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  Nix and Indigo were quiet as we turned back the way we’d come, heading toward the SUV. Cornelius went in the opposite direction, his wings flaring out wide as he flew to the cemetery to make sure I hadn’t unearthed anyone. We sat waiting for him to return, and I shut my eyes, wishing I could shut out the world for just a little while.

  Chapter 19

  As heavy as my body felt, my heart hung even lower in my chest. The weight of Cassidy’s revelations clung to me like static electricity. Anytime I tried to pull myself away from the pain that threatened to suffocate me, it came crashing back even harder than before. After Cornelius arrived back at the car and confirmed that none of the bodies I’d been trying to resurrect came to the surface, the drive back to the city was quiet.

  Once we arrived back at the apartment complex, Nix parked the SUV, and we walked silently across the parking lot. To keep my mind from obsessing over her last words and seeing her disappear, I started to follow Nix. I wanted to know what our next step was. I needed to keep my mind occupied. Indigo grabbed my hand gently and halted me from following Nix. With a meaningful look our way, Cornelius branched off, and Indigo and I were left standing in the lobby.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No, not really. What I want to do is find out what we’re planning to do next.”

  “I think it would be a good idea to let Nix have the afternoon to cool off after witnessing your little display. Maybe you should go rest for a while.”

  “I’m not a child who needs to be coddled, Indigo.”

  “No, you’re not. But you haven’t dealt with what happened.”

  “You don’t have any right to judge. You don’t know—”

  “Stop it, Rowan! You aren’t the only one with scars or the only one here who has experienced pain. You don’t know what happened to me after I left,” Indigo barked.

  It was so unlike him—at least this new him that I’d been dealing with, the one who tried not to upset me. But the old Indigo wasn’t afraid to be real with me—to tell me exactly when I was being an ass or not seeing the bigger picture. Unable to help myself, I smiled.

  “Why the fuck are you smiling?” he growled.

  “Just nice to see you acting like yourself. It’s been a while.”

  Indigo took a step back and shook his head, obviously flummoxed by my sudden attitude shift.

  “I need to get my mind off what happened back there. Will you come spar with me?” I asked.

  “Go change, and I’ll meet you there in fifteen,” Indigo agreed with a heavy breath. His shoulders dropped a little, and for the first time in a long time, I saw him relax. Just a little.

  ***

  After sparring with Indigo for a half hour, the only thing left in my head was how sore I was. Hobbling around like an eighty-year-old man, I snatched a water bottle from the bench. Indigo didn’t even look slightly winded. I glared at him as I drank down half the water.

  “Stop glaring at me, Rowan. I train, and my body is made for hard labor. Just because I don’t sweat like you doesn’t make me the devil.”

  “So says you,” I mumbled against the lip of my bottle. He laughed a little but didn’t respond. I desperately needed a shower, stat, and he was walking around fresh as a daisy. Actually, from a distance, he smelled better than ever. He came and joined me over on the bench, wrapping a cool towel around the back of his neck. Curiosity tugged at me until I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

  “What happened?”

  Indigo tipped his head back and blew out a breath. I took a moment to study his profile, noting how much his hair had grown, his bangs exposing his forehead. It reminded me of the time he tried a very human, fad-style haircut that caused a lot of the other wolves to make fun of him. As dashing as he looked, and no matter how much my teenage heart throbbed over the idea of the swoopy haircut, he grew it back out. But the memory made me smile.

  “What’s that for?” He poked my cheek, which I used to do to him whenever his dimple appeared.

  Unable to bring myself to ruin this moment with a fight, I changed the subject. I slapped his hand away, a blush creeping over my cheeks. “Just remembering that haircut you got when we were going into our freshman year. Do you remember?”

  He shook his head ruefully. “How could I forget? Ira made fun of me constantly for it. Kept saying the only reason I did it was to impress you. He wasn’t wrong. The other wolves at that age were focused on growing their hair out to get it long enough to look more warrior-like.” Indigo smiled. That dimple appeared and before I could stop it, a breathy little sigh left me. His eyes popped open and stared at me.

