Energytorethroughtheroomlikeacrackoflightninginastormaswe cametogether,bothbreathingraggedly,bodiestensedandwrithing.
Hecollapsedontopofmegracefully,catchinghisweighttohover lightlyabovemyheavingchest.IthoughtIheardthefaintestoflaughs escapehim.
“IwishIcouldseeyourightnow,”Isighed,trailingmyfingers aroundhisfaceforconfirmationofmysuspicion.
“Youwillseemesoon,”hesaidconfidently.
Alwayssocertain...
Deepdownthough,Icouldfeelhewasunsure.Hiswordsdidnot matchthedissonancethatrolledoffofhimwhileIlayinhisarms.There wassomethingbelowhisconvictionthattippedhishand.Hethoughtthat somethingominouswasatplay,causingthedisappearanceofScarletas wellasmyvision,andinanequallytuckedawayplace,Isharedthat sentiment.Somethingwasreallyandtrulywrong.Butinthatmoment,I daredtobelievethat,comewhatmay,heandIcouldfaceitandconquer ittogether―atrulyunitedfront,fortheveryfirsttime.
IfellasleepwithSeancurledaroundme,ourlimbsentangled, fingersintertwined.Havinghimnearmemadeiteasytoforget.Forget thatScarletwasfading.ForgetthatImightneverseehimagain.Forget thattroublewasalmostcertainlyheadedourway,ifhistorywasany indication.
HewasmybalancingforceandIwashis.Themorewegaveintoit, thestrongeritpulled.Somethinggreaterthanthetwoofuswasatplay, placingusineachother'slives.Itwasadestiny―divineintervention.
Troubleswouldalwaysplagueus,butnothingcouldseparateus.
Notanymore.
32
“Sothisisthehousetheyfound?”Iaskedincredulously.“Thisiswhere youaregoingtolive?”
Evenwithmyfailingvisionandthescantlightofdusk,Icouldtell thetwo-storyhomewasdilapidated.Thecloserwegot,themoremy suspicionswereconfirmed.Whatappearedtobeshuttershungaskew—
wheretherewerestillsomehangingatall.Thefrontporchslopedso violentlythatIquestionedwhetherornotitwasevenstillattachedtothe house.Icouldn'tfathomwhyCooperwastakingmetoseethattenement.
“Itsuitsmeandthemjustfine,”Cooperreplied,takingmyarmto escortmeacrossthelawn.
“Isitevenlivable?”Isneered,trippingonsomethingweightyinthe tall,unkemptgrass.“Andwhyarewecheckingitoutnow?It'salmosttoo darktoseeanythingclearly,notthatIcouldifIwantedto.”
“Whydoyouneverstopaskingquestions?”hegrowled,holdingme uponceagainasIstumbled.“Thisplaceisn'texactlyonthemarket, Ruby.Weweretryingtocheckitoutonthedownlowtoseeifitwas worthtakingover.Whyareyousohighstrungaboutthis?”
ThetruthwasIdidn'tknow,butsomethingseemedoffinabigway.
I'dspenttheentiredaywithSeanuntilhehadtoleaveforyetanothertrip tosolvetheLondondebacle.Everythingwasgreat.Butthesecondhe droppedmeoffattheapartment,Ijustdidn'tfeelright,andnothinghad feltrightfromthatmomenton.NotevenCooperresonatedwithmeinthe wayhealwayshad.CombinedwiththeanxietyIfeltasweapproached thehouse,itmademestarttoquestioniftheproblemwasme,giventhat Iwasthesinglecommondenominatorintheequation.Withmyeyesight fadingbacktothedarknessthathadonceconsumeditandScarlet's continuedabsence,Ihadtoentertainthenotionthatmaybe allofmy formerabilitieswerenolongerreliable―empathincluded.
“I'msorry,Coop.Idon'tknowwhat'swrongwithme.”
“Justtrytorelaxabit.You'remakingthiswaymorestressfulthan itneedstobe.”
