I jerked, startled. “How—?”
“Lexi told me.” Dante’s voice was grim. “And it sucked, having to hear it from her and not you. You used to tell me everything.”
He sounded genuinely hurt, and my anger wavered. Maybe I was being unfair. As far as I could tell, Dante hadn’t informed Talon that Riley was back. He had covered for me at the party, and he’d never breathed a word about my illegal midnight flight with Cobalt. Maybe he was just scared. Maybe he was looking out for me the only way he knew how.
“You accuse me of keeping secrets,” Dante went on angrily, “but you’re the one who’s hiding things. I don’t care what you do with the humans, Ember. We’re supposed to fit in and learn their ways, make them think that we’re one of them. As long as we remember that we’re not. And someday, all humans will know it.”
I jerked up. “Is that what your trainer told you?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
I turned on him, narrowing my eyes. “Where did they put you?” I demanded. I was tired of beating around the bush, tired of secrets, from both sides. I needed answers, and I hoped I could still count on my twin to come through for me. Dante blinked, confused, and I pressed the advantage. “Faction, Dante. What are you? Where did Talon decide to put you?”
He paused, and for a second I thought he wouldn’t answer, stating that he couldn’t talk about it. But after a moment, he leaned against the counter with a sigh.
“Chameleon.”
I slumped. “Yeah, I thought so. It suits you.” I could see Dante in a business suit, smiling and talking to people of power, completely in his element. “You’re sure to fit right in.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dante said, frowning. “It’s an important calling.” His green eyes flashed as he stared at me. “Why, where did they put you? Monitor? Gila? Somewhere that hot temper won’t burn everyone around you?”
“Viper.”
The blood drained from his face. His eyes widened, and he took a step back, his red hair a sudden shocking contrast to his white face.
“Viper?” he almost whispered, making my heart skip a beat. “They put you with the Vipers?”
I nodded, a chill going down my spine. Of all the possible reactions, I hadn’t expected that. “My trainer told me this morning,” I said. “I’ve been thinking about it all day.” Or at least, the times I wasn’t with Garret. I snorted and crossed my arms, trying to hide my growing fear. “Of course, they never asked me what I wanted, if I even wanted to become a Viper. Why should they decide what’s best for me? If this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life, shouldn’t I get some sort of say in it?”
Dante was still staring at me with a faint look of horror on his face, and my resolve grew. “There has to be a mistake,” I insisted. “They must’ve analyzed me wrong, screwed up the system or something. I don’t want to become a Viper. I don’t want to hunt down our own kind and drag them back to Talon. Because that’s what they do, right? If I were to run—” Dante’s horrified look intensified “—they would send a Viper to bring me back.”
My twin still wasn’t answering. I slumped to the counter, feeling cool marble against my heated skin, and closed my eyes. “I can’t do it,” I said. “This is all wrong.” Opening my eyes, I gave Dante a pleading look, willing him to understand, to be my brother again. “Dante, what am I going to do?”
“Ember. Listen to me.” Dante came around the counter and took my upper arms. His emerald eyes were intense, fingers digging into my skin. “You are going to become a Viper,” he said in a low, firm voice, “because that’s what Talon has decided. You can’t fight them. If you try...” He trailed off, looking angry as I stared at him, appalled. “Don’t fight them,” he finished. “Just accept the fact that you’re going to be a Viper, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Once you accept that, everything will get a lot easier, I promise.”
I tore myself free and backed away from him, shaking my head. He didn’t follow; just continued to watch me with sad, worried eyes.
“This is for the best,” he insisted. “Talon knows what they’re doing. You just have to trust them. Stop fighting so hard, sis. This is for the future, to ensure the survival of our race. If you can take out Talon’s enemies, that’s more than enough reason to become a Viper. You should be proud.”
