Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
“Wow, I look great.” I blink a few times, looking at my reflection in Mabel’s dresser mirror.
“Don’t act so surprised,” Mabel tells me. “You always look great.”
“Yeah,” I say, not wanting to disagree. “I guess I don’t feel that great right now,” I confess.
“I can only imagine,” Mabel replies and her evergreen optimism fades from her face for a fleeting moment, but that moment makes my heart skip a beat in fear “You’ll figure it out. You always do. Don’t you?”
“Yeah,” I tell her, trying to believe it. “So far, I have.”
Someone knocks on the door, waiting just a beat before coming in. It’s Devon, and he’s holding my purse and cell phone. He pauses, looking at me with wide eyes, and then steps over.
“You have a ton of texts and calls from Delphi,” he says as he hands me the phone.
“Thank you,” I say and quickly unlock the phone. “I can’t believe it’s not dead.”
“It was. Xavier had then charged it on the drive over.”
“Oh, smart,” I say and glance up. “Any word on Antonio’s truck?”
“Not yet, but someone from the police department is reviewing CCTV footage to find out what happened to it. Someone drives it out of the parking lot and heads west. We’ll find it,” he says confidently.
I nod, working hard to ignore the internal clock that’s loudly clicking. Day one is almost over, and we’re headed downtown for a press conference. Tomorrow will be day two, and then I’ll have twenty-eight days left.
How the hell am I going to pull this off?
Doubt starts to creep into my mind, threatening to take over. I swallow it down and take a deep breath.
“Well, I guess I’m ready,” I say and get up out of the chair.
Mabel pulled my hair back in a low bun, looking effortlessly elegant paired with the ivory-colored dress I’m wearing.
Looking at my phone as I walk, I opened the texts from Delphi.
The first few are telling me about some guy who asked her out and wants my opinion on him.
She sent these right around the time I got to the restaurant with Antonio and Gia.
She followed up a couple hours later, and then this morning, she texted that she was getting worried.
Then she saw the news report.
Delphi: Please tell me you’re okay! Larkin is freaking out…there are rumors going around that you’re dead
Delphi: WREN I’m seriously worried!
Delphi: I just left an emergency pack meeting. CALL ME
The bad feeling starts to bubble up, and this time, I’m unable to push it down. I pause at the top of the stairs to text her back.
Me: Sorry…I’m alive…very long story. About to do a press conference with X.
She replies by the time I’m down the stairs.
Delphi: THANK GOD. WTF is going on?
Me: I don’t even know. I’ll call you later, promise.
Delphi: You better. I’m freaking out. The pack wants to meet with Xavier but he hasn’t replied to Larkin and the rumor mill is RUNNING wild.
I bite my lip. Things can’t go from bad to worse, can they? My eyes fall shut and I try to fall back in my training. Clear your mind. Keep control over your emotions. You can’t fight monsters on the outside if the monsters on the inside are winning.
It’s a weird existential struggle to see outside myself right now.
On one hand, I don’t care about politics or what the pack thinks.
None of it matters if I can’t break the sigil and free my soul.
But the world doesn’t revolve around me, and if I dropped dead right now, everyone else has to keep going.
This is bigger than me and no one should suffer because of a deal I made. I knew what I was doing when I agreed, and it was never my intention to bring anyone else into my mess.
Yet, I did.
Me: Don’t worry. I’ll fill you in as soon as I can.
I turn my phone on do not disturb and walk through the house to Xavier’s office. He’s in there with Theo and Zeke, and they’re having a hushed conversation in Spanish. Knowing they can hear me, I don’t bother knocking but instead go right in.
“You look lovely,” Xavier tells me, coming over and sliding his arm around my waist. He’s dressed in his trademark dark suit, enhancing how intimidating he already looks.
“Thank you.” I close my eyes and lean against him, drinking up the micro-reprieve I get from feeling him against me. “Delphi says there’s a rumor going through the pack that I’m dead.”
“Interesting,” Xavier answers. “The world will see you’re alive and very well shortly.”
“Wait, I don’t have to talk, do I?” I rush out.
“No,” he replies, a slight smile coming to his face.
“Thank god,” I sigh.
“You can fight monsters and make deals with demons, but public speaking is where you draw the line?” Zeke asks.
“Yeah,” I say with a slight chuckle. “I prefer to stay out of the spotlight whenever possible.”
Theo lets out a snort of laughter. “Your life choices say otherwise.”
