I would set him free, though, no matter how much it might rip me apart. Because my happiness wasn’t worth risking Zack’s life.
He crowded into the bathroom with me, one arm ready to catch me if I stumbled and the other stroking my back. I shrugged him off and leaned my forearms on the edge of the sink, afraid if I faced him he’d see right through me and the story I was about to feed him.
Through my thick wall of hair, I snuck a peek at Zack in the mirror. Knowing I had to push him away, tension burrowed into my chest, but I willed myself to do the unthinkable.
“We’re in big trouble, Zack. Vampires are trying to kill us.” I aimed a thumb at the bathroom window. “And out there, it’s a hundred times worse.”
“Like you said, we knew it wouldn’t be easy.” He hovered inches away.
I straightened and pumped soap into my hand. “I think we’re making a mistake.”
Zack’s arms hung at his sides and his eyelids flickered almost imperceptibly. “What are you saying, Autumn?” he asked too quietly.
I strained to inflate my lungs, unable to get enough oxygen as I stalled, then slowly deflated while I gathered my strength. “I’m only agreeing with what you’ve been saying all along.”
He flinched so slightly, I almost missed it. I grabbed a washcloth, wet it and wiped a spot of blood off my neck. Seconds passed.
“So that’s it?” His eyes narrowed to slits, scrutinizing me.
Careful not to show the emotion brewing beneath the surface and threatening to destroy me, I twisted toward him and lifted a careless shoulder. “What else is there?”
Zack nodded, balancing on the sides of his feet. “What happened to fighting for what we believe in, doing what’s right?”
I forced out a laugh and rinsed the washcloth under the water. “None of that does us any good if we’re dead. I guess having yet another near-death experience has convinced me to face reality.”
“So we’re breaking up, ahead of schedule even.” His eyes were guarded. “After all your big talk, you’re giving up?”
I had to remind myself he didn’t love me, not truly. If he did, surely he would’ve told me so at least once over the months we’d dated. His reaction now stemmed from being taken by surprise, that was all.
“Zack...” My voice trailed off and I turned away to stare at the door, hoping someone would barge in and I’d be off the hook from finishing my stupid excuse. “It seems like a lifetime ago we started this.” I let my words drop to a whisper. “We’re young, with so many things we haven’t done. I want to live and do it all.”
“That’s lame, Autumn. We were never going to stay together anyway, so why call it quits now?” Zack looped an arm around me and hauled me against him. “Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want me.”
Knowing my brain would cease all function if I let him touch me for very long, I shoved him away as if he’d burned me.
His eyes hardened, convincing me he was giving up. That didn’t take long. “You really don’t want to be with me anymore?”
My lips burned to deny it, tell him I loved him more than anything or anyone I’d ever known. “I’m not saying anything you haven’t already voiced over and over. Like just the other day.”
“You didn’t answer my question.” His mouth skewed and tightened. “Are you doing this because you don’t want me anymore?”
I’d always assumed Zack would get bored of me and would never allow himself to truly love a shape-shifter. In theory, he should’ve made it easy for me to break it off. He should’ve walked away and embraced his freedom, thinking he’d dodged a bullet.
Whether he went along with it or not, it didn’t matter. His life was at stake, so I needed to sell my story. I carefully coached my face into relaxing. No tears, no emotion whatsoever. I exited the bathroom and shuffled to the bedroom window, same as Dathan had done so often, which made him seem so detached. I gazed out into the night sky, seeing nothing. Except Zack’s reflection in the window as he closed the distance to stand beside me.
“I guess I’m having a hard time getting past the drawbacks to see the advantages.” I glanced over my shoulder at Zack and shrugged. “We had a great ride, but now it’s time to grow up and move on.”
He folded his arms over his chest, his chin angled down as he glared at me. “If that’s the way you feel, then there’s no point in staying together the next few days.”
That was the Zack I’d expected. Resilient. Strong. He’d be fine without me. “My thoughts exactly.”
