“What’s the next stage of your plan?”
A slow grin spread across his face. “Take advantage of yours.”
“You mean stop the plague?” I asked, hoping he wasn’t implying what I thought he was implying.
“No. Try again.”
I gave him a blank look. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.”
That was the best I could do without outright lying.
Amusement lit in his eyes. “Don’t you? It’s a rather big deal.”
Shit. Zoe must have told Jerome’s group before she was captured. I hadn’t even considered they might know about it and Lucas was listening to our every word. If Brennan spoke about it now, he’d ruin everything and our chance of getting into Purgatory.
With the plague only getting worse we needed to get the nerou out soon—especially the guy who might know the cure. My mind raced. Would Brennan give away the plan to bring supernaturals out of the closet?
“Are you going to tell me about it?” I asked, hoping desperately he’d keep his mouth shut.
There was no easy way out of this conversation without drawing even more suspicion from Lucas. I could feel it emanating from him already.
Brennan’s gaze jumped to the window and back to me. “When the angels come they’ll get us out of here. I’m not going to jeopardize that chance.”
Yep, he’d picked up on the emotions coming from outside, too.
“You’re crazy,” I said, standing up. “If they ever do come they won’t side with a group like yours.”
He gave me a confident look. “Yes, they will.”
“Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night.”
I walked out. It was too risky to stay when Brennan might reveal the supernatural coming out party. I might have had my reservations about it before, but since the plague started spreading there wasn’t a choice anymore.
Yerik was standing with Lucas when I stepped into the hall. The daimoun gave me a short nod. There was no censure in his gaze. At least he wasn’t blaming me for the dangerous turn of topic that took place with Brennan. On the other hand, Lucas didn’t look mollified from the way I’d handled it.
“Any idea what he’s talking about?” he asked.
“Illusions of grandeur? Hell if I know.” I shrugged.
Lucas narrowed his eyes at me.
“I’ve had a similar problem,” Yerik said, drawing his attention. “A couple of the other sensors seem convinced the angels will come save them.”
“I wonder what makes them think that?” Lucas asked, voice distrustful.
Yerik shrugged. “My spy tells me it’s been their goal to bring them back for some time.”
The nephilim looked between us, the skepticism in his eyes growing. I thought he was going to say something else, but O’Connell walked up.
“Melena, are you ready to speak to your fa…I mean Jerome?” he asked.
“Yes, thank you.” I sidestepped around Lucas, who frowned at me. O’Connell had no idea how grateful I was for his timing.
He led me two doors down to another interrogation room. It was as bare as the others with only a metal table and two chairs inside. Jerome sat in one of them, staring at the wall. I could only make out his profile and his stubborn chin. He had to know I was standing at the window looking at him, but he didn’t move.
I took a deep breath and went inside. Coming around the table I pulled the chair out and took a seat directly in front of him. Our eyes met. For a full minute, neither of us said anything.
“Your son is as crazy as you are,” I said.
Silence.
“So where’s the other one? Did he run off and leave you?”
Jerome coughed into his hand. It was a little awkward with the cuffs on his wrists.
I cocked my head. “Did you lose weight since the last time I saw you? I imagine being on the run and carrying out terrorist activities doesn’t leave much time to eat.”
Still, he said nothing.
“Can you bring Kerbasi, please?” I addressed the guys on the other side of the window.
I’d left the guardian in the facility cafeteria when I’d come to do my interrogations. After all the healing he’d had to do from his wounds, he’d decided food was more important than watching me question my family.
Lucas flashed away and returned with Kerbasi a minute later. My enhanced hearing caught an ensuing argument, but eventually the guardian capitulated and came inside. I ignored his annoyed expression.
“Come over here,” I ordered, pointing at the spot next to me.
After a brief hesitation, he did as I asked. Jerome didn’t acknowledge him.
“The sensors we captured are now saying the angels will rescue them from here. What do you think?” I looked up at Kerbasi and lifted a brow.
He fluttered his wings, drawing a quick glance from Jerome. “From what I’ve seen there’s not much worth rescuing out of this group—except the children, and you’ve done that already.”
I smiled at Jerome. “I didn’t get a chance to properly introduce you earlier, but let me tell you something about this guardian. He is known for his hatred of all supernaturals and for spending millennia torturing them. If he doesn’t think the angels are on your side, then there’s a good chance they aren’t. You need to get that through your head.”
Between Kerbasi standing at my side and Jerome’s ability to discern I spoke the truth, He couldn’t possibly deny the odds were stacked against him.
“We’ll see,” he said, his voice coming out rough.
“That’s it? That’s all you have to say? I thought you’d at least remind me what an abomination I am.” He was really disappointing me.
He grunted. “You already know.”
At least Jerome was talking. That was more than Lucas got out of him.
“Where’s your other son? And what is his name, by the way?” I shook my head. “I don’t even know.”
A brief smile touched his lips. “He’s right where he needs to be.”
I stood up and leaned close. “Where?”
“You’ll find out when the time is right.”
Dear God, what else had this madman set in motion?
“
Where is he?
” I demanded.
Jerome said nothing. Who knew what his other son was doing out there or how many more lives would be lost after he carried his mission. We needed information now if we wanted to stop him in time.
“Tell me!” I swung my fist back and punched him in the face.
He fell off the chair and onto his side on the floor. A spittle of blood ran from his mouth. The sight of it only made me want to do it again. I raced around the table and pulled him up by his shirt collar.
