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  He was right. That wasn’t what he’d said, but I could read between the lines. This relationship couldn’t go anywhere and wasn’t worth fighting for because la Luxure would claim him, and he couldn’t keep feasting on immortals.

  It was a slap in the face. After he had saved me from Laurent and told me that he would die protecting me, I thought he understood that I would do the same, that I would fight for him no matter the cost. How could he not know that?

  Before I could speak, Deacon entered the room with a warm cup of blood for Kale, and that was my cue to leave. I hesitantly stood up and headed toward the door.

  “Ella,” Kale said.

  I stopped short.

  “We will talk about this when you come back down tomorrow.”

  I could only stare at him. Deacon looked nervously between the two of us, and he was the only reason I didn’t lay into Kale. “There is nothing to talk about. I’m not leaving you here to rot in this cell, the same way you didn’t leave me with Laurent. I know what I want from this, and that’s you. We will figure out a way to make it work.”

  I headed out the door without looking back. Jace stood in the hallway, waiting for me. He hated bringing me down here. He worried that Kale wouldn’t be able to resist temptation and break through the bars to attack me, although we already knew that he couldn’t get out unless the door was opened for him.

  Little did Jace know he was worried about the wrong person opening those damned bars. I missed the feel of Kale’s arms around me and his kiss. I was so angry that I couldn’t touch him that sometimes I wanted to risk opening those doors, if only for a second.

  “Let’s go?” Jace asked.

  “No, I need to wait for Deacon.” I passed Jace and headed toward the living area.

  “Why? You just saw him. What do you need to say to him that you couldn’t have said to him down there?” He looked annoyed. He hated coming here, but that was part of the agreement when I said I would leave and stay at the lodge with him.

  I rolled my eyes. “None of your business, Jace.” I continued past him to the restroom.

  When I was done, I entered the living room where Mia was sitting on the sofa. Deacon was leaning against the bar, smiling into his phone. I smiled. He and his girl were great together, even with the threat of la Luxure.

  I stood off to the side, willing him to look at me. When he did, I pointed to the door, silently asking him to meet me outside. He nodded. I put on my coat and headed out the glass door. He followed me.

  “I need you to take me to the Council.”

  Deacon’s eyes widened, and he shook his head no.

  “I need to figure out how Kale and I can stay together, and I only have one solution for this.”

  Deacon frowned. “Look, Ella—”

  “No, you look. I know you would do whatever it would take to be with Chelle. You would kill, maim, and fight, and all I’m asking you to do is help your best friend do the same.”

  “Yeah, you are right, but you seem to forget something, here.” Deacon placed his arms across his chest and towered over me. He was intimidatingly massive, but I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. “I am not your best friend. My best friend has already made his request of me, and I’ve followed through. We made this plan before you came back in order to protect you, and I promise you, there is nothing you can say or do to make me go back on my part of the deal.” Deacon’s tone was rough and unyielding, and a part of me broke.

  Though I didn’t show it, I could feel my heart tearing in two. Jace couldn’t help me; he’d finally admitted that his “sabbatical” from the Council meant he’d defected. Darke was missing and presumed dead. Alex was dead.

  Deacon, my last hope, was turning me down.

  His lips thinned as he moved closer to me. “Don’t do that.”

  My brow furrowed in confusion. “Don’t do what?” Why was my voice nothing but a whisper? I needed to be stronger—I had to be.

  “Cry. Please don’t cry.” His voice had softened, but his gaze still didn’t waver.

  I touched my cheeks, surprised to find them wet. I sighed and turned away. Deacon didn’t need to see me cry, and though I wanted to use my tears to make him bend to my will, I knew that that wasn’t going to work with him.

  “Tell me why you want me to defy Kale and take you to those people.”

  “I need—”

  Jace came outside. He looked from me then to Deacon, no doubt wondering why I was crying. His expression hardened, and he held his hand out to me. “Let’s go, Ella. Please.”

