side since before you even knew about her.” He bites his lip as if trying to remember what else he needs to explain to me. “Sarah, I had no idea about. I got rid of her as soon as I could while also not raising suspicion. I wanted to rip her head off, along with Will’s. I could’ve killed him when he almost killed you. Along with my father, who I will never forgive for countless things, but experimenting on you is now the top of the list.” He shakes his head. “I think that’s everything for now. The bottom line is that regardless of every plan and every trick, nothing has changed about how I feel about you. I’m sorry for everything I’ve put you through in the last few days. It has been killing me.”
I nod my head as I try to absorb everything he just said.
“If you hate me now, I get it—”
“I don’t hate you,” I interrupt him. “Why did no one think to let me in on the plan?”
Luke frowns. “I know it’s stupid, but it’s one of those situations where the less people know, the higher the success rate.”
I roll my eyes. “That is stupid. We could’ve done all of this together.”
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but it had to be real,” he says as he moves closer to me.
“It was real,” I snap at him. “This whole thing has been hell.” I take a deep breath. Getting angry won’t help anything. “Look, I understand why you did what you did.” I swallow my frustration and anger and try to think about it from Luke’s side. “Thank you. I’m sure it was really hard to come back here and face your dad and your past.”
Luke shakes his head and moves closer to me. “I would do anything for you. You know that.”
I feel the stress drop from my shoulders as a smile slides onto my face. “I know.” I lean into him and press my hand to his chest, his heart racing under my touch.
“I missed you so much.” His forehead presses against mine.
“You saw me the whole time,” I say with a laugh.
“I know, but I missed this. Being with you and being myself.” He reaches out and pushes my hair behind my ear. “You’re my favorite person in the whole world, you know that?”
“Wow, being here has made you corny,” I tease.
“I don’t care,” he says with a laugh. “I’m being serious, though.” He lets out a deep breath through his nose as his jaw clenches. “I love you, Nina.”
I reach up and take the side of his face in my hand. I tilt my head and kiss him softly. A pounding at the door makes us both jump.
“Knock it off, Olivia,” Luke calls as he slowly separates from me to get the door.
The pounding only intensifies, and Luke freezes halfway to the door. He turns to face me and motions for me to go over to him. Panic paints his face, which immediately makes me anxious. I hurry over to him, and he takes me in his arms.
“Go into the guard room and wait for me there,” he whispers in my ear.
“Why?” I ask.
Luke glances at the door and then back at me. “I just have a bad feeling.”
“Okay,” I say as I back away from him and head for the guard room. I shut the door behind me and press my ear to the door, even though I can still hear the pounding as clear as I could in the sitting room.
I hear the sound of Luke opening the door, immediately followed by Luke saying, “what the hell?”
I jump when the sound of a fist hitting flesh rings in my ears.
“I knew I should’ve never trusted you!” a familiar voice screams. “You killed her!”
Out of instinct, I grab the handle and pull the door open. I stop short, a scream caught in my throat as I take in the sight of Tyler, dressed in all black, on top of Luke, holding a wooden stake over him, about to plunge it into his heart.
16
“Tyler, stop!” I scream.
Tyler freezes as his head snaps in my direction. The wooden stake clatters to the floor before he snaps out of whatever trance he was in. He stumbles up from the ground and rushes over to me. He pulls me into his arms so fiercely, I lose my breath. I slowly reach up and hug him back.
“Holy shit,” he says breathlessly. “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.” He holds me so tightly that if I were a human, it would hurt. “I thought you were dead.” Finally, he pulls away from me and takes my face his hands. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Tears make his eyes shine as he scans my face for answers.
“I’m okay,” I assure him.
“Holy shit, Nina,” he exhales as he pulls me into his arms again. “I was about to lose my fucking mind.”
“I’m okay,” I tell him again. “Tyler,” I begin as I pull back, “why did you come here? How did you find me?”
He stiffens as he takes a step away from me. He turns to Luke, who has been watching us the whole time. “You,” he snaps as he points to Luke.
“Tyler, he didn’t do anything, this was all part of the plan,” I tell him as I grab his arm to try and keep him from going at Luke again.
“I know it was,” he growls, even though he softens under my touch. “No one decided to let me in on the stupid plan. I went back to the house after finding Emma to discover that you were taken by Luke. ‘Don’t worry,’ Mr. Blair said. ‘It’s all part of the plan.’” Tyler shakes his head. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to keep her safe. I knew it.” He shakes his head as he glares at Luke.
