Victor sagged, his usual guarded expression turning tired.
“I’m sorry,” I offered again. “I really didn’t mean to do anything with my magic.”
Victor stared at me with something akin to muted horror, as if he knew something about me now that he really didn’t like. I wasn’t trying to make enemies, even if I was a little jealous of the guy. I needed to sit down with Angel and find out the details of their relationship, whatever it was. But the vampire pried his gaze from mine and stalked away, his body language making me think he was out to kill something. While I was glad it wasn’t me, I also felt bad.
“I didn’t mean to do anything,” I said.
Angel rubbed my back. “It’s okay.”
It wasn’t. Controlling vampires was bad. And if the military found out, would they stop at anything to drag me into their ranks?
“Let’s not spread word about this,” Ezra said. “Victor is fine.” He glared at Remi. “And someone is supposed to be teaching Jude to control his magic.”
“It’s been less than a week!” Remi protested. “And no one will leave us alone together.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening,” Angel said. “Pack it in; we need to head back to the office and file a report.”
That was the best news I’d heard all week, even if it meant I’d probably be sitting in front of the Sarge before the end of the day. But hey, an end to training meant I was that much closer to my long weekend.
3
The Sarge’sirritation soaked her office in tension as I sat beside Angel in front of her desk. “The military is already monitoring all our reports.”
“Our answer is the same,” Angel said.
“I’m sorry,” I added. “I don’t know how I did it.” We’d returned to the SED precinct, and Victor avoided me. He wouldn’t even let me apologize. Should I buy him a pastry? Did vampires eat normal food? Maybe something from the supernatural bakery, like a blood-filled Twinkie or something equally gross? Was there a standard Hallmark card to say,Sorry for controlling your vampire ass like a zombie; I was just trying to help?
Sergeant Hanna steepled her fingers, closed her eyes, and let out a long breath. “I don’t even want to think of what they will put him through to test his limits. Control would be the least of their worries. The military will do everything they can to make him a weapon of mass destruction.”
“They can’t have him,” Angel said.
“What he said,” I agreed. Who would take care of Grandpa? And Ivan? What if they separated me from Angel? I gripped hishand, worried about how badly I needed him already. “I can control this.”
“You don’t even know what you did,” she threw back at me.
“Isn’t that why you put Woodward on our team? A patron of Lilith?”
“And what if the military decides to target you? You’re the obstacle keeping them from him,” Hanna said pointedly to Angel.
I sucked in a breath as if I’d been sucker-punched and stared at Angel. “Would they do that?”
“Don’t ever ask if the government is willing to cause harm to get what they want. History is filled with examples,” Hanna said coolly. “The entire reason we have mate clauses is due to their actions during the demon uprising. If they think it is in their interest to eliminate Angel to have you,” she turned her attention to me, “they will.”
“Fuck,” I said. “What do I have to do to make sure that doesn’t happen?”
“Learn your power. Control and limits.” Her gaze flicked to Angel. “That includes the stuff you might find objectionable.”
“You want him to become a practitioner,” Angel said tightly.
“I want both of you to survive. I want my teams to succeed. If we could close the Veil and shove all the secrets back in the box... I’m not certain even that would make all the power-hungry humans happy. Many would try to reopen the Veil. Some on both sides.”
Angel sighed but squeezed my hand.
“Turns out, beingthe chosen onein a teenage dystopia is less sexy and more... running for your life between poorly timed love confessions,” I scowled, annoyed that the military and some shadowy god were playing tug-of-war with me like I was the last scrap of firepower at the apocalypse.
“It was not poorly timed,” Angel protested.
“You fucked me senseless, handed me terrible coffee, and called me ‘love’—all before my brain even booted up for the day. Then you told me I’d have a week of hazing before monster WWE began.”
