Chapter Ten

My gut clenched painfully when the car stopped. It felt like there was a lead weight settled in the pit of my stomach, and I could feel the nausea fighting to make its presence known. I fought it down, reusing to be sick in the backseat of Finn’s car. I wouldn’t let the mayor or his bodyguards see how badly this was affecting me, because it would most likely be seen as a sign of weakness.

If I want the mayor’s respect, I’ll need to earn it. I’ll have to show him I’m not afraid of what he can do.

Finn helped me from the car when it became obvious that I wasn’t going to be able to get out by myself. He took one look at my small, trembling frame and he frowned. “Screw what the Council said. Ronnie, if you’re not comfortable with this, we can leave, right now. Just get back in the car, and I’ll take you as far from here as I can.”

I sighed. “Finn, I’ll be alright. I’m just a little nervous. Besides, this needs to get done, no matter how much I wish I was someplace else right now.”

He put his arm protectively around my shoulder and guided me through the front door. A receptionist waved us by, and I wondered if she knew what the three of us were and why we were here. She gave me a cold look as I walked by, and I figured she was either in the know, or she’d figured it out.

I walked to the end of the nearest hallway, pausing briefly at the door in front of me. It was closed, but I could hear hushed voices from behind it, and I looked at Finn. He nodded, and I pushed the door open, striding in like I wasn’t the slightest bit afraid of the mayor or his sorcerer bodyguard. It helped that I was flanked by both Finn and Ezra. It was hard not to feel brave knowing they were on my side.

The mayor was sitting behind his desk, just like he had been during my previous visit. This time the sorcerer was standing at his side, probably awaiting some kind of order before he acted. I hoped Finn or Ezra would be able to get to him before he could do anything to hurt me again. Just thinking of him had my gut hurting, like I’d been punched again.

The mayor appraised both Finn and Ezra, probably searching for weaknesses or a way to exploit them for his own gain. While he looked over my bodyguards, I looked over the rest of his. Aside from the sorcerer, there were three other men, same as last time. Each had a gun belted to their hip, and each looked incredibly wary of our presence.

When his eyes finally met mine, I was shocked at the harsh coldness in their depths. The first time we’d met, while he’d been wary and mistrustful, he hadn’t been this outright cold and angry. I suspected it had something to do with Finn and Ezra’s presence. It was throwing off his plans to intimidate me.

“Welcome back, Veronica. I see you’ve decided not to come alone. I was hoping to have another private chat with you.”

“I’m sure you were. However, I plan to walk from here without injury this time,” I said, feeling bold and empowered by Finn and Ezra. “So I thought I would bring a couple of friends along with me, just to make sure things remain civilized.”

The mayor smiled, but it was far from reaching his eyes. “I apologize for what happened last time. My guard got a little carried away with his interrogation of you. He informs me that you have a problem with telling the truth. I was hoping this time you might be encouraged to try a little harder to tell me what’s really going on in my city.”

“I’ve already told you everything I know.”

The sorcerer snorted, and the mayor’s smile grew.

“I don’t think you have. Veronica, I’m going to be honest with you. My friend here has informed me how the supernatural world works. I know all about the Council system. I know that there are different levels of Councils and different statuses for different species. For instance, I know that your werewolf friend, as a rogue, is probably not well liked no matter where he goes. I know that your half-demon friend here is probably hated even more than a werewolf, seeing as he’s the product of a violent rape.”

His gaze slid over to Ezra’s.

“How does that make you feel? How do you live with yourself knowing that your father–a disgusting monster–brutally attacked your mother? Do you ever look at your mother and feel sorry for her? Do you ever wish that you were never born? If you were to meet your real father, what would you do? Would you make him pay for what he’d done, or would you embrace your dark heritage and become the monster that lurks just beneath the surface?”