Ikeptmymouthshuttherestofthewaytothehouseandupthe fivericketystepsonthewoodenporch.Coopercontinuedtousherme, eventhoughIcouldmakethingsoutbetteroncewewereinside.The moonlightpouredthroughthevastwindows,illuminatingagrand staircase―wewereinanoldVictorian.
“They'rehere,”Alicalledfromsomewheretoodeepinthedarkness formetomakeout,butIcouldfeelhim.Icouldfeel alloftheboys.
EventheonesIdidn'tknow.
“Excellent.Iassumeeverythingwentaccordingtoplan,Cooper?”
Iknowthatvoice...
“Noissueswhatsoever,Tobias.She'sallyours.”
“Welldone,”thealphareplied.“AndwhatofSean?Areyou preparedtodealwiththattoo?”
“I'lltellhimexactlywhatyousaid―thatIkilledher.”
“Andwhenhedoesn'tbelieveyou―becauseyouknowhewon't, right?”
“I'llattackhim,justasplanned.”
“Andyou'repreparedtodie?”
“Ofcourse.”
Icouldn'tbelievemyears.ThingswerehappeningsofastthatI couldn'tprocessthem.IhatedhowmuchIhadcometorelyonmysight, butevenwithoutit,IknewIwasintrouble. Bigtrouble.
“Cooper?”Iasked,attemptingunsuccessfullytowriggleoutofhis hold.
“Donotanswerher!”Tobiasshouted.Cooperdidn'tmakeapeep.
That'swhenIknewtheshitIwasinranfardeeperthanIcouldhaveever imagined.“Isthe‘copterready,Beckett?”
“Itis.”
“Beckett?”Icalledoutbeseechingly.Igotnothinginresponse.
“WhereamIgoing?”Ilookedaroundfranticallytonoavail.Theroom wasfartoodarkformetomakeoutanythingoranyone.
“WearegoingbacktoLondon,mydear.YouandyourDNAare neededthere.”
“Janner!Janner,helpme!”Icried,hopingthathewouldhelpme,or atleasttellmeexactlywhatwasgoingon.
“Theywon'thelpyou,Ruby.Theyanswerto me,”Tobiaspurred.
“Buttheyaren'tyoursanymore,”Isaidaloud,moreaquestionthan statement.Noneofthemseemedtobemineatthatmoment.Noteven Cooper.
“They'vealwaysbeenmine,”Tobiascontinued.“Theyjustdidn't knowit.”Icouldhearthesmileinhisvoice,andmystomachturnedin acknowledgment.“DoyouthinktheywouldhavekilledDeacon otherwise?No,Idon'tthinkso,Ruby.Yousee,thetruthisthatthey adoredhim.Everyonedid―exceptme,ofcourse.Hewasthe quintessentialalpha:theonethateveryonewouldkilltohave.ButI preferchaostoorderandneverenjoyedbeingsecondfiddle,sowiththe helpofsomeoutsiders,Idevisedanincrediblyelaborateplantotakehim downandmakeaboatloadofcashwhileIdidso.There'squiteablack marketoutthereforwerewolves.”
Ishudderedashemovedclosertome,preparedtofurtherexplain himselfbeforedoingwhathecametodo―takemeaway.
“DeaconcaughtwindofwhatI'ddonetotheothersandwasaboutto makemepayforit,butthankfullyforme,Ihadallthepiecesinplaceto assurethatitwouldn'thappen.”
Hesteppedintothemoonlight,justenoughformetomakeouthis shortandstockysilhouette.ItwasjustwhatIneeded:analphawitha Napoleoncomplex.
“I'lltellyouallaboutitontheway,”hecontinued.“Itseemsthat you'reimmunetomylittletricks,soIhavebigplansforyou.I'msure you'llwanttoknowallthosedetails,andifyou'relikealltheothers, you'llwanttoknow why. Why me?Whyareyoudoingthis?Youknow,all ofthoseannoyingquestionsthatvictimsseemtoalwaysasktheircaptors.
Itreallyiscliché.”