I couldn’t answer. I didn’t have anything left to say to him. I just turned, walked out of the kitchen and into my room. The door shut behind me with a soft click, a small, insignificant noise to signal the end of a bond that should’ve been unbreakable. I didn’t know my brother anymore. Talon had taken him away from me.
Sitting on my bed, I pulled out my phone again. This time, I didn’t hesitate. Dante knew something about the Vipers; I could see it on his face, in the brief flash of horror and fear when I first said the word. But he was a stranger now, someone I didn’t know. And if he wouldn’t give me answers, then I would go to the one person left who could.
Hey, you free now? I texted, trying to ignore the excited flutters in my stomach, my dragon squirming in joy.
Like the last time, only a few seconds passed before the answer popped onto the screen.
Anything for you, Firebrand. Meet me same place in fifteen.
I watched the screen go dark, and stared at it for a while. I was about to go meet a rogue dragon for the second time that week. I was angry at Dante, disgusted with my trainer and felt a teensy bit guilty about Garret. All of whom might try to call me, and all of whom I didn’t want interrupting while I was talking to the rogue.
I made my decision. Clicking off my phone, I placed it on my dresser, turned and walked out of the house, leaving it behind.
Riley
I lowered the phone, slipping it into my jeans pocket. Well, that couldn’t have worked out better. I’d been planning to contact Ember this evening, after setting up the last of the alarms and motion sensors around the house with Wes. This circumvented things nicely.
Wes came into the kitchen, looking tired. His eyes were dull, and his hair was shaggier and more unkempt than usual. “Well, everything is set up,” he muttered, opening the fridge for a soda. “Alarms are in place, motion sensors are ready to go and the system is officially online. If a mouse comes up that driveway, we’ll know about it.”
“Where are the other two?” I asked.
“I left them watching The Avengers on the telly downstairs. After they ate nearly everything in the house.” Wes opened the can, guzzled half in one gulp and belched loudly. “Bloody bottomless pits, hatchlings. You’re going to the store soon, right, mate? I mean, if we’re going to be hunkered down here for a bit while you go sniffing after that girl.” He drained the can, crushed it and tossed it in the garbage. “I still think this is bloody stupid, Riley. We need to get the hell out of here, not stand around waiting for some spoiled Talon brat to make up her mind.”
I grabbed my leather jacket from the back of the couch, shrugging into it as I left the room. Wes frowned.
“Where are you going?” he called after me.
“To meet with a spoiled Talon brat.” I tossed my bike keys in the air, caught them and smirked at the human over my shoulder. “Wish me luck. If everything goes as planned, we might leave sooner than you think.”
“Absolutely fabulous,” he shot back. “I’m so glad I stayed up all night setting those alarms.”
Rolling my eyes, I shut the door on Wes’s eternal pessimism and walked to the garage for my bike. This time, there would be no distractions or interruptions. This time, I would take her away from Talon for good.
* * *
She was leaning against the railing when I strode onto the boardwalk, her hair blowing in the breeze as she faced the water. Even in human form, I could almost see the dragon just below the surface, head raised to the wind, wings half-open to
launch herself into the air. I swallowed and forced down my excitement. Every time I saw her, it seemed, this feeling was stronger. The heat in my veins, the yearning to feel her against me, to pull her close and never let go.
Walking up beside her, I rested my elbows against the railing and leaned out over the ocean. “We’ve gotta stop meeting like this, Firebrand.”
She gave me a sideways look, a smile and a faint blush creeping over her cheeks. “Hey, Riley.” Her voice was soft, nearly lost in the waves lapping against the posts. “Thanks for meeting me again. I’m sure you have other things you could be doing.”
Like getting ready for an attack? Like leaving town with two hatchlings before St. George breaks down our door? “Not really. But I’d always make time for you.” I half turned, grinning as her blush deepened. “So, what’s wrong this time?” I asked, keeping my voice light. “Is your trainer giving you more grief? Did they start using rubber bullets instead of paint?”
