CHAPTER 13 #2
“And we don’t have nearly enough places for all the ones who need it.
” Evan hugged her fiercely. “You were just attacked by armed vampires on the street. You have every right to be freaking out right now. But we have to think this through. I don’t know where we hide if we have to go on the run with a ten-year-old.
Not long term. What did Alex say when you texted him? ”
“He was furious. We’re also in agreement that Lara isn’t going to stop.
” She shook her head. “It isn’t going to matter if I step aside or not.
Lara is never going to be satisfied until I’m dead.
She will have nothing but absolute victory and that will only come with her destroying me and everything I hold dear.
” She took a shaky sip of tea. “Did Sera ever tell you about her ex, the bodyguard?”
“Sure, the one they sent to the front.”
“The king made sure he was sent off to fight the wolves. Then his mother and brother disappeared from the sector shortly after and were never heard from again.” When Evan rose and began to pace, Dani went on.
“I’ve humiliated Lara. Alex loves me and not her.
She’s determined to be queen. As long as I’m alive and still hold the strings to his heart, I’m standing in the way of that goal. ”
“And you don’t think breaking it off with him would work?” When Dani shot her a wounded look, Evan held up both hands. “Look, I know you don’t want to. I’m just asking.”
“Lara knows Alex loathes being in her presence. She’ll be reminded of that every day when the press follows me around, taking pictures and stirring up drama.
They’ll ask her everywhere she goes if the prince still harbors feelings for his former mistress.
And they’ll ask me if we’re still sleeping together.
You know that’s what will happen. It won’t matter if Alex and I are seeing each other or not.
The mere fact that I’m walking around alive and free will serve as a constant reminder to Lara that she will never have Alex’s love, and it will drive her slowly insane.
She knows that the only way to ensure the story goes away is to make sure I go away.
That my entire family disappears, just like Micah’s did. ”
Evan swore. Cinder hopped up on the table. Dani pulled the cat onto her lap, burying her face in her soft gray fur.
“So, what’s the plan?” Evan said at last. “Would we have to go underground until Alex can have his father and the Cavalieris arrested? I assume there would be legal challenges to that.”
“Undoubtedly. He would need not only luck pushing it through the courts, but an overwhelming wave of public support that would pressure the king and the Cavalieris to concede without a fight.”
Evan snorted. “That seems unlikely.”
“You’re right.” Much as she wanted to believe in Alex’s plan, there were flaws to it.
Her sister frowned. “Is he still planning to announce his engagement to Lara at the end of the month?”
“I don’t know. We formally sealed our mating bond last night. Alex is trying to work out the best way to disentangle himself from Lara and his father. But he might have to stall for time while we figure out where we can all go.”
Evan frowned. “And by all, you mean—”
“The king will never allow Alex to abdicate like Sera did so that we can be together. He’ll use every tactic at his disposal to gain his son’s compliance, including threatening Dante and Isabella. They’d have to come with us.”
Evan slowly shook her head. “Sorry, but you know that will never work. You know how insane this sounds, right?”
“Alex thinks he can convince them.”
“Yeah, from what Sera has told me, neither of them has the best relationship with their younger two siblings. Their mother’s death really tore that family apart.
So I wouldn’t count on either of them being so keen on the idea.
” She crossed the kitchen, opened a cupboard, poked around for a minute, and slammed it.
“Where are the damn lentil soup packets?”
“On the second shelf.” Dani rose to get them, bringing her ice pack to the sink to drain. “And why are you shouting at me?”
“Because you and the Prince of Darkness came up with this oh so brilliant plan while he couldn’t get enough of sucking your neck dry, not stopping to think that you were uprooting four other people’s lives and we might actually have feelings and opinions about that.”
“What am I supposed to do?” she shot back, quickly lowering her voice. “Lara knows I’m an aberrant. They could come for me, for any of us, at any time. I’m sorry, Evan. Truly, I am. But we’re out of options.”
“So, what, we’re just supposed to leave all of this behind?
” Evan flung her arm out, gesturing to the room.
“This apartment, which holds our last memories of Mom and Dad? Ava is just supposed to leave her school and all her friends? I’m supposed to stop fighting for the resistance?
That’s your plan? Because to me, it seems like it works out pretty great for you.
