“Shall we?” Forge asked Dobson, while I heard the heavy crunch of tires on the gravel outside. Was I heading to my execution? Or was this just a ride to the meeting?
Desperately, I formed the questions in my head, hoping Forge heard them.
Where are we going? To the meeting? Even internally, my voice sounded shrill.
Yes. Calm down. Your face is giving you away.
Fine, I mentally snapped. How am I supposed to do everything at once? There’s fucking blood dripping down the front of him.
You’ve been practicing for this, Selena. Forge’s voice became a dark, soothing presence in my head. Stay by my side and keep your mind protected at all times. If you hear anything you deem important…tell me immediately.
Fine, but I’m not doing any weird stuff. Well, weirder than this already is, I amended.
Dobson kept his eyes on us until we were shut in the car, and when I looked back, he was gone. Although we couldn’t see the driver—the privacy window was up—he took his time piloting the huge sedan through the roads, as if we weren’t on a deadline. At least I saw Scotland before I died. Check one thing off the old bucket list. As soon as we reached the outskirts of Edinburgh, Forge squeezed my hand, hard enough to get my attention.
He leaned in, close enough that I felt his breath on my cheek, and I turned my head, brushing my lips against his. Accident or on purpose, I didn’t know, but I licked my bottom lip, tasting the trace Forge had left behind.
His eyes flared open in surprise, but then they grew hesitant, and I wondered how much worse things were about to get.
I never wanted you to have to see this, but now there’s no avoiding it.
He didn’t let go of my hand as he began changing. I realized that whatever I thought I knew about him and his kind, my popcorn version of a vampire had nothing to do with the real Forge.
He went from broody and unapproachable to frightening, his eyes growing black, his fangs—something I’d barely glimpsed before—on full display. They had to be an inch long. The planes on his face grew sharper, more defined, until Forge hardly looked human at all. There were dark splotches beneath his skin, but it was those eyes that kept pulling me back. Seeing him transform excited me, and God help me, I loved every minute of it.
Instead of worrying about the impending meeting, I was fighting a war inside myself over whether to be thankful Selena was with me, or pissed over the fact I hadn’t gotten her to safety in time. If I’d been a few minutes quicker, she’d be headed back to the plane, and I could deal with the Elder bullshit on my own.
The second Dobson appeared, my heart had almost stopped beating as I realized he was heading straight for her.
Toward everything I had to lose.
When Dobson had the nerve to look her up and down like a piece of meat, I swore I’d pop those eyeballs right out of his head with my thumbs.
“If you touch her, you’re dead.” The threat slipped out of my mouth as I prepared myself to take this fucker out, but unfortunately, Dobson obligingly obeyed. Still, I didn’t feel comfortable until Selena was pressed against me, her heart beating a mile a minute.
Selena tried to argue, but before she said anything damning, I quietly warned her, “Later. Take my hand and don’t let go.” Just to be sure she obeyed, I gripped her arm, grateful she moved closer instead of fighting me.
Dobson closely followed the move, his eyes lighting up as he found some leverage he could use against me. He made a comment strictly to rattle Selena, then dropped the Elder’s name, as if he actually knew the asshole personally. When he added the bit about the Elder, Dobson bared his teeth, as if he’d win this pissing contest.
I clasped her hand firmly, trying to put her mind at ease before I reminded her, “Remember our lessons, and don’t—for even a moment—forget the sort of monsters that surround you.”
As we made our way to the car, I surveyed her face. Set in determination, but other than that, no one but me would be able to discern her innermost thoughts.
While I’d intended to send her away to protect her, there wasn’t any way to safely extricate her from this situation. I could easily kill Dobson and the driver, but it was a given that one of them would go for her, and she could get hurt. Which meant I’d keep her close, where I could protect her. Even with my misgivings, I couldn’t deny that she felt like a natural at my side.
Panic rippled through her body and through her thoughts, panic I tried to soothe away.
Where are we going? To the meeting? Selena’s voice was filled with fear, but she kept her eyes pointed forward. Her mask slipped for a moment, revealing trembling lips.
Yes. Calm down. Your face is giving you away.
Fine. Her voice turned sharp as nails as she clamped her lips together in a straight, unwavering line. But I’m not doing any weird stuff. Well, weirder than this already is.
I fought the urge to chuckle, and we both watched out the windows as the city’s outermost buildings appeared. I had to change—I had no choice. We were walking into the lion’s den, and I intended to go in at full strength. The Elder wants a fight? I’ll be happy to give