Luke stays against the wall with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
“I couldn’t take it anymore, I needed to come here myself to make sure Nina was alright. Thank God I did. Sarah and Will were in the cells next to me. They told me about how Will almost killed her. I had to escape and find Nina myself to make sure she was okay since you clearly weren’t keeping her safe. What the fuck were you thinking?” he spits at Luke. “If she died, everyone would blame you. I would blame you.”
“Tyler, you’re being irrational,” I say as I give his arm a tug. “Just let it go.”
Tyler sighs, and he turns back to me. “You have no idea how happy I am that you’re okay,” he says as he pulls me into his arms yet again. He holds me for a few moments before he pulls away. He takes my face in his hands and dips his head down before he kisses my cheek. “I love you,” he whispers, his lips lingering a few centimeters from mine.
“Tyler,” I whisper back before I pull away and take a step back.
“What?” he asks. “What is it?” He reaches out for me, but I take another step back. “Oh,” he says, clarity washing over his face. “Is this about all that stuff that happened in Laguna Beach? I can explain all of it.”
“I don’t really want to hear it,” I say as I hold a hand up to stop him.
“Please, beautiful. Let me explain.”
“I don’t—
“It was a mission,” Tyler blurts out.
I furrow my brow. “You had a mission to cheat on me?” I ask.
“No, I had a mission to protect Marcy’s sister, Marissa,” Tyler says. “Marissa told Marcy that there were new vampir
es at school and Marcy flipped out. She thought that if Ethan found us, he would figure out that Marissa was her sister. She ordered me to protect Marissa at all costs.”
I roll my eyes. “I didn’t realize that protect meant shove your tongue down her throat.”
“That’s the thing. I never touched her. The night of the dance, she pulled me aside, into the janitor’s closet, and told me she thought she saw Sarah. She just started kissing me, and then you showed up. I never kissed her or laid a hand on her.” Tyler takes a step closer to me, but I take another step back.
The pain from the past rises again, and my heart starts to race as I’m brought back to the night of the dance. I remember opening the door and finding them in there together. I remember Tyler not having an explanation for what I saw. I remember how awkward it was afterward and then the car accident… Pain shocks my heart when I remember the accident.
“We got into a car accident, and the police were asking me if I was Marissa. They said you were asking about her.” I scowl at him, waiting for an excuse.
“No, I asked them about you, and they said you were okay. I needed them to make sure Marissa wasn’t harmed,” he says.
“What?” I ask in complete disbelief. “She wasn’t even in the car with us.”
“I know, but Sarah had returned, and I needed to make sure that she didn’t get to Marissa.”
My jaw drops onto the floor. “Are you being serious?” My voice is starting to rise as I feel anger surge through me. “I was in the car with you, not her. It was me that got kidnapped.”
“I know, but I knew you were okay—”
“And then,” I cut him off, “all I wanted was to go home, and I find out that she’s at my house.”
“Nina—”
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” I ask him.
“What?” he asks, confused.
“Why didn’t you just tell me about your mission. You could’ve saved me all this pain.”
“I had orders not to tell anyone. I’m sorry you got hurt, but everything will be okay now. I promise I will never take another mission like that again. I’ll tell you everything from now on,” Tyler begs as he closes the distance between us. “Please forgive me.”
I stare up at him. I feel bad, but at the same time, I can’t believe him. I glance at Luke and find him in the same exact position, standing on the wall.
“He did the same thing,” Tyler says suddenly. “He had to treat you like shit because of a mission.”
“No,” I say immediately. “He had to keep me away to keep me safe. You decided to add that to your mission on your own.”
Tyler opens his mouth to try to defend himself again, but I hold my hand up.
“I need a minute.” I walk away from him and hurry to the bathroom.
Too many emotions are flooding through me right now, and I need some time to sort through them all. I shut the bathroom door behind myself and turn on the sink. I splash some cold water on my face and take a towel. I sit at my vanity and pat my face dry as my mind races.
What am I supposed to do about Tyler? I had been waiting all this time for some kind of explanation, but I don’t feel any better. Even though he didn’t mean to hurt me, the pain was real.
I hear the mumble of voices, and I try to tune into the conversation happening in the sitting room.
“Whatever, dude,” I hear Luke say.
“I’m serious. Stay away from her,” Tyler growls. “I’m going to get my girlfriend back.”
From what I can tell, Luke doesn’t say anything to him. The sound of footsteps coming towards the door startles me.
“Where are you going?” Tyler says, suddenly.
“I’m going to check on your girlfriend.”
A knock on the door startles me, and I jump.
“Nina?” Luke’s voice says from the other side.
“Yes?” I call.
The door opens, and his head pokes in. “Can I come in?”
I nod and drop my head back into the towel as he walks in and shuts the door behind him. I hear him walk towards me and stop in front of me. When I look back up, he’s leaning against the vanity, looking down at me.