You get the guy you’ve always wanted, who happens to be a prince.
The rest of us are being asked to give up our lives and friends, our futures and dreams, and are all just collateral damage to your grand fairy tale, I guess. ”
“I didn’t mean for it to turn out this way.” Tears filled her eyes. “I was only trying to save Ava.”
“Bullshit. You could have ended things the night of the auction. You wanted him. You wanted Zander, who you’d had a crush on forever. You didn’t stop to think how your actions would affect anyone else.”
“That’s not fair.”
“I need to get some air.” Stalking over to the door, Evan grabbed her coat.
“If the Prince of Fangs asks, you’re busy tonight, by the way.
” Dani was seconds from saying something back she knew she would regret when her sister added, “I think I may have a lead on the fae that have been disappearing.”
That night, ten minutes before they were due to rendezvous with Sera, Nadine showed up at the apartment, acting entirely too interested in where they were going.
“I’m just going to come right out and say it.
I think you owe me an apology, Evangeline.
” Their stepmother pressed a wounded hand to her heart.
“First you make it seem like I’ve done something so awful for wanting to take Ava shopping, as if her life will be ruined if she misses one afternoon of math lessons.
Then I find out you and Dani have been leaving her alone every night to sneak out after curfew and do goodness knows what. ”
Evan practically launched herself across the kitchen island.
“Don’t.” Dani grabbed her arm. Under her breath, she said, “We don’t have time for this, and you know it.
” She turned to Nadine. “I think we’ve all said things we probably regret.
But we really have to go now. I’m sure you can stay with Ava until we’re back?
This will give you two a chance to spend some time together. ”
“I’m sorry, but that’s not going to be good enough, Daniela.” Nadine shook her head. “You’re asking me to just ignore the fact that you’re participating in illegal activities, placing my only daughter in danger? I can’t do that.”
Part of Dani understood it was addiction driving Nadine to act this way.
And still, the words stung. For years, she’d filled page after page in her notebooks of every good memory she had of her stepmother from when she and Evan were small.
Climbing up into her lap to get her hair combed out by the fire after bath night.
Curling up in bed to read together while the snow fell outside, Nadine’s soothing voice somehow taking away the frightening sound of wolves howling and shells falling in the distance.
Her stepmother had been so wonderful back then, telling them she knew she could never replace the mother they’d lost, but that she hoped they would let her be a special part of their lives nonetheless.
And she had. Up until the day she’d had no choice but to sell herself at the auctions to pay for the insulin Ava needed and addiction had slowly set in over time.
Dani pressed a hand to her throat, noticing only then that it was starting to shake. Her heartrate had been high all day, something she’d dismissed as a side effect of the attack by Lara’s men.
Now, looking at Nadine, she felt unsettled.
“Enough with the games,” Evan spat. “We all know what this is really about. You want money. Which isn’t happening. What’s your plan if you rat us out and we get picked up? You won’t get paid, and who’s going to watch Ava for you then while you whore yourself out to get high?”
Nadine’s eyes turned cold. “I just need a little to get me by until next month.”
“Ten silvers. That’s it.”
“You think I don’t know what Dani was paid for a single night spreading her legs at the auction house?”
Dani’s cheeks flamed. “I didn’t—”
“Lower your voice,” Evan growled. “You’re going to wake Ava.”
“I want a hundred transferred to my account tonight, and a recurring payment set up every two weeks after that.” Nadine lifted her chin. “That only seems fair after everything I’ve sacrificed for this family. Why should you two ungrateful brats get rich while I’m left with nothing?”
“That money is going to support your daughter.” Dani quickly lowered her voice, glancing towards Ava’s closed door. “It’s for Ava’s medicine. For food and rent.”
“Not so you can shoot it up your vein and party with other drunks you meet on the street,” Evan added. “Ten silvers. Take it or leave it.”
Nadine shrugged, pulling out her phone. “I guess a little call to child services is in order, then.”
Evan’s lip curled. “You’re bluffing. They’ll arrest you before me or Dani.”
But Dani wasn’t so sure, picturing Lara’s security detail breaking down their door, ripping her and Evan away from Ava without even giving them a chance to say goodbye. She couldn’t let that happen, had to keep her sisters together, no matter the cost.