It was still light at least, so we could hang back a bit and keep them in sight when there weren"t too many people blocking our view.
Spence was like pro sleuth. I was totally impressed and glad to follow his lead. We tailed Lincoln and Magda for several blocks and just when I starting to think we should give up, Spence ducked into a shop doorway and pulled me in, too.
„What?" I whispered.
He smiled. „You don"t have to whisper."
He was right, they were almost a hundred metres ahead of us. „What?" I repeated in a normal tone.
„I think I know where they"re going." He pointed out the doorway.
Magda and Lincoln were walking towards a small hotel. Spence watched quietly while I held my breath. Sure enough, in they went.
A hotel.
I bit down my lip and tried to hold back the tears.
How could he do this to me? To us?
But really, that was my answer.
There is no „us".
The part of me I would rather ignore taunted me from within.
You never had him in the first place.
Spence, who had been standing silently beside me while there thoughts raced through my mind, grabbed my arm. „Come on."
„What? Where?" I asked.
„Over there."
„I"m not going over there. Let"s just go." I turned and motioned to walk away. Spence folded his arms and shook his head.
„Look, I get it, you"re in a bad place, but right now you"re thinking worst-case scenario.
There"s stil a chance it"s something else. Let"s go find out. It can"t make things worse."
He pulled me back onto the street and marched on towards the hotel. I shuffled reluctantly after him. This was not a good idea.
As we came closer to the doors, my angelic senses started going off like a metal detector.
„Spence," I said cautiously. „Spence – something"s not right. There are exiles in there."
I tried to calm the senses. To swallow away the tartness of apple, down out the birds crashing into branches, move past the cloying aroma of so many overlaid floral scents. I blinked away the flashes of morning and evening that flickered beneath my eyelids and tried to calm the sting of heat coursing through my entire body. Normally, these days, I had this process well in hand, but it could still be overwhelming when I was dealing with multiples.
Spence steadied me. „You right?"
„For now. But I don"t know if we should be going in there." I was already starting to back away.
„We should definitely be going in there." He bounced on the spot. „I mean, Lincoln and Magda are already inside. What if they"re in trouble?"
„I don"t think so. I"d sense it if Lincoln was in danger."
„Yes, but can you sense it if he doesn"t realise it himself?"
Good point.
„Okay, but let"s not get into anything we don"t have to."
Spence was checking his dagger. Luckily, we had to wear them when we did training sessions so we were used to fighting with them on. Though not as awkward as a sword, Grigori daggers were on the larger side with a forearm-length blade. Spence looked so excited. I looked down at my own weapon. Damn it, I wasn"t excited at all. At beast, I was going in there to fight exiles when I was still too much of a chicken to pull out my dagger. At worst … I didn"t even want to consider the other possibility.
When we entered the lobby, the hotel was surprisingly large. From the outside it looked quite boutique, but although it was narrow it was actually very deep. There was a marble bar down the far end and a reception area by the entrance with armchairs and tables scattered in between.
I scanned the room quickly. In the heavily male-dominated lobby, the few women were dressed expensively but provocatively. On some, the fabric between the Manolos and designer blouses was so scant that little was left to the imagination.
„Ew," I said.
„Yeah," Spence agreed, though he didn"t sound all that grossed out, and when I looked at him scanning the joint I just rolled my eyes.
„What?" he asked in response.
„You"re such a guy," I said, moving us towards a more discreet position behind one of the large marble pillars.
Men in suits, some wearing wedding rings, huddled at small tables with girls. A sense of deception emanated from the place. It felt tainted and dangerous.
„I think we should make this quick," I whispered.
„Yeah – some of them really need to get a room," Spence responded in all seriousness and although I was a little disgusted by his comment, I agreed. PDAs can be cute at the right time and in moderation but this was …
I spotted Lincoln and Magda at one of the small tables near the bar.
„They"re over there at the back, sitting with someone else," I said.
Spence looked at me with a screwed-up face and looked away. „Guy or girl?" he asked, cringing.
„Guy. Why?" I replied, confused.
„Oh … well, that"s … „ he said, unable to finish, increasingly appal ed.
I caught on and smacked him on the shoulder. „Spence! Get your mind out of the gutter and concentrate!" I hit him again. „They"re with an exile and there are more at the tables on either side of them. I think you were right. They"re in trouble."
The man sitting opposite Lincoln was unprepossessing and kind of weedy-looking for an exile, which made me think he was hidden by some type of disguise. All I could see was a manila envelope sliding back from Lincoln to him.
„Catch that?" Spence asked, now the one whispering.
„Yeah."
„Any ideas?"
„Not one."
„Well, this is good isn"t it?" he said.
I felt a spike in the room as a familiar, unnerving feeling washed over me sending a shiver down my spine. I started to look around, a different set of nerves playing on me now. I was just about to take a step towards where it was coming from when two menacing-looking exiles appeared with lighting speed and stood like a brick wall in front of us.
„I wouldn"t exactly say good," I answered Spence.
„Hmm," but he was smiling.
„This is a breech! You Grigori – lying, despicable humans," said one of the exiles.
