Author: Shelena Shorts
Date: 2012-07-09 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Young Adult; Paranormal; Fantasy; Romance; New Adult; Supernatural; Paranormal Romance; Fiction; Novels; Young Adult Paranormal
Description: For centuries, the Petrescu family has been protecting society from a danger that moves among the population undetected. Eighteen-year-old Vasi Petrescu has never had a problem carrying out his duty, but, when ordered to eliminate a seventeen-year-old girl, he is immediately taken out of his comfort zone.The Syndicate has never targeted a female before, yet somehow this one has ended up on more than one hit list. Vasi would like to find out why, but there may not be time.Now, he'll have to decide whether or not to keep her alive even if it means going against his own family.The action, mystery
Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing

The Syndicate
Published through Lands Atlantic Publishing
www.landsatlantic.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved

Copyright © 2012 by Shelena Shorts

ISBN 978-0-9857250-9-9

Cover Design by José C. Aponte

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the author or publisher.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: THE ARRIVAL

Chapter 2: THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT

Chapter 3: SECOND ASSIGNMENT

Chapter 4: COMING TO TERMS

Chapter 5: THE ER

Chapter 6: DAY OF ATTACK

Chapter 7: THE RESISTANCE

Chapter 8: THE UNEXPECTED

Chapter 9: RESISTANCE

Chapter 10: THE FOLD

Chapter 11: THE AFTERMATH

Chapter 12: THE ANSWER

Chapter 13: MAILED

Chapter 14: FAMILY HISTORY

Chapter 15: HENRI’S CIRCLE

Chapter 16: A PLAN

Chapter 17: THE MAYBE

Chapter 18: THE TIE THAT BINDS

Chapter 19: A REUNION

Chapter 20: THE FUTURE

Chapter 21: THE PETRESCU RETURN

Chapter 22: SOLO

Chapter 1
THE ARRIVAL

As I make my way through the back hall, I ponder two of our most important objectives. One is to be better than the target; the other, to be loyal to the Syndicate—and I don’t have a problem with either. What I do have a problem with is being called to meet privately with Henri at midnight on the eve of our next Circle.

My family’s mansion is now the center of the Syndicate’s North American operation, and though the house belongs to me by birthright, my respect for the code, and for the elders, keeps me submissively following orders. Now is no exception.

Knowing that Henri will be able to sense my irritation, I begin counting by thirteen so that, by the time I reach his study, I appear well focused.

When I arrive, the office door is open, prompting me to enter without knocking.

Behind the desk sits Henri, the oldest and most powerful of the Circle. His chair is facing the wall, but his tan, finely wrinkled hands are visible on each armrest. His left hand begins tapping softly, but, to me and my fellow Guard, the tap is a near thump to our trained hearing. Knowing he can sense my presence, I wait respectfully until he slowly turns and faces me.

“My dearest Vasile, please come—and close the door.” I do as he asks and sit across from him as he continues. “I know this meeting is very unusual, but we are approaching some of our most trying times. Our duties will be tested now more than ever.” I shift in my seat, trying to decipher the harder-than-usual lines in Henri’s face. “You are our most reliable, most efficient, and I trust you with my life. We all do.” This surprises me, because as far as I know we have everything under control.

“I don’t understand,” I say. “Things are in order. We are fulfilling our purpose.”

“Yes, we are. However, the Readers see a future that could not only threaten civilians, but threaten our Syndicate. I am told we will be tested like never before.”

“Why are you telling me this? Where are the others?” There are eight members of the American Guard, so I find it strange for Henri to be speaking to me in private. Matters regarding the Syndicate are supposed to be discussed at the Circle, in front of everyone.

My mouth opens with more questions, but Henri puts his hand up to silence me. “Because,” he says. “You are next in line to lead the Circle. I must know that you are willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill your duties.”

I lean forward, a little defensive that there would be any doubt. “Of course I will.”

