Kiera stepped forward and said, “Sorry to interrupt your sexy-time, but we’ve got a mission in front of us, and we need you to focus.”
“We have a mission?” I asked. “You don’t want me to ask the headmaster for help again, right? That would implicate Alexei.”
“We’re not going to implicate anyone,” Sacha confirmed.
My eyebrows furrowed. “Okay, then. What are we going to do?”
Sacha entwined our fingers. “We’re going to sneak out of the academy.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I blinked twice, not sure I heard him correctly. “Did you just say you want to sneak out of the academy?”
“Yup,” he answered bluntly.
My eyes darted between Kiera and Alexei. “Are you part of this too?”
Alexei came to stand at Sacha’s side and put his hand on his shoulder. “I’d follow my alpha anywhere.”
Sacha gave him an approving nod.
I met eyes with Kiera. “You couldn’t talk any sense into them?”
“It was my idea,” she informed, standing tall like she was proud of it. “We don’t have any other choice. We can’t sit back and allow Cassius to succeed.”
I appreciated all of their heroic notions, but none of them were considering the consequences. Even if we were successful, which was a huge longshot, there was no way to know if the council would side with us. The headmaster saw our evidence as weak. And Silas, the vampire council leader, had it out for me. There was no way he was going to convict his nephew without infallible proof.
“It’s too dangerous,” I insisted, trying to calm their eagerness. “Have you considered what will happen if you get caught? Each of you will spend the remainder of your sentence in the dungeons. And that’s if you get lucky. They could tack years onto your sentences. Or, they could send you to a supernatural prison.”
Kiera’s face paled.
“Even if we managed to escape without incident, our evidence against Cassius isn’t foolproof,” I continued, seeing that my words had weight. “Silas, the vampire council member, is Cassius’s uncle. If we can’t prove our case against his nephew, he will seek a severe punishment for each of us. Now you understand what you’re up against.”
Silence.
Kiera swallowed hard and took a step forward. “I understand what you’re saying and why you’re scared, but we have to do this. Innocent people will die. I don’t think I can live with myself if I sit back and do nothing.”
I was proud that Kiera was willing to fight back. As I looked at her now, it was hard to believe she was the same girl who once cowered at the sight of shifters. I wish I had some of her courage right now. I would need it if I were going to fight at their side. They had no idea they were treading into a war. Knowing what I know now, I believed the vampires were behind this secret rebellion. It’s the only possible conclusion, which meant this case had to go our way. The outcome could be the difference between peace and all-out bloodshed. Kiera was right. I couldn’t look away and allow this to unfold on its own. Regardless of the consequences, I had to stop Cassius from becoming king.
I glanced up at Sacha. “What’s the plan?”
Kiera and I returned to our dorm to prepare for our escape. I changed into tactical gear. The black short-sleeve shirt and pants made of a polyester and cotton combo, perfect for comfort and maneuvering. The pants had cargo pockets big enough for my weapons, which I hoped to steal from the arsenal they kept in the training facility. I finished the look with my suede boots and tied my hair back into a ponytail.
It was a bit more difficult to get Kiera out of her comfort zone. All of her clothes were bright and cheery, like her personality. That wouldn’t work in this situation. After a little coaxing, I got her into one of my spare tactical outfits. Her body had more muscle than mine, so her outfit was a bit tight. After she finished dressing, she went over to the mirror and squealed. “I look like such a badass.”
I put my hands on my hips and gave her a head to toe scan. “You were always a badass, Kiera, even in pink.”
Once midnight rolled around, we left to meet Sacha and Alexei in the stables. I pulled out the handwritten map Alexei wrote on a napkin. The map detailed every camera he disabled. Kiera watched out for officers guarding the perimeter, while I followed his directions. Within minutes, we were outside the academy without setting off any alarms. I felt a ping of hope that this might work.
They were both waiting for us when we arrived. Both boys wore matching black outfits that looked oddly similar to ours. “How did you do?” I asked.
Sacha motioned for us to follow him. He led us into a back room where he had several weapons on a long rectangular table. There were several flashlights, pocket and swiss army knives, and tasers. “This is for you,” he said, pulling out something from a heavy-duty black case. When he turned around, he handed me a compound bow. “I’m sure you know what to do with it.”
I held the weapon in my hand and looked through the bow sight. “This will work.”
“How did you get all of this?” Kiera asked, admiring their stolen treasures. “They keep everything locked uptight.”
“We didn’t go for the weapons in the artillery,” Alexei informed. “We collected these from the other packs.”
“You told them we were planning to escape?” I shrieked unintentionally.
Sacha waved his hands. “We didn’t sit them down and go over all of the details, but we said we needed them, and they were willing to barter.”
“What did you agree to do?” I asked curiously.
“I can’t tell you,” Sacha replied, kissing the back of my hands. “That’s pack business.”
If it were pack business, he wouldn’t tell me. Shifters had their secrets, but I did know that they took their vows seriously. And even though many of them had warmed to me, I was still an outsider. I let it go and moved on. “What’s the next step?”
