Kate Evangelista - Til Death

“Ormand won’t let Penny go if he doesn’t see me there. An exchange has to be made. We can use Rainer as back up. Surely he can still fight.”

Dillan opened his mouth as if to say something then closed it again. He took out his phone and tapped a quick message. “He’ll be there. But I’m still not convinced you should go with us.”

Eyes wide, I said, “The moment you leave you know I’ll just follow.”

“Not if we tie you up.”

“Like that’s going to stop me.”

“Why can’t you just do as I say?”

I grinned. “Because you’d probably do the same thing if you were in my shoes.”

“Okay,” he finally said, exasperation in his tone. He checked his phone for what I assumed was a reply from his uncle. “Rainer is on his way to Greenwood, but we’re closer so we’ll get there first. Kyle…you, Garret, Riona, and Sebastian go in and distract Ormand while Selena and I make a grab for Penny.”

“That’s insane!” Kyle ran his hands through his hair, disheveling the strands. “You have to hear yourself. We can’t run interference while you hand Selena over to Ormand. I won’t allow it.”

“Kyle” —I touched his chest— “Dillan’s plan makes more sense.” It did sound crazy, but if it could give us a chance to get Penny back, I’d go with it.

“I’m not sacrificing you,” he said through his teeth.

“You don’t have a choice.” I tried to smile, but failed. “I’m who he’s after. Penny, Bowen, and whoever else, was used to get to me. If I don’t go, then there’s no guarantee Ormand will stop.”

“And since it’s a Hunter’s Moon tonight we won’t have to worry about being able to see in the dark,” Dillan said.

My gaze darted to Kyle for an explanation.

“Brightest night of the year,” he answered. “I still haven’t agreed to this insane twist in the plan!”

“What about a weapon. I’ll need one too,” I said.

“No!” they both shouted at me.

“No fighting for you!” Kyle added.

“As much as I hate to do it, I agree with Hilliard,” Dillan said. “You’re untrained. Protecting you will be easier if we don’t have to dodge your nonexistent weapon handling skills.”

I resented his superior tone. This was the Mr. Rock Star National Geographic I knew how to handle. “But I don’t want to be defenseless. Give me a bat at least,” I argued. “I know how to swing a bat.”

Kyle sighed. “I still don’t want you with us.”

“We don’t have any other options,” Riona finally said. “Think of what your parents would do in this situation.”

“They wouldn’t sacrifice anyone to get what they need!” He glared at his guardian. “I’m not willing to risk losing her.”

“Who said anything about losing me?” I tried to put as much confidence into the lie as I could. “Dillan will be there to back me up.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” He settled his glare at me.

Dillan wouldn’t meet my eyes when I looked to him for reassurance. I had a hunch as to what he was thinking. “He’ll know what to do.”

My words snapped his eyes up to meet mine. “Selena—”

“What’s everyone waiting for?” Garret asked as he walked into the living room with a grin, holding a mean looking sword. He wore jeans, a T-shirt, and a motorcycle jacket.

“What?” he asked when all eyes stared at him. “Did you expect me to come out in armor?” He kissed his sword’s scabbard. “This baby’s more than enough to keep me safe.”

My eyes went to Kyle. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“Are you worried about me?” he mocked.

“I just don’t want you to die before I get a chance to kill you for spilling my secrets to Riona and Garret.” I crossed my arms and frowned.

He smiled and hugged me.

I didn’t return the gesture, even if I appreciated the contact. “Please, just be careful.”

“Always am,” he said into my ear before letting go. “Are you sure I can’t convince you not to go?”

I shook my head. “Short of tying me up like Dillan suggested, no.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Let’s get a move on,” Garret boomed. Riona unfolded herself from the chair, carefully setting Constantinople down, and joined her husband.

Dillan made a move toward the foyer along with the rest of them.

I hurried to his side. “We need to talk.”

He stopped and gave me a hard stare.

“You guys coming?” Kyle asked from the front door.

“Go on ahead. We’ll be five minutes,” Dillan answered him without breaking eye contact with me.

Dillan

Tell Me Your Secret

The Fates really had it in for him. He cursed them as he led Selena through the terrace double doors. The cold night breeze barely registered when he took a deep, bracing breath of it. His feet kept going until he reached the banister. He couldn’t have the conversation he was about to have in the car. Being in closed quarters would only make the feeling of his world closing in on him worse. His breathing already went from calm to hard and deep while he stared up at the Hunter’s Moon. Ironic really. The night he’d be facing down hordes of puppets would be the brightest night of the year.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“For what?” he asked, not looking away from the moon. The night Katarina was taken was a full moon, too. He hated the similarities. When this all started, he aimed for repentance. To regain his status within the Illumenari. He wouldn’t have believed anyone if they’d told him he’d find redemption in attempting the very act that got him banished in the first place. Oh the Fates were cruel bitches.

“For not telling you.” Her words pulled him back to the present he currently didn’t want to be in.

“Everybody has secrets, Selena. This town more than most, apparently.” He would have laughed at the absurdity of it if not for the seriousness of their situation.

She turned to face him. “You’re very calm about this.”

“I’m not calm.”

He felt her eyes rake down his body. By now she would have noticed his tight lips. The tension on his shoulders. His clenched fists. He’d punch the banister if he didn’t have to conserve his strength. He knew they’d go balls to the wall at Greenwood and would need every ounce of energy he had. In the heat of battle he could lose himself. But right now he barely kept it together.

“I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner,” he spat out.

“How could you? Only my friends and family know. I’ve kept it that way since I had my first vision.” She paused. “Sebastian told me Katarina can do the same thing. That you were her Guardian.”

“You know, when I said I would protect you, I didn’t think it would come to this.” He hissed, reminding himself to gut the mangy mutt. Breathing out some of his anger, he made the decision to tell Selena everything. She had the right to know. If he died tonight at least someone else would know why. Why he’d failed.

“Katarina and I were stationed with my parents in Turkey.” He concentrated on the sky, letting the vastness make him feel small. “She got a lead on a case we’d been following for some time. I won’t bore you with the details. Long story short, she had a vision about Budapest.” With each sentence that fell out of his lips, his fingernails dug deeper into his palms. “I told her we should wait for Sebastian for back up. The hellhound had been conducting surveillance for my dad. But Katarina insisted we go.”

“Why?”

In his periphery, he saw her reach out. She stopped before her hand touched his arm and pulled back. He silently thanked her for that. He couldn’t handle being touched right now and the shock that came with it.