I give him a look and roll my eyes, but I’m thankful for his snark right now.
Xavier slides his hand down my waist and takes my hand and everyone besides Antonio heads out.
We go to the news station through a back entrance, avoiding all the reporters from other outlets out front.
Victoria from the VC meets us inside, whisking us away.
It’s interesting, being behind the scenes like this.
Everything looks like how I imagined, only have seen the backstage area in movies or on TV.
There are a lot of people milling about, busy working.
Two news anchors are talking right now, giving a report on something that’s happening in the Middle East. I stand quietly at Xavier’s side, doing my best to keep my mind from wandering to Vaelrik.
The Order has been tapping into the demon’s power for years without anyone catching on which makes me wonder just how many Order members are involved.
Everyone in upper management? Just a handful of corrupt assholes?
I truly believe a majority of the Order is made up of arrogant, power hungry people who want an excuse to punish anything and anyone different than them.
How did things get to this point? The whole purpose of the Order was to stand up for what’s right, to keep evil from entering the human world.
Now they’ve become the thing they’ve sworn to kill.
It’s not the first organization to slowly get poisoned, and that in itself is terrifying.
How do you go back? Is it even possible?
Would the whole system collapse if you weeded out everyone who has been tainted?
If so, then that’s exactly what needs to be done.
“Hey,” Devon whispers, elbowing me gently. “They’re about to start.”
“Oh, thanks,” I reply, shaking myself back to reality.
Xavier takes a seat next to Roger Valle, the station’s lead anchor.
Roger calls this breaking news and starts talking about the warehouse fire and the mysterious source who blamed it on vampires.
I look back and forth between Roger and Xavier and the feed playing on a screen in front of us.
“And now,” Roger starts, “a statement from Xavier Malus.”
I look at the TV screen, watching the camera slowly pan in on Xavier. He sits there, calm and composed, looking immaculate as always with his hands loosely folded in front of him.
“Good evening,” he begins, voice smooth and steady as he stares right into the camera.
It’s like he’s looking right at me, and I know other viewers feel the same.
It’s intentional and part of Xavier’s charm.
“I understand there is fear right now. There should be. What happened at Camp Dogwood, the attack by the Church of the New Dawn, and now what just happened at the warehouse in Charlotte were not only tragic, but deeply disturbing.”
He pauses, and I look away from the TV so I can see Roger’s expression. He doesn’t know what Xavier is going to say and I have no idea what he believes. If he’s as good of a reporter as he claims to be, he’ll keep a poker face, appearing unfazed by anything said.
“As much as I wish these were isolated incidents, I’m afraid I cannot.
” He pauses again, inhaling. It’s intentional, as vampires don’t breathe.
He’s doing it to appear human, to appeal to more people.
Damn, Xavier is good. “They were coordinated acts, carried out with intention, planning, and a clear objective: to create fear and divide the people of our beloved city.”
I find myself holding my breath, looking back and forth between the TV and Xavier himself, leaning in and hanging on his every word.
“For years, there have been individuals—and groups—who believe coexistence between humans and supernaturals is not only impossible, but dangerous.” His voice remains calm and steady, but the smallest bit of emotion plays on his face, looking almost pained by the situation.
“If there is one thing that history can teach us, it is that fear can be weaponized.” His lips pull up in a small smile and he glances at Roger.
“I’ve been around long enough to see this unfold firsthand. ”
A subtle reminder that Xavier is, indeed, a vampire. Yet here he is, appearing so fucking relatable.
“It saddens me to say, I recognize exactly what is happening, and that is the fear they push on us has one objective: to divide us.”
The camera switches back to Roger. “Are you suggesting these attacks were carried out by the same organization?”
Xavier’s composure is unwavering as he looks at Roger as he talks. “I am suggesting that these attacks can all be linked to one person.”
“Is that person a member of the Church of the New Dawn?”
“According to my source who is to remain anonymous,” Xavier begins, taking in another breath that causes his firm chest to rise and fall.
“This person may have been a member but left the Church to form their own organization, one with even harsher views on not only supernaturals, but those who—in their terms—sympathize with them.” Without giving Roger a chance to ask another question, Xavier goes on.
“Upon investigation of the incident last night, Police Chief Hughes, a body was recovered from the warehouse and identified as one of the ring leaders of this operation.”
“Are you able to share with us who this individual was?”
Xavier looks back into the camera. “Marcus Henry.”