“And if I let them go, you will not fight me or try to escape?” He asked. A pathetic laugh rushed from my mouth. The only thing worse for my partners than Supra was me.
“No, I won’t try to escape.”
“Then, Mister Fury, you have my word. I will let your friends go free and unharmed. Where are you?” His calm voice didn’t fool me. He was desperate to get me. Just like he’d been desperate for that damn coat his mate had. Shit, I had to stop thinking about that. Had to stop wondering what the fuck he did.
What I did know was that Damien had sent a small private force after us, injected me with serum, planned this whole elaborate thing, and now he kept asking over and over—unable to help himself even if he knew it gave him away.
“Basil, where are you?” Where are you, where are you, where are you. The desperation made me itch.
Answering him would be the end of everything I had—love, freedom, you name it. I felt the weight of that settle across my shoulders. It was really happening. I was breaking up with them.
They’d be better off. I’d only hurt them. Maybe if they’d been given the choice, they’d have forgotten me just like my sisterdid. A little magic and poof—free from the basilisk. All memory wiped clean.
As it was, they were going to throw a fit. Put on a good show. But deep down, I bet they’d be relieved. And honestly, I really hoped that was the case.
The man knocked on the stall again. “I need the phonenow,” he barked. The pounding was angry and persistent. Reaching out, I settled my gloved hand on the door. A moment later, the knocking stopped. I heard his body collapse to the floor. He didn’t even scream. I pulled my hand back with a defeated sigh.
“I’m at the international airport,” I said.
Damien sighed. “Thank you, Basil.” I barely heard his words after that. He assured me they'd get there before time ran out, that the others would be unharmed, and suggested I separate from them. One word brought me back fully to the conversation.
“Bise.”
Chills spread over my arms. “What?”
“Bye for now.”
Levi had just said that word to me a few days ago. Ashifter. A weird one who'd been trapped in his animal form, unable to shift.
Levi said he didn't know French but he knew that exact phrase as if he'd heard it a thousand times. He even said it just like Damien.
“Basil?” Damien asked. I hung up without responding.
Levi had died just a few feet away from the asylum fence and then dumped on the side of the road alone. Hundreds of years trapped and forgotten in a dirty tank behind locked doors. And the last thing I’d read in Damien’s journal had been “he gave me the coat.”
I was Damien’s focus, Levi had said. No, he was his mate.
17
TIME’S UP
BAZ
Twenty minutes left.
Bree grabbed my hand the moment I came back out, twisting her fingers between mine. She was immune to my venom more than anyone else, so if someone had to touch me, it should be her. But … I looked over my shoulder, towards the bathroom where a corpse was propped in a stall. I hadn’t even tried, but I killed him through a thick door. Maybe it wasn’t safe anymore.
“Bree, I’m sorry,” I said softly, pulling on her hand. I was reluctant to force it. I knew she was furious with me already from trying to leave. Plus, I didn’t want to let go. Once I did, we’d never touch again.
“Let’s get to the gate,” she said, squeezing my hand. I brushed a gloved thumb across hers and sighed. One last time then. Orson led the way, Nemo right behind him, and Bree pulled me along in the back of the line.
Damien D'Bolique told me I didn’t need to do anything. That they’d be here soon. He vaguely said they had ways of traveling fast. Still, I needed to slip away. If a Supra brigade showed up, my partners would fight for me, and they’d get hurt, if not worse.They were used to fighting depressed werewolves and doped demons. Not an organized, mentally stable militia.
My plan was simple. I’d walk with them to the plane, they’d get on, and I wouldn’t. Simplicity was all I had time for. I’d have to make this work, even if it meant just flat-out running while crossing my fingers. Any distance would help.
The swarm of bodies wasn't helping me remain calm. Every few seconds, I flinched away from a new person invading my space. A long moving path stretched in front of us. Nemo nearly ate it when he stepped on, but fell on Orson instead. They growled at one another as Bree tugged me on. We glided through the hall. I looked to the right, seeing how quickly we passed people walking. My eyes snagged on the long mirror attached to the wall.
I’d been told there was no way I could go past security with a mask unless I wanted to end up handcuffed to a table for six hours. I’d relented. My mouth went dry as I stared at the red and green eye cruelly blinking back at me with slivered pupils.Contacts, Orson had kept telling people when they asked.
