Eternal

something.

Jealousy thrummed through me, and I forced myself to shake it off. I was so not going there. Matthew was a teacher—a teacher—and besides, I was in love with Aidan. I was going to find Aidan, even if it meant slaying the entire freaking Vampire Tribunal to get to him. If they doubted I was capable of it, then they were going to be in for a surprise when—

“God, Violet—snap out of it!” Cece peered up at me with drawn brows.

“I—I’m sorry,” I stammered. “I’m just . . . really distracted right now. I need to find Jack.”

Kate rose, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “I’m going with you.”

I shook my head. “I think I need to do this alone.”

Kate’s determined gaze met mine. “No way. He may need a little helpful persuasion to talk. I’ll make sure you get your answers.” For such a tiny thing, she looked fierce. I almost felt a little bit afraid of her.

Sophie glanced from Kate to me, a scowl on her face. “So, what do you want me to do? Just sit here twiddling my thumbs while the two of you go gangbusters on him?”

“Where’s Marissa?” I asked her, stalling.

Sophie wrinkled her nose. “Where do you think? Somewhere with Max.”

“Hey, speaking of, have you seen Tyler yet?” Kate’s expression softened a measure.

For a moment there, Sophie looked confused. “What does Tyler have to do with—oh, right. Roommates. Didn’t you see him over break?”

“No. He was in Texas. And unlike you, my astral self goes nowhere. We texted some and talked a couple of times. I dunno, though . . . He was acting kind of weird.”

“That’s because he is weird,” Sophie shot back.

Kate waggled her brows. “If by weird you mean totally hot and freaking adorable. I’m telling you, that boy can do things with his tongue that—”

“Ugh, stop!” Sophie held up one hand. “Please. I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Um, Jack?” I reminded them.

Kate nodded. “Right. First things first. Let’s go kick some ass.”

My mouth widened into a smile. “Now, that’s what I’m talking about.

* * *

We found him a half hour later inside one of the labs. The moment we stepped through the door, Kate had him in a telekinetic choke hold with the help of his shirt’s collar.

“Why did you do it?” I asked, cutting right to the chase before Kate strangled him.

“Do what?” he managed to choke out.

In response, Kate slammed him back against a black-topped table. He struggled to right himself as test tubes skittered across the table and smashed onto the floor at his feet.

His eyes widened as he tugged at his collar, gasping for air.

“Let him talk,” I said. “I want to hear what he has to say for himself.”

She released him, and he took a big, gasping breath before answering. “I told you, Kate. You were a distraction. I needed to focus on . . . on the team,” he stammered. “You know, football. And on my research. Anyway, what does it matter? I heard you and Tyler Bennett are already hooking—”

“We’re not talking about that, you moron.” Kate’s cheeks were flushed a deep scarlet.

I launched myself at him, jabbing a finger at his chest. “He trusted you,” I said, my voice thick with rage. “How could you do this to him? You—you—destroyed him.”

“Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jack said, trying to back away. His eyes appeared hollow, almost blank. He was lying; I knew he was. “But why don’t you call off your pit bull here”—he tipped his head in Kate’s direction—“and maybe we can talk.”

“Like hell she will.” Kate slammed him back against the table for emphasis. “You’re the one who’s going to talk. And you better start—now.”

Kate must have tightened her grip on his collar—his eyes were nearly bulging out of his head, his face turning purple. He made a frantic motion with one hand.

Glaring at him, I folded my arms across my chest. “Let him go, Kate. I think he’s ready now.”

He collapsed to the floor with a gasp. Kate and I stood over him, waiting for him to catch his breath.

He directed his cold, blue gaze at Kate. “I’m turning you in for violating the COPA,” he finally managed to croak. “Crazy-ass bitch.”

“Yeah, you go right ahead and do that, asshole,” Kate shot back. “You make sure and tell Mrs. Girard why I did it, too. Tell her what you did to Aidan.”

He scrambled to his feet, knocking over a chair in the process. “Who the hell do you think made me do it?” he said, his face a mottled red now. “I had no choice. No. Choice. Don’t you get it?”

I shook my head, confused. What is he saying? “Who made you do it, Jack?”

He glanced around the room, then dropped his voice to a near whisper. “Mrs. Girard. Listen, if there’d been any other way, if I could have just . . .” He trailed off, shaking his head. “She threatened my brother, okay? She’s a vampire, in case you forgot. A fucking vampire, and I thought—I thought—” He leaned back against the table for support, his eyes closed, his face pale and ashen now.

Finally, he opened his eyes. It took a moment for them to focus on me and Kate, standing there gaping at him in shock. “I couldn’t risk it,” he said. “I couldn’t risk him. You’ve got to believe me. I never set out to destroy Aidan. I was just, you know, messing with stuff. I had no idea that my changes to the serum were making him go out and attack people.”

I dropped my head into my hands. “I can’t believe this. I can’t freaking believe it. Why? Why would Mrs. Girard do this?”

“He doesn’t know.”

I glanced over at Kate, who was watching Jack intently, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “He doesn’t know,” she repeated. “He’s telling the truth. They’re playing us—first Dr. Blackwell and now Mrs. Girard. Pitting us against each other.”

“What are we supposed to do now?” I asked, looking from Kate to Jack and back to Kate again. Oh my God, the way he was looking at her, like his heart was breaking into a million pieces.

“Wait, that’s why you broke up with her, isn’t it?” I asked, realization dawning on me. “Because of this. Because of what you were doing to Aidan.”

A muscle in his jaw flexed. “No shit. I couldn’t face her—touch her—after what I’d done.”

“Damn straight,” Kate murmured, but I could see her resolve crumbling.

Jack reached a hand out to her. “I’m sorry, Kate. Really, really sorry.”

“Do you have any idea what you . . . I mean . . . just . . . ugh! I can’t do this right now.” She turned and fled, pausing at the door. “I’ll see you later, Violet. Come find me when you’re done here, okay?”

“Okay,” I assured her. “Go on. I’ll catch up with you.”

As soon as the door slammed shut, I turned back toward Jack, eyeing him with a mix of pity and disgust. “So, you sabotaged Aidan’s work. You betrayed a friend. You dumped Kate, walked away from all of us. What are your big plans now?”

“I don’t know what to say, Violet.” He reached up to rub his temples. “I am sorry about Aidan. But this is my little brother we’re talking about. Aidan’s already had his chance—his life. Now my brother will get his.”

I slumped into the nearest chair. “But why? Why would she do this?”

He shook his head. “I wish I knew. I did what she asked me to do, and there’s no going back. I don’t expect you to forgive me. I don’t expect any of you to.”

“Yeah, don’t hold your breath,” I muttered, then let out a sigh. “Okay, so Mrs. Girard was blackmailing you into doing something that landed Aidan in trouble with the Tribunal. Big trouble. Now he’s gone for good, and she’s disappeared.” I drummed my fingers against the table, racking my brain for answers. “How could it possibly benefit her to have him locked away at the Tribunal’s headquarters or prison, or whatever it is? And why am I asking you, the traitor?”