I turned back toward the window, looking past his reflection and focused on a swaying branch. I imagined myself there, sitting in the morning sun with a breeze grazing my cheek. Anywhere but here and now. I sighed for effect and zipped to the closet to grab a scarf. I wrapped it around my neck so the others wouldn’t see the lack of scarring and suspect I’d had vampire blood.
“No problem.” He raised a palm and growled so low, I almost missed it. “So much for values, huh, Autumn? I guess it didn’t take you long to slip back into your old self.” He advanced a step. “You know, when we’re done here, you could go to college, join a sorority, and continue on up the social ladder.” His tone took on a hard edge. “With your people skills, I have faith in you.”
He slammed the door shut and the next moment, I stood alone, my fingers trembling. I collapsed onto the bed, balling up in the fetal position. Squeezing my eyes shut, I jammed a knuckle against my mouth to suppress a sob.
I couldn’t lose it now. The others were expecting me to join them.
Breathe in. Breathe out. I unfurled my legs and spine, then rolled off the bed and planted my feet on the floor.
I’d get through this and Zack would be fine. He’d get over me. Whoever he ended up with, he would live and that’s what mattered. I, on the other hand, couldn’t envision myself surviving long after we left Cedric’s refuge. It wasn’t that I wanted to die. More like, I wasn’t sure I wanted to live. Some things weren’t worth fighting for. Not without Zack. I’d make sure he survived though. And I’d make sure he forgot I ever existed.
A teardrop made its way down my cheek, leaving a wet trail. I could smell the mixture of salt and water. Air fluttered past the wet path and cooled my hot skin. The tear wasn’t for me, but for Zack. As reluctant as he was to voice his feelings for me these past months, I knew he cared deeply. He’d come through too many times for me to doubt that. But that wasn’t the same as being in love.
The door opened and I immediately smelled metal and musk. Cedric. I wiped my eyes, trying to keep my movements fluid so he wouldn’t suspect I was hiding something.
“There you are. Came in to see what’s taking you so long.” After a moment, Cedric tipped his head. “Something wrong?”
I faced him and roused a smile. “No. Just whining to myself how hard life can be,” I muttered. That was an understatement. And it was probably going to get a whole lot harder.
Chapter SEVENTEEN
Zack
Autumn had barely looked at me since she’d thrown the grenade an hour ago, when she’d reached into my chest and yanked out my heart. We were at war with vampires and she’d broken up with me when we needed each other most. I was drowning in my own blood and, rather than fight for her, I let her go. I wasn’t sure whether to be angrier with her or myself.
Not like I had a choice; I had to give Autumn what she wanted. As much as I believed she’d done the right thing, I also hated being dumped. I hated how she’d minimized everything we’d shared. I hated that she’d discarded my feelings, how she’d cringed when I’d tried to hold her. Mostly, I hated not being able to tell her how much I loved her, that the idea of being without her caused my lungs to ache and my heart to crash against my ribs so hard I thought they’d splinter.
In all the weeks we’d spent together, not once had she wavered. Not once had she seemed bored or less affectionate or treated me differently. After all her persistence to finally get me where she wanted me, now it was all a mistake? I wasn’t
buying it. But I couldn’t allow the situation to distract me. Our lives were at stake. Whether she loved me or not, I loved her. No way would I allow her get hurt without putting up a fight.
After we’d raided the kitchen on Cedric’s floor, he and Dathan requested that Kayla call a mandatory meeting for all vampires on the estate. Dathan and Tony had accompanied her for protection. Autumn and I, along with Renzo and Alura, stayed behind and crowded around Cedric’s monitor where we had a digital view of the entire gym. A steady chatter streamed from Cedric’s speaker as vampires milled about, waiting to see what Kayla had to say.
Through the monitors, the training room hushed as Kayla hopped up onto the table and bowed her head.
“A tragic thing has happened and our beloved King Cedric is dead. Decapitated in his own chamber after being staked through the heart.” The vampires gasped, but she didn’t give them time to mourn. “Surveillance cameras in the area were taken out, so the assailants are unknown to us. I beg that anyone with information please speak with me before you return to your duties.”