After a brief moment of reflection, Henri stands and walks around the desk. Behind me, he places his palms on both of my shoulders. “Good. I knew you could be relied upon. Now, listen carefully…the Readers see one of the Guard going astray.” I move to turn around, but Henri holds me still. “Vasile. You must listen.”

I shake my head. “No one would do that. The Syndicate is too important.”

With a slight laugh, Henri replies, “I wish it were true, but the Readers are never wrong.”

Still fighting the urge to face him, I quickly shoot back, “But who?”

“That is unknown.”

“None of my brothers would betray the Syndicate. I know that.”

Henri gives me a pat on the shoulder and finally moves in front of me. Leaning on the desk, he sighs slowly and shakes his head equally so. “Vasi, you know nothing but what our Readers foresee.” His remarkably white hair and pale blue eyes, in contrast to his tan skin, create an intriguing look of godly wisdom. There’s no point in questioning him, so I bow my head and nod.

“Now,” Henri continues, “I brought you here because it will be your responsibility to make sure our Syndicate survives the betrayal. You must never fail us, and you must always protect the Syndicate. No matter what.”

What does that mean, “no matter what?” I think about my destiny to protect the people and fulfill my father’s wishes, but hearing orders from Henri has always given me the urge to rebel. Not from the Syndicate, but from his authority. Without responding verbally, I give a slight nod, which Henri doesn’t find acceptable.

“Do you understand?” he presses.

I force myself to answer. “I understand.”

“Good. I knew you would. Now, as you know, the Readers are on their way and the Circle meets tomorrow. You will get your next assignment, and you must watch your back. Remember, one of the Guards will threaten our survival, but we do not know when. Trust no one and always be vigilant and alert.”

“Yes, sir.”

Henri silently crosses the study and opens the door, an unspoken invitation to leave. In passing, I glance into the eyes of our leader and, although I expect to see the steadfast composure that the Elders always possess, something rattles me.

The Syndicate has faced centuries of threats, but never one from our own, and I certainly expect Henri to appear a little concerned at the idea, but there is nothing unusual in his eyes.

As I make my way back to my room, it is the one time I don’t just wish my father were still around; I need him to be. With his training, my skills are unmatchable, and at eighteen I’m already the best assassin in the Guard. Not because I’m the strongest, or even the fastest, but because I possess adequate physical strength coupled with his instinct and intellect.

Unafraid to say it, I’m simply the smartest and most reliable of the Syndicate brothers, and therefore respected. It does help that my bloodline is the oldest among our kind, so carrying out my duty is natural to me. Not trusting one of my brothers is another story. Not natural. Handling a possible betrayal from the Guard was something my father didn’t teach me about. In fact, there were many things my father, once the leader of the Syndicate, didn’t get to teach me.

Not only the youngest of the appointed Guard, I’m also the only one with a deceased mother and father. Both killed when I was fifteen. Everything I know, I learned before my parent’s murder, and have since refused to allow anyone else to teach me, which makes my abilities stand out that much more. It also makes me feel closer to my father—unchanged, as I like to think of myself. I am, in my mind, the exact person I believe my father wanted me to be.

Some people in the Syndicate even have moments of déjà vu. They say I’m the spitting image of him. Fair skin, light brown hair, and hazel eyes that seem to change color with my clothing. It’s eerie for them to see me not only look so much like my father, but to act like him, even three years after his death.

I can’t help but ponder my memories of him as I enter my room and lie on the bed. My room is one of several in the century-old French-style mansion, but this space is simple: no photographs, no bright wall color. Just the basics. A bed, computer desk with a laptop, small reading light, and a bookcase. The walls are covered in sealed oak, stained to match the dark oak floors.

The iron bed is situated in the corner to allow the most floor space. The bed itself has been in my family for decades and is now nearly too small for me. At six feet three, it’s virtually impossible for me to stretch out completely on the old frame, but I refuse to get rid of it. To me, it’s another method of hanging onto the memories of my bloodline.

