So why did he let you get loose? she wondered. The thought was stupid, obviously. She’d gotten lucky. If it hadn’t had been for the wolfy side-swipe, he would have found her quicker.
Two groups had now left, and Axel was getting into the truck with another pseudo-Robin, leaving them alone with the smell of exhaust in the poorly ventilated garage.
Reykon, now unoccupied, turned to her and looked into her eyes for a long moment. “How are you holding up?”
“Ask me in a week,” she mumbled.
He nodded, checking his watch, and glancing at each of their vehicle’s tires one last time.
After a few moments, Robin walked over to him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“When the wolves took me…”
“Yeah?”
“How did you find me?” she asked, searching his face.
His mouth curled into a smile. “Would you believe me if I said supernatural powers?”
Her eyes widened slightly.
He let out a laugh. “I put a tracker on you.”
“What?”
“The night that we first met, I put a tracker on you, just in case something like that were to happen.”
Despite the situation, Robin found herself smiling. “Oh. Probably smart, wasn’t it?”
“It would appear so,” he said. “Though if I’d known my travel partner was going to be so difficult, I maybe would have done two.”
She bumped his shoulder and then wrapped her arms around herself. After a moment, a question popped into her head. “Is it still on?”
He nodded and spoke in a more serious voice. “I could find you anywhere.”
She scoffed. “You might need to.”
Reykon turned to face her straight on and took her by the shoulders. “It won’t come to that.”
“But-”
“If it does, I will find you.”
She tried to shrug away, but he kept his hands there, a reassuring pressure. His words were serious and intent. “Anywhere in the world, wherever you are, I’ll find you. Darian won’t get to you. And even if he does…?”
“You’ll find me,” she whispered.
“Anywhere.”
“Anywhere,” Robin repeated. She looked into his dark eyes and knew that he meant it.
He released her, and they sat, shoulder to shoulder on the back of the trunk. A few minutes passed before Reykon checked his watch and nodded.
“Let’s go.”
He walked with her to the passenger side and opened the door for her. Just as Robin was getting inside, she heard another door slam across the garage. Swift footsteps echoed through the stone walls.
From the mirror, she was able to see Cain and two guards, walking towards her.
Reykon
What is he doing? Reykon thought in irritation. They’d agreed on a schedule, and now they were nearly a minute late. If there was anything worse than a half-baked plan, it’d be getting off schedule of a half-baked plan.
“Master Cain, we need to leave.”
Cain shot him a look of arrogant satisfaction. “Yes, yes, just one thing before we go.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t answer to you, boy,” he said with venom.
Reykon scowled. “Robin is Magnus’s property. I am acting as his hand in this effort, which means that in this matter, and only in this matter, you do.”
This didn’t sit well with the vampire. He took a step forward and leaned in close. Reykon could smell the stale blood on his breath.
“As Master of this house, I command you to get of my way.”
Reykon tensed but saw no other choice but to take a step to the side. He stayed close, watching Cain’s every move.
Cain stood directly in front of Robin, who was now pressed as far back as she could into the seat. “You’re going to go out there,” Cain murmured.
Robin was looking frantically to Reykon now, eyes wide. He gave a tense shake of his head.
She remained still.
Cain hooked his finger under a strand of her hair and examined it. “They’re going to kill you, you know.”
Reykon scowled. “We have a thorough plan.”
“I can’t let them have you all to themselves,” Cain hissed, bringing his head down and smelling her hair. Robin tried to move back further, but with a lightning fast motion, he’d brought his arm around her back and pulled her out.
“Master Cain!” Reykon yelled.
“Quiet, boy!” the vampire roared.
Cain’s face was full of rage, in a scattered, nearly drunken way.
Reykon didn’t know what to make of the situation. Cain and his whole house could be obliterated if Magnus found out about his action towards Robin. Just looking at her the wrong way could warrant a punishment. Reykon looked to the guards, whose eyes were wide as they realized the gravity of the situation. Their faces also showed that they had no intention of crossing their master to stop him.
He had returned to Robin now, who was pushing at him, even though it did about as much as pushing a statue.
Don’t do it, Reykon screamed in his mind. Laying a hand on a master would land him immediate execution. This was an abnormal situation, but it was still a risk that could end his life.
Master Cain pressed in on Robin, winding his claw-like fingers through her hair, and kissed her. Reykon’s eyes widened, and he saw Robin relax, now in the narcotic trance that a vampire’s kiss brings.
A vampire’s kiss, which signaled that a bite was going to come.
Reykon had no choice but to act. It was a matter of safety, a matter of duty.
Robin must be protected, Lucidia’s voice echoed in his head.
His arms started glowing red, the magic in them coming to surface as he prepared to attack the supernatural creature.
With one arm, he grabbed Cain by his robes and yanked him back, eliciting a vicious hiss from the master. A razor sharp, iron strong nail gashed into Reykon’s neck, only angering him, and the strongblood dealt a furious blow to the vampire’s sternum, hearing it crack. Reykon’s arms were burning red now, brighter and brighter with each moment.
One of Cain’s guards had rushed in to pick Robin up, who had a distant, glazed expression on her face. He held her awkwardly before helping her back into the seat, afraid for his treasonous actions. The other guard had decided to restrain his