Cedric hit a button and the monitor split in two, one side zoomed in on Kayla, the other panned the audience.
“Since no one has entered or left the estate these past few hours, the murderer must be among us. Therefore, the estate will be under lockdown until Regis arrives and King Dathan can be located and awakened from slumber.”
“How long will we be under lockdown?” the vampire who I recognized as Gustov asked.
“Regis is in South Africa dealing with one of our diamond suppliers. We’re working on getting him a flight, but...” she rubbed her temples and I admired her acting skills, “since it takes over twenty hours to get here by plane, it could be a couple of days to arrange a flight and travel.”
“So we’re trapped here, fighting over blood bags?” A shorter vampire with inky hair grunted.
She shot him a withering stare. “If that’s how you want to play it, fine. But you and I both know we keep an emergency blood supply on every floor.”
The vampire snorted. “Will we get compensated for our troubles?”
“For staying in a palace you probably hadn’t planned on leaving anyway?” Kayla hissed and bared her fangs. “Do you think your king will be compensated for his death? And those of us who will mourn him, will we be compensated?”
“The wolves killed him,” a man called out. “They’re the ones who should be under lockdown.”
“No,” Kayla hissed back. “I was with them in the woods when the king was attacked. We left His Majesty alive and when we returned to his suite, we found him dead. Those of you who know me well can’t believe that I would protect guilty werewolves.”
“We don’t question your loyalty, only your naïveté,” a woman said. “I’ve never met a wolf who could be trusted.”
“That may be,” Kayla said, her jaw flexing. “But these particular wolves are innocent in the king’s death and they will remain here under our protection, as he wished. I beg that you all remember our king as the strong ruler he was and stay true to his laws and wishes. That is all.”
Murmurs rustled throughout the gym as the vampires disbanded, many of them eyeing Dathan as they filed out of the gym. But he kept the hoodie shadowing his face. Which probably made the others even more curious.
A tall, lean vampire stood below the table and tilted his chin up to see Kayla. “Milady, this is a sad time for all and you have my condolences. Please tell me how I can be of service.”
She smiled, but the light didn’t reach the rest of her face. “Thank you so much, Renault. Your support means the world to the rest of us. I won’t hesitate to call on you should I need anything.” She kept him in her line of vision as he bowed and made his way out of the room.
Next to me, Cedric swiveled in his chair toward us. “With me dead, Kayla remains to hold the reins, which makes the throne appear at its most vulnerable. No better time for them to strike.”
A ‘v’ formed between Autumn’s brows. “The traitors are going to wonder why their four men haven’t checked in after assassinating the king.”
“They’ll suspect a trap,” Cedric agreed. “But they also know Regis is on his way, and the true king is being located and eventually awakened. With Regis and I against them, their chance of success is greatly decreased. Any actions they take must happen in the next day or so, or they may have to wait years before they have another opportunity to gain control.”
“Who’s Regis again?” I asked, sneaking a glance at Autumn who still hadn’t looked at me even once since she’d emerged from our room.
“Our right-hand man,” Cedric answered. “He’s young, but he’s brilliant with security, technology and warfare.”
When Kayla entered the room, accompanied by Tony and Dathan, everyone’s attention riveted to Cedric’s desk where a cell phone vibrated. He picked it up and checked out the screen. “Braulio just arrived with Regis,” Cedric announced. “He will access the estate normally, but Regis is taking... the other way.”
Which brought our group total to one shape-shifter, three werewolves, and six vampires.
“The other way?” Autumn asked. “Secret tunnel?”
“Something like that,” Cedric answered, tapping his fingers on the glossy surface of his desk.
“How did you keep the builders quiet about the tunnels?” I asked.
“The areas I wanted confidential, I did myself.” He studied the screen.
Kayla inserted herself between Cedric and his monitor, tapped a few keys, and rows of security feeds showed up. “Ah, there’s Braulio at the gate, working his charm on Guinevere who already knows to grant him entry.”