  “Start the car. I will be out after I say goodbye to Kale.” I turned back to the pensive Deacon. Jace stood there for a moment longer before he turned around and headed back into the house.

  Deacon stared at me. Not only had I not convinced him to help me, he might actually relay my request to Kale.

  “Just think about it, Deacon. If I can get Aleixandre to change me into an immortal, then Kale and I would have forever to figure out how to keep la Luxure at bay.”

  Deacon’s gaze held mine and betrayed nothing of his thoughts.

  “It’s my only option. I know that he is strong enough to beat this, and I think if he has something to look forward to… well, then maybe he will try harder, fight harder—Hell, I don’t know, but I can’t do this without him, and I can’t do it without you.” I placed my arm on his. “Please. Please just think about it.”

  “Have you told him you love him?”

  Deacon’s question shocked me. I hadn’t told Kale, but I thought that my actions would have at least—

  “A man needs to be told as well as shown, just like a woman does.” Deacon sighed and shook his head. “You are so young and understand very little about this. I wouldn’t want you to place yourself in harm’s way for a simple crush.”

  “Dude, I am asking you to take me to someone who ordered my parents’ death, who tried to have me captured, and who wants to use me as a pawn the same way Laurent wanted to do—all for a favor where I am sure I will have to promise him something precious in return—and you want to question my love for the man I am doing this all for?” I asked incredulously. Yes, I loved Kale; and, yes, I was going to sacrifice my well-being for our future, and this muscle-headed jerk was going to help me.

  Deacon smiled and uncrossed his arms. “I like it when your pretty eyes shine with passion and determination. It reminds me of what Kale sees in you and why he was willing to die for you, twice.” He pointed to the door. “Go, and when you come back, I will let you know what I’ve decided.” His tone left absolutely no room for argument.

  I glanced at him as I headed inside, but he was already in a conversation on the phone and no longer interested in me. I went downstairs to say bye to Kale.

  He leaned against the wall, his head supported between two of the bars. I noticed that he’d detected my arrival, though he didn’t turn to watch me enter the room. This time with Kale, after he’d fed, was tricky.

  His hunger wasn’t quelled in the least, but Deacon said that this was the way Kale had beaten la Luxure before, so I put up with it if it meant getting him out of there. It did seem odd that Kale would be in such a bad mood after having blood.

  “I’m leaving.”

  “Hmm…” Kale grunted. He didn’t move to look at me, only swayed from side to side.

  “Are you going to say goodbye?” I asked, a bit annoyed.

  Kale turned toward me and smiled. Crimson liquid crept slowly down his face.

  “You wanna wipe that blood away?” I pointed to his chin.

  “I thought you were leaving.” Kale wiped it off.

  “I am. I just wanted to say goodbye.” I entered the room and placed my hands on the bars by Kale’s head and leaned in. We were going to try to make this work. Giving up wasn’t an option for me. “Please don’t give up on us, Kale. Please.”

  Kale looked up at me. I could see in his eyes that he was doing just that. I reached through the bars and stroked his hair, enjoying how my touch made
him close his eyes and moan.

  Kale expelled a deep breath and turned away from me. “Ella, I don’t know what’s going on with me.” He looked up and searched my eyes for understanding. “I don’t think I will beat it this time. It’s different; it speaks to me.”

  “Like with a voice?”

  “How much of this has Jace explained to you?” Kale asked, sounding a bit nervous, or maybe he was just tired. I didn’t know really know.

  “He said that you’d fallen to la Luxure and that soon you would become a true vampire, but Deacon said that you were solely struggling with la Luxure and that it can be cured.”

  Kale nodded and sat down. The room was cold so I placed my arms around myself for warm and moved away from the cold bars.

  “They are both right.”

  “Okay, so there is hope.” I felt a bit better about our situation. Kale chuckled but agreed. I would have to do more to convince him, and my plan to go to the Council would help.

  Besides, if given a choice to live forever, I’d prefer to not have to drink blood continuously to survive. If I didn't have to, I wasn’t giving up cheeseburgers, pizza, and fries. And I didn't care how good Kale said blood tasted to a Chorý—there'd then be la Luxure that I’d have to worry about. Our future would be much better if we only had to worry about his cravings and not mine.

