“All right. All right,” Gabe called from her left. They’d managed to get a lot done in the week since the explosion. And it was finally time to put that plan into action. “Shut up and let Reyna speak.”
She turned her eyes to Beckham and swallowed. “Speak?”
“You’re taking them into war. You have to rally them,” Beckham said.
Reyna’s eyes darted to her friends. Meghan and Jodie gave her an encouraging nod. Gabe winked. Tye smiled. They were all counting on her.
“Public speaking?” she hissed.
“Want my advice?”
She nodded.
“Don’t faint.”
“I hate you.”
He grinned. “Knock them dead.”
Reyna hooked her foot up on the stool and climbed onto Beckham’s sleek kitchen table. Her knees felt wobbly as she turned to face the crowd of people before her.
Her two fears: needles and public speaking.
She’d had to face one repeatedly. Seemed as if it were time to face the other.
“Hey…hey,” Reyna cried.
She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the room to finally quiet down. It took a while, considering how many different groups of people were congregated into one space.
She could see Drew standing in the crowd. All of the Elle members had been relocated and the remaining Elle sleeper agents had been brought in—including Prisha, who had given them a place to stay after everything had fallen apart over New Year’s. The anti-vamp cult looked pretty pissed to be standing so near Beckham’s circle, who had apparently called in some favors. Now the vampires were a solid thirty strong. All in all, she was looking at her own little army. A terrifying thought, to say the least.
She cleared her throat and tried to recount all of the reckless and crazy ideas she’d implemented since becoming Beckham’s blood escort. It was a long list that culminated with this moment. And if she had been able to get through all of that, well, public speaking shouldn’t be that bad. Shouldn’t being the optimal word.
“Thanks, everyone, so much for coming,” Reyna said, her voice barely above a whisper.
A groan of dissent came from the crowd. She was losing them. She was losing them already. She needed them to rally with her to do what must be done. But they’d already decided. They were going in. She could do this much.
“I said thank you for coming,” she shouted into the crowd. The silence was swift and secure. Her stomach flipped. Sweat accumulated on her brow. But she continued. “Many of us here are from different walks of life. We have different beliefs. We have different values. We want different things. The truth is that many of us may not even like one another. We may even hate one another. But none of that matters today. Leave all of that at the door. Because today we don’t fight just for ourselves, we fight for humanity, for equality, for freedom.”
A cheer rose up from the crowd. Reyna’s eyes swept Beckham’s secret hideaway and the people applauding her speech. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. These people were going out to fight with her. They trusted her to make this work. It was daunting, but also…incredible. So many people from so many places, all here, now, willing to work together.
“You know your mission. We’re armed. We’re prepared. We’re ready to take this fight to those who have so long ruled from on high. Today we take back our world. Let’s do the damn thing!”
She pumped her fist into the air and grinned at the sea of people cheering with her. So much excitement as they all went into battle. Her heart hardened against the consequences. She couldn’t think about what could go wrong or else all she would do is fear that she had made the wrong choice moving forward. And it was clear that there was really only one choice: the right one.
Beckham held his hand out and she hastily jumped off of his kitchen table.
“Was that okay?” she asked, her legs shaking still.
“No one could feel your anxiety but me,” he assured her.
She blew out a breath. “Good.”
“Hey, good speech!” Drew said, appearing at her side and throwing an arm around her. “When did you learn not to throw up when you addressed a group?”
“Very funny!”
“I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks,” she said with a smile. But her eyes flittered over Drew’s shoulder. “Where’s Laura?”
Drew cocked his head to the side. She followed his gesture and found that Brian and Laura had snuck into the room to listen to her speech and see everyone off. They’d had a tear-filled reunion once Reyna and Brian had made it to Beckham’s place. Brian was on the mend and Laura was there every step of the way to help.
“Come on,” Drew said.
They moved across the room together. Brian had an arm around Laura. She was beaming and he gave her a tentative smile as if he wasn’t sure this was reality. His eyes were shadowed, memories of his time as a vampire and the torture he’d endured from Harrington would follow him for a long time, maybe forever. As it would follow Reyna too. She understood that look.
“What a speech,” Brian said.
“You did really great,” Laura said. “Though, I wish none of you had to go.”
“I know,” Reyna said. “But we do. We have to end this.”
“Give him an extra bullet for me,” Brian said fiercely.
She nodded and then pulled Brian, Laura, and Drew in for a hug.
“I hate to say this, but I have to go,” Drew said. He pulled back and ruffled Laura’s hair affectionately.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” Brian said, holding his hand out. They shook, an unbreakable bond forged between them, and then Drew left.
Reyna kissed Brian’s cheek and left him to be alone with his wife. She knew they needed time together. And she needed to be here for the army.