The darkness usually brings peaceful thoughts, but tonight my mind is racing. Trust no one. One of the Guards will betray us? Unable to shake Henri’s words, for once, I’m glad to hear the tapping of my sister’s heels as she approaches my room.

At seventeen, Rosie is the youngest appointed member. But she wasn’t appointed for her talent alone. She was given her role as my Scout because I refused to have it any other way.

In the Syndicate, it’s tradition for the boys to become part of the Guard once they turn eighteen. Our job is simply to hunt and kill when told. The girls can either be Readers or Scouts or a silent member. And since Rosie couldn’t see the future if it bit her, and she can’t stay out of the way, she’s a Scout, and I want her paired with me.

The mere fact that the elders considered appointing her a year early is a true testament to my value. They need me in the Guard, and if what the Readers predict is true, they need me now more than ever.

Her small voice sings as she approaches. “Oh, big brother, where art thou?”

I don’t bother answering, because she’ll knock twice and just come in anyway.

On cue, she enters. “Hel-lo? Did you hear me calling you?”

I sit up and smile slightly. Seeing her, my only true blood relative still living, makes even the worst thoughts disappear.

“Yes, but why respond when I know you’re just going to barge in anyway?”

Not waiting for me to move over, she plops down beside me. “Oh, big brother, if you came to the door like a gentlemen, then I wouldn’t have to barge in.”

“Well, I’m not a gentlemen, so that’s out, and you can stop calling me big brother.”

“But you are. You know you like it. What are you, like, six feet six now?”

“Hardly.”

“Whatever.”

I laugh, almost wanting to turn on the light just so I can get a better glimpse of her. She takes after our mother, with dark hair and chocolate eyes. She’s also tall and athletic, but prefers to keep her nails refined as opposed to fighting beastly creatures like I do. Not to say she can’t hold her own if need be.

“Why are you here?” I ask.

I can feel her piercing glare in the darkness. “I’m your Scout, remember? What do you think I’ve been doing?”

“Rosie, there’s nothing to scout. The Readers aren’t even here until tomorrow. We have no assignment.”

“You think I shut off my skills just because there’s no Hybrid on the radar? It doesn’t work like that, brother. I’m always on the lookout.”

“Fine. I give. What did you see?”

“Nothing.”

I roll my eyes, about to give her the boot, when she corrects. “Well, maybe something.”

“All right. What is it?”

“Okay…I was sneaking in from, well, a friend’s house and thought I saw a Reader coming in the west entry. So I came to see if you guys got orders early.”

Sitting up completely now, I turn on the lamp. “You saw a Reader? Tonight? Here?”

“I think.”

“Which one?”

“Well, I didn’t see an actual Reader, but I saw a Shadow.”

“Who?”

“Couldn’t tell.”

Frustrated with the vague report, I sigh. “Rosie, then how did you know it was a Shadow?”

“It was just the way they were walking. Why are you so uptight about it?”

I know the Readers aren’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow afternoon, so it doesn’t make sense why one would arrive early. And the mention of the west entrance doesn’t sit well with me because that leads to Henri’s study. One of the rules of the Syndicate is that all meetings are held publicly.

The only reason we have lasted this long is because of the camaraderie instilled by our ancestors. No one ever breaks off to do their own thing, and because of our vow to discuss and make all decisions together, we have always stood strong, as one trusted unit. Never have there been secret meetings. Counting the one I just had, and if my sister is right, that makes two in one night.

“Hello?” Rosie waves her hand in front of my face. “What’s up?”

“I’m not sure. Just tell me if you see anything else.”

Fumbling through her purse, she pops a piece of bubble gum in her mouth. “Sure thing.”

She stands to leave, but turns back, sending her ponytail around to the opposite shoulder. “So you don’t know when we go hunting again?”

