Fenton waited a second. "I understand that must have been hard to hear."
"Dorian is considered a dangerous experiment by the very people he worked so hard to save," I retorted. "Tell me what you understand about that."
"Fair," Fenton said. "But we didn't force him to leave the plane in the end, did we?"
I scoffed. "That hardly eases my mind. This is a gross injustice. It’s escalating, and you know it."
"You try fighting against the entire United States government. My trust fund isn’t big enough to let me push through certain policies." He was baiting me. I gritted my teeth. "There's no way to turn the tide of public opinion right now, not after the revenants ran amok. The meld made it even worse; the public doesn’t believe that there are other creatures they’ve never heard of who caused it, and that vampires actually saved us. National governments have elections to worry about. With so many cities missing, the public is demanding justice. They're happy enough to blame the old board, sure, but they're hungry for vampire blood too, ironically."
Anger arose within me. Is he seriously telling me that elections—? I cut off my thoughts, forcing myself to take a long, deep breath. Losing it in front of Fenton wasn't going to help my vampire friends, although Kane would've approved. I let my fingers curl around the armrests of my chair.
"Your honor has failed," I said bluntly. "Justice for some is not justice for all."
"I know it's difficult to understand," Fenton pushed back. When he saw the rage rising in my eyes, he raised his hands in surrender with a pleading look. "Please, Lyra. I must ask you to be patient with me. Things are not what they seem. Guards… leave us." His two Bureau soldiers stared at him warily. Fenton pointed to the door. "I need to speak with Sloane privately. She won't attack me. If she does, I swear I’ll scream in the most embarrassing way possible. Please send in my other guest."
I sank back into my seat as the guards left. Fenton's administrative assistant went with them.
Despite having worked with Fenton before, and trusting him to an extent, my skin prickled with goosebumps. This had Alan's style of creepy all over it. Fenton pulled a small black box out of his desk and pressed a button. I tensed, ready to defend myself, but nothing happened. The door swung shut. I stared at him, angry and nervous beyond what the situation called for.
"What are you pulling?" I demanded in a hoarse tone, my instincts telling me to whisper. "What did you just do?"
"My office is bugged. I had this cooked up in my personal lab, for when I want some privacy," Fenton said, and grinned. "Sorry about before, but I had to keep up appearances. The US government has unleashed secret service organizations on us to monitor things, thanks to the behavior of the last board."
I didn't know whether to hold on to the anger or be amazed at his acting skills. I collapsed partially against the back of the chair. "You worked my heartrate right up, thanks."
"Sorry. Look, I'm aware that the government resembles a pack of harpies more obsessed with their own glory than a country meant to fight for justice," Fenton muttered with a sigh. Without his staff around, he deflated for a moment. There had been a touch of condescension in his tone before, but it was gone now. He really should've been an actor. "I've been fighting them on some things, but I can't win everything. I've tried throwing money at it, but I can't go against the entire government, and this debacle combined with public outcry has caused extreme backlash. I've already paid off more people than you'd care to know about in the name of justice."
I raised a curious brow. "So, start talking honestly. We may not have much time."
"You're accustomed to the paranoia that comes with government dealings," he noted approvingly. "The board has agreed that vampires can't be held responsible. We hate the way the government is spinning this, but we had to publicly distance ourselves from everything—you, the vampires, any whiff of Bureau rebels." A mischievous light in his eyes reminded me of Ruk’s last moments, and a sudden, intense grief almost prevented me from hearing his next words. "You should see what we've done in the shadows while we pretended to nod along with Uncle Sam in public. We have top-secret clearance from the government to keep working with vampires, but only if secrecy is maintained. The public still sees vampires as a threat, and we can’t be seen cooperating with them."
Several curses slipped from my mouth. I slammed back the rest of my espresso, frustrated. This argument was more compelling than the one he’d started with, but I wasn't ready to completely climb aboard. Not after this drama.