  Hopefully, when I came back tomorrow, Deacon would have decided to help get me to the Council.

  Chapter 33

  Ella

  The enraged Chorý charged Alex. He slammed his fists into Alex’s chest, then sideswiped Alex’s legs, sending both me and Alex to the ground.

  I flailed as Alex fell on top of me and we fell into a heap onto the ground. I wasn’t prepared to have Alex and his six foot four, one hundred eighty-five pounds on top of me, along with the heavy rogue Chorý. Their weight stole my breath.

  I thrashed beneath them, smelling the Chorý’s horrific breath as he moved to Alex’s ear and taunted him.

  Alex unsuccessfully fought to get the Chorý off him. The Chorý lifted himself up and punched Alex in his side. Part of the blow landed on me, causing me to scream in pain and gasp for air.

  Alex tried to adjust his weight, but it was no use. I was trapped beneath him, barely able to breathe or move.

  I screamed as the Chorý sank his fangs into Alex’s neck.

  “Wake up!” Jace sounded a bit panicked. He shook me lightly.

  I moaned and turned over to look into his ice blue eyes. “What?”

  “You were having a nightmare,” he explained. He brushed my hair out of my face. “You okay? It seemed pretty bad.”

  “A nightmare?” I hadn’t had one since I was a kid, and even then, they didn’t feel so real.

  “Or was it a memory?” Jace asked.

  I hadn’t had a memory in so long that if it weren’t for Kale’s situation, I would have forgotten that I was an Arc. “I think it was just a nightmare.”

  I sat up, and Jace sat back. “I haven’t had a memory in a while.”

  “Yes, I’ve noticed.” He stood up and leaned against the dresser.

  I ran my fingers through my hair and expelled a breath. Could that have been a memory? I’d learned how to have them without the dizziness and pain, and I feared that would make it harder to tell the difference between dreams and reality.

  “I need to call Kale.” I got up and retrieved phone from my bag, then sat on the foot of the bed, ready to dial. “I need some privacy, please.”

  I gave Jace a stern look until he stood up and walked to the door.

  “I’m not sure that a phone call is going to help, Ella. You may need to start trying to figure things out without Kale—you know, on your own.”

  “But I’m not alone.” I got up and joined him at the door. Jace went into the hallway and turned to face me. “I’ve got you, remember.”

  I shut the door just as Jace raised his brow, and I dialed Kale’s number. A few rings later, I was greeted by Kale’s warm voice. “You should be sleeping, Ella.”

  Kale’s low voice sent warm tingles up my spine. “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Why not?”

  “Doesn’t matter.” I fumbled with the phone, suddenly nervous about calling.

  “What is it?”

  My silence must have made him realize that something was wrong, but I didn’t want to worry him. I just wanted to hear his voice. “Nothing is wrong.”

  “Hmm… You are a horrible liar.” Kale chuckled.

  “I miss you,” I whispered, scared that Kale would give me the whole ‘You have to move on’ speech. I closed my eyes. My heart pumped with excitement, and I had to control my breathing.

  “I miss you too.”

  “I was thinking about you, and I wanted to hear your voice.” I got back in bed and snuggled under the covers. I missed the few days that Kale and I had together before his la Luxure made him go all crazy. “Were you thinking about me?”

  “Yeah,” Kale answered breathily.

  “Will you stay on the phone with me until I fall asleep?” I squeezed my eyes more tightly shut, refusing to let the tears fall. I was stronger than that, and I had a plan. I knew it would work—of course, I also realized that I would have to ask Jace to help get me to the Council, because he knew where it was. I still had faith in my plan. If Kale could sacrifice all that he had for the past one hundred years, than I would do my part in keeping us together.

  “Ella, I’d give anything to be there beside you.”

  “I understand that for now, this will have to work.” I fought a yawn.

  “For now?”

