“What the hell is going on?” I demanded. My eyes flew to Sawyer as Ari tended to him. His breathing was strained and skin pale. My chest tightened. “What did you do to him? What are you doing here?”
“It doesn’t matter what we’re doing here. It’s you three who have had quite the night, haven’t you?” Farrar purred. “The news we’ve heard…Breaking into Lukas’ private den. Assaulting him.” He clucked. “That’s against some of our most sacred rules.”
“He attacked us first.” My mouth was dry. I couldn’t seem to make sense of everything that was happening. “Part of his pack attacked Jasper and me after the Conclave meeting.”
“Unfortunately there’s no proof of that,” Valencia said.
“Riley.”
It hurt to look at Jasper’s terrified, almost pleading face. “You guys didn’t go to Lukas’ den, did you? Tell me that isn’t true.”
Sienna shifted herself away from my side and slumped heavily into a chair. Jasper’s eyes followed her, her movements answering what I couldn’t.
“Lukas had information that rightfully belonged to all the Outcasts,” I said, unable to look at him. “He’s been planning—”
“We know what he’s been planning,” Farrar said. “We have eyes and ears everywhere.”
Before I could fully grasp that Valencia and Farrar knew as much about Lukas’ plan as I did, Jasper rounded on them again. “Whatever she’s done isn’t the problem. You broke the charms and entered the Loft without an Outcast’s explicit permission. Our Outcast laws state—”
“You have no laws except for the ones the Conclave upholds,” Valencia said. “I’d say what that girl’s done this night is far worse than any crime we’ve committed.”
I tried not to let that sting: what I’d done. This was my fault. If I’d been here instead of making more of an enemy out of Lukas, maybe I could have prevented it.
“You should see to your friend,” Valencia said, nodding to Sawyer. “The little fool shouldn’t have attacked us.”
A growl ripped from Ari’s throat. I saw Jasper shoot her a halting glare before she did what we all wanted to and ripped these two bloodsuckers a new one.
Collette went over to Sawyer and brushed Ari aside. She placed her hands on his chest, fingers glowing. The pain on Sawyer’s face eased just a bit.
“I’ve got him,” Collette said to Ari.
“We figured you’d want to hear our offer,” Valencia went on. “Lukas is powerful, and you’ve enraged him like no other paranormal in this city. He’ll be after you even more than usual now, if not for his own personal gain then at the very least for revenge. You’ll need protection.”
“We have protection,” Jasper said. “The Loft’s charms—”
Valencia gestured to herself, her very presence picking apart his argument. “You need more protection. Protection the Deathless are willing to provide.”
I didn’t like where this was going. I hadn’t had many dealings with vampires, but I knew there was a lot of fine print hidden behind their honeyed words.
“And what do you want in exchange for it?” I said. “My blood?”
Farrar’s face twisted in disgust. “You think too highly of yourself, my dear. What would we do with the blood of an unknown paranormal?”
I didn’t miss the sharp look Sienna shot me. Apparently they hadn’t learned of everything we had tonight. That was a small victory at least.
“You came to speak earlier about us giving you assistance, Jasper,” Valencia said, voice turning silky. “We’re going to take you up on that offer.”
“How so?” Jasper said warily.
“The night children are all of our family, and we must stick together. You will join the ranks of the Deathless, and in return we will protect the Outcasts from Lukas and any other threats that present themselves.”
I waited for Jasper to immediately turn down their offer, but he just stood there, thinking.
“Jas…” Ari said warningly.
“You can’t be seriously…” Sienna said.
“Why would you want me?” Jasper said.
“Jasper!” Ari gasped. “Don’t even think about it!”
“And why not?” Jasper snarled, turning on her. “Even without tonight, Lukas isn’t the only paranormal who’s after us, and it’s only going to get worse the closer we come to the prophecy. By ourselves, sooner or later, one of us is going to get seriously hurt.”
“Now you’re seeing it from our perspective,” Farrar said. “And a wise perspective it is. As for why we’d want you? Jasper…Jasper…If this girl gives herself too much, you give yourself too little. An Outcast, a Forsworn vampire who feeds on magic, not to mention an excellent fighter. These are enviable qualities.”
“We’ll even sweeten the deal,” Valencia said. “You would join the Deathless as one of our most prized valets. No groveling for rank for you. You would immediately be exalted among others.”