"Well, you certainly know how to set a stage,” I said. “I hope you know that I still don't completely trust you." I fixed him with a sharp look. "I didn't die and come back just to allow some government group to make me into a chump. If you think you can use me for something else, forget it."
Fenton smiled. "I don't think that's going to be a problem," he informed me, a lot more chipper all of a sudden. "They're about to bring in my special guest."
"Aye, not a second too soon. I thought the young lass was going to slice your head clean off with that glare." Bryce walked through the door with a rogue smirk on his face.
I shot up from my chair, stunned.
"Bryce," I blurted. "It's so good to see you." He looked worn, with more gray in his hair than when I’d last seen him, but he was teeming with energy. He threw his burly arms around me and scooped me in for a tight hug.
"Great job on saving the world," he said, and pulled back with a wink. "It must've been some battle. I'm sorry to have missed it."
"Your arm looks great," I said as I looked him over. He was swinging both arms around like he was back in action. "Were you in on this?" I pointed accusingly at Fenton.
Bryce's eyebrows went up, the picture of innocence. "Me? Fenton insisted on calling this meeting so we could chat. He said he wanted to talk to you before I came in, I assume a nice song and dance for his guards to gossip about to whoever is watching Fenton like a hawk. Lucky for you, I came prepared to bust in and save you from the clutches of this trust-fund kid, or maybe save him from you. It looks like you had him on the run, there." He tilted his head back and chuckled.
Bryce threw himself down into the chair beside mine. I could hardly believe that his ruddy face was beside me, in the flesh! I was so glad to see him, I partially forgave Fenton, who smiled sheepishly.
"Still a trust-fund kid, huh?" Fenton asked, with mock resignation. He pocketed his device with the smoothness of a ninja politician. Man, Bryce was right to bring this guy in early on our adventure.
"First off, I'm prouder of you than you'll ever know," Bryce told me. My shoulders lifted with that compliment. "And second, I've got an idea that's been brewing for a while. I don't really want to go back to the Bureau either, but I'm not ready to retire yet."
A rush of excitement coursed through me. "So, what are you saying?"
"Well, the way I see it," he said, and spread his arms out to flex them. "We both have certain specialized skills. I can't waltz into a grocery store and get a job there, or I'd die from boredom, or worse, stage battles with rude customers in the produce aisle. I'm getting a bit too old for the new programs that the Bureau is cooking up, though. Fenton didn't get to tell you all about the training they have for people your age now. The Bureau wants strike teams to explore the ‘Leftovers’ of the meld, those places from the Immortal Plane that never left this world. They're teeming with unhappy immortal wildlife. Now, have you ever heard of consulting?"
I raised a half-amused brow. Of course I had, but it didn't have a great reputation among soldiers. It had been floated to us before. "Didn't you tell me that's when you got paid fifteen-hundred an hour to tell people things they already knew?"
Fenton choked on his coffee. "I was a consultant before politics."
Bryce smirked. "I know. And aye, that's exactly what I told ya. I'm glad somebody listened during my lessons." He leaned forward, pure enthusiasm sparking in his face. "Think of this, friends. We create a group of human and vampire consultants for hir
e by the government, the Bureau, and potentially some private third-party companies within certain limits. We'll get cushiony tax-funded checks while we consult and do jobs as needed based on our immense knowledge of vampire lore, the other planes, and the creatures that come along with them."
"You said you had an inkling about how to work around the government on the phone and told me to get Lyra here. I thought you were going to suggest creating a task force, not a band of mercenaries," Fenton said, but he sounded more thoughtful than disapproving. Ha! Bryce had been busy with these plans for a while before he set up this meeting.
"I want you on my team," Bryce told me seriously. "And Dorian. We can investigate the issues that the aftermath of the meld caused. We'll do it on our own terms and be paid. Well paid." He shot a sneaky look at Fenton, who threw up his hands in mock defeat. It does sound promising…
"I can get the other members on board," Fenton said, twirling his pen in his hand. "You’ll have a close group structure while also maintaining a certain amount of freedom. It would be beneficial for the Bureau, as well. Consulting gives us some allowance to look the other way on certain methods, as long as the job gets done. I get to keep my hands out of it, technically.”