Istaredinhisgeneraldirectionwhileheapproachedme.Idefinitely hadquestions,butmostofthemdidn'trevolvearoundwhy.ThatIcould grasp,andithadbecomepartofthecursethatwasbeinganRB.WhatI reallywantedtoknow―neededtoknow―was how? Howwashemaking themdowhattheyweredoing,manipulatingthemtodothingstheydidn't wanttodo?
OratleastIassumedtheydidn'twantto.
Regardlessofwhatwasorwasn'tinitfortheUKtrio,Iknew withoutashadowofadoubtthatCooperwouldneverharmme.Thefact thathewasalltoowillingtohandmeovertoanefariouslowlifelike Tobiaswasonlycauseforgreaterconcern,notonlyformyselfbutfor Coopertoo.
ustody.Itseemed todragonforever,asthougheverythingaroundmewasmovinginslow motion.Shadowsmilledaroundinthebackground―manyofthem.More thanjusttheboysIhadgrowntoknowandcareabout. Moreofhispack...
Cooperstoodbesideme,motionless.Icouldn'tdecideifitwas becausehewasawaitingfurthercommands,orif,somewheredeepdown insidehim,heknewthatsomethingwaswrong―thatsomethingwas abouttohappentome,andhecouldn'tletthathappen.Nottome.
“How?”IblurtedoutasTobiasstoodbeforeme,comingintoas muchclarityashewasevergoingto.“Idon'twanttoknowwhy.Iwant toknow howyoumadethemdothis.”
Hecockedhisheadtotheside,whichinmycopiousexperience withunstablepeoplemeanthefoundmeeitheramusingorcurious.Iwas gladIcouldn'tseeeitherexpressiononhisface.Mybloodboiledatthe thought.
“Fairenough,”hesaid,gettingrightupinmyface.Cooperwasstill holdingmyarm,thoughatthatpointitwasmoreofarestraintthanan aid.“I'mgoingtokeepthisassimpleaspossiblebecauseIdon'tcareto wastetime;I'mcontrollingthem.”
“Icanseethat,”Ispat,“butagain,whatIwanttoknowishow. How areyoucontrollingthem?”
“It'sallverycomplicated,Ruby.I'mnotsurethatwehavetimeto gointoallthesciencebehindit,buttheshortofitisthatafrequency―an energyofsorts―wasdiscovered.Itseemstoaffectcognitivefunction, allowingthepowerofsuggestiontoreignsupreme.We'vebeentestingit forawhilenowonsomeoftheotherpackmembers.Ittookalongtime toworkoutallthekinks,andofcoursewelostmostofthemalongthe way,butwe'veperfecteditnow.Don'tworry,Ruby.Ifyou'reasruggedas yourreputationleadsmetobelieveyouare,you'llendurethe experimentsjustfine.”
“Afrequency?”Iasked,utterlyconfused.
“Exactly,”hereplied.“I'msureyou'veheardhowdogscanhear certainlevelsofsoundthathumanscannot.Thinkofitlikethat,though forsomereason,youseemtobecompletelyimmunetoit.Itdidn'taffect youintheleastwhenIspoketoyouonthephone.Myguessisthat whatevermakesyouspecialisblockingit.Wejustneedtofindaway aroundthat.”
Ormaybemymissinghalfiswhyitdoesn'twork, Ithoughtto myself,notlikingtheimplicationsatall.MaybeScarlet'sabsencewas helpfultoavoidbeingcontrolled,butitwasalsolikelytogetmekilled.I neededdetailsaboutwhatwasinstoreformeandIneededthemfast.
“Thenwhatisyourgrandplan?”Ibadgered,wantinganswers.Iwas sotiredofbeingusedthat,foronce,Ijustwantedtobefullyintheknow.
“I'mnotsurejustyet,”hereplied,soundinggenuinelyuncertain.
“Butkeepingyouwouldgivemeanincredibleboostinpower.I'dbe virtuallyunstoppable.EventothePC.”