“No, little sis. But, I have a pretty good feeling we’ll find out tomorrow.”

In excitement, she rolls forward on the balls of her feet and hops out of my room.

Since my first Hybrid kill, sleeping has never been my strong suit, but I force myself to relax in hopes of getting some answers at the Circle tomorrow.

***

The first Reader arrives at three. Adela, a small, thin woman with fiery red hair, is my godmother, and I always look forward to seeing her. She steps out of the black Range Rover with her Shadow in tow, both wearing all back.

“Vasile! Oh, my dear. I’ve missed you truly.”

“Adela.” I kiss her on the cheek. “Can I help you carry anything?”

“Nonsense. What do you think I have Eugen for?”

I turn to her Shadow. “Eugen. Nice to see you.”

Eugen sighs and smiles. “You too, brother.” He gives me a firm hug and we begin walking to the house. As a Shadow, Eugen is responsible for protecting Adela. The older Hybrids have learned about the Readers’ ability to predict their locations, so it’s not uncommon for them to come after a Reader. Therefore, the Readers are never left unprotected, and ever since Eugen retired from the Guard several years ago, he’s been Adela’s Shadow.

Although he’s not my brother by blood, Eugen is my Syndicate brother, and it by all means feels like true blood. With Adela walking slowly ahead of us, I take the opportunity to whisper, “I see she hasn’t changed a bit.”

Eugen winks. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Seeing my raised brow, he adds, “Let’s just say life never gets boring with her.”

“I hear you two,” Adela sings.

We laugh, and it’ll probably be the last time for a while. Being an active member of the Guard, I’m about to find out where to find a Hybrid, and that means business and no play.

After helping Adela and Eugen settle in, I make it a point to watch and count the arrivals of the remaining Readers. There are five, counting Adela, and I want to identify the early arriver through process of elimination.

I park myself with a book in the living room, just off the main entryway. Camelia arrives next, with her Shadow Paul. Followed by Joana and her Shadow Jean. But, neither Dorina nor Ramona arrive.

Confused, I wait as long as possible until Rosie comes to get me. “Vasile, it’s time. You need to change.”

“What about the Readers who aren’t here?”

Rosie scrunches up her face. “What are you talking about? Everyone’s here.”

“I didn’t see Dorina or Ramona.”

“They’re here.”

She goes to pull me by the arm, but then it registers. “Wait a minute,” she says. “You were waiting to see who didn’t arrive today, because you wanted to see if I was right about last night.”

I don’t argue.

“I knew it!” she nearly hisses. “Which one? And what does it mean?”

I sense a million questions coming, and my brain can’t handle hers on top of the ones already running through my mind, so I cut her off.

“Rosie, I’m just curious. Relax. I’m sure I’ll find out what’s going on at the Circle.”

“Which you are going to be late for if you don’t hurry up.”

Tradition has always been for the Syndicate to wear black, so I stop by my room to change. My choice of a black hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants is certainly on the casual side, but still acceptable.

At six o’clock, I make my way to the west passage, into the basement, and toward the chamber where the Elders and the Readers await. Although this is my fifth time making this walk, it somehow feels very much like the first. A little anxious and apprehensive.

Approaching the ornately carved door, I see the eight Scouts and five Shadows mingling outside. They are not part of the inner Circle. Not because they aren’t trusted, but because their orders will come directly from their Guards.

Nodding respectfully to each of my brothers and sisters, I open the door to see fifteen high-ranking Syndicate members sitting around, waiting for me, the sixteenth member. They immediately turn and look my way.

“About time,” Daniel shouts. He, too, is in sweatpants. Only a year older than me, he is by far my closest Guard member. Our mothers were inseparable, and, even though his father is Henri, we are best friends. I think we both equally dislike taking orders from Henri, and I smile as that thought crosses my mind.