I never thought about that before. It looks like I’m not the only one with a dark heritage. Poor Ezra…

Ezra’s hands were clenched tightly at his sides, and he was visibly shaking. For just a second, I was worried that he would leap across the desk and attack the mayor before one of us could stop him. But as I watched him, he took a deep, calming breath, and unclenched his hands. “No matter what you say, you can’t taunt me into unleashing the beast.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“I know who I am,” Ezra said. “I know what I’m capable of. And I know that no matter what, I will always have the choice to be the man that I am…not that beast that lies beneath the surface. I have the strength to fight that part of me, because there are people I care about. People that I would never risk hurting.”

“How close is that beast to the surface? How little would it take to bring that monster forth?”

“Are we going to talk?” I interrupted, glaring at the mayor in open disgust. “Or are you going to waste my time making petty jabs at my friends?”

The mayor folded his hands together and placed them on his desk. “Very well. We can get down to business if you’d like. Though, before we start, I have to say that your trust in these mindless beasts is heartwarming. Just think, at any moment either one of them could unleash their full potential and scar you for life…or even kill you.”

“I trust–”

His eyes found Finn’s. “Could you live with that weighing on your soul for eternity? Could you bear to look at her scarred body, knowing that you had caused her so much pain? You’re just one little temper tantrum away from regretting your actions for the rest of your miserable life.”

“I trust both Finn and Ezra,” I said, eyeing the mayor. “Finn has saved my life on more than one occasion, and I know that he would never do anything to hurt me. He wouldn’t risk it. Now, if you’re done playing mind games, we can get started. If not, the three of us can leave, and you’ll never see any of us again. Make your choice. Now.”

“We’ll start easy,” the mayor said, looking at me expectantly. “Veronica, have you discovered the identity of the necromancer that is wrecking so much havoc on my beloved city? Don’t even bother trying to lie to me, since you and I both know you can’t get away with it.”

I sighed, knowing that he was right. “Yes, we have discovered her identity. Her name is Tabitha.”

“And?” he asked expectantly.

“What else would you like to know?”

He chuckled, and both Finn and Ezra tensed up beside me, preparing to defend us if needed. “How about you just play nice and tell me everything you know about her and her plans? It would save us all a lot of time and energy.”

I shook my head, smiling thinly. “That’s not the way this works. I’m sorry.”

“I’m assuming you have orders from the Council to reveal as little about our predicament as possible. What makes you or the Council think I won’t just force you to give me the answers I seek?” He nodded his head at the sorcerer that stood off to one side, as if he couldn’t wait for an opportunity to use him.

“Try it,” Finn growled, taking a step forward. “Your sorcerer won’t make it one step before I put him down.”

Finn’s ferocity didn’t surprise me, since I’d seen him in action several times already. Very few things could stop a werewolf, especially a werewolf that cared so much about the person he was defending. I’d never seen a sorcerer fight, but I was sure he wouldn’t stand a chance against an angry Finn.

The mayor regarded Finn with a steely expression on his face. He was clearly disgusted by Finn’s mere presence, and I felt an intense urge to protect Finn from any unfounded prejudices. But I refused to move from my place in front of the mayor’s desk, since he would probably see it as a sign of weakness.

“You can calm down now,” the mayor said tightly. “I don’t plan to hurt her. All Veronica has to do is tell me the truth, and the three of you can walk from this place unharmed. You have my word.”

“Your word means nothing,” I said flatly. “You’re a despicable man that uses people you don’t understand to your advantage. What do you think is going to happen when your little sorcerer pet gets sick of taking orders from you? How do you think this little partnership of yours ends?”

The mayor chuckled. “Don’t you worry about that. He and I have a mutual understanding of one another. Nobody will be betraying anybody. Now, if you’re done dodging, how about we get back to my questions. You still haven’t told me what this Tabitha girl plans to do with my city.”

“She’s already done it.”

He lifted an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.

“She wanted to create chaos and panic, and she’s accomplished that.”

