Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“We have to stop meeting here!” Jude, Arthur, and I returned to the room, only to find it filled with the hushed whispers and serious faces of the council members.
I’d hoped my sarcastic quip would lighten the serious mood in the council chamber, but the council members remained as stony-faced as gargoyles.
“Where did the vampire advise the second laboratory is?” The red-haired woman looked at me expectantly, like I owed her a response.
“He didn’t.” Arthur’s head turned to the council, then to me. “Vincent, care to explain?”
I nodded. “Gabe remembers going there once, a long time ago, but cannot pinpoint where it is by memory.”
“Then what good is he?” With a sigh, the short council member threw his arms up, his sleeves falling slightly. “He bombed our medical wing. Kill him!”
“He didn’t bomb anything!” I screamed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Let’s not do anything rash. How about we bring him in to get more information?” Arthur raised his stubbled white beard to the door. “Men, please bring us the prisoner.”
My mind was put at ease, knowing Arthur was on our side and would make sure nothing happened to Gabe, despite what the council wanted.
He wanted the Dogs deactivated as much as anyone else, so why not work together?
I held my breath, every nerve ending tingling as the distinct sound of approaching soldiers’ boots neared the room.
Jude tenderly grabbed my hand, but I snuck a look at my boyfriend before shaking it away.
Gabe entered with both men on each side of him.
His hands were secured behind his back with a thick, knotted rope, and a heavy, suffocating mask was strapped to his face.
The cold steel of a gun barrel pressed against his back, urging him forward, while the hum of tasers poised nearby threatened any sudden movement.
“Gabe!” I ran to him, the buzzing of the bat-like tasers filling my ears as the guards waved them menacingly close to my face.
A jolt ran through the air as Gabe shifted uncomfortably upon seeing me, the distinctive buzzing and crackling of tasers filling the silence.
The bat in the guard’s hand came to life, and a blue light flashed through the room as it touched Gabe’s skin.
His screams, sharp and piercing, echoed through the empty room and the long hallways as he fell to his knees.
I spun around, fury blazing in my eyes, and glared at the council. “Release him right now.”
“He’s a criminal, a danger to all of us.”
“He is not!” My voice cracked as I yelled at them. “Am I? Is that what you think of me?” I scanned the council’s stoic, unmoving faces before finally settling on Arthur’s. I breathed out a large puff of air. “Please.”
“Do you take responsibility for him?” A flash of light, like a sudden spark, glinted in Arthur’s eyes. “If he chooses violence, we’ll shoot him dead.”
I searched Gabe’s face and found my answer, nodding slowly. The guards backed away, both with their guns locked onto the back of Gabe’s wavy black hair. I carefully removed the mask from his mouth and the tight cuffs from his wrists. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
He was breathing heavily and whispered each word. “I’ll kill all of them. I’ll-I’ll rip them to shreds and-and drain their blood until they’re nothing but an Exile.”
I gently cupped his face, tracing the line of his jaw with my thumbs.
“You need to stay calm. I need them to trust you.” A silent understanding passed between us as Gabe’s gaze held mine, a connection deeper than words.
He gave in and entrusted his life to me.
I grabbed his hand, and together we rose to our feet, a united front against the council.
It felt good not to be so alone, to have people I could truly depend on. “You have our full cooperation.”
The red-haired woman’s chin jutted out in a clear show of disdain. “Prove it. Where’s the second lab?”
Gabe looked at me, lingering for a moment before he turned back to the hushed council. “In a small valley within the mountains. I don’t know exactly where, but I remember the general location and various markers to find it.”
The council members threw their heads back, laughing. “So you don’t know where it is? Fabulous!”
“Hold on.” Arthur raised his hand. “I’m confident that if Gabe were in the mountains, he’d be able to find the location. Am I right?”
I turned to look at the man beside me, a sneer twisting his lip. His eyes flickered from one person to another before resting on Arthur. “Absolutely.”
“So it’s decided.” Arthur clapped his hands together. His chin pointed at Jude. “My qualified son will organize a group to head into the mountains with Gabe as our navigation.”
“B-but Dad,” Jude stammered, his voice shaking nervously. “I cannot trust that-that vampire. Will he have a mask and handcuffs on for the whole trip?”
I gasped and spun my head. Is Jude really saying this in front of me? The way he spat the word ‘vampire’ left a sour taste in my mouth. My lip curled, a grimace tightening my jaw as my fingers clenched into a fist.
“Not at all.” Arthur extended an arm toward me, his palm facing upward. “Our friend Vincent here will join you on this mission. He has taken full responsibility for all of his friends’ actions.”
“B-but…”
“And you trust him, correct?”
Jude’s head jerked toward me, his eyes both scared and confused. “Of course I do.”
“Then it’s settled.” Arthur’s jaw tightened, a snarl on his lips as he addressed Jude.
“Gather a group, pack supplies, and ensure the snowmobiles are charged.” He snapped his fingers, and the two guards who were pointing their guns at the back of Gabe’s head ascended onto him.
“Restrain the vampire and get him back into his cell.”