Just then, someone to my right clears his throat. Alexandru. Cocky Alexandru. He’s over the top about everything, from his Benz to his designer underwear. He’s living the high life and not afraid to show it. After all, what’s anyone going to do about it? When he was in high school, a kid tried to challenge him, and Alexandru broke his nose with an open hand. Then he sent the kid the dry-cleaning bill because he bled on his sleeve. He has no problem doing and saying whatever he wants, because he has the money and the ego to back it up.

If he wasn’t my brother, there would be no love lost between us. But, I keep that to myself, because really, if it ever came down to it, he’d have my back and I’d have his, without a doubt.

I apologize for being thirty seconds late, and then find my seat. The Circle is laid out so that the three Elders—Henri, Stefan, and Valentin—are seated on a pulpit-like structure, facing us. Their chairs are two hundred years old, handcrafted of mahogany and upholstered in green velvet.

Henri, of course, sits in the middle, because he is the numărul unu. Three years ago my father sat there, but I shake the memory, because things are just the way they are now. My father isn’t here, and I’m not ready, willing, or qualified to be in charge, so I try to be grateful for the effective back-up plan.

My eyes shift to the row of chairs in front of me. The Readers are situated in a semicircle, making a half circle facing the Elders. The eight Guards, including me, are in a larger one behind the Readers.

I immediately seek out Dorina and Ramona, who are both here, in the flesh, despite their Houdini arrival. I’m tempted to tap them on the shoulder and ask what the hell is going on and why one of them is sneaking around the halls at night.

However, Guards are only supposed to listen and wait for Henri to begin, so I check out my other brothers. We all maintain a room in the house, but the older ones—Alexandru, Nicolae, Ovidui, and Simon—have primary homes nearby. Elders Stefan and Valentin do as well. None of them are married, and it provides more freedom to date and such. Even Stefan and Valentin, who are in their sixties, are no strangers to attractive women. Both of them have been married more than once.

Daniel (who goes by Dani), myself, Andre, and Petric still live here full-time. We’re all under twenty-one, and none of us concentrate on how much our clothes cost or how many girls we can pick up. We just want to play football or basketball and fight. I guess that’s why we’re wearing tennis shoes and our older brothers are wearing Ferragamos.

I smile slightly and shake my head, hoping to never turn into them, just as Henri’s voice reminds me that we have serious business to attend to.

“Good evening,” he says. “It gives me great pleasure to see my family here, looking so beautiful, wise, and ready for the challenges that face our world. This year, our chapter alone has already eliminated thirty-six Hybrids, and our government could not be more grateful.

“As I look out at our gifted Readers, I see concern in some of your eyes, but hear me this: Have no fear. The Hybrids that you see will be eliminated swiftly, and we will continue to protect the people and to be victorious.

“Now, I ask you to close your eyes and remember your visions. Remember what you have seen. Concentrate on those images.”

Henri stands and hands black pens to Valentin and stacks of mini parchment paper to Stefan. The three make their way down from the platform.

“Now,” Henri continues, “We will give each of you your tools and bear witness as the images God has shown you come forth onto the paper. Share with us what you see. Share with us what you know. Share with us what needs to be done.”

Each of the Readers takes their pen and paper and begins to write. Adela, my godmother, writes assertively as always and is finished first. It is hard for me to see, but it looks like she wrote on three papers. That means three names.

Camelia and Joana write slowly, with their eyes closed, as if struggling to see the visions. When they are done, it looks like they only have two sheets each. That’s seven total names so far, which causes me to sit up further.

My eyes lock next on Ramona, who is now writing rather quickly and purposefully. Four sheets when she’s done. Lastly is Dorina, who is sitting with her eyes closed. It’s hard to see her lap from my angle, but it looks as though she has a few sheets completed already, but something is holding her up. A vision she perhaps can’t make out or remember. We all wait. Finally she pries open her eyes and sighs deeply. For the first time, I see her hand shaking as she writes. Henri pats her on the shoulder and thanks her when she’s done. Five sheets.