“No.” She picked at the wood with her fingernails, chipping away a splinter. “I...just found out where they’re putting me. What I’ll be doing...for the rest of my life.”
“Ah. Faction placement. Yeah, that’s always an eye-opener. I was certain they were going to stick me with the Gilas, with all the combat training I was getting.” She picked at the wood again, not really listening, and I lowered my voice. “So, where did they put you, Firebrand? Monitor or Basilisk? No offense, but you’re kinda on the small side to become a Gila.”
Ember bit her lip, her eyes darkening. “Viper,” she muttered. “They put me with the Vipers.”
Viper.
My heart nearly stopped. There was a Viper in town. Had been here all along. Dammit, why hadn’t I asked Ember this before, when we were talking about her training yesterday? If I’d known Talon had pegged her to be a Viper...
I swore and tried not to panic. Ember blinked, looking up at me in confusion. “Riley?”
“Ember, your trainer,” I rasped, leaning forward as she gave me a half wary, half bewildered look but held her ground. “What’s her name? What does she look like?”
“I don’t know her name,” Ember said, still frowning. “She never told me. But she’s tall. She has long blond hair, and green eyes—”
“Kiss-ass fighter?”
“Yes.”
“Sadistic as hell?”
“Oh, yeah.” Ember’s eyes widened. “Do you know her?”
I raked a hand through my hair, a lump of ice settling in my stomach. “Lilith,” I growled, forcing myself to stay calm, to not look over my shoulder in case she was watching us right now. “Lilith has been your trainer this whole time?”
“Who’s Lilith?”
I ignored that question. “Were you followed?” I demanded, and when she frowned, I grabbed her wrist, making her jump. “Ember, did you tell anyone where you were going? Does anyone know where you are?”
“No!” Ember twisted her arm a certain way and yanked out of my grasp, surprising me, but only for a moment. Of course she had Lilith for a trainer. What did I expect? “Riley, what’s going on? Who is Lilith?”
I took another furtive breath, leaning back against the railing in a show of nonchalance, like nothing was wrong. Casually, I scanned the pier again, searching for the other dragon, though I knew it was useless. If Lilith didn’t want to be seen, I’d never catch a glimpse of her. “We can’t talk here,” I said quietly, hoping Ember would follow my lead and not let on that I knew. “If you want to know who Lilith is, what she really does for Talon, come with me right now. I’ll take you somewhere safe. But I need your word that you won’t tell anyone what you’ve seen or heard. Do you understand?” I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, my voice turning steely. “Lives depend on it, Ember. This isn’t a game anymore. Promise me you won’t tell anyone—not your brother, not your guardians and especially not your trainer.” Briefly, I closed my eyes, hoping it wasn’t too late. “If she doesn’t already know I’m here.”
Ember’s face was pale, but she nodded. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
I gave a brisk nod. “All right. Follow me, and try to act normal.”
She sniffed. “You’re the one acting like a weirdo.”
Without answering, I strode back down the pier, pretending to be casual while on high alert. If Lilith was here, we had to get out of town, fast. Hanging around when St. George could be on the way was risky enough, but staying when there was a known Viper in the area was suicidal. Especially if that Viper was Lilith.
My only hope was that Lilith didn’t know about us yet. That she was in Crescent Beach just to train Ember, and hadn’t come specifically for me. If that was the case, then we had a chance. There was still time. I could still get everyone out safely.
And hopefully, when we did leave town, my naive little Firebrand—Lilith’s protégé, of all things—would be coming with us.
Ember
Mental note: Add riding a motorcycle to the Almost as Good as Flying list.
Riley’s bike tore up the streets, weaving in and around traffic, blasting through stale yellow lights, whipping around corners at top speed. Wind tore at my hair and clothes, stinging the corners of my eyes, the roar of the engine and the occasional honk from an irate motorist echoing in my ears. Riley never slowed down. I think he was making certain that we couldn’t be followed, which was probably smart, given my trainer had already confirmed that she liked to “keep tabs on me.” I clung tightly to his waist, my cheek pressed to his leather jacket, and watched the world flash by in a blur.
