Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
Sully
Ru’s keys feel hot in my hand while the cold night air slaps me in the face. I tell myself I’m not stealing a car. I’m just borrowing a car.
Without asking first.
Boyfriends are allowed to do things like that. At least I think they are. They should be. It’s probably fine.
Except, we haven’t exactly used the word “boyfriend” yet. But seeing as Ru’s bought tickets to haul me across the country with him, I feel like we’re well past boyfriend territory and into something…more.
So, I can definitely borrow the car from my more person, right?
Then why do I feel so damn guilty?
Because you snuck away in the night like a coward, that’s why.
Fuck. I should know better than to argue with myself. I always lose.
I grab my phone and text Zoe because if I’m being a coward I’m going all in. I’m not above begging her to give him the comfort I’m not able to provide right now.
Hey, Zo. I’m in Ru’s car about to head south to meet up with Voijin. I explained everything in a letter I left on the kitchen counter, but I didn’t tell him before I left… And I kinda drank enough of his blood so that he’d sleep through me leaving.
Shit. Why does it look even worse when it’s spelled out like that? It’s a good thing we aren’t boyfriends because I’d be the worst boyfriend ever.
He’s fine, though. I promise. I didn’t take too much.
Is there any chance you could head over to the cabin and be there for him when he wakes up? I’m afraid he’s going to be mad. Or worried. Or both. He’ll need a friend.
I wish I could wait for her to reply, but I can’t. I have to get on the road or I’ll be late for my own kidnapping. But turning away from the cabin and toward the highway feels like another betrayal of Ru. Am I doing the right thing?
I think so.
I have to do this. And not just for me. Not just because my dark streak demands vengeance.
But for the others who don’t deserve to be held captive any more than I did.
And for Ru, who deserves his freedom, not a lifetime of always looking over his shoulder, wondering if he’s escaped II Tech for good.
Ru’s way has us on the run forever.
My way is final.
I take a deep, calming breath and focus.
It’s a little over two hours to get to Ru’s house, which is where Voijin will be waiting for me. I’m so nervous I could puke. Except I’ve never puked, and I don’t have time for another first tonight.
Maybe vampires don’t puke.
I’ll ask Voijin when I see him.
My phone pings. Texting and driving is bad. I shouldn’t. But I’m dying to know what she said. I turn the phone to silent and keep driving, white knuckling the steering wheel and trying not to think about what might happen if I fail.
I won’t fail.
Voijin sits calmly on a porch swing on the very porch where I nearly died the morning Ru decided to save me. Gosh, that feels like such a long time ago. The older vampire has one leg casually crossed over the other and holds a book balanced on his right thigh.
He looks for all the world like this is just another ordinary night to him. I’m not sure whether to find that comforting or infuriating. I hope he realizes this is a big fucking deal. Like the biggest fucking deal there is.
He waits on his ass for me to park and climb the stairs to greet him. While I narrow my gaze and throw him my best disgruntled stare, he says, “Good evening.”
“Hi.”
His nose scrunches. He sniffs the air. “You smell like him. Consummated, then, hmm?”
“Gross. And none of your business. Is this you trying to get on my good side, because let me tell you, you could do better.”
He closes the book and sets it on his lap. “Apologies, I’m unaccustomed to seeking favor. Would you sit? You’re making me nervous.”
I take the other chair. “Good. You should be nervous. We’re about to take a big risk.”
“About that. Your plan needs work.”
I grind my teeth. “I’m listening.”
“We cannot enact it at night because the majority of the human staff aren’t present. To eliminate them, we must act during the day. But if we act during the day, we cannot flee until night. You see the problem?”
“It’s no problem. They’ll think they have the upper hand. Me caught. You on their side. They won’t be suspecting trouble. We wait to act until I’ve had a chance to speak to the others. If I’m prevented from doing that, then you tell Hayworth. He’ll be sure to pass it on to everyone else.”
“And if one of them talks?”
“They won’t.”
“How can you be sure?” He peers at me from beneath thick, arched brows. “Even I’m not infallible. If one of them sells us out to Oliver, and he calls in reinforcements like Samira or Taraya… Samira will beat me in a fair fight. She’s much older. More powerful.”
“Then don’t fight fair.”
His only response is a tilt of his head.
“And don’t be so worried about yourself.
You have no idea what it’s like to live your entire life in an underground prison knowing there’s an entire world out there that you can’t be part of.
A world they’re keeping you from. A world you want to join.
Take my word for it, the others are not going to talk. They want out far too badly.”
“Ah.” His slow nod and pressed lips make me scowl.
“If you’re so scared of Samira, then do your part and get the hell out.” I cross my arms and thump back in my chair. “Leave me to finish it alone.”
After a moment, he says, “I’m a disappointment to you.”
“Yeah. You fucking are. But you don’t have to stay one. This is your chance. Do right by me now, me and all the others you’ve sired, and maybe we’ll figure out some kind of future where we build a relationship.”
“The others aren’t mine.” His gaze softens. “Only you.”
“I don’t care so long as they get their chance at freedom.”
“We could leave,” he says, not quite holding contact. “You, me, your lover. Go to Europe. Travel the old world. Stay off II Tech’s radar.”
I shake my head. “I understand that coming from Ru. He’s human.
He never asked for any of this. He just wants a safe and happy life.
But from you? You helped build II Tech. You witnessed the harm they’ve caused.
The suffering they’re responsible for. So it’s your responsibility to destroy what you helped create. ”
“It’s dangerous.”
“Duh.” I rise from my seat. “You know what? Fine. Run if you want. I’ll do it myself.” I spin on my heel and storm down the steps.
Without him, my plan changes. It’s riskier to sneak back in as a free man than it is to be hauled back in as an escaped prisoner, but I’ll manage.
“Sully, wait.”
I stop and try not to get my hopes up.
“I’ll do it. I’m with you. Don’t be angry. I just had to try and talk you out of it. Seemed like the right thing to do.”
“It wasn’t.” I face him.
He’s on his feet and headed toward me. “No, it wasn’t. We’ll go over the details one last time on the ride there. Come on. I won’t let you down.”
From the passenger seat of Voijin’s fancy-ass car, I check my phone. I’ll need to turn it off and leave it behind. Captured fugitives don’t have cell phones. There are seventeen texts and two missed calls from Zoe. I cringe.
Zoe: You did what?
Zoe: Of course I’ll go be with him. But seriously, Sully, WTF?
Zoe: Are you sure he's okay? How much blood did you take? Should I be worried? It’s going to take me forty-five minutes to get there. If you hurt him I swear…
Zoe: Why aren’t you answering your phone?
Zoe: You’re the reason I’m googling what do to about an excess amount of blood loss. When I end up on some FBI watch list, that’s on you.
Zoe: You’re not in danger are you? Turn around. Come back. There has to be another way.
Zoe: WTF??? Answer your phone!
“Uh-oh. She’s like mad mad.”
“Who?”
“No one.” Ru wouldn’t want me talking about Zoe to Voijin. So I won’t. “It’s fine. Or, it isn’t. But it will be. Eventually. Probably.”
“If you say so,” he says in his usual put-upon manner. But he lets it drop, which I count as a win.
We pull up to the giant warehouse building that houses the distribution center over the underground facility that is II Tech. Strategic Logistics Global Distribution. I never knew its name before. Didn’t bother to look as I fled.
There’s very little activity this time of night, but not zero. And there are cameras everywhere. From here on out, we’re acting our parts.
I slouch over in my seat, going limp.
Here’s hoping we’re decent actors.