“S’cuse…I don’t give a fuck about this,” Nightingale said. “You two can have your mother’s meeting after I get paid.”
Dante reached for a briefcase on his desk and tossed it to Nightingale. “There. You have half your bounty. Sovereign has the rest. Now do something useful. Shut your mouth and go with them, you parasitic snake.”
“Sticks and stones, El Capitano Cunt,” Nightingale whistled as he headed for the door, presumably to the motorcade.
“Dammit, Dante, Nicole’s pregnant!” Nick blurted. The Vampire King regarded this so it seemed. His eyes flicked to Nightingale, who had stopped to listen. “You knew her. You may hate wolves, you may hate me, but she’s done nothing to you. Please, I have to get out of Sydney. She’s in trouble in England, and I have to find her. She’s innocent in all of this.”
“Nicholas, I can’t help you. All flights have been grounded out of the city. Nothing is taking off anywhere. They are blaming the crash on electrical interference with the instruments but we know better.”
“Delavega.” Gavin had entered the room, hanging up a phone call. “That was an analyst. Something is happening with the cloud. We have to move to the weapon now.”
So, now was the time for Dante to make his move. Could he? Would he? It would solve so many problems, maybe even the sky. Gavin had both his supposed players in the prophecy. Dante had Nightingale, who Julian wanted. The seconds seemed to tick over into hours, until finally Dante made his choice.
Dante flicked his eyes down for a moment and pressed a hand over his mouth momentarily. “Melina…go with him.”
“What?” the redhead asked.
“Sovereign put up the money for the reward,” he said, addressing Nick. “I was only a point of contact. But if you hand yourself over willingly, I’m sure they will hear you out; perhaps they will grant you an exit out of the city.”
“You’re handing him over to them?” Melina scoffed, as Nick had rough hands heave him up and half drag him out of the room. Dante pulled her in and gave her a passionate kiss, presumably, to keep her from making anymore statements or asking any more questions. If Melina was offended by this, she certainly didn’t show it. After the initial surprise she wrapped her arms around his neck and engaged with feverish abandon, giving soft little moans against his mouth. When they broke apart, Melina looked highly satisfied if not a little giddy.
“We must maintain our new-found friendship with Sovereign for the sake of the city,” he said, before turning to Nick. “Sovereign has decreed you must answer for the lives you took. They assured me no harm would come to you as long as you cooperate.”
“Cooperate with what?”
But no answer came. Nick didn’t know what else to say as he was placed into the back seat of a Hummer, and Melina slinked in beside him. They were the only two passengers in the vehicle. No one else wanted to be around ‘the beast’ that he was. A wave of depression hit him. Dante was his last hope for help. Without him, there was no way Nick could get to England.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Help From Unexpected Places
Nick felt the car move, and the jolt did nothing to move the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. It couldn’t end like this. He couldn’t just give up, but what else could he do?
“Ok,” said Melina suddenly, looking out the window, straining her neck left and right. “I think we are far enough away now. Turn around.”
“Huh?”
“Give me those cuffs.”
Nick turned as he asked, “But what-”
“Did you really think we were just going to give you over to these arseholes?” Melina stuck her tongue out and there lay a small key.
“The kiss?” Nick said as she put the key in the cuffs but didn’t turn it.
“Was totally different to this…”
Before Nick could move, Melina pressed her soft mouth against his. Within a second, she had peeled his lips apart with her tongue and had given him the softest, most tender kiss. It lasted for a few seconds before she leant back and uncuffed him. “Thanks…” she said, brushing his chin with her fingers.
“Why?”
Melina gave an almost childlike shrug. “I just wanted to remember what it was like to be with one of the good guys. I miss it…” she replied with a thick voice and wiped at her eyes. “She’s a very lucky girl. I hope you find her.” She brushed the lipstick from his mouth.
“Now look. I can help you escape, but you’ve gotta get to the airport on your own. That way it can look like you overpowered me, but you know there is no way you can get on a plane. It’s impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible. Thank you very-”
The car slammed to a halt so fast Nick was flung forward on his knees. Nick heard shouts and gunfire just before the driver of the car scrambled out, pistol ready, and began firing off rounds at something further down the road. Something Nick couldn’t see. Melina broke the window closest to her with an elbow and leaned out.
“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I knew he wouldn’t take just half!” she cried.
“What?”
“Run,” she replied. The gunfire had intensified. The screams had become blood curdling. “Run!” she screamed, looking at him with flared fangs just as she unlocked the door and bolted forward. Nick didn’t have to be told twice. He leapt out the other side and ran, half turning back to see how much distance he had
