Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
The city blurs while I run through the streets.
A car crashes into a parked van when I zip across the wide road in front of it, nicking it with my leg.
Horns blare, the blaring of the alarm from the silver sedan piercing the hum of the Financial District.
Stopping between a pizza place and a dry cleaner, I lean on the wall, watching the middle-aged man run out of the bakery, waving his arms angrily at the stunned woman still behind the wheel of the silver sedan.
Sticking my head out, scanning everything around me, I make sure no one noticed me when I raised all that racket.
With the air clear, I bolt down the sidewalk so fast it’s with great effort that I’m able to take turns at the corners.
When a recognizable restaurant comes into view, I almost sob with relief.
Entering the dark alley, the familiar dumpster meets me like an old friend.
My stomach lurches at the stench that shouldn’t bother me, but thanks to my new sense of smell it makes me want to retch.
Holding my breath, I slink in the shadows.
Glancing around to make sure no one is around me, I pull the manhole lid up, sliding down the metal stairs and jerking it closed above my head.
The putrid air of stagnant water from the tunnels is not much of an improvement, but it has the calming effect I was hoping to achieve.
After clinging to the railing for a while, I move down until my shoes plunk down in nasty water that sloshes over my toes.
Ignoring everything, I walk up to my usual spot, and with a sigh, slide down the damp wall to sit on the moist ground.
“Why don’t I feel at home?” My voice echoes in the empty tunnels.
I was hoping to get the same feeling I always did after closing the lid to my sewer and shutting the world out.
Instead, I want to barf, and my skin is feeling itchy already.
Nostrils flaring, I grind my teeth and stubbornly stay where I am.
I’ll sit here for days if I have to, until all thoughts of magic and killers disappear from my head.
That’s why I came here. This will be the last place anyone will expect me to be.
Slowly, my tempestuous thoughts go silent, and for once I feel peace inside my mind.
With a heavy sigh, my shoulders sag and my arms flop off my lap, feeling like limp noodles.
My eyelids droop, and I allow myself to drift off.
“I knew I’d find you here.” A deep voice makes me jump out of my skin. “I should’ve checked this place first, but I didn’t want to give Andrei a clue.”
I glare at Marcus when he descends the metal stairs. Luckily, he closed the lid when he invited himself in here. His boots clink on each bar before splashing in the murky water when he drops, not stepping on the last two steps.
“Why exactly are you here?”
“Sebastian freaked out when he didn’t find you where he specifically told you to stay.” Curiously looking around, he ignores my bristling and plops down next to me.
“I’m not a dog. Come, April…Sit, April…Stay, April.
” While I’m impersonating the jerk, Marcus laughs.
“Even mutt doesn’t follow those commands.
First, he tells me a mage or a witch might try to kill me, then in his right mind, he dares order me around to sit in a closed apartment and wait for it. Sebastian can go suck on a lollipop.”
Slapping a paw sized hand on his thick thigh, Marcus howls with laughter, the tunnels of the sewer amplifying the sound.
My head pulsates because it’s like a gong going off next to my ear.
After listening to him wheeze and hoot for a while, my lips start twitching, and eventually I start giggling along with him.
“Well, it’s true.” Sucking in a rickety breath and wiping tears, I bite my lips to stop myself from laughing more. “I might be na?ve, as everyone wants to point out, but I’m not stupid.”
“Sebastian will sooner let the Council drain him dry than allow anything to happen to you, little one. You should know that by now.” After he collects himself, Marcus turns to me earnestly.
“If it fits his plans and aspirations? I have no doubt.” Taking a long, deep breath, I blow it out slowly.
“I might be crazy with a split personality and turn into a beast at night, but I’m not that far gone to not understand my situation, Marcus.
” Glancing sideways, I see him watching me intently.
“I’m just a chess piece to Sebastian. A pawn that he will sacrifice without a blink of an eye to achieve whatever it is he is trying to do in his game of chess. Let’s not delude ourselves, huh?”
“If you truly believe that, why are you so calm and complaisant?” The fact that he doesn’t refute my words says a lot.
“Because just like him, I have a plan, too.” Pulling my knees up, I hug them to my chest. “I’ll need help if I want to succeed. Since he is using me, I’ll use him too.” Shrugging a shoulder, I push away the heaviness the idea of Sebastian not caring brings. “It’s only fair.”
“You going to tell me about this plan?” Turning sideways, he leans back on his elbows, sprawling next to me as if testing to see how close to going nuts I am.
“I’m going to destroy the Council.” Clenching my fists, I’m happy the stench in the sewer masks the scent of Marcus.
Yup. Apparently, I’m a hussy when the monster takes over. She doesn’t care who it is as long as it’s a man. But you care. You only want Sebastian. The stupid voice starts yapping in my head.
“Isn’t that the same with what Sebastian wants?”
“You are not listening.” Turning to finally lock eyes with him, I give him a heinous smile.
“I’m not going to kill the Council members and call it a day.
I’m going to enjoy killing them of course, but after I’m done, there will be no Council or thrones left for anyone to take over. This nightmare ends with them.”
“And then what?” I can tell I made him uneasy, but he tries to hide it. “We will leave everyone to do whatever they want, without anyone there to hold them accountable?”
Shrugging one shoulder again, I stare at the swirling, murky water at my feet. I couldn’t care less about what happens after that. I just want the Council to pay.
“And after you destroy the Council, April? What then, little one?” He keeps prodding.
“After I’m done with them, I’m going to destr…”
My words get cut off when Marcus slaps his large hand over my mouth.
Lucky too, because like an idiot, I was about to tell him I plan to destroy his Sire, as well.
Outraged, I lift my hands, ready to shred him to pieces, but the intense look on his face and his gaze locked on the tunnels instead of me stills my movement.
When he cocks his head to the side, I stop snarling and strain to hear what riled him up.
For long moments, I hear nothing. Just when I grab hold of his hand to remove it from my mouth, a faint whisper, so low I’m not sure I didn’t imagine it, reaches my ears.
Locking eyes with Marcus, we wait for a little longer before he tilts his chin at my mouth, silently asking if I’ll stay quiet.
Glaring, I smack his hand away, lifting off the ground.
He does the same and points at the tunnel on our left.
With a nod, I follow behind him to see who else is hiding in my sewer.
I might be living in a dream penthouse now, but this is still mine.
Excitement for the upcoming violence surges through me, and my fangs slide out of my gums. Oh, yes.
This sewer is mine, and whoever it is will find that out the hard way.
Right before I rip their gullet out with my teeth.