Twenty-Eight

She’d had enough.

Frustrated and out of patience, Iris left the hotel room, letting the door slam shut behind her. She left Arlo with Belinda and wanted to do some research on her own.

She pushed her way through the revolving door and was pacing toward the parking lot when she spotted a downtrodden-looking Dex, and Deacon, who was wearing a face-splitting grin.

Iris was surprised they were here. She didn’t tell anyone she was going to the Beverly Hills Hotel, but then again, the Hunters could have easily tapped into her cell phone. She would have done the same thing.

“What are you doing here?” she asked Dex with a wide gaze. Dex sighed heavily, but said nothing. His body was stiff and he couldn’t look her direction. “Dude, you okay?” she asked. Dex wasn’t acting like himself.

Deacon’s demented smile grew a little bit wider and that’s when Iris felt a twinge in her chest.

“We’re here to get you, Iris,” Deacon said. His voice was oozing with hate. “It’s over.”

Iris jumped. “What’s over? What the hell is he talking about?” She shifted her gaze to her cousin, but his eyes were still glued to the pavement.

“Here,” Dex said, handing her a phone. “It’s your father.”

Oh no. Dex was acting weird, and her dad was on the phone. This couldn’t be good. She took a deep breath and held her head high as she put the phone to her ear.

“Hello?” she said, hiding her nerves behind a steady tone.

“Iris.” Her dad’s voice was quick. “The board has voted on your recent actions and has agreed you’re to be held responsible for the death of the actress. You’re off the team.”

Her body went warm and she felt like she’d gotten stabbed in the gut. This had to be some sort of a mistake. “What?! Are you serious? This is so unfair!”

“I know. But life’s not always fair, honey. You need to go back to the Fortress and pack your things. You’re going to be spending some time with your mom in Colombia.”

“Colombia?” Iris flinched. “I thought she was in Spain.”

“She was. Now she’s on her way to Colombia.” He sounded agitated.

“Without coming home first?”

“You can get the whole story from your mom when you see her. And your brother doesn’t know you’re off the team and I’d like to keep it that way so he doesn’t get upset. I told him you’re just going to meet your mom and that’s it.”

“So you want me to lie to him?” She peered at Dex, shaking her head that he could keep something like this from Knox. She knew he was just following orders, but still.

“Yes. Just for now. It’s for his own good.”

“So even though I carry the gene like everyone else, it’s just over?!” she yelled. “How come a horrible hunter like Deacon gets to stay?”

“Hey!” Deacon exclaimed.

She knew Knox or Dex, or even a deadbeat Hunter like Deacon would never be held responsible for the actress’s death. But just because she was a girl, she was out. The board members had always been sexist.

“I’m sorry, Iris.” Her dad softened his voice. “I did all that I could but the decision is final—”

“What are you really doing in Wales, Dad?” she interrupted. Her eyes darkened in anger. She was digging her nails into the sides of her pants but didn’t even realize it.

“I’m taking care of some business, Iris,” he swiftly replied.

“What kind of business?” she pried more. Her voice was threatening and forceful.

“This is neither the place nor the time, Iris!” he snapped. “You’re off the team. Is this understood?”

Her blood was officially boiling. However, she knew no good could come from giving her father the third degree over the phone. She needed a different approach. “Yes, sir.” Iris gave in, taking a long breath. “Well,” she cleared her throat, “it was an honor serving on the W.H.O. while it lasted,” she said convincingly.

“And it was an honor having you, and I mean it. But I promise you, this is for the best. Okay?”

Iris hung up the phone and handed it back to Dex. She wanted to cry. But that was the last thing she was going to do with Deacon standing in front of her. She didn’t need any more of his crap.

“I’m so sorry, Iris,” Dex said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “For the record, I don’t think this is fair either and I hate lying to Knox about this.”

“Well, I think it’s fair,” Deacon added with a snide grin. “I’ve said from the beginning that you were just not Hunter material.”

“Oh, and you are?” she hissed. “Don’t freaking start with me.”