“You’ve got two seconds to answer me,” I warned.
He coughed, then gave me a grin that revealed his bloody teeth. “It’s funny. The only way you can save your precious friends now is to do the very thing we want you to do.”
Fuck. He was counting on us to bring the supernaturals out and he was right—we had no choice but to do it soon. But how did that play into his plans?
“
Why? What is it you want?
”
Loathing like I’d never seen before blazed in his eyes. “For you and all supernaturals to die.”
I hit him and then I hit him again. The pain and rage I worked so hard to keep in check came rising to the surface, becoming stronger with every swing of my arm. I broke his nose, his jaw and kept going. It still didn’t seem like enough. My body vibrated with the need to destroy the man who dared call himself my father.
“You sorry bastard,” I cursed, dropping him and kicking him in the gut.
Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me away.
“Enough, sensor,” Lucas said in my ear. “They’re threatening not to give the pixies back if you don’t stop.”
I tried to break away from his hold but failed.
“Let me kill him,” I pleaded.
He dragged me into the hallway, kicking and screaming bloody murder.
“Not now, sensor. We’ve got to get back to Fairbanks.”
“No, we’ve got to stay here and find out what he plans to do next.” I twisted in his arms, but he still didn’t let go. “People could die if we don’t.”
“I just received a call,” he whispered in my ear. “Emily has been exposed to the plague.”
I stilled. “Is she sick?”
“We don’t know yet, but Paula believes there’s a strong chance she will be.” He let me go.
I turned to face him. “Let’s grab the pixies and get out of here.”
Good thing I’d already negotiated for their release. Emily was all I cared about now.
Chapter Twenty-one
They had her confined to a room at the back of the clinic—one with no windows and only one door. My chest tightened. She was lying on a bed with an IV in her arm, sleeping. The necklace Hunter had given her was still around her neck like a talisman. One that I prayed would give her the strength to fight her illness.
“What happened?” I asked Paula.
I’d come straight to Emily when I arrived and hadn’t had a chance to find out.
“A troll in the next bed over from Hunter grabbed her arm. He dug his claws deep into her. It wasn’t his fault.” She gave me an apologetic look. “He was just delirious.”
“Where are the claw marks?” Emily wore a hospital gown and her arms rested above the sheets. There wasn’t a scratch on them.
“I gave her my blood right away and healed her. We couldn’t risk her wounds dripping on anyone,” Paula explained. “I’m giving her high dosage antibiotics in the hopes it will be enough to ward off the plague.”
At least the vampire doctor was able to do that much.
“So Emily didn’t break the spell on the troll?” I asked.
“He was already near death.” She sighed. “We chose to end his suffering rather than find out.”
Was I an awful person that I was glad he was dead? He’d hurt my little girl.
Lucas came from behind and wrapped his arms around me. “We will see what we can do to contain this and keep her from getting sick. The CDC man I questioned was helpful.”
I tilted my head to look up at him. “You don’t think they’ll interfere, do you?”
“No one at that facility will even think to try,” he replied, tone confident. That explained why Lucas and Yerik didn’t join us on the plane until the last second before leaving. They’d been in there compelling everyone and probably editing video footage.
Kerbasi stirred from his spot in the corner. “It’s too bad you couldn’t continue your discussion with your father. I was quite enjoying it.”
“Enough that you got in my way when I tried to stop her,” Lucas growled.
I gave Kerbasi a grateful look. “Remind me to get you some ice cream later, guardian.”
He glanced at Emily. “I do not believe I have an appetite for it at the moment.”
This was the first time he’d ever refused food. His deep concern for Emily was both touching and alarming. Kerbasi had to think it was bad if it bothered him this much.
“How long is she going to sleep?” I asked Paula.
“For at least a few hours. We had a difficult time keeping her still. She’s in denial and convinced she won’t get sick. She tried more than once to go back to Hunter. I thought it best to make her rest for a while.”
While it seemed cruel to force sleep on Emily, I had to agree. The teenager was nearly impossible to reason with once she decided on something. Looking at her lying there, I couldn’t stand the idea that she could become sick. I’d seen what the plague could do to others and worried how it would affect her.
She might not have gotten the version with the demon magic since her blood would have nullified it, but one of the CDC reps mentioned before we left that this was the most virulent version of the plague he’d ever seen. Considering people still died from it even in these modern times, that was saying something. I needed a miracle and had an idea of where I might get one.
“Lucas, can you stay here with her?” I gave him a pleading look. “I need to go clear my head.”
He studied me closely. “Will you be gone long?”
There was something in the tone of his voice. He wanted to support me, but he was still suspicious after events at the DHS facility. I had to be thankful he couldn’t compel my brother or father into giving away the details Yerik and I were hiding.
“No.” I shook my head. “I just need to get some air and think.”
His grip on me tightened for a moment, but then he let go.
“I will watch over her,” he promised.
“Thanks.” I gave him a peck on the cheek and left the room.
Out in the corridor, I ran into Cori. She looked like a wreck and there was guilt in her eyes. She was wringing her hands, which she never did.
“I’m so sorry, Melena,” she apologized. “I should have watched her more closely.”
Though I wasn’t much in the mood to console anyone else, I couldn’t let her think this was her fault. I grabbed her hands so she’d stop twisting them.
“You didn’t do this. There’s no way you could have known that troll would grab her or stopped him in time. If this is anyone’s fault, it’s mine for letting her be near those patients in the first place.” Why hadn’t I considered the potential hazards before?