„We were just leaving," I said, as Spence and I – understanding the very need for departure – spun around to face the exit. But we spun right into another three exiles who had come up behind us.
„No pass, no protection," said one who looked as if all his Christmases had come at once.
Then his fist went squarely into Spence"s face, sending him flying into one of the marble pillars with a thundering smack.
Lincoln and Magda were there in seconds, shocked to find me surrounded by a pack of angry exiles. They didn"t even hesitate. They jumped straight into action. As did I. before I knew it, we were in full combat, Lincoln and Magda each fighting off two exiles. Spence recovered quickly and took one from Magda, while all I heard was Lincoln yell, „No daggers!
Just put them down and get out."
Fine by me.
Making sure I didn"t make the same mistake I had the other day, I blocked everything else out and focused on the ginger-haired, polyester-wearing exile who was coming at me with venom. Luckily, he was sloppy, which made it easy. With a few well-placed kicks I was in control and I beat him down until he stayed there. I turned in time to see Lincoln knocking out his second exile, slamming his flattened palm right up and into his opponent"s nose –
one of his favoured moves – quick and efficient. Magda was already at the door and Spence was still going fist to fist with the burly exile who had first hit him.
I was about to step in and help when Spence took a running jump at the exile and somehow catapulted himself to land in a sitting position on the exile"s shoulders. From there, he grabbed his head – taking the time to look at me and wink – then gave it a sharp twist.
There was a loud snap and the exile fell to the ground – a Grigori blade was needed for
that
– but it would hurt like hell and keep him down for a while.
Once outside, Spence and I kept a quick pace, following Lincoln. We both knew he simply expected us to do so. When he stopped a few streets away, I went straight up to him. I didn"t know what was going on but right now, I just wanted to know he hadn"t been hurt. It had been stupid to go in there when we knew the hotel was filled with exiles.
„Are you okay?" I asked.
„No!" He spun round to look at me, his green eyes angrier than I"d ever seen. „What the hell were you two doing in there? You could"ve gotten yourself kil ed!"
I took a step back. Spence came up t stand beside me as Magda stepped up to Lincoln.
„Linc, I"m sorry. We thought you might be in trouble."
„How did you even know we were in there?"
„We … I …" I couldn"t answer, couldn"t admit to my childishness.
„You followed me!"
„Actual y, it was me," Spence said, stepping forward.
„What?" Magda jumped in.
„Yeah. I saw you guys going off and it looked like you might be going hunting. I thought I might be able to get in on the action. Sorry about that."
I closed my eyes briefly. Spence was saving me, big-time.
„You both should have known better," Magda said, not about to let me off the hook.
„You"re not even allowed on active duty, Spence. I doubt your tutors will be impressed when we tell them you ruined a meeting we had with a source. Plus potentially threatening one of the only ones we have left. It was a mutual set-up – we declared our numbers and agreed not to cause them any problems if they met with us. We were there to get information, not to fight!" Magda looked as if she were enjoying this mess as much as Lincoln ashamed of it.
Does he really think so little of me? Am I such an embarrassment to have around now that Magda"s back and he can hunt with her?
„Well, maybe someone should have told me," I sulked, directing my words at Lincoln, who would now barely look at me. „And maybe someone could have told me where he was going while he was at it, since he"s supposed to be my partner after all. This isn"t all on us, you know. What were you seeing that exile – source – for, anyway?"
„Nothing. It"s just an old case I offered to help Magda on," Lincoln said, looking at his feet.
„What? You"re not going to tell me?" I asked in disbelief.
„No." He looked at Magda, who tilted her head as if to direct him to go with her. „Look, this doesn"t involve you, Violet. Go home, get some sleep. You barely had any last night."
Spence looked at me, smiling ear to ear and even gave his eyebrows a waggle. I ignored him.
„You and … Spence, will have plenty of time to hand out later on. I"l see you tomorrow,"
Lincoln said, also absorbing Spence"s expression.
With that, Magda and Lincoln hailed a taxi and were driven away. I guess they figured they"d be harder to follow travelling at high speed.
I buried my face in my hands. „Oh my God. I want to die."
„What do you mean?" Spence started, running his fingers through his hair and then ruffling it all up again. „That. Was. Unbelievable! Did you even see that – I leapfrogged onto his damn shoulders and snapped his neck!"
I looked between the fingers over my face. „That was pretty cool."
„Cool? That wasn"t cool – that was historic!" He gave me a nudge and I laughed as we started walking back. „And it wasn"t that bad. At least they weren"t in the penthouse with champagne."
„ Spence you"re disgusting, you know that, don"t you?"
„Yes. But you have to admit, not a bad result compared to the alternative. Mind you …"
„What?"
„Well, Magda was looking a little … you know … bloated. Maybe …?"
„No." I took a deep breath and squared myself to face him. „No!"
„Enough said." He gave a nod and I knew he wouldn"t mention it again.
„You do realise they"re going to tell on us," I went on as we started walking again. „And when Griffin, Nyla and Rudyard find out – we"re busted."
„Yeah, but it was worth it! Right on to his shoulders … like a freaking acrobat!"