“Please consider carefully…” Farrar’s eyes flashed. “You wouldn’t want to make a hasty decision you’d regret.”
I bit my lip. Farrar’s threat was beyond obvious, but we weren’t in any state to fight two of the head vamps of the Deathless. Not as we were right now. Not without another one of us getting hurt. Even still…
“Jasper?” I said softly.
He continued looking at the ground, conflict raging across his face. At last he lifted his eyes to meet mine.
“I screwed up, I know,” I said. “But there has to be a better way. I can ask them if they’ll—”
“We don’t want you,” Farrar butted in.
“Yeah, you made that clear,” I snapped. “But maybe I have information you want. I’m the thirteenth Outcast with an entire prophecy behind me. Maybe I’d be worth more than Jasper.”
I swore Valencia hesitated before her expression became unreadable once more. “I doubt that. The Deathless would never accept a non-vampire, no matter how much she thinks herself important. That is our offer, Jasper. And our patience is running out.”
“I accept,” Jasper said. “Yes, I accept,” he said when Ari and Sienna started to protest. “The Deathless will protect us. We can’t do this alone. You both have known that for a while.”
“Yes, but we always said we’d figure it out,” Ari pleaded. “How are we supposed to do that when you’re gone?”
Jasper turned to the head vampires. “I accept, but on the condition that I only join after the Outcasts fulfill the prophecy.”
“Absolutely not,” Farrar said. “That could take years.”
“Very well,” Valencia said, and Farrar gaped at her. “Although we trust you won’t use our generous time to stall.”
“I won’t,” Jasper said firmly. “Too many of us are relying on this.”
“Then we accept your terms,” Valencia said. Farrar looked like he was going to argue more but jerked an affirmation.
“The Outcasts come first,” Jasper said to us. He forced a grin, and I felt an uncomfortable pain in my chest. “Besides, we’ve sucked at solving the prophecy so far. At this rate, I won’t be gone for a while yet.”
“Kneel,” Valencia said.
Jasper knelt before the two of them and I wanted to scream at him to stop. He’d barely put up a fight. Why had he not argued more? Had he gone to them tonight knowing something like this might happen?
Valencia bit the inside of her wrist until a bright red stream of crimson ran down her arm. She held her dripping palm above Jasper and I felt sick as he let a couple drops fall onto his tongue.
“Blood magic, strong and binding,” Farrar said. “This will ensure you keep your allegiance where it belongs. If you do not keep your word to join us, you will die.”
Jasper wiped his lips and stood. “Good, that’s done. Now get out.”
Valencia and Farrar gave short bows, both looking sickeningly pleased. My magic stirred, wanting to rise up and consume them both but I stuck my fingernails into my palms until the feeling subsided.
“You all have a wonderful rest of your night,” Valencia said before they drifted out into the darkness. The front door slammed shut behind them.
“That was stupid, Jasper.” The words were out of my mouth the moment the vampires had left.
Jasper swelled with anger, straightening up to his full height. I kept forgetting how tall he was. “And what would you call what you did? You dragged two Outcasts into the worst, most dangerous—”
“Technically I went willingly,” Sienna said weakly.
“And for what?” Jasper exploded. “Now Lukas wants you more than ever!”
“Like you did any better!” I shot back. “You went right to them to…to…I don’t know, ask for help? You knew they’d never do it without wanting something in return, and you didn’t bother telling any of us.”
“I knew,” Ari said.
I threw up my hands. “Great. Wonderful.”
“And I told you,” Jasper said to me. “But I don’t remember asking for your input.”
“And I don’t remember needing yours. If it were up to you, I’d stay in the Loft like a good little girl while everyone else puts themselves in danger. I know you think you can keep all of us safe, but I’ve only been here a short time and can already tell that you can’t.”
“Okay, stop,” Ari grabbed Jasper’s arm.
“You agree with her?” he snarled. “You think I’m just giving up on you all, is that it?”
She didn’t back down from his fierce look. “I’m on your side, Jas. We all are. I know why you had to make a deal with the Deathless, really I do. But without you we’re at a severe disadvantage.”
Jasper looked at all of us, betrayal covering his face. “So that’s what you all think? That I wanted to give myself up like that?”
“Don’t put words in our mouths,” Collette said. “No one here’s blaming you.”
“Really? ’Cause it sure feels like it.” He jerked his arm out of Ari’s grasp and stormed upstairs.