I stared him down. "So, you're already convinced?"
"Bryce has mentioned this in passing before, but I thought this was more in the talking stages," Fenton muttered with a beat of mild irritation. “I remember us discussing a way for you two to work together that would benefit the Bureau. The details slip by me.”
“There’s no time for waiting, and you were drunk on fine scotch when I called you, if I remember correctly,” Bryce said with a smirk. Fenton buried half his face with his hand in embarrassment. “Those Bureau duties aren’t as fun as your fancy parties in your mansion, are they?”
"They are not,” Fenton confirmed, “but your idea gives me hope. I mean, I know you and Lyra won't take advantage of the loose reins to commit immoral acts. In fact, I think you're both far too ethical to ever be corrupted. I could also get you some clearance to deal with vampires if you're going to hire them. Do vampires work for money?"
My throat tightened with emotion. I had come into this meeting thinking that Fenton had turned against us, but now I knew he was trying to do his best. Bryce’s idea meant we could be sneaky about helping vampires. There was a way we could get my vampire fiancé on board with this. I smiled.
"I think I know a few vampires who wouldn't mind human cash," I replied smoothly. I was so glad Fenton had turned out to be a help rather than an obstacle. I could make money—something that had been far from my mind—and spin a living while accomplishing the tasks I wanted to work on most. It was an ideal situation for Dorian and me. I could find my missing parents, our friends, and maybe have a shot at promoting better human-vampire relations this way.
The secrecy rubs me the wrong way, but I have to take what we can get. I hated that selling the public on the idea of vampires was going to be hard. They still drank blood and needed it to survive, but they had to do it in secret through government help. It wasn’t pleasant, but the government had a use for the vampires in cases that called for the death penalty. How does a human calmly explain that a creature can magically be judge, jury, and executioner, especially after years of government bias against vampires? I had adjusted to it, especially after drinking Dorian's blood myself. The system in the Immortal Plane was arranged to accept this, or used to be, so it might be easier there. Among humans, though… it was going to be a hard sell. The sad reality tempered my excitement for Bryce's new idea, but I wanted the job. It was much better than going back to the Bureau, where they wanted to call Dorian an experiment. But I still needed to talk to Dorian before I agreed to anything.
"I'd like to call Dorian," I told them. "You know, it's an important decision, and it might not be the best idea to come home and tell your fiancé that you've signed them up for a secret agent squad." I wiggled my fingers in front of Fenton, showing off my ring. His jaw dropped, and he sputtered congratulations.
* * *
Six hours later, I found myself in front of my family's apartment. My neck ached from sleeping oddly on the flight. I never slept right, lately, especially without Dorian. It was odd to come back home, knowing that only Dorian waited inside for me. I clung to his presence as my saving grace.
I'll be able to afford to move out if I go along with Bryce's idea. The Bureau had promised to hold my parents’ place, since they were only missing, not confirmed dead, but I knew I couldn’t stay there forever. The dining table was an awkward warzone of memories now. Every picture and knickknack inside that apartment was a constant reminder of Zach and my parents. Now, I understood Dorian's pain when he saw his parents alive in the Immortal Plane during our vision in the Higher Plane.
The housing quarters were virtually empty. New recruits, the bulk of the strike squads, lived in barracks. Many of the Bureau families had requested placements on the coasts, to be farther from the Midwest and the Leftovers here. I couldn't blame them. The end result was that nobody cared if Dorian lived here with me.
"Are you ready?" Dorian whispered. I nodded. I had already explained Bryce's plan over the phone, and he was on board, but he’d told me he had good news that he wanted to deliver in person. We climbed into my dad's car. It was a boxy sedan that smelled like him, making my heart hurt with grief. I drove to a nearby park outside the city. It only seemed right to celebrate somewhere secluded on New Year's Eve. I needed a break from the Bureau campus.