“NottoSean,”Iwhispered,wishingIhadsaidgoodbyeintheway thatI'dwantedtothelasttimeIsawhim.
“Oh,Ithinkyou'dstandagoodchance.Myboystellmehefancies you.Thatyou're mated.Isn'tthatreallyjustanotherwayIcancontrolthe PC?Throughyourbond?Hewon'tharmyouinretaliation,orletanyone elseforthatmatter,soreallyIwon'thaveanyinterferencefromthemat all.”Hesoundedasthoughsomeofwhathewassayingwasarevelation tohim―likeithadjustdawnedonhim,andtheaweinhisvoicewas chilling.HewouldbeunstoppableorI'dbedead.Thoseweretheoptions, andIknewSeanwasn'tabouttotakemedown,soitwaslookinggoodfor CaptainShortandStocky.
“Thehelicopterwillbehereinaminute,sir,”Jannercalledout fromanotherroom.“Weshouldbeoutsidewaiting.”
“Icouldn'tagreemore,”Tobiasreplied,wrappinghissmall,chubby handaroundmywrist.“Timetoleavenow,love.”
Ashepulledmetowardhim,Ifelttheslightestsqueezeonmyother armfromCooper,likehewastryingtoholdontometighterortellmeit wasgoingtobeokay.Itdidn'tmattereitherway.Iwasquicklyrippedout ofhisgrasp.
“Let'sgetyouhomenow.Ihavebigplansforyouandme.”
“AndIhaveevenbiggerplans,”afamiliarandwelcomevoice calledfromjustoutsidethehouse,“butthey're allforyou.”Heavy footfallstreadacrosstheporchandinthroughthefrontdoor―morethan onepair.“LethergoandI'llmakethispainless,”Seangrowled threateningly.Everythingabouthisvoicepromisedthathewould not makegoodonhisword.
“AndifIdon't?”Tobiasquipped,feelingfartooconfidentinhis situation.Heclearlyhadn'tpissedSeanoffbefore.Ihad,andtheenergy comingfromhisdirectionhadamoremenacingfeelthanevenI'dbeen privyto.
“Iwon't.”
“Well,that'sallfineanddandy,butareyouwillingtoletyourlittle ladyheregetcaughtinthecrossfire?”heaskedrhetorically.“No,Idon't thinkyouare.Yousee,whatIthinkyou'regoingtoletusdoisleaveso thatnothinghappenstoher.Well,nothing yet,anyway.”
IheardthestartofSean'salltoofamiliarbattlecryandcringed, fearingwhatwouldhappentoeveryonepresentifheunleashedthetrue dark-eyedmonsterthatIbothlovedandfeared.Bodieswoulddropuntil hewassatisfied,andIwasn'tentirelycertainthatallpartieswereas guiltyastheylooked.IfearedmostforCooper,whostoodjustfarenough awayfrommetonotlookguilty,butsurelySeanwouldquestionwhyhe wasdoingnothing.
“Sean!”Icriedout.“He'scontrollingthem.It'snot―”
Ahandclampeddownovermymouth,keepingtherestofthesecret hiddenaway.IheardSeanmove,butstopalmostinstantaneously.The bladethatIsuddenlyfeltpressedtomythroatwastheclearreasonwhy.
ThefloorcreakedwhenSean'sshadowyformrolledbackonhis heelseversoslightly.
“That'sbetter.NowCooper,docomehereforamomentandhold this.”InaninstantCooperwasbehindme,holdingthatsamebladetomy throat.“Ifhemoves,Iwantyoutokillher,doyouunderstandme?”
“Absolutely,”Coopergrowled.Itwasoddlycomfortinghavinghim holdingmeratherthanTobias,butitdidn'tchangethefactthathewould killmejustaseasily.Itriedtothrustmycalmingenergyhiswayand havetheeffectthatIusedtohaveonhimforhealing,butitfeltblocked, likeIcouldn'treachhim.Instead,Iwasmetwiththatsameguarded energythattheboyshadhadonoccasion.