Finally, we cruised up a fairly steep road cut into the side of a cliff, where you could see the ocean and nearly all of Crescent Beach spread out below you. As I raised my head from Riley’s back, wondering where we were going, he suddenly turned down a long, gated driveway and pulled to a stop in front of a house.
My mouth fell open. House? More like a mansion. The place was huge, sprawling, much bigger than Uncle Liam’s villa or even Kristin’s beach house. I gaped at it, then Riley, who smirked back at me, as if expecting my reaction.
“Welcome to my humble abode.”
“You live here?” I gasped, and he chuckled, swinging off the bike. “Okay, my entire perspective of you just got flipped on its head. I guess rogue dragon-ing pays better than I thought.”
He raked his dark hair back and grinned. “Don’t be too impressed, Firebrand. It’s not mine. We’re just...borrowing it, while we’re in town.”
“We?”
“Yeah, ‘we.’ Come on.” Jerking a thumb toward the massive front doors, he started up the walk. “I have some people I want you to meet.”
The inside was just as massive and sprawling as the outside, and definitely inhabited, judging by the amount of Red Bull and Mountain Dew cans scattered everywhere, the piles of dirty dishes in the sink and the empty pizza boxes on the counter.
A gangly human emerged from a back room, shirt rumpled, brown hair hanging in his eyes. He noticed me standing in the foyer but didn’t seem surprised, giving Riley a weary look when he came in.
“This her, then?” he asked with an English accent. “The girl we’re all risking our lives for? Oh, sorry, the girl you’re risking our lives for?” He eyed me from beneath shaggy bangs, arching a brow. “Have to say, I’m not that impressed, mate.”
I scowled. “If you’ve got something to say to me, I’m standing right here.”
“You’ll have to excuse Wes,” Riley said. “He has the bad habit of being a jackass.” The human didn’t even blink, and Riley’s voice turned solemn. “Where are the other two?”
“Still downstairs. Where they’ve been all morning, probably sulking because I chased them out of the swimming pool. Why?” His eyes narrowed, maybe sensing the nervous tension in Riley’s demeanor. “What’s going on?”
Riley shot me a glance.
I saw him hesitate, wondering how much he should reveal, if he should trust me. I met his gaze head-on.
“You promised me answers,” I reminded him. “You said you’d tell me everything about Talon and the Vipers and what they do. I’m not leaving until I know.”
“Vipers?” Wes’s voice, no longer bored or smug, climbed several octaves. He stared at me with wide eyes, then looked at Riley, dropping his voice to a hiss. “Did she just say bloody Vipers?”
Riley sighed. “Lilith is in town,” he said quietly. Wes blanched, then shoved away from us, rattling off an impressive list of swearwords. “Keep it together,” Riley warned as the human stalked back, his eyes a little crazy. “She doesn’t know we’re here yet. At least, I hope she doesn’t. But she’s not here for us.”
“Of course she’s here for us!” Wes was not doing a great job of keeping it together, I thought. “Why else would a bloody Viper be here? She’s bloody well not on vacation!”
“She’s my trainer,” I said, hoping to calm him down. It did not have the effect I wanted. The human’s eyes bulged even farther, and he swung a wild glare at me.
“Riley, what the hell! Are you off your rocker? You brought the snake’s new apprentice right into our house? How do we know she’s not a plant? She could run off to tell the bitch exactly where we are.”
“She won’t,” Riley said calmly. “I trust her.”
Wes shook his head, scrubbing his hands through his hair. “I hope you know what you’re doing, mate. I really do.”
“Go find the other two,” Riley ordered. “Tell them we’ll be leaving soon. Get them ready to move out. Remember, we don’t want any evidence that we were here. Leave everything as we found it. That means the alarms need to go, too.”