  “That was a hiccup.” A hiccup? I cringed at my ridiculous lie.

  Arching a brow, the smile faded from his face. “What?”

  I swallowed. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  Escaping from the gym, Indigo’s laugh followed me. Rolling my eyes at myself, I trudged upstairs to the shower.

  ***

  After wringing the excess water out of my hair and redressing, I wandered back downstairs. Uncertain where Indigo went, I went to Nix’s office, hoping he could either point me in the direction of Indigo or give me an idea what we planned to do next. The workout helped me center myself, but it also made me more determined. I vowed to do what was needed to make sure those involved paid for what they did.

  I gradually became aware of raised voices the closer I got to Nix’s office, and the closer I got, the louder the voices became. Jason suddenly appeared next to me. I glared at him, irritated that he’d missed the summoning but secretly relieved he skipped it. If the necromancer who controlled Cassidy had tried to take him too, I really would have lost it.

  “Eavesdropping on werewolves? How very daring of you.”

  I gave him a baleful look, annoyed with his antics. He could speak as much as he wanted, and they couldn’t hear him, but the moment I made a peep, I knew they would stop talking. And I needed him to be quiet, so I could listen in.

  Nix’s voice came through the door, “Travis said he would be able to get someone in. We need more information, and information like this is delicate. Obviously, situations like this can only be done discreetly. I believe I know what our best option is, but after today’s display, I don’t believe it will work.”

  Is he talking about me? About how I lost control in the forest?

  I’d never heard his team mention someone named Travis before. I waited, not even daring to breathe, as I waited for the other person in the room to respond to Nix. Jason gave me a wink before striding through the wall and into the office.

  “You’re right. We need a better approach,” Indigo said. My head buzzed. Was he agreeing that I wasn’t ready?

  Jason materialized back in the hallway with me, anger slashing across his features. “Do not go in there, Rowan. I see some of their plans, and it’s not right.”

  No. I’m done running. I will face them and tell them I’m ready for whatever they have planned.

  Walking the last few steps to the office, I didn’t try to be quiet. The werewolves quieted down as they heard me approach. Stepping into the office, I saw Kayana, Cornelius, and Indigo all standing around awkwardly. Nix sat behind his desk with a stack of blueprints and papers scattered around his usually pristine desk.

  “Glad you could join us, Rowan,” Nix responded smoothly. “We were just discussing our plans for infiltrating the Black Market. Our government allows the idea of a market that caters to illicit products and services, as do the humans, but when it comes to slave trade and murder, we will take action. Kayana just came to inform us that the lab results came back for Cassidy. She was pregnant. The higher-ups don’t take kindly to that, and once the Knox coven finds out, they will declare war. Since she was their Curse Breaker, we need to wrap this up as expeditiously as possible.”

  My anger simmered under my skin. He spoke so clinically about Cassidy and everything she went through.

  “We have an informant who claims he can connect us wit
hin the Black Market slave trade, but he’s not high enough on the food chain to make contact with this mysterious puppet master.”

  “Let me guess—you need to use someone as bait, but you don’t think I’m ready?” I asked, my chin raised defiantly.

  “Quite the opposite, actually. My dear nephew vouched for you today. We haven’t been able to pin down who among us will play the role of ‘seller.’ Kayana can’t do it because of her other work. Unfortunately, Cornelius is not very discreet and easy to remember. We don’t want our faces to be remembered for obvious reasons, and Indigo has proven time and again that he cannot take his emotions out of the equation when it comes to you. He will not be able to do what is required.”

  Nix sat back in his chair, steepling his hands together again. I realized he did that when he was feeling smug.

  I should feel ashamed, but I didn’t. I did feel slightly foolish, but my overreaction was a logical deduction. Nix made it obvious that my presence here was barely tolerated. While I could help, he was clear that he didn’t see me as a candidate for permanent placement within his team.

