I’ve had a lot of time since she turned me into an immortal to consider my decisions, to question my choices. I’ve had plenty of time to dwell on the past. Even more time spent alone. Time I’ve spent reading. I understand far more about this world than I once did, far more than perhaps many who reside in our realm. And yet I stare at this strange phenomenon in front of us and I can make no sense of it, no sense at all.
My brain has been sluggish these last few days, starved of substance and nutrients. I’ve struggled to compute mysurroundings or fathom Veronica’s motivations. But after filling my belly with Briony’s blood, my brain is once again churning as it should be.
And yeah, it’s not just that vortex that makes no sense to me. Veronica’s actions don’t either. Why would she hide out here in this desolate place? She’s powerful. She has allies of her own back in the realm. She could, as she has just hinted, bring an uprising against the Empress. Maybe she could even claim the throne for herself.
And why did she bringmehere? Did she truly believe she’d change my heart – that I would be hers once again?
Maybe I’m trying to make sense of an insane woman’s actions when there is no sense to them at all.
“Yes,” I say, attempting to smile at Briony, “more than ready to go.” I take her warm hand in mine and squeeze it.
I never thought I’d see her again, and to look at her face now is such a gift. I could almost weep. But vampires have no tears.
She runs her hot fingertips over my back where the demons ravished the skin and flesh. It’s soothing, and I close my eyes.
“I’m sorry I can’t heal it. I’m sorry none of us can heal it,” she says. “But once we’re back in the realm, we’ll find a way.”
“I’m okay, Briony,” I say. “You don’t need to worry.”
But my gaze flicks to her throat, and I wonder if that’s strictly true. I’ve tasted her blood now, and it was sweeter, hotter, more intoxicating than I’d ever imagined it to be. I can still taste it in my mouth. I can feel it running hot through my veins. I want more than anything to take her in my arms and sink my fangs deep into that beautiful neck of hers once more.
I knew it would be like this. Shit. I knew it would be.
I swallow hard.
“Let’s get going,” I tell her.
“Not so fast,” the wolf says, stepping in front of us and blocking our path. “We’ve got some questions for you first.”
I scowl at him. “You really want to do this now, out here? Don’t you think that’s a little dangerous? Can’t your questions wait?”
Dray shakes his head, bouncing up and down on his toes. “No, I don’t think it can wait, because taking you with us might be just as dangerous.”
“Dray, not this again. Don’t be stupid,” Briony says.
“I’m not being stupid,” Dray says, puffing out his chest, clearly insulted by her words. “I have some questions and they need answering.”
“Fine,” I say, ignoring Briony’s roll of her eyes and folding my arms across my chest. The action tugs on the wounds in my back and I grimace. “Shoot.”
“Let me see…” Dray taps his fingers against his lips, then scowls right back at me. “What the hell is going on?”
“You’re going to need to be a little bit more precise.”
“Where were you at the trial? You were meant to be helping Briony. You were meant to be watching her with us. Where the fuck were you?”
“You know where I was,” I say. “Down at the lake, where I told you I’d be.”
“Yeah, and isn’t that funny?” Dray says, taking a step towards me. “Because that’s not where the trial was, Prof. That information you gave us was all wrong. Were you trying to mislead us?”
“No,” I say firmly. “That’s what Veronica told me. She told me the trial would be in the lake.”
“But why would she do that?” Thorne asks, coming to stand by his bond brother. He looks less aggressive than the wolf, but I can still see suspicion lingering in his eyes. They don’t trust me. And frankly, can I blame them?
“I think she knew,” I say. “I think she knew that we were onto her. I think she knew that we’d be coming for her, and she wanted to disrupt our plan.”
“But how would she know that?” Dray narrows his eyes. “Unless someone told her.”
“I didn’t tell her. I stuck to our plan. Even if I thought it was a stupid one,” I mutter underneath my breath, glancing toward Briony.