Drew filed out with the rest of the Elle members, as well as the heavily armed anti-cult crew. Reyna had had more than a few choice words with Everett’s asshole friends about joining the team. The only good thing was that they were super paranoid, so they had guns galore and knew how to use them. And none of them wanted to see Everett’s death be for nothing. Including Reyna.
Beckham’s circle spoke furiously to him in a corner for a few minutes before splitting into teams with the other vamps and exiting the room. Beckham nodded once at her and then followed them out. She knew he wanted to supervise and make sure that everything was going as planned. She liked that he was a bit of a control freak…and yet still let her take the reins.
Reyna turned then to her own team—Gabe, Meghan, Tye, and Jodie.
“Like old times, huh?” Reyna asked.
Jodie threw her arms around Reyna. “We’ve got your back.”
Meghan smiled brightly. “I’m ready.”
Gabe winked and slung an arm over Meghan’s shoulders. Tye crossed his arms and gave her a cool nod. These were her people. Her team. She wished that she could tell them how much they meant to her, but she could see in their eyes that they already knew. She didn’t have to say a word.
Tye tossed the keys in his hand. “I call getaway car.”
“Shotgun!” Jodie yelled as she pushed past Meghan and Gabe toward the car.
Reyna took a deep breath and glanced around Beckham’s little subterranean modern condo. He’d been right when he’d said it wasn’t big enough to house everyone. The place was smaller than the mansion. But it would have to do as their new base for the women, children, and sick who were staying behind. Genevieve had agreed to remain and guard the place. Which meant both Brian and Laura were staying. Reyna was relieved by that at least. Some of them would be safe…for now.
Beckham reappeared in the doorway then. “Are you ready?”
She swallowed and nodded. “Yes.”
He crossed the threshold and pulled her into his arms. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She melted into his touch. Their bodies becoming one. She needed this comfort. To know that she was loved as she went out to take on the world.
“We can do this together,” Beckham said.
“You’re right. We should have always done it together.”
“Just don’t hesitate. You’ll only get one opportunity.”
“I know. We’ve gone over this.”
He tilted her chin up to meet his deep obsidian eyes. They were the hardened eyes of a warrior, with the fierce determination of someone who had gone into battle time and time again and come out ahead. His experience far outweighed hers. He knew what this felt like and he enjoyed it. The thrill of battle was a drug to him. It was all over him. If she reached for his emotions, she could revel in them like a pill for her anxiety.
But she needed her anxiety. Her stress. Her total awareness of every fucking thing that could go wrong.
She’d gone into battle once already against Harrington.
She’d lost.
Beckham had died.
If she wasn’t aware of that, then she would be going into this with false confidence. She was terrified. And she needed to be. The last time she’d faced Harrington she’d been cocky. Young and inexperienced, not yet completely weathered by the reality of her world. Somehow still completely naive to the severity of her world. To the ruthlessness of William Harrington.
She wasn’t walking into this half-cocked. She had a plan. She had a team and backup and the whole shebang.
She was about to walk out onto the chessboard and play the hardest game of her life. Her fear would be safely tucked in her back pocket while she used every ounce of strategy to keep herself alive.
Beckham brought his lips down to hers. The kiss was short and soft and raw. Jarring enough to drag her back to earth. He brought his hand to her heart, which beat steadily.
“Just remember, I’m always right here.” He moved her hand up to his heart. “And you are always here.”
“Always,” she repeated.
He nodded. “Good. Showtime.”
A voice cleared behind them. They both turned around and found Genevieve standing in the hallway that led to the bedrooms. “Excuse me. Would you mind if I had a quick word with Miss Reyna before you depart?”
“Of course,” Beckham said deferentially. “I’ll wait in the car.”
“I won’t be long.” Reyna crossed the room to where Genevieve was standing. “What’s going on?”
“I have been a vampire for a long time,” Genevieve said. “I was not long on Master Washington’s property before I was turned. He treated me with kindness and respect even before I became one of his kind. What you are doing today is what he always wanted.”
“I know,” Reyna said, choking back the sadness over his death. She couldn’t even believe it was possible. The man who avoided war found that it caught up to him after all.
“Believe me when I say I understand your need to even the score. Master Harrington never deserved Master Washington’s friendship. He abused it for his own gain. He was a wonderful man until you had something he wanted. And you are now what he wants.” Genevieve grasped her hands. “Despite what he has done, think first of yourself, dear.”
“Of myself?” Reyna asked, confused where this conversation was going.
“You have to make decisions that you can live with.”
“I know what I can live with.”
“Choose justice, Miss Reyna.” Genevieve’s hand clasped around hers. “Do the right thing when the time comes.”
Reyna closed her hand tight around Genevieve’s. “I will.”
“You reminded Master Washington so much of his Mistress Elisa. He’d only ever trust you with this.”
“I’ll make him proud.”
Genevieve nodded. “I know you will.”