“She certainly has. People have been rioting in the streets. The police station is completely depleted. Every available officer is out fighting looters, vandals, and thieves. The fire department is constantly busy fighting fires and rescuing injured people. The hospital is full of people that have been beaten, trampled, and mugged. Not to mention the nurses and doctors that become hysterical at the thought of…zombie bites.”

I shook my head. “A bite from one of Tabitha’s zombies won’t turn someone into a zombie. They’re more of a nuisance than a danger. Your people have nothing to fear from these creatures. I can make it so their souls return to the afterlife, and their corpses become unmoving once more. I just need to know where they are.”

The mayor nodded. “See how much easier this is when you freely volunteer information? Nobody has to get hurt, and nobody has to bring bodyguards.”

“If that’s all–”

“It’s not,” the mayor said, interrupting me. “I have one more thing I need to ask you.”

Stifling a sigh, I shifted my feet and clasped my hands behind my back, trying to look like I wasn’t eager to leave. “Ask away.”

“What is your relationship to this girl? You know her name, and you know her goals. Clearly you’ve spoken to this girl at least once. Is she a friend of yours that just got tired of taking orders from the Council?”

I told him on my first visit that Tabitha was Andrew’s daughter. Has he guessed that I’m Andrew’s daughter as well? I decided to stay as close to the truth as possible. “She was a friend. She isn’t anymore. Not since she revealed her true intentions to us.”

“She’s holding something back,” the sorcerer said. “Something important. I can see it in her eyes.”

The mayor sighed, and I could feel both Finn and Ezra tense up beside me again. “Veronica, I thought we were passed all this lying and hiding of information. We were doing so well.”

“There are some things you don’t need to know,” I said, looking at the sorcerer. Judging by his rigid stance that mirrored Finn’s, I knew he was waiting for an order from the mayor before he did anything. “That’s the way it will always be. Our world is on a need to know basis, and you don’t need to know.”

“That’s a shame,” the mayor said softly. “I was hoping for a better outcome than this…”

The sorcerer opened his mouth and Finn launched himself over the mayor’s desk, slamming into the sorcerer before he could utter a single word. One of the bodyguards managed to get his gun free and took aim at Finn’s back with trembling hands. Before I could scream a warning, the gun went off, and I was amazed when the bullet stopped in midair.

Ezra flicked his wrist, and the bullet embedded itself in the wall opposite the mayor’s desk. As I watched, Finn hit the sorcerer as hard as he could, and I heard a distinct crack as the sorcerer’s jaw broke. “Let’s see you cast a spell with a broken jaw,” Finn muttered darkly. He dropped the sorcerer and looked at the three remaining bodyguards, who all had their guns out. “Who’s next?”

“Don’t just stand there, attack!” the mayor ordered as he threw himself under his desk.

One bodyguard was stupid enough to rush at Finn, hoping to club him on the head with the end of his gun. Finn held his ground as the guard approached, and when he was within reach, gripped the man’s arm and swung him around, throwing him against the wall. The guard slumped to the ground and moaned quietly before going still. The only sign that he was alive was the slight rise and fall of his chest.

One of the remaining guards lowered his gun and backed away, arms raised in a non-threatening manner. The other guard was looking around with wild, crazed eyes, probably searching for a guaranteed way out. His gun was shaking badly in his hands, and I was worried that he would panic and just start to randomly shoot people.

His eyes locked on mine, and he raised the gun and fired before I could even scream. Something slammed into me, and I felt Finn’s strong arms lock around my waist as he covered my body with his in an attempt to shield me from the rounds that kept popping off. Through a gap in Finn’s arms, I could see Ezra, who was still standing and was moving his hands in a circular motion.

The shots stopped, and everything began to move. Papers flew off the desk and whipped around in crazy figure eight motions, the paintings detached from the walls, and the chairs began sliding back and forth as Ezra worked his telekinetic magic.