My knuckles turned white as I squeezed Gabe’s hand, terrified of letting go. “If I take responsibility for him and you’re confident enough to have him join us on the mission, he shouldn’t spend the night apprehended in jail.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes, a calculating glint in them, as he considered my request. “As you wish, but if any harm comes to my people, it’ll be both of your heads.”
I looked at Gabe, who gave a silent nod in understanding. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“As you wish.” Arthur slightly bowed. “Our meeting is adjourned.”
Jude turned to leave, his gaze lingering on me, a silent, burning intensity in his eyes that made my skin tingle. A negative vibe permeated my soul as daggers were being thrown my way by the man I loved.
Well, one of them, anyway.
“You saved me.” Gabe’s voice was appreciative, and his body enveloped me in a meaningful hug as Jude left the room.
“Someone had to.” I laughed and hugged him back. “Let me show you around.”
Leaving the movie theatre, no words escaped our mouths as we were surrounded by the growing number of guards, their presence a heavy weight.
There was one in front of every door with guns crossing their bodies, their eyes watching us from beneath their metal horse masks.
Exiting the tense area, the palpable tension in the air dissipated, and Gabe and I both breathed a sigh of relief.
“Was that weird or is it just me?”
“It was weird.” He nodded, lowering his voice. “Are you really trusting these humans?”
Passing by bustling shops, the vibrant energy of the mall enveloped us as we turned right toward the center. “I don’t know who to trust anymore,” I admitted. “But I know my dad is the enemy. The humans have only been kind and supported me while I’ve been here.”
“You know you can trust me, right?”
I glanced over my shoulder, noticing a lone guard trailing us.
I didn’t care; it made sense if Jude couldn’t be with me, someone else would protect Silvertown’s residents.
“You’re one of the only people I can trust, Gabe.
” I needed to figure out what my relationship with Jude meant now that my boyfriend had shown up.
We entered the bustling center of the mall, where a sea of people bustled before us. As twilight deepened, people gathered around the carts, their hands reaching for the steaming dinner packages.
“Should we grab something to eat?” Gabe asked, looking at the lines of dirty humans. “All I’ve had is slop while in my cell.”
A sharp, acidic taste developed at the back of my throat. My hand flew to my mouth as a spasm of nausea hit me, but vanished as quickly as it appeared. “The food out here is probably comparable to what you ate in jail.”
“Are you okay?”
My stomach was gurgling, and I had no idea what was happening to me. Itching the back of my arm, I nodded. “Just been feeling sick lately, I’m sure it’ll pass.”
His face scrunched as he looked around the area. “These people are disgusting.” Gabe craned his neck, looking in all directions. “Is this how they live?”
“It was a shock to me, too.”
To our left, a loud gasp was followed by a wet splat. Turning my head, I saw a girl with a halo of wild, dark curls surrounding her oversized glasses. At her feet lay a tray of food, scattered across the ground. In shock and surprise, she gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth.
A large smile graced my face, and a laugh caught in my throat. I waved my hand, beckoning her to come over. “Hi, Vanessa!”
With a shy smile and a small, trembling wave, she timidly sauntered toward us. “H-hi, Vinny.” She scanned Gabe from head to toe, and she bit her bottom lip. “Is this who I think it is?”
“Nessa, meet Gabe. My boyfriend from Elysium.” I held my arms out like I was presenting at an award show. “You know, the one I told you about?”
An excited squeal escaped from Nessa’s mouth.
“A tall, dark, and handsome man with perfectly coiffed hair and a gorgeous five o’clock shadow?
I instantly knew it was him as soon as I saw you two together!
” She danced around in front of us. “You’re right, he’s even hotter than how you described him! ”
“Uh…I’m right here?” Although he was accustomed to adoration in Elysium, Gabe secretly relished the attention. The murmur of compliments was a soothing balm to his ego.
I giggled. “How’s everything been here?”
Gabe held her gaze, and she was captivated by him. I’m sure it felt as if she was looking at a mythical being, and if she blinked, he would vanish. With a heart-struck smile plastered on her face, she made sure her eyes never left him. “Here? Good, fine. Everything’s fine.”
I crossed my arms and snapped my fingers in front of her face. “Everything’s fine? What about the bomb?”
She shook her head as if she had come out of a trance. “Right, the bomb, yes.” She scrunched her frizzy hair. “Not many people died, luckily. Some of those that did had families, and now we’re unsure what to do with the orphaned children.”
“Do you know who did it? Are there any rumors?” Gabe asked.
Nessa’s large eyes panned over to me. “Even his voice is dreamy, like warm molasses.”
Whatever that means.
“We don’t know who detonated the bomb, probably the vampires, if I had to guess.”
“Gabe,” I turned to him, “if it wasn’t you, is there a chance it was someone who worked for my father?”
“I was traveling here for days and didn’t see anyone out there.” He shrugged and shook his head. “But I suppose it is possible, your dad is a powerful man. He’s done many things I thought weren’t possible.”
Nessa grabbed my hand. “Come, please have dinner with me tonight, both of you.”
I shook my head. “It’s really okay, we should rest.”
Her fingers traced the contours of Gabe’s muscular arm. “Just a bite?”
Gabe nodded to me, his fangs fully extending. “Just a bite.”