Counting all, there are sixteen sheets. That means sixteen Hybrids have been located. I’m stunned. That is by far the most in one month. No wonder Ramona looks rattled. I’m feeling a little uneasy myself. Killing a Hybrid is no walk in the park, and sixteen divided by eight is simple. I take a deep breath, realizing that, for the first time, I will have to kill two Hybrids in one rotation. Another thing my father never got a chance to prepare me for.

Chapter 2
THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT

Once Henri collects all the papers, he lays them on the table, which rests against the back wall. We watch as they huddle below the backdrop of our Syndicate symbol: a large wrought-iron wall-hanging resembling a circular maze. It’s the symbol that represents our lives. It’s everywhere: the wall, the furnishings throughout the house. We each have it tattooed on one of our biceps as a constant reminder of who we are.

It takes only a few minutes for Henri, Stefan, and Valentin to determine that there are no duplicate names on the sheets. Then, Henri transfers each name into our record book for accountability purposes, and then orders the Guards to stand. We remain still until he calls us up one by one to receive our assignments.

As the most recent member of the Circle, I’m last. When it’s my turn, I just put the small pieces of paper in my pocket. It doesn’t really matter who they are. It’s a job, and I’ll treat it that way as soon as I leave the circle, but for now I wait.

Once I’m back in my seat, Henri goes through the spiel about having faith in our abilities and knowing we will all succeed. I look around at my brothers. Andre and Petric are each bouncing their knees in anticipation, like pit bulls waiting to get out of their pen. They love to take out a Hybrid. They’re good attackers, but that’s what makes them loose cannons.

The government expects us to keep what we do private. The Hybrids have been walking this earth for a couple hundred years now, but only recently have they resurfaced in great numbers. The Syndicate is no secret to the government, but, to the public, we are non-existent. And so are the Hybrids, for now. We kill for them, they pay us, and no one has to know that Hybrids are walking around threatening civilization. All is kosher except for the fact that Andre and Dani are messy. They’ve drawn attention to themselves during kills, and the government has had to cover it up.

I shift my gaze to Petric, who’s leaning back in his seat. He smiles when we make eye contact. It’s a devious smile. That’s his weakness. He’s so confident that he barely does his homework on his assignments. It’s a dangerous way to think, but he says it’s the only way he finds fun in what we do.

The veterans are in their seats, with looks of boredom. Alexandru is messing with his manicure, and the others are either playing with their suit buttons or picking lint from their sleeves. They’ve heard this pep talk dozens of times, and there’s no mistaking…we all want one thing: to walk out of these doors so we can do what we’re born to do.

It’s seven o’clock when we adjourn. We’re permitted a few respectful hugs with the Readers and our Brothers, and then we’re whisked off to a dinner prepared by our house chefs. Elders, Readers, Shadows, Guards, and Scouts. It’s the one time a month that we’re all in one room together, and we feast and feast. And feast some more. It’s like Thanksgiving times ten.

Our dining room table fits all of us comfortably, and there’s enough food to feed an army. Then again, I guess that’s exactly what we are. Henri and Stefan take charge of the conversation as always—this time making jokes about the government. It causes me to reflect on something my father taught me: don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Stick up for yourself, but have respect and be grateful for what is given to you. Henri and Stefan seem to have missed that life lesson.

They take it upon themselves to protect society because that’s what’s in their blood. But they’re arrogant leaders. They have no problem demanding outrageous amounts of compensation from the government, because, without us, this world would be in chaos.

Tonight their stories consist of how worried the president looked at their last meeting, how he was nearly begging for us to get rid of every Hybrid in the world. That’s our goal, but it doesn’t work like that. Our families have been after them for years, and, just when we think they’re extinct, they reappear decades later, stronger, faster, and more adapted into society.

They’ve almost reached the point where you can’t differentiate them from an uninfected human. In fact, the masses couldn’t pick a Hybrid out of a lineup if their lives depended on it. The only reason we’re able to is because of our training.