The mayor poked his head out from under his desk, and had to duck again to avoid being beheaded by a gold-framed portrait of himself. Instead it slammed into the chest of the remaining guard. The force of the impact knocked him off his feet and sent him crashing through the first-story window. He landed with a loud thud on the lawn outside, and I could hear the tinkling of broken glass as he moaned.

Finn grabbed my hand and yanked me to my feet. Before I could thank him, he was pulling me through the open door, and the three of us were racing for the front door and our car that was waiting outside. Ezra hopped into the driver’s seat, and Finn crawled in back with me. His hands quickly roamed over my body, checking me for harm. When he was finally satisfied that I wasn’t hurt, he pulled away, and I got my first real good look at him.

Blood smeared his forearm, and the sleeve of his t-shirt was soaked with the scarlet liquid. Reaching forward, I gently pulled back the sleeve of his shirt. Finn hissed in pain, but didn’t stop me from peeking at the wound on his arm. It looked like one of the guard’s stray bullets had grazed him, tearing through the skin and muscle of his bicep. He winced when I lightly probed it with my fingers. “How bad do you think it is?” I asked, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.

He smiled thinly. “Don’t worry about me, Ronnie. It’s already starting to heal.” He was right. The wound was no longer bleeding, and the edges didn’t look as raw and gaping. Finn took my hand gently in his and gave me a comforting squeeze. “Stop worrying about me, please. Worry about yourself first.”

I waved off his concern. “I’m fine. You made sure of that.” My voice broke, and I bit my lip to keep from crying. I would not let Finn see me turn into a giant baby. As the only necromancer with a link to Tabitha, it would be my duty to find and stop her, and I needed everyone to have faith that I could do it without falling apart. If I let this get to me, he would think I was too weak to do what needed to be done.

His clean hand gripped my chin and he forced me to look him in the eyes. “Everything will be alright, Ronnie. This wound will heal, the mayor will get what’s coming to him, and you’ll figure out a way to stop Tabitha. Then everything can go back to normal, and you and I can finally sit down a have a long talk about…things.”

Finn’s grip on my hand felt unnaturally warm, and I found that I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his, no matter how hard I tried. I knew his eyes were searching mine for something, because I was searching too. The raw emotion in Finn’s eyes scared me a little. I’d never seen him so open and trusting before, and I’d definitely never seen his eyes like this before.

I could see the love in them. I could see the trusting, and the devotion, and the fierce need to protect. There was so much going on that I felt like I was just drowning in his eyes and what they were trying to convey in one long, meaningful glance. On a sudden impulse, I leaned forward across the backseat, and pressed my lips to Finn’s. This was the first time that I had kissed him, and it seemed to catch him off guard.

Then Finn’s arms wrapped around my back, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss. My hands drifted up and around his shoulders–careful to avoid nudging his bad arm in the process–and I ran my fingers through his long, silky hair that fell nearly to his shoulders since he’d cut it. He tilted his head to kiss me better, and a quiet moan escaped his lips.

Ezra cleared his throat, and Finn and I broke away instantly. He scooted as far away from me as he could, probably trying to give me room to breathe while I looked at Ezra. His face was nearly as red as his hair, and he looked apologetic about interrupting us.

“Sorry, but we’re back.”

He must have been speeding like crazy to get back so soon. How didn’t I notice?

Finn’s chest was heaving with each harsh breath he took, and his cheeks held a bit of a red tinge to them. When he noticed me watching him, he looked away, and refused to meet my eyes. I tried not to let that bother me too much as I climbed out of the car. We’d not only just been in a life and death situation–in which he’d been injured–but I’d also just thrown myself at him in the backseat of a car after refusing his advances for what seemed like so long.

“Guys, I think the Council is going to wanna see us,” Ezra said, looking from me to Finn. “Do you wanna get cleaned up first?”

“No,” Finn said tightly. “Let the three of them see what happened because they forced us to go.”