“Now,Sean,here'swhat'sgoingtohappen.Youandyourboysare goingtoletuswalkoutandheadonourwaywithoutanyobjectionor Rubydies,plainandsimple.”
Icouldn'tseehim,butIknewSeanwasstrugglingtofindasolution totheproblemandquickly.Whilehedidhostageextractioncalculations inhismind,Ifoundmyselfbeingdraggedbackwardthroughthehouseto whatIpresumedwouldbethebackdoor.Judgingbythethunderoussound andwhippingwindsthatcamecrashinginthroughthebrokenwindows, the'copterwaswaitingoutbackforus.
“Ruby,”Seangrowled,histonebothaquestionandawarning.
“Youcan'tletthemtakeme,”Icriedout,butnotbecauseIfeared formyself.Morethanthat,IfearedforwhatwouldhappenwhenTobias succeeded―whatwouldhappenifIwasunderhiscontrol.
Istartedtopanic.VisionsofdungeonsinUtah―bars,cages―ran fiercelythroughmymind,pepperedwithlabsandwhitecoats,machines andneedles.Itpromisedalongandtortuouspathtoamassgrave somewhere.WithoutScarlet,Iwascertaintodie.Theboyshadnotbeen overlysuccessfultrackingTobiasdown,andIwasundernodelusionthat Iwouldlivelongenoughforthem,orSean,tofindme.
ButwhatifScarletwasn'tgone?Whatifshewasstillapartofme, somewheredeepwithinlikeIhadbeen,tuckedawayandbarelyliving?
Whatiftheirtestingwasasuccessandrousedher?Whatifonedayshe'd standtoetotoeagainstSeaninbattle?Myskinprickledatthethought.
Hewouldnotkillherifhethoughthecou
ldsaveme.Dutyornot,Icould nottakethechancethathislovewouldblindhim.
Andifitdid,whatamountofcarnagecouldScarletamasswhile SeansearchedforawaytoundowhathadbeendonebyTobias?Would shebecomethatwhichhehadhuntedsomanycenturiesago?The mindlesskillingmachineshewaslabeledtobe?Therewasnoeasyway outofmypredicament.Itwasalose-loseeitherway.
Therewasonlyonewaytopreventeitherunthinkableoutcome.I wouldnotbecagedanymorethanIwouldletScarletbeusedasaweapon forasociopath.Foronce,Iwoulddeterminemyfate.
Withnowayofknowingifhecouldstillhearorseeme,Ilookedin thedirectionI'dlastknownSeantobeandgavemymostpleadingfaceas thetearsrolleddownmycheeks.IknewwhatIhadtodo.
“I'msorry!”Iyelledovertopofthehelicopter'sdeafeningnoise.
Takingadeepbreathforcourageandclarity,Igrabbedholdof Cooper'shand―theonethatheldtheknifetomyneck―andwithallthe forceIcouldputintomybodyashehauledmeaway,Ipressedmyself againstthatbladeanddraggedmythroatacrossit.Theworldquicklywent darkaroundmeasthebloodrushedfromthegapingwoundIhadso successfullycreated.Tobiaswouldnotgettokeephisprize.
Thatfinalthoughtbroughtmegreatcomfort.
33
Iheardnothing.Ibarelyevenfeltthepain.WhatlittleIcouldremember wasfallingtotheground,unaidedandunhinderedbyCooper.Hedropped melikeasackofpotatoesandjusthoveredaboveme,unmoving.
Theneverythingwentblack.
Youwouldthinkthat,withmynumerousnear-deathexperiences,I wouldhaveknownwhattoexpect,butonceagain,theuniversebuttedin andchangedthingsup.Foronce,itwasapleasanttwist.
BeforeIcouldseeanything,avoice―sweeterthananyI'dever heardinlife―calledtomelikeanangeliclullingmelody.Mysoul beggedtodrifttowardthatvoice,achingmoreandmorethelongerI didn't.
“Ruby...,”shesang.“Openyoureyes,Ruby.”