“No,” Ari said when I made to go after him. “Both of you need some time to cool off.”
I stared up at where Jasper had gone, aching to follow and continue defending myself to him. I knew Ari was right, though. I was fired up. As I was, I might end up saying something I’d regret later.
“That son of a…”
Sienna opened her eyes, looking even more exhausted if possible. “That ponytailed prick really did put a link charm on me. Tough one to break, too.”
“Not so cute anymore, is he?” Collette murmured, hands still roving over Sawyer.
Sienna frowned. “I didn’t say that…”
“Okay, out with it,” Ari said. She folded her arms and gave me a withering glare. “What the hell did you three do tonight?”
I recounted everything that’d happened, Sienna filling in any details I missed. As we laid it out, Ari’s face grew more and more pale, turning nearly milk white as I recalled our time in Lukas’ den.
“If he’d caught you…kept you…” She let out a shuddering breath. “I really, really hope doing that was worth it.”
“We know what he’s up to now,” I said. “And…he knew what kind of paranormal I was.”
Ari looked up sharply. “What?”
“Yeah, he said I was part elemental. That I was destined to take some sort of throne like the elementals from a billion years ago.”
Ari’s disbelieving face looked like she’d taken a particularly vicious roundhouse to the gut. “What are you talking about? Elementals don’t exist.”
“That’s what he said,” I said, suddenly feeling exhausted and not wanting to argue about what may or may not exist in the paranormal world. “I don’t know what else to tell you.”
“No,” Ari was still shaking her head. “He probably meant something else. Elemental magic maybe. Or…”
“It’s possible,” Sawyer croaked.
I looked over to see he was trying to sit up. The dried blood on the neck and collar of his hoodie looked so gruesome I almost couldn’t stand looking at it. Another knife of guilt twisted into me.
“There’re a lot of things from a long time ago that we don’t know about. Give me a little time and I’ll look into it.”
“No, you have to rest,” Collette said firmly, trying to make him lie back down. “Don’t be stupid like Jasper and Ari and think you can just hop back up from an attack no problem.”
Sawyer reluctantly put his head down, still grimacing. “Lukas isn’t an idiot. It sounds crazy, but I’m sure he’s done his research. He’s probably right.”
“Sawyer…” Ari contemplated this, and it struck me at just how right Sawyer must have been on many things if she was so willing to take his word for it. “If it’s true, then the vamps cannot know. It’s bad enough having one of the races after you and whatever your prophecy is, Riley. I really don’t think we can deal with two.”
She looked up at where Jasper had gone. I could tell she, like me, was thinking we’d barely handled one properly. Not without essentially losing one of our own.
“What about the Horde?” Sienna said. “We could talk to Kaia about it. They spoke to Riley right after the Conclave meeting. I really think they’re on her side, part elemental or not.”
“Is that true?” Ari asked me. “You think they’ll side with us?”
“I’m…not sure,” I said honestly. “I trust Kaia. Uko and the rest of the Horde could be in it for themselves just like everyone else. I think…” The possibility didn’t feel good, but a deep part of me knew it was a risk we may have to take. “We might have to tell them. About everything. I have a feeling we’ll need their help.”
Ari let out a long sigh. “I hate to say it, but I agree. Anything else you learned tonight that’s going to suddenly make our lives a lot more complicated?”
I recalled the shadowy figure I thought I’d seen as we’d left Lukas’ den. In my memory, it changed from Hayes to my killer and back again, switching so many times I wasn’t sure who was who. Or which one was worse. We knew Hayes was Lukas’ lap dog. But what if my mysterious killer was, too? That’d be flippin’ perfect.
“Nothing else,” I said.
“Then the goal remains the same,” Ari said. “Find this throne or whatever before Lukas does and fulfill the prophecy.” She paused for a moment. “I hope that’ll solve some of our problems, but I really don’t know. Go see Lucinda, Sienna. She can help with your leg—”
Collette let out a barking laugh. “You think figuring out some dumb lines of a poem will solve our problems? The only thing we’ve gotten since Riley arrived are problems.”
She picked up Sawyer, cradling him gently in her arms as she glared at me. “You might find this throne, but if you think we’re following some fake queen or elemental or whatever you are then you’ve got another think coming. Nobody is going to listen to some reckless nobody they’ve never heard of, prophecy or not.”
She stomped up the stairs before I could think of a retort. Not that I had any. She was right. I just wished she wasn’t.