Dorian said little while I drove. Driving was a skill I’d also taught him during our downtime. I wrangled poor Gina into helping out, since I was a terrible teacher at stick and Dorian wanted to learn manual. She was highly amused at our clumsy handlings of a manual transmission and downgraded us from her own car to my dad's automatic. Well, you can't be good at everything. Dorian had picked up on the manual faster than I had, but I think he preferred the automatic. Though he couldn’t get a license, since he was a vampire. Not an experiment, I thought fiercely.
Dorian had found this place on the map. I parked, and we wandered into an empty clearing. I wondered if families used to come out to light fires and set off fireworks. After the meld, it seemed like most people were being more conservative about safety. I stared at the ordinary trees, marveling at how boring and yet comforting the sight of them was.
"Why did you choose this place?" I asked curiously, running my hand along the bark of one tree.
His glacial eyes almost glowed in the moonlight. "It's a gate, Lyra."
A gate? I stopped in my tracks. "That's why we're here to celebrate the new year?" I didn't understand. Did he mean a gate gate, like to the Immortal Plane? But why would he bring me here when he knew I couldn’t cross? And how had he found this one so easily? My mind flashed to Ruk, but that was impossible. We hadn't seen or heard anything from the arbiters since they disappeared. I had no idea if the arbiters had truly used all their energy and simply flitted out of existence, or if they just went back to doing nothing… Either way, they hadn't shown up to take away our memories. Otherwise, I would've fought them to the Higher Plane and back. We still had our necklaces, too.
There was only one arbiter that I missed.
"Lavender seems like such a sad color, now," I muttered to myself. Dorian wandered around the perimeter of the grove, checking something. I had no idea what he was doing, and he didn't seem like he was about to stop and explain. I let him work while my thoughts wandered to Ruk. He’d left someone he loved behind, just like my brother. Aurora was helping the Coalition now, but she was devastated upon hearing about Ruk's disappearance, according to our scout.
Dorian stopped in front of a tree a few yards from me. "You know, Aurora told me that she wasn't surprised by Ruk's sacrifice." I raised a curious brow. Dorian had been back only once to get news since he felt he could handle it, especially with his arbiter necklace. I hadn’t realized he’d talked to Aurora at length. "She said he was stubborn enough to die, r
ather than admit he couldn’t do it." I laughed, the black humor startling the laughter out of me. That was an understatement. For all the flak Ruk gave Dorian and me about being stubborn, he’d been just as strongminded. Maybe it had come with the territory of being an incredibly powerful supernatural being in charge of creating the very barriers that held life together.
I hadn't seen any of our allies besides vampires, but I’d heard that Juneau, thankfully, had made his way back to the training camp. He’d ended up in the Immortal Plane after the meld, which was for the best, since a ruler couldn’t have survived the Mortal Plane atmosphere for very long. I missed our Immortal friends, Reshi and Juneau and Charrek, but I'd been cut off from the Immortal Plane since the tear closed. Not everyone had made it back, though—Kane, we hadn’t heard from at all. I wanted nothing more than to mourn with our friends in the Immortal Plane at the moment, but the tear’s closure meant I no longer had access to them. It had been the only way for humans to travel to the Immortal Plane, and it was done for.
Unless…
I studied Dorian, watching his movements very carefully.
He met me with a small smile and gestured. "I have a confession."
"You've brought me here to sacrifice me to some ancient vampire god?" I asked dryly. "Explains the creepy environment."
He snorted and pulled me over to his spot, wrapping his arm tightly around my shoulders. It made me feel safe. He gestured toward the trees. "I've been hearing something from vampire scholars. I wanted to test it." His voice dropped to a low, serious tone. "They think humans may be able to cross through these gates if they are escorted by a vampire."
I gaped at him. "So, you think that there might be a way for me to cross?"
Darklight 7: Darkfall Page 37