“Look,” Dex turned to Deacon. “Will you go wait in the car so I can talk to my cousin for a second?”

“Fine.” Deacon turned on his heel and left, stomping his feet in the process. He was so immature.

“I’m so sorry, Iris,” Dex said with sincerity. “I wish there were something I could do.”

There was no way Iris was going back to the Fortress. And there was definitely no way she was going to just hop on a flight to Colombia.

Then, it hit her.

Silos. She would take him up on his offer and go to Wales. If she could just talk to her father, maybe she could convince him to make this right. He owed her that much after all.

“Actually, Dex, there is something you can do.” Her face brightened. “Don’t take me back to the Fortress, just go back without me,” she offered with pleading eyes.

“Iris, you know I could get into a lot of trouble here if I just—”

“Just say that I made a run for it. They all think I’m the devil anyway. It wouldn’t be that far-fetched. I’ll text you later and tell you where I am, but for now I can’t tell you anything. Please, Dex,” Iris petitioned her cousin. She grabbed his arm and squeezed it tight.

Dex paused for a moment, staring at Iris and scratching his head. She could tell he was torn. “All right. But we need to make this look real.” He held out his hands. “Hit me. ”

Iris took a step back. “I’m not going to hit you!”

“Good lord, woman, will you just kick my ass!”

She hesitated. “Okay,” she finally huffed. “Here we go.” Iris shrugged and decked him in the nose, sending him skipping backward.

“You okay?” She ran up beside him. He held his nose and waved her away.

“Just go,” he ordered, clutching his face.

“Thanks, Dex.” She flashed a quick smile. “You’re the best.”

Iris sprinted across the street, narrowly dodging the oncoming traffic, and ducked into a nearby alley. She called Silos but he didn’t answer. Damnit. She went for Levana next.

“Hey. If it isn’t my new Hunter BFF,” Levana answered in her typical seductive tone. “You know, at first I just befriended you to help me get Belinda out of here, but now I really like you. Isn’t that just—”

“Levana. I need your help,” Iris panted. “It’s the longest story ever, but is there any way you can pick me up in Beverly Hills?” she shouted through the car horns and busy street traffic.

“I totally would, but I’m getting my nails done.”

“Still?” Iris yelped. “Didn’t you leave to do that like hours ago?”

“Yeah. But the color was all wrong so I made them do it again. Plus … I may have got a sacrifice in.”

“Levana!”

“Hey! I can’t help it. And if it makes you feel any better I purposefully sacrificed someone who was totally awful. I’m talking she was a killer. Like an actual murderer. I got her to confess to killing her best friend with her boyfriend a few years ago just because her friend beat her for homecoming queen, and she totally got away with it. Isn’t that just, ew? So I picked her instead of the super shallow and hot girl next to her. I didn’t want you to be mad at me. Aren’t you so proud?”

“Wow, Levana,” Iris said flatly. “It’s not like I don’t appreciate it, because trust me, I do.” Her response reeked of sarcasm. “But, things like that still need to be left to the law.”

“Oh come on, she would’ve just ended up behind bars and out on bail and probably would’ve done it again anyway. Aren’t you even a little proud of me? I mean, I could’ve gone for an innocent and I didn’t.”

“Okay. Fine. I’m a little proud of you,” Iris said. She couldn’t believe she was having this conversation right now. “Now, let’s move. Do you know where Silos is?”

“Yeah. He still has my car. I guess he found out where Helmer is.”

“Really?” Iris perked up. “Is there any way you can trying call him? I’ve been trying over and over but I can’t get through.”

“That’s because he’s probably near Malibu with horrible reception. But don’t worry, I’ll be able to get through to him.”

“How?” Iris asked with confusion.

“Don’t worry about it.” She giggled. “It’s a witch thing. I’ll make sure he’s there within the hour, if not sooner.”

“How do you even know where I am right now?” Iris looked around, wondering if Levana or one of the other Hollywood witches was secretly spying on her or had access to a street camera.

“Again. A witch thing,” Levana said coyly. “Or … maybe not? A witch never spells and tells.”