  “We will be together Kale. You might not believe it, but it will happen. We have been through far too much to give up now.” My hopes were up—heck they had blasted through the ceiling—but I wasn’t going to tell Kale why. He wouldn’t approve of me asking the Council for anything, but I wanted immortality. I’d rather live forever without having to drink blood, and the Council was the only way that was going to happen.

  “Go to sleep, Ella. I’ll stay on the phone with you.” Kale’s voice still held doubt, but I had enough faith for the both of us.

  The next day, I woke up early. Surprising myself with a chipper attitude, I went to the little kitchenette in the suite and started making breakfast.

  I didn’t think that I could talk Jace into taking us to the Council just by cooking him breakfast, but I didn’t think it would hurt, either. Jace entered the room, talking on his cell and wearing his camo set. Did he ever wear anything else? The camo-colored jumpsuit included a black vest and black boots. The belt held two knives that I could see, and the silver-tipped stake that I knew he carried somewhere that I couldn’t see.

  Jace nodded to me as I scrambled the eggs and continued his conversation as I quietly eavesdropped. “I can’t, but I will.”

  I pulled our plates out of the cabinet and placed them on the bar.

  “I know he can trace us, but who would he send for us, you and Tamsin?” Jace sounded incensed with the caller. “Fine. Let me think for a day, and I will call you back. He hung up the cell, turned it over, and took the battery out of it.

  “Why’d you do that?”

  “It can be traced.” He looked at me and then headed into my room. He returned with my phone and did the same thing. “Just to be safe; Aleixandre is getting a bit restless knowing that you have once again refused Council guidance.”

  I started to shrug but thought better of it. “What does he want?” I scooped some eggs on a plate for Jace and placing it in front of him. I retrieved a cup from the cabinet and went to the mini fridge for some juice.

  “Water is fine, please.” Jace eyed at the eggs in front of him, then me. I hadn’t made him food before. I ignored his curious glance and handed him a bottle of water instead. “Thank you.”

  “No problem. So what does Aleixandre want with me, now that Laurent is dead?” I scooped some eggs onto a plate for me, grabbed two forks, and sat down beside Jace. I passed him a for
k.

  “I’m not even sure, Ella, but my gut tells me not to trust it.”

  My hope that Jace would take me to Aleixandre started to deflate, and I wracked my brain for a way to get him to take Deacon and me there.

  A plate of eggs and two bottles of water later, I hadn’t come up with a reason so I just flat-out asked. “I’ll go to see him. Will you take me?”

  Jace pushed his plate back and crossed his arms over his massive chest. “What do you think Kale will think of this?”

  His question surprised me. He cocked a brow and waited for me to answer. Since Jace would be taking me, I would have to tell him the truth or at least part of it.

  “I won’t be telling Kale anything.”

  Jace’s expression revealed nothing. “Okay, but you aren’t staying. I know Aleixandre, and even though his actions of late have been off-putting… With Laurent dead, what else could he want from you?” Jace rubbed his brow and stood, concern evident in his eyes. “Are you sure you’re ready to see the man that had your parents killed?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. I mean, I’m still recovering from that news, but I want to face him and have him face me for what he did. I think—no, I know—I deserve at least that.”

  Jace nodded. “I’ll make the arrangements.” He stood to leave.

  “One condition,” I said before he could leave the room.

  “Why am I not surprised you have a condition?” Jace rolled his eyes but stopped to hear me out.

  “Deacon has to come too.”

  “Are you insane?” He bellowed, making me jump. “Ella we are going to the Council. You know, that place full of immortals that like to kill Chorý.”

  “Yeah, I know but I want him with me. If Kale finds out that I went, I want him to know that I took Deacon with me. He trusts Deacon more than anyone else, and I think that will soften the blow when he finds out that I went to his enemies for help. ”

  “Why, so he can try and kill us both?” Jace scoffed. “I can’t bring a Chorý there, Ella. It’s asking for trouble.” Jace was right, but no way was I going without Deacon.

  “He can stay in the jet.”

  “What?”