23. Chapter 23
Camille
Hearing Jerrod actually admitting that we probably couldn't win, felt like a punch to the gut.
My eyes met his and what I found there, broke me in a way that I couldn't begin to explain.
I hadn't completely admitted it even to myself, but I wasn't hopeful of our success, and hadn't been for quite some time.
From the look on Josiah's face, he wasn't either and that just further solidified the terror I suddenly felt.
I knew Jorel would be joining us very soon and I wasn't completely certain what Jerrod was even trying to accomplish by separating them.
A knock filled the silence moments later and Jorel strode in, looking as emotionless as ever.
The cold demeanor of the Council never failed to amaze me, but that quickly changed.
He sat down with an unusual expression on his face.
I couldn't decide if it was guilt or fear, or maybe a combination of many emotions.
The expression itself, immediately threw me off.
"Brother," Jorel said, almost in question.
"Peace," Jerrod said softly in the customary greeting. "You know why you are here, yes?"
"I assume we have a problem by the unusual message you gave during the last meeting."
Josiah and I exchanged confused glances.
"Message?" Josiah asked. "I was there for the entire meeting. I agree it was unusual behavior, but I admit, I didn't pick up on a hidden message."
"And you wouldn't, because you are not a Council member," Jerrod said solemnly. "I always hoped that this would never need to be used, but I'm glad I put it in place now."
"I have to admit, the others seem completely normal in every sense of the word," Jorel said matter-of-factly.
"You haven't noticed anything at all that would jump out as unusual? Not even one instance?" Jerrod asked.
"Brother, may I have a word," Josiah said suddenly.
"I'll stay with Jorel," I said and wondered what they could possibly need to talk about right this very second.
It got me thinking back to when Josiah had been inhabited.
He seemed almost completely normal. It made me wonder how a move such as separating them, could be an effective way to weed out a traitor.
I smiled awkwardly at Jorel as they stepped out of the room, "This may be bold of me to ask, but do you have any idea who the traitor could be?"
He looked at me in disinterest at first and then his face shifted again.
I don't know that I would have picked up on it had I not been around the Council before, but none of them ever showed emotion in such an obvious manner.
Not even Jerrod had the first time I had met him, at least not without making it purposeful and to put me at ease.
"I think it may be Jayce. He's shown a couple of unusual moments that I admit, could be suspicious," Jorel said. The look on his face in that moment threw me yet again. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Jeriko and Jairen may be a possibility too."
I suddenly took a step back slowly and wondered if I should be alone with Jorel in this room at all.
Then I snickered at myself for having such a 'damsel in distress' type of concern.
I could mop this room with Jorel's body if I had to.
I was not weak anymore. I smiled and looked him right in the eyes.
He suddenly took a subtle step back away from me and eyed me carefully.
Jerrod and Josiah came back in, just as quickly as they had left. Jerrod eyed me in curiosity and uncertainty. His eyes jumped between Jorel and I.
"Jorel, I apologize to have wasted your time, but Josiah has brought something to my attention that I can not ignore. Would you please fetch the other Council members and have everyone come back as soon as possible?"
"With pleasure, Brother," Jorel answered and lowered his head in a quick bow. He quickly exited the room and we all eyed each other.
"They are all infected," I said quickly. "All of them."
Jerrod and Josiah looked at me in question.
"What happened?" Josiah asked.
"Did he try to hurt you?" Jerrod asked in a burst of anger.
"No, he didn't, but both of you need to listen.
I was thinking about Josiah after he changed.
He seemed normal, like he had access to the information that could help him blend in with his surroundings.
But, Jorel's answer was what solidified what I already knew.
He said he thought all three of the others were potentially infected.
I bet all three will say something similar, if given the opportunity to be alone with us. They are trying to confuse us."
"I say we just meet with all four of them, act as normally and unsuspecting as possible for the time being. We need time to rest and make a plan," Josiah said softly.
"I agree. They will alert Kyril of our arrival—if they haven't already. They could quite literally pop up at any moment," Jerrod admitted.
We looked at each other and I knew that this would likely be some of our last moments together.
I wasn't ready to give this life up. Not yet.
I wasn't ready to lose it all yet, but the time had finally come and it was staring us all in the face like an unfortunate truth we couldn't escape.
The nausea roiled in my stomach like an unruly tempest. My mouth had suddenly begun to fill with saliva and I found myself choking back a gag.
The four Council members quickly came back moments later.
We kept the meeting short and explained we had been mistaken in our concerns.
Obvious lies to us, but they accepted the explanation with very little pushback.
As everyone filed out of Jerrod's living quarters, I sighed in relief. We were alone—at long last.
Out of sheer anxiety that was triggered by the coming events, my body moved on its own, seeking my mate out for comfort.
He didn't fight me and our lips found each other—hungry, insatiable, urgent.
It could be the last time we got this chance and my mind was so overwhelmed that I needed something to turn all of the thoughts off.
I needed him to make me forget the impending doom looming in front of us.
His hands gripped my back like a lifeline.
He pulled me against him like I might slip right through his fingers.
I held on to his neck with my arms and pulled myself up, straddling him around the waist. He walked us, unhurried, to the bed.
He sat down, still holding me against him, his need evident underneath me.
He broke the kiss to look at me. His eyes were sorrowful and full of defeat as he stared into mine.
His hands made their way to my face and his fingers traced the line of my jaw.
"Promise me—that no matter what happens—you will find me again," he choked out.
I could see the tears rimming his eyes. I realized, in that moment, that he was just as scared as I was. The grief was written all over his face, broken and mournful. My chest tightened as I tried my best to stifle the tears.
"I will always find you. In this life and every life after," I said in a strangled cry.
The tears finally spilled over and our mouths found each other once again.The kiss became greedy and rushed.
The taste of salty tears coated our tongues as we let our emotions spill unrestrained between us.
He pulled away for a moment to pull my shirt over my head.
We gripped on to each other like we were saying our final goodbyes.
My silent cries remained as we both removed every article of clothing, bearing ourselves completely to each other.
Even in our moment of anguish, I ached for him to fill me, to turn my worries into a careless void.
I hovered over him, ready to impale myself into oblivion, already ready and dripping.
He hissed as the tip of his cock slipped over the slick desire dripping from my wet core.
I sucked in a breath as I slowly slid down, stuffing myself full of him.
He pulled me down the rest of the way, gripping my hips with an urgency.
Our movements were frantic and frenzied, both chasing the same mindless high.
As we both moved closer to release, Jerrod suddenly flipped me on to the bed and slowed the pace down.
His mouth covered mine again and we moved together, climbing closer to sweet euphoria.
There was nothing but him and my anticipated climax on the precipice.
As I soared over the edge and he groaned with his own release, the door burst open.
Josiah's eyes were wide and horrified as they roamed over the current state Jerrod and I were in.
I hadn't even fully registered what had happened and Josiah had already vanished.
Jerrod and I stared at each other in utter horror. I closed my eyes taking in the realization. This was it. This was the moment.
"Fuck," was all I managed to get out before we began rushing around to prepare for what was coming next.