“Slow down!” Julian hobbled alongside me, slightly hunched.
“Here we are,” I stated, dropping his hand as we arrived in front of the seventh door. I turned, adding in a low hiss, “You’d better be careful. Do you know what will happen if they find out?”
“I know! I know! I …” Julian paused, swallowing hard, desperation on his face. “I don’t know what to do, Eve. Amelie, though …” A crooked smile crept over his mouth. “She’s amazing.”
“More your type?” I spat back, crossing my arms over my chest. Why did I just say that? Why? I sounded like a jealous freak and I wasn’t even interested in Julian. In fact, if he weren’t a Sentinel spy, I’d be ecstatic for my two best friends hooking up! I took a deep calming breath and adjusted my tone. “Well, she’s amazing at killing boyfriends too. You wouldn’t be the first. You’re as good as dead if she finds out. It will break her heart … Plus, what if Caden finds out?” My head was already shaking back and forth. “If she doesn’t kill you, he will!”
Julian pushed a dark lock of hair off his forehead, his mouth twisted in frustration. “Maybe I should just tell her,” he grumbled with resignation. “Wouldn’t it be better if I told her? You know, a fresh start. It doesn’t mean anything … not anymore.”
“No! Don’t you say a word!” I grabbed hold of his wrist. He winced and I realized my nails were digging into his flesh. I don’t care, I told myself. Some nail marks would be the least of his worries if his principles won out. I couldn’t deal with another death over his sudden onset of conscience. “Not yet. Don’t tell her. I’m not telling Caden. Don’t say anything until I have time to think.” I sighed, a heavy wave of fatigue making my legs wobbly. “Just try and keep your pants on, will you?” I threw out sarcastically as I turned toward my door. A glimpse of brown hair caught my eye. For a moment, I was sure I saw Caden. But when I turned back, the hall was empty.
***
Half my neck wasn’t missing but I’d definitely have a scar. I studied my reflection in the mirror of the en suite bathroom. Someone had closed up the puncture wounds with a few stitches while I was unconscious. All that was left were tidy lines of black thread and a disturbing memory. I wondered which vampire managed the torturous task. Probably Mage. Taking a damp, white face cloth to the area, I gently dabbed away the dried blood, careful not to snag the threads and reopen the gashes.
A part of me couldn’t help but feel bitter. I had been so close … so close to no longer being human, to Rachel giving me an eternal life with Caden. But then another wrench was thrown in, another spell. A new curse. Now it wasn’t jewelry around my neck, but a poison coursing through my veins. I had no one to blame but myself. No one forced me onto that plank of wood. I did that all on my own … for my own needs. Look where it got me! Gritting my teeth, I examined my hands, my limbs, my torso, looking for signs that this poison existed. But I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that suggested I couldn’t be turned. Maybe it would wear off? If not … No. I couldn’t think like that. Sofie would figure it out. Sofie had to figure it out …
I sighed. At least Rachel was dead. I had watched her burn. And Ursula was dead too. My two greatest enemies, gone. Aside from Viggo, of course. Now that he had Veronique’s pendant, I was nothing more than a bothersome gnat. Not even that. I was a waste of effort. That brought me some small comfort. And Mortimer? I had all but forgotten about the threat from him. No, Mortimer wouldn’t be a danger to me anymore. Not after he had killed Rachel to save me.
Now all I had to worry about was a war that would obliterate mankind.
“How are you feeling?” I yelped when Sofie’s sudden voice, though soft, startled the daylights out of me. “Sorry,” she crooned, placing her hands on my shoulders as she peered into the mirror. Dainty, gentle, motherly hands …
A killer’s hands.
“Did you discover any secret Sentinel spies?” I cleared my throat. Don’t think about Julian. Don’t think about Julian.
Sofie smiled, shaking her head. “No, as I suspected, they checked out. We’ll just have to search all humans that we involve from now on. It’s not pleasant for anyone, believe me.” She yanked my shoulders, spinning me around to steer me back into the main bedroom. “How do you like it here?” she asked, her gaze drifting over the walls and the bed.
“It’s beautiful. And surprisingly homey.” Dark eggplant walls and dove-gray moldings created a lovely backdrop for the modern cream-colored furniture and rich satin mauve bedding. The room wasn’t overly large but its ceilings sprawled to double-story heights, making it feel cavernous.