-
By the time I finally got home to an empty apartment, I was so exhausted I passed out on the couch for the night after briefly wondering how Onyx was going with Dapper. I should have gone to check on him tonight but with everything … I promised myself I would go straight after training the next day. Just as my eyes became too heavy to resist closing, I felt a breeze cross my face. Strangely, it wasn"t cold and I didn"t feel so alone.
CHAPTER NINE
„Fairytales are more than true; not because
they tell us they dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."
G.K. Chesterton
Steph didn"t stop talking about Salvatore all morning, even during class, she sent me notes – something Steph simply does not do.
He is soooo nice!
He walked me home. Did I already tell you that?
I feel so bad for him, all he wants to do is be part of everything and not slow things down. It"s not his fault he can"t speak English yet. Zoe is such a bitch to him but he just wants her to like him. But just as friends – he isn"t interested in her – I don"t think. What do you think?
S xxx
I wrote back, assuring her that I didn"t think Salvatore had any interest in Zoe romantically, reminding her, somewhat bitterly, that Grigori partners are not allowed to be romantic together anyway – even as I was reflecting more and more on Nyla and Rudyard and how close they looked.
I told Steph all the things she wanted me to say – that she should help him out, maybe give him some extra English lessons – all the stuff that would put them close together. I didn"t mention my concerns – that getting close to a Grigori in a romantic way could spell disaster and that maybe she should consider keeping a distance. I didn"t know if that made me a good friend or a bad friend.
By the time the end-of-day bel rang, I was dying to get back to Lincoln"s. I needed to see him, to clear everything up and get back on track. Plus, I had to make up for my lax performance yesterday and do better in training. In between notes from Steph I managed to mentally talk myself out of all my crazy theories, especially the – I can"t even believe I"m think it – baby one. Of course Magda and Lincoln weren"t having a baby. Just because it had sounded like a couple"s kind conversation – there simply had to be more to it.
Steph came with me again and I could see that as long as Salvatore was around, she most likely would be too. When we arrived, training was already in full flight. Salvatore and Zoe were both glistening with sweat and looked as if they had done about ten rounds with one another.
Spence was in the corner using Lincoln"s weights. In a singlet and shots, he looked quite tall and showed off a fit body. For the first time, I really looked at him and saw that beneath the shaggy blond hair that gave him a kind of surfer look, he had gentle lines on his face that made him not boy, not man, but someone with a whole lot of potential. When he saw me, his face lit up with a devilish grin and I found myself grinning from ear to ear and wondering how much trouble this new friend of mine was going to get me in.
„Hey!" Where is everyone?" I asked him as Steph edged away from me. I knew exactly who she"d be making a beeline for.
„Well, Zoe and Sal have been going all day. They"re just warming down. Your buddies told Nyla and Rudy about our little error judgement last night, so we"re not even al owed to spar today." Spence dropped his hand weights on the floor mat and grabbed his water bottle
„Griffin, Nyla and Rudy have been out most of the day looking into this Scripture thing you"re all after. They said to tell you they"d be back in time to give you a theory lesson later."
„Oh. Okay. Sorry you got in trouble. I shouldn"t have involved you in my mess."
„Hey, don"t apologise. I"d do it all again in a heartbeat."
>
A thought that truly worried me.
„So um … where"s …"
Spence raised a brow. „Lincoln and Bitchda?"
My eyes darted around, scared we were being overheard. No one was close enough to heat. I relaxed. „Yeah."
„Don"t know. Lincoln dropped in at one point, said something to Griffin, grabbed a few things and went back out. Haven"t seen Maggy. Not much love lost between you two, hey?"
„Not much."
The door opened and in walked Nyla and Rudyard. Their arms were linked. Almost every time I had them they had been holding hands, or touching in some way, as if they were drawn to each other. Moths to flames.
„They"re amazing," I said to myself.
„Yeah. Rarest thing around," Spence said.
I looked at him. „What do you mean?"
„They"re the real deal. Less than one in a mil ion … or more."
„I don"t understand – what are you talking about?" But even as I asked, I felt my throat tightening, because I knew; this was crucial.
He looked at me as I had taken a stupid pill but before he could answer, Nyla was standing in front of s with a look that made Spence stop in his tracks. My eyes darted between them.
„Violet, it"s time for your lesson. I believe since Zoe, Salvatore and Spence have finished for the day, we will have the place to ourselves and can have our lesson here." She turned her attention to Spence and the others and gestured towards the door. „We wil see the rest of you back at the hotel."
Spence mumbled something under his breath about the unfairness of it all and grabbed his bag along with the others, leaving me alone with Nyla and Rudyard.
I reached to get a notepad and pen out of my school bag. It was obvious Nyla was the fighter so I wondered who would be giving the theory lesson.
Rudyard called out from the kitchen. „How do you work this thing?"
I dropped everything and bolted over to him.
„Don"t!" I said, throwing myself between him and my baby. „Ah, I"l make you a coffee." No one touched the espresso machine except for me. It had been a birthday gift from Lincoln and since I"d waited two years to final y be able to have a good coffee at his place, I wasn"t about to have Mr Four-Hundred-Plus, who probably missed the entire discovery of the espresso bean, mess with my well cared for and appreciated machine.