“We’re going to hop the fence and leave,” Alexei replied, casually, like our escape would be simple. “We have a truck waiting for us near one of the park entrances. We just need to head south toward the river, and the water will guide us the rest of the way.”
I crossed my arms. “And how are we getting a truck?”
“We’re not getting a truck,” Alexei corrected. “We have someone waiting in a truck. He’s going to drive us to the high council meeting. And before you ask, he’s one of the tribe members who deliver food and supplies to the academy.”
I did know that there were many small tribes in the area, and for the right price, there would be a few willing to make a deal. “It sounds like you both have been busy.”
“That reminds me,” Alexei said, tapping his finger against his lips. “We have to do something with the transmitter in your neck. It must come out, but you’re not going to like it.”
I rubbed my hand over the spot of the injection. “What are you planning to do?”
“Sit down,” he pointed to a tree stump.
My shoulders tensed. I didn’t like that he didn’t answer my question, but I did as he requested. I placed my hands on my knees. “Okay, now what?”
“We have to make an incision in your neck, and then we have a device that will pull it out.” Alexei held up a strange contraption that looked like a tiny vacuum cleaner. “It’s not going to be pleasant. I wish I had another way, but this is all we’ve got.”
Once I left the academy, the headmaster could use the device to slow me down or kill me. It didn’t matter if the pain was severe. I had no other options. The device had to come out. “Do it,” I approved.
Alexei met eyes with Kiera. “Can you please hold onto her?”
She kneeled in front of me and clasped her hands over mine. “Alexei will make it fast,” she promised.
Before I had a chance to ask any more questions, I felt a hand over my forehead. It was Sacha. He tugged my head back and made the incision. I winced. I appreciated that they didn’t tell me they were doing it, but that didn’t h
elp with the pain. Alexei appeared at my side and stuck the suction cup against the cut. The device turned on, and it took everything I had not to scream out in pain. It felt as if someone was ripping the tendons in half.
Tears welled in my eyes, and I let them fall. “It’s okay,” I promised. “Keep going until you get it out.”
I heard something that sounded like a pop, and then the machine turned off. Alexei held the bloody metal ball in his palm. “It’s gone.”
Sacha had a bandage waiting and placed it over my neck. “I’m sorry we had to do that. I wish I could give you my healing abilities.”
I placed my hand on top of his. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine. Humans heal too.”
As they repeated the removal process on each other, I slipped off the bracelet the headmaster gave me on my first day, and hid it under a pile of old lumber. That took care of the only other tracer I had. After they healed, Sacha collected the weapons and placed them in a large canvas bag that he slung over his shoulder. He nodded, and we were ready to go. We blew out all of the candles before we left. We didn’t want anyone to know we used this place for anything other than its purpose. Alexei kept busy on his keyboard, making sure all of the cameras remained disabled.
We trucked through the grassy hills, staying clear of the motion detectors. After a mile or so, we reached the fence. The metal fence was at least ten feet high, with electrical jolts shooting through the tops. My stomach sunk. We couldn’t get over an electronic fence. Sacha pulled a set of wire cutters out of the canvas bag and started cutting the metal wires. Electricity ran through his hands, burning his skin. He winced in pain. Only an alpha could withstand that level of agony.
I heard voices coming our way. At least two guards were speaking to someone on comms. I tensed. They were going to find us.
“We’ve got to hurry,” Kiera whispered.
“No, we have to stop,” I insisted, already sensing the impending doom. “They’re going to see the hole in the fence, and they’ll comb the forest looking for us. Or worse, they’ll call for a reaper team. It’s over.”
“No, it’s not,” Sacha insisted, handing the weapons bag to Alexei. I glanced at his hands, and the burns had already healed. “Two will go, and the others will stay behind. They have no idea how many of us are here.”
Two sacrifices. “It has to be me,” I insisted. “The rest of you can keep going. You don’t need me to speak at a council meeting. You only need to find my parents and explain everything to them.”
“You’re the reaper,” Sacha argued. “You have to keep going. I’ll stay.”
Kiera waved her hands wildly. “Neither of you are staying. Alexei and I will handle this.” She took the keyboard out of his hand and placed it in mine. Alexei handed the bag of weapons back to Sacha. “Take everything with you.”
“They’re going to punish you,” I insisted. “I won’t do it.”
“Sacha is a pack leader, and you’re a freaking Van Helsing,” Kiera countered. “The council will listen to you, and that’s why you’re going.” She groaned as she pulled on the metal wires Sacha cut, creating a door. “Now, stop whining and go be heroes.”
“I’ll take care of Cassius, and then I’ll come back for you,” I promised. “I won’t let either of you take the fall for me.”
Sacha tugged on my arm. I took one last look at my brave friends and ran through the open door.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
We raced through the dark forest.
Sacha’s eyes glowed red as he navigated our way using his infrared alpha vision. A handy little trick. He kept our fingers entwined the entire time, which probably saved me from faceplanting into a tree trunk more than once. A cool wind whipped against my face as we rushed to get to the river. The only noise I heard was the sound of twigs and dead leaves snapping beneath our feet.
