“Nathan got himself in a lot of trouble, but not enough to end up here on his own. He was played, funneled into position and coerced into accepting. He doesn’t deserve to be here, and he won’t last long if he stays. He’s not—strong.”
It hurts me to say it out loud. I don’t like thinking of my brother as weak, even if it is the truth.
Rome stands and reaches a hand down to pull me to my feet. We’re both still naked, and cum is dripping down my leg, but there’s no self-consciousness at all. After what just happened between us, I’m way past the point of feeling vulnerable with him just because I’m not wearing any clothes. Somehow, I feel like he’s seen more of me than almost anyone else I’ve ever known, and I don’t mean the outside of me.
I mean the inside.
The shit that truly matters.
“You’re here to rescue him,” Rome murmurs, stepping closer to me. “From us, or from himself?”
I laugh a little, soft and sad. “Both, I guess. But I can’t save him from himself while he’s in danger here. I need to help him. He needs—he deserves a chance to have a real life.”
He strokes my face, his thumb trailing down my cheek and over my jaw. He tips my head up, and his eyes glow as he gazes down at me. The usual hardness in him is melted away in this moment, leaving him soft and warm and sad. He presses his forehead to mine, cradling my head in his hand. He kisses me gently, first one cheek, then the other, then takes my mouth with his.
He kisses me like he’s pouring everything he is into the gesture, like it hurts him but he can’t stop.
I’ve never been kissed like this before, but I’m not an idiot. I know what it means.
He’s telling me goodbye.
My heart hurts. I cling to him, memorizing the feel of his body, the taste of his mouth. I’m vulnerable, but so is he. It strikes me, ironically, that I’ve never felt safer.
He pulls away before I’m ready for him to, and I can feel his walls go up. It makes the room feel cold, and the few inches of space between us feel like a gaping chasm. I wrap my arms around myself and shiver.
“I will not tell anyone that you are a slayer,” he says in a formal tone that sounds like an oath. “But if leaving is your mission, you should complete it soon. If I was able to figure out what you are, others will too—and they won’t have reason to show restraint.”
I wonder what he would say if I ask him what his reasons are, but I feel like our private altercations and conversations have already gone on too long. Someone is bound to notice. It’s not usual for vampires to visit tributes in their rooms. Too intimate, I suppose.
Rome hesitates for a moment, looking like he wants to say more. There’s a flicker of something in his eyes—some memory or emotion—but it’s gone as quickly as it came, leaving me with no idea what it was or where it came from. He dresses quickly, then turns back to me and nods his head slightly, stiff and formal.
A moment later, I’m alone in my room again.
I know he’s right. I’m out of time, and it’s now or never. It’s well into the afternoon by now—the equivalent of the middle of night around here.
After cleaning up quickly, I go to the wardrobe to grab clothes, mentally cursing the fact that I have no tactical wear here. It’s just a bunch of fucking dresses, but I tug on the one that I think will be easiest to move in.
It’ll have to do.
Turning away from the heavy wardrobe, I start to gather my things to go get Nathan, then stop.
Jessica.
Even if she isn’t in immediate danger from James, she certainly isn’t out of the woods. Like Nathan, she isn’t strong enough to last long around here. Maybe she has the guts, but physically, she gives all the vibes of a small, adorable, defenseless prey animal. If I can sense that, being nothing but a human hunter, how much stronger is that sense to the vampires? The worst of them will bleed her dry. Even the best of them will be hard-pressed to keep her safely alive for the length of her contract.
I know she’s going to argue with me, but I have to try. Moving carefully and quietly, I sneak out of my room and down the hall, past the bathroom and Winona’s room, as well as the rooms of several other tributes. I tap lightly on Jessica’s door and don’t wait for a response before I open it. She’s sitting on her bed, and she raises her eyebrows and smiles softly when she sees me.
“Hey. Can’t sleep?” she asks, understanding filling her hazel eyes. “I totally get it. This backwards schedule’s been a pain to get used to. I thought it would be like jet lag, easy to get over after a few days, but my internal clock is all messed up.”
Not even bothering to answer her question, I close the door silently behind me and then cross the room in a few strides. I sit down beside her and take her hand, squeezing it harder than I mean to.
She gives me a surprised look. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m getting out of here,” I murmur, my voice shaking. “I’m rescuing my brother. That’s the whole reason I came here in the first place.”
Her eyes widen. “You’re what?”
“How would you like to see your mom again?” I ask her, talking fast because I can already see the resistance on her face. “Hug her and talk to her and hold her hand? I can get you out of here too, Jessica. Come with me.”
She stares at me for a long moment as she processes what I just said. Then she throws her arms around me and hugs