  “What’s the plan, then?”

  From what I understood, they didn’t have someone to act as a slave. And since I was the only person in their camp who was a Curse Breaker, it had to be me.

  “We must find someone to act as your owner for now, a person who can realistically portray someone who wishes to rid themselves of you. You are too unruly or impulsive, perhaps,” Nix suggested wryly. “Our best option would be to explore other teams who may have a vampire on their roster. Unfortunately, all that will take time. Time is of the utmost importance, since we don’t want the puppet master to decide he needs to disappear in the dark. Especially if these deaths are brought to light. We can only hold back the news for so long, at which point he will retreat.”

  My mind raced for a moment before settling on the only option I saw. One I realized would not only endanger me but upset Indigo. He would fight me on the idea, and I worried what I would have to offer up in exchange for the other party to agree.

  “There is someone we can ask. A vampire I know who will keep me safe. It’s in his best interest, after all,” I suggested, speaking directly to Nix. The heat of Indigo’s gaze burned me to the core. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his nostrils flare as he took a step forward, the look on his face speaking volumes. If he could, he would stop me from speaking with that look. Well, buck up, buttercup. This is my life to wager with.

  “And who is this vampire you trust not only with your life, but with the secrets of this organization?” Nix asked, sounding like he already knew the answer.

  “Balthazar, my contracted-fiancé. My parents offered me up as collateral to protect me and my twin brother, since we are both Curse Breakers. We were being systematically hunted, and a newly formed vampire coven was looking to make allies and build their own power. Right now, all Balthazar cares about is winning me over. He has stated before that he doesn’t want us to have a loveless relationship, since we very well might live very long lives together.”

  Indigo was unable to disguise his feelings. The growl started out quietly, but by the time I finished, it rumbled throughout the room. As he stepped closer to me, Nix shot him a warning look.

  “I’m aware of your situation, but Rowan, I must ask you—what will he ask in return? Are you willing to pay it?”

  I swallowed, feverishly thinking through my options, and then Cassidy’s face came to mind. Then Jason’s, who hovered anxiously behind me, and lastly, Willow’s. Sweet Willow, who had the briefest moment of freedom before it was stolen away from her again.

  “I will pay whatever is required,” I answered confidently. “It will be an agreement between the two of us. But he could very well be the answer to our problem.”

  “I will consider it,” Nix said, effectively ending the meeting.

  Chapter 20

  Indigo left the room in a fury after Nix concluded the meeting. After a quick, wordless exchange between Cornelius and Nix, Cornelius followed after Indigo. My heart sank.

  “Thank you for your input today, Kayana. I will call on you soon,” Nix said very properly and graciously. She nodded and offered me a sympathetic smile before leaving the office as well. I waited until the door clicked behind her.

  Nix sighed heavily with his gaze locked on the door.

  “My nephew has plans for you. He loves you, which we both know, even if you don’t want to admit it. In any event, I cannot condone his plan.”

  “As his uncle or as his boss?” I asked.

  “As both. Indigo would be a liability either way. He will not agree to you negotiating any terms with the vampire.” Nix paused a moment, carefully choosing his words. “Indigo has spoken of you often over the years, telling me of your wild, free spirit. And I will admit I was very apprehensive when Indigo asked me to house you for those exact reasons. Would you tell me the truth if I asked, Rowan?”

  I smothered the laugh that threatened to bubble up my throat. One didn’t simply lie to a werewolf. They were essentially human lie detectors. But I knew what he was asking. He wanted my loyalty and my trust, a very werewolf move. One I was familiar with and of which I understood the weight.

  “Yes, which is why I have to tell you that even if you reject my idea, I’ll go to Balthazar and ask for his help. Cassidy and Jason, Curse Breakers and Mystics, shouldn’t be sold like cattle. They deserve their freedom.”

  Nix tilted his head and inspected me. “And their freedom is more important to you than your own?”

  “Yes.”