When I couldn’t go any further, I squeezed his hand, and we slowed to a stop. Panting, I leaned down and cupped my palms around my kneecaps. “I’m sorry, I just need a minute to rest.”
Sacha sat the bag of weapons on the ground, leaned back against a tree, and caught his breath. “It’s fine. I needed a break too.”
“What happened to all your super strength?” I teased.
“It’s been a while since I went for a long-distance run in my human form,” he replied. “What about you, reaper? Aren’t you supposed to be an expert tracker or something?”
I straightened my back, bent my elbows, and stretched out my arms and shoulders. “Expert trackers, not track and field.”
As I stared out into the darkness, my mind returned to the last image I had of Kiera and Alexei standing by the fence. They surrendered themselves so that we could continue our mission. No matter their logic, I felt guilty. I hoped that their sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain, but I had no way to predict how the high council would react to our evidence. As much as it pained me, I pushed those feelings aside and focused on what I needed to do.
Sacha closed his eyes. “We’re close to the river,” he slung the bag over his shoulder. “Let’s keep going.”
I tried to listen for the sound of rushing water, but I didn’t hear anything. “I’ll take your word for it.”
Sacha patted me on top of the head. “It must suck being a human.”
“Oh, yeah?” I tried to swat him with my hand, and he chuckled each time I missed—damn shifter reflexes. “It must suck turning into a mindless beast once a month.”
His mouth fell open, and he made a noise that sounded like a short grunt and a laugh combined. “Mindless beast, huh?”
I stuck out my tongue.
He separated the distance between us and stared down at me with a menacing expression on his face. “Are you afraid?”
I didn’t flinch. “Never.”
The corner of his lip curled upward. “Good.”
As he leaned down, I closed my eyes, fully expecting a kiss. He tapped me on the nose instead—such a tease. When I opened my mouth to complain, his head jerked to the side. His eyes strained like he was trying to focus on something. A second later, he threw me over his shoulder and took off running. I was moving so fast, the trees we passed were nothing more than a blur. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I heard voices,” he replied. “And your human legs are too slow.”
When he finally put me down, the sun had risen, and the skies were bright. Sacha sat on the ground with the bag next to him, taking in heaving breaths. I was nauseous from the bumpy ride, but I kept that to myself as I scanned the area. We were at the entryway of the state park right next to the toll booth. This area must be our rendezvous point. Alexei had said someone in a truck would meet us, but I didn’t see or hear anyone. “When is our ride supposed to come?”
“Six in the morning,” he replied panting.
I strode over to the booth and wiggled the doorknob. It was unlocked. I stepped inside and read the clock on the wall. It was just after five. I opened the closet door and found a six-pack of water bottles on the floor. I grabbed two, and I made my way back to Sacha. I handed him one as I sat down next to him. “Our ride won’t be here for another forty-five minutes. Should we hide?”
“If I hear anyone coming, I’ll let you know,” he assured me right before he drank the entire bottle of water in a matter of seconds. “You should rest a while.”
Sweat pearled on his neck and forehead. “I think you’re the one who needs rest.”
“I’ll be fine,” he insisted.
I drank half of my bottle, then poured the rest over his head. “Hopefully, this will help with the smell.”
He scooped me up into his lap. “I thought you liked my smell.”
I stared at him curiously. How would he know if I liked his scent? Then I remembered our blood connection. “Snooping around in my head?”
“Stop dreaming about me,” he replied with a smirk.
“I haven’t had any—”
Sacha interrupted me with a kiss, and I forgot about what I was saying. I for
got everything but the feel of his lips against mine. My skin hummed in every place he touched, and I yearned for more. It was like I couldn’t get enough. His mouth opened wider, and mine followed, deepening our kiss. I nestled into him with ease, like we were two halves of the same person coming together. I’d never felt so close to someone.
A horn beeped, and we both startled. We met eyes, and I realized he was just as surprised as I was. “So much for that supernatural hearing of yours,” I teased.
He helped me to my feet and replied, “I was preoccupied.”
The truck door opened, and a man in a cowboy hat stepped out. As he sauntered toward us, I recognized him. He was the same guy who drove me to the academy. Sacha reached inside the canvas bag and pulled out a wallet. He handed the cowboy a wad of money and said, “There’s enough in there to cover the ride and a little extra for your silence.”
He stuck the cash inside his shirt pocket, and they shook hands. “We’d better get going. The park ranger will be here any minute.”
The cowboy headed back to his truck. When he was a good distance away, I asked, “Can we trust him?”
“I know his people,” Sacha explained. “A handshake means as much to them as a signed document would to us. They have an honor code most humans lack.”
We hurried over to the truck, slid into the seat, and shut the door. The radio played music in a language I didn’t recognize—the same station he had on during our first ride to the academy. I leaned my elbow against the window ledge and stared at the passing scenery. Sacha reached out and entwined our fingers. His touch gave me a sense of comfort and security I didn’t understand, but I appreciated nonetheless. Whatever challenges awaited us, I was glad he would be by my side.
Van Helsing Academy Page 19