She pointed to another camera feed where a black-clad man was stooped over and traveling through a narrow passageway. A tunnel, I assumed. I understood now why Cedric had built the place himself instead of buying something already done.
A few minutes later, the wall on the other side of Cedric’s desk thumped. Cedric rose, ran his hand over the smooth cream-colored surface, then pushed and the door creaked open. The black-clad man ducked to clear the doorway. He had sandy-blond hair and towered over everyone.
“Regis, good to have you back.” Cedric nodded.
“Your Majesty.” Regis bowed then cast a glance around the room before greeting the outsiders as warmly as he greeted his own kind. Autumn smiled back at him, just as friendly. My stomach gave a sickening lurch, and I hoped neither of the newcomers was single. Autumn would eventually find someone new, but damned if I would let her hook up with anyone while I was around to witness it.
Cedric had barely finished introductions when Braulio arrived. He was a little shorter than Regis with dark wavy hair, olive skin, and dimples. Jesus, couldn’t any of these vampires be ugly? I doubted Autumn would venture outside her species again after what we’d been through. Then again, I was beginning to wonder how well I knew her.
The new arrivals settled into their chairs and Cedric spent the next few minutes catching them up on recent events. When Cedric finished recounting how he’d nearly been killed, Braulio’s gaze scanned the various faces in the room, finally resting on his king. “Does anyone have a plan?” he asked.
“Possibly, but I loathe discussing strategy on an empty belly.” Still standing, Cedric flattened his palms against the top of his desk. “Tony, have some blood bags brought in, maybe another snack for the werewolves. Kayla, we’ll need to make a trip to the training room to load up on weapons, but I don’t want you two going anywhere without backup. Regis and I must stay out of sight, so take Dathan with you, got it? And if anyone attacks, we’ll see it through the feed. Won’t take us long to get there.”
“Yes, sir.” Kayla wagged a finger between Autumn and I. “You two, keep practicing. They could attack at any moment and you need as much training as you can possibly squeeze in.”
We’d be back to training tomorrow, assuming we weren’t ambushed tonight. I wasn’t looking forward to leaving the safety of the king’s chamber
to travel to the gym where anything could happen along the way.
Chapter EIGHTEEN
Autumn
The werewolves still needed a safe haven, but so did Dathan and the new arrivals. Tony and Kayla had to be kept safe too, not only because they’d stood up for the werewolves, but because they were the immediate barrier between the enemy and the throne.
Cedric had the entire floor with plenty of rooms to accommodate everyone. But the security wasn’t as strong outside his suite, and only his rooms were soundproofed. The limited space available forced Zack and me to continue sleeping in the same bed together.
With Kayla taking up the small sofa in our room, I wasn’t at all tempted to snuggle with Zack. That went double considering Renzo had stretched out over thick layers of blankets on the floor.
The next morning, as we prepared for our day, Zack acted like he didn’t see me as he rolled off the bed and went straight to the bathroom to shower. After breakfast in the king’s chambers, the vampires escorted us to the training room without incident, and I breathed a sigh of relief. We’d probably be safe there for the next few hours with the doors locked. I hoped.
I sparred with Alura, as usual, and Zack trained with Renzo. But sometimes Renzo and Alura teamed up to demonstrate a move, which put me practicing with Zack. Because I got lightheaded every time he came near me, I’d begun stepping away from him whenever possible, in hopes of avoiding his musky scent. Stupid hormones. Stupid me for wanting him so much.
During moments between sparring, I’d even twist around so I couldn’t look at him. So long as I couldn’t see him and his scent wasn’t invading my senses, I could be around him without dropping to my knees and pleading with him to take me back.
After lunch, Dathan checked in and stayed for a few minutes. I hovered by the door in the weapons room, waiting for him and Zack to finish debating which was a cooler weapon, the cyclone tri-blade or the sword. I’d already grabbed a couple of daggers that would morph with me, hid one in my boot and the other in my pocket. I wouldn’t be able to hold a weapon in my paws once I morphed into a bear, but I wanted to be on the safe side.