Irace down to the vault beneath the mansion, my heart pounding in my ears. Lucian entrusted me with the code, a secret shared between us, a precaution against manipulation or compulsion.
My fingers tremble as I punch in the numbers, the soft beep of the lock disengaging and echoing in the stillness. I snatch the stone off the shelf; its weight heavy. It's almost laughable how something so small could cause so much chaos. I slam the vault door shut, the clang echoing in the empty room.
I race back upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. Jeans, black hoodie, hair up—the perfect "I'm definitely not about to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous" look. I creep back downstairs, my heart in my throat.
I pause at the sound of familiar voices. Rhyland, Erik, and Lucian are locked away in their council meeting, gathering allies for the war. But it's Emily, Sable, and Seraphina I need to worry about now.
I tiptoe past the living room, my heart doing a frantic tap dance in my throat, desperately hoping they won't spot me.
Ugh, this rescue mission would be much easier if I could just zap myself there like a budget Nightcrawler. But no, of course not—Azrael and his flair for the dramatic won't allow any handy dandy teleportation shenanigans. He's probably worried I'll pull some Avengers-level shit and portal in the entire celestial cavalry.
As if I'd risk putting a single hair on my brother's head in danger by provoking that snake's wrath.
So here I am, about to hit the road like a basic bitch instead of utilizing my stellar superpowers. Honestly, superheroes these days have it way too easy with all their fancy gadgets and modes of transport. Where's my suped-up, missile-launching, flight-capable motorcycle, huh?
The sound of laughter stops me dead in my tracks. I peek around the corner, spotting Emily, Seraphina, and Sable sprawled on the couch, eyes glued to the TV. I take a deep breath, steeling myself.
Just a few more steps, and I'm home free—
"Hey, girl!" Emily calls out, and I nearly jump out of my skin. "Get your ass over here, this episode is wild!"
"Oh, yes. We just saw Colin deflower Pen!" Seraphina says, blushing.
I squeeze my eyes shut, my mind racing. "Uh, thanks, but I think I'm gonna pass," I say, my voice wavering slightly. "I'm beat. Just gonna grab a sandwich and hit the hay."
Emily's eyes narrow, and I feel like she's staring straight into my soul. "You sure? You look like you've seen a ghost. Everything okay?"
Damn her and her freaky best friend intuition. "Yup, just tired," I lie, my smile feeling more like a grimace.
"Hold up," Sable chimes in, her pink hair in a messy bun, "wasn't Damon supposed to show up tonight?"
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
"Yeah, where is the little twerp?" Emily asks, her phone already in her hand. "I've been blowing up his phone, but he's not picking up."
A lie. I need a lie. Something believable. Something that won't raise suspicion.
My mind scrambles. "Oh, yeah…he called me earlier. Got held up at work. Said he'll be here tomorrow." The words taste like ash in my mouth.
Emily stares at me for a moment, and I'm sure she's going to call me out on my bullshit. But then she shrugs, turning back to the TV. "Alright, well, g'night. Get some rest, girl."
I let out a shaky breath, relief washing over me. "Will do. Night, guys." Seraphina and Sable echo back.
I practically sprint to the kitchen, snatching Lucian's car keys off the counter like my life depends on it. With fingers crossed that my backup plan will pan out, I dive into the cupboard, rummaging around like a madwoman. My hand closes around the vial and syringe, and I yank them out with all the urgency of a last-minute Hail Mary. I quickly load up the syringe, pulling the plunger back with a silent prayer that this shot in the dark hits its mark.
As I ease it open, the garage door creaks, and I wince at the sound. I slide into the driver's seat, my hands trembling as I turn the key in the ignition.
The gate looms ahead, and I curse under my breath as the guards step forward, their hands raised. "Sorry, ma'am, no one is allowed to leave without Mr. Edwards' permission. We haven't received any clearance."
Mr. Edwards?It takes me a second to remember Lucian's last name.Shit. "Yeah, Mr. Edwards is in a meeting and can't confirm that I need to leave. It's an emergency," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.
The guard reaches for his walkie-talkie. "If it's an emergency, you can't leave the premises alone. I'll need to confirm with Mr. Edwards."
Panic rises in my throat. "No!" I shout, startling the guard. "Sorry, it's just...um…not that kind of emergency. It's a, uh, girl thing, you know?" I give him a meaningful look, praying he catches my drift.
He stares at me, confusion written all over his face. I roll my eyes, my patience blown. "I'm on my period, dude!" I snap, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "I need to make a tampon run. Unless you want me to bleed all over Mr. Edwards' fancy leather seats, I suggest you let me through. Or you can explain why his car looks like a crime scene."
The guard's eyes widen, his face turning an impressive shade of red. He clears his throat, avoiding eye contact as he hurries to open the gate. "My apologies, ma'am. Please give Mr. Edwards my sincerest apologies."