  “You don’t need time to think it over?”

  “No. I’ll do what I have to. And in the end, if I can preserve my own freedom, I will. But if I have to sacrifice myself to a life of veiled chains and bars, then so be it. I’ve been behind real bars under the care of a vampire coven that would do anything to get what they wanted.” As if on cue, the brand burned into the back of my neck burned and itched.

  “Would you deny her that?” Nix asked, raising his eyes and looking behind me. I turned around to see Indigo had snuck back into the room, looking at me as if he’d never seen me before. While I understood they each had their own version of pain and dealt with it as they saw fit, this was how I needed to deal with mine. The last thing I wanted was to be owned, but I could almost stomach the idea if I knew it released others from their prisons.

  “I will not stop trying to find a way out of it, but I will relent this one time.”

  “I mean, honestly, we might be making mountains out of anthills. He wants me to care, and Hades help me for saying this in the presence of two werewolves, but I think he’s a vampire of honor, one who truly wants me to want him.”

  “Indigo might not hold them in great esteem, much like my brother, but I have met many honorable vampires in my lifetime. Here’s what we’re going to do. Rowan, contact Balthazar, but tell him we will meet in a neutral zone and discuss our options. You are dismissed for now. Indigo, please stay. And Rowan, please take your ghost friend with you.”

  I cringed, not realizing Jason had moved closer to the desk. The cold that wafted from him would be easily dismissed by someone who didn’t know what I was, or how I snuck glances at him when Nix was speaking to Indigo, but not Nix.

  “Come on, Jason,” I mumbled as we left the office together. Eavesdropping on them was pure dumb luck earlier, and it wouldn’t be an option again. Instead, I decided to return to Indigo and Cornelius’s apartment to get my phone. I trudged upstairs, lost in my own thoughts, trying to decide how to breech this subject to Balthazar.

  What exactly would he ask from me in return? For me to return home with him to complete the ceremony? Something more? Something less? I didn’t have a very good pin on him. Cracking my knuckles, I wondered if he would even go along with the plan or if he would be as protective as Indigo. As I told Nix, there was only one way to find out.

  ***

  I twirled my phone in my hands as I stared up at the stars. O
n my way to the boys’ apartment, I ran into Kayana on the elevator. Needing somewhere I could be alone, I asked her how to get to the roof. She gave me directions, and after getting my phone, I went straight up.

  The stars were muted in the city but still visible through the hazy film that settled over the sky. I breathed in deeply before scrolling through my phone to hover over Balthazar’s name. Right above his was Abel’s.

  Who to call first?

  I pressed send and put the phone to my ear.

  “Deehire, is there something wrong?”

  “Depends on what you mean. What’s wrong with the world? What’s my current standing problem? Or...”

  Balthazar sighed. “You know what I meant, deehire. You would not have contacted me if you didn’t have a reason behind it.”

  “I may need your help, but I need you to hear me out before you say no. I also need you to understand that there are some things I cannot discuss with you.”

  “Go ahead. I am listening.”

  I gave him a watered-down version of what was happening, peppering in some creative half-truths. I told him my brother Kent worked with the Guard, who informed me they had contacted some ghosts who mentioned that Curse Breakers were going missing. I said the Guard needed someone to go undercover, and that I was the perfect choice. Lies tangled with truth to form a newly woven story that would keep Nix’s organization out of it and give him a reason to help.

  “You want me to offer to sell you.” Suspicion laced his tone, and it was as if I heard the wheels turning in his head.

  “I understand it seems like a farfetched, elaborate plan to get out of our contract, but it’s not,” I argued.

  “How can you guarantee that?”

  “Well, for one, I don’t really relish the idea of being sold on the Black Market with no certainty of my safety during that time. What happens if something goes wrong?”

  “Exactly,” he seized on my comment. “Yet you wish me to go through with this plan?”

  “Is there anything I can offer that will convince you?” I asked, leaning over the ledge and staring up at the stars.