“You okay? It got pretty intense back there.” He nods to the sitting room with his head.
“I…” I trail off, unable to finish my sentence. I shake my head in frustration. “What am I supposed to do?”
Luke bites his bottom lip as he shakes his head. “I don’t know. I think you just have to go with your gut.”
I roll my eyes. “So basically, you’re telling me to follow my heart?”
Luke laughs as he pushes his golden blonde hair off of his forehead.
“This is not the time to laugh,” I say, but I feel a giggle bubbling in my chest.
We both start laughing, and the weight on my shoulders finally starts to dissipate.
“Thank you,” I say as I stand. “I needed that.”
“I know,” he says to me. An arrogant smirk spreads onto his face as he winks at me.
I step into him as his eyes never leave mine. “And thank you for letting me fight my own battle.”
An easy grin slides onto his face as he reaches out for my waist and pulls me closer to him. “You are a force to be reckoned with. You’re more than capable of handling things yourself. I will always be in your corner if you ever need me as backup.”
My heart skips a beat in my chest as his words make me want to melt into a puddle onto the floor. I open my mouth, about to thank him again, when a loud noise blares throughout the room. It repeats itself again and again, like some kind of alarm. Immediately, Luke takes me in his arms.
“What is that?” I ask as I cover my ears with my hands.
“An alarm, c’mon.” Luke ushers me back into the sitting room, where we literally run into Tyler. “What did you do? What did you touch?” Luke snaps at him.
“Nothing!” Tyler shouts back.
“What does that sound mean?” I ask, trying to break up their fight.
“Someone broke into or tried to escape the mansion,” Luke says before he lets go of me and rushes over to the door, securing all the locks.
“That’s good, right? Chrome could be here?” Tyler asks.
All of a sudden, the alarm stops. The three of us look up at the ceiling.
“Chrome is the biggest organization that is after my father right now, but they aren’t the only ones. Nina and I need to stay out of sight,” Luke tells Tyler.
“Why don’t I go out and see if I can figure out who it is?” Tyler suggests.
Luke looks back at me for my reaction.
“I don’t know. You could get hurt,” I say as I cross my arms over my chest.
“I’ll be fine,” Tyler assures me. “I can’t just sit here.” Tyler glares at Luke as if his statement was some kind of dig.
“Okay, if you want to go, then go ahead. If you see a blonde girl named Olivia, bring her back here,” I tell him.
“No,” Luke says immediately. “She’s head of fight training. She’s probably fighting whoever it is.”
“Okay then. Find out who it is and then come back,” I say as my eyes meet Tyler’s. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“I never do stupid things,” he says with a smile, but I don’t laugh. “I’ll be back soon.” He looks like he has more to say, but he turns and goes to the door. Luke undoes the locks, and Tyler runs out without looking back.
17
Luke turns back to me after he finishes fastening all the locks. “We need a plan.”
“What kind of plan?” I ask him as he makes his way over to the couch and pats the space next to him, inviting me to sit.
“Tyler is either going to come back telling us it’s Chrome, and we can come out, or he’s going to say it’s someone else. If it’s anyone besides Chrome, we might have to make a run for it.”
“But, aren’t we supposed to stay here until Marcy and my dad come?” I ask as I tuck my legs underneath myself and sit sideways to face
him.
“Yes.” He sighs as his eyes meet mine. “But you’ve been in here for too long. I want to get you home to your family. I’m over you being here and constantly being in danger.”
I want to argue with him that we should follow the plan, but the thought of escaping this terrible place is too tempting. “I want to go home,” I tell him.
“Let’s do it then,” he says with a nod. He pulls his phone out of his pocket, and a picture of a map appears on the screen. “These are the blueprints of the mansion. We should wait a few hours for things to die down and then we’ll make our move. We’ll go down this hallway, make a right down this corridor, and then climb out this window that leads to the side of the building. No guards are stationed out there.”
“Okay. I can do that.” I look up from the map to find his eyes. “We’ll take Olivia with us?”
Luke sighs. “I don’t know.”
“She doesn’t want to be here anymore.”
“I know that. I just don’t know if I can protect myself and her. This is a dangerous game we’re playing. My dad will be furious that I left and that I stole you. He’s going to find out we have Jeremy, and then he’s going to freak out if I have Olivia too.” Luke shakes his head. “I don’t think it’s possible.”
I frown, thinking about Olivia and how kind she’s been to me. “She’s miserable here.”
“She’s free to leave whenever she wants,” Luke argues.
“I know, but she doesn’t have anywhere to go.”
Luke sighs before he leans back on the couch. “Since when are you and my sister best friends?”