There are subtle things, like the yellow hue in the whites of the eyes. It resembles jaundice, but more unnatural. Same thing with the fingernails. An unhealthy yellowing to them, and then the skin is extra dry. Aside from that, a Hybrid’s spine is wider than usual at the neck, but that’s not easily noticeable when clothed.

That’s what makes this generation of Hybrids so unsettling. Listening to Henri and Stefan joke confidently about the times really bothers me. Anxious to be dismissed, I head straight to my room.

Finally alone, I remove the papers from my pocket and unfold the thin sheets: William Simons Stafford III (VA) and Riley Lee Bennett (MD). I barely finish reading the names and locations when my sister bursts into the room.

“Ugh, those dinners are getting so annoying. How do all those egos fit in one room?”

I let out a breath that’s almost a laugh. “I know. It didn’t used to be like that.”

“How do you know? You’ve only been in the Circle for five months.”

My head tilts. “Come on, Rosie. You know I used to sneak around these halls when Dad was alive, always listening in on what I could. I looked up to the Circle. They stood for something.”

“They still do,” she says.

“Yeah, but I keep thinking it’s not about the people first. It’s about the glory now.”

She makes her way over to my bed and sits. “You might be right.” Looking at my hands, she sees the papers. “So, what did we get?”

I show her the names. “William and Riley. So an older guy and a younger guy.”

“What makes you say that?” I ask.

“Well, William is an older person’s name and Riley is definitely a cool name. It’s a shame. I bet he’s cute too.”

“What?”

“I’m just saying. He probably was, before he was infected.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Her shoulders sink. “I know.”

Rosie still has difficulty separating our assignments from the people they used to be, but we have to. We can’t worry about the person who was lost. They’re no longer human, no longer safe for society. They have to go.

She hands me back the papers. “Well. It’s still interesting. I bet I’m right, though.”

“Doubt it,” I say, giving her a nudge.

“Whatever. I’m always right. Anyway. I’ll find out. Which one do you want me to scout first?”

I can see that she’s bored and anxious to start her next challenge. She’s essentially my eyes and ears. The Readers give us a name and rough location, and we have to find them. I got lucky this time. Both of my assignments are nearby, so hopefully, not a lot of traveling. Rosie will find out exactly where they are and what they do. She’ll have their routine down to a science, and then I’ll decide exactly when and where to eliminate them. I look at the names.

“Find William first.”

She rolls her eyes. “I knew you were going to say that. Fine. Old boring guy it is.”
I give her a light shove off my bed and she leaves with her shoulders low, but I know she’ll pick up her step once out of my room. She loves her job.

There’s nothing like a nosy girl getting the green light to dig into someone’s business. She’ll probably have all the info I need on William Stafford III before the week is up. Then, I’ll get rid of him and move on to our next target.

Four days go by before Rosie has what I need. She comes in my room just as I’m about to fall asleep.

“Okay,” she says. “This William guy is a tough one.”

I almost want to ask her to come back in the morning, but knowing she’s put in a lot of hours, I sit up and turn on the small table lamp.

“What’s up?” I ask, my eyes still adjusting to the light.

“Well, he’s a freakin’ senator.”

My eyes widen. “You’re pulling my leg.” These Hybrids are stopping at nothing. Turning such a public figure is risky.

“No I’m not. Trust me. William Stafford III lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and two teenage sons, and he travels to D.C. every morning on the Metro.” I make a face, and she says, “Yeah, I know.” And then she continues, “He eats a BLT sandwich and a diet coke everyday—”

I put my hand up to stop her. I’ll get the details later. First I need to take in the major one.

“A senator, you say?”

“Yes.”

“How the hell are we going to make him disappear without drawing too much attention to it?”

“No clue,” she says. “That’s your job.”

I ignore the convenient way she pulls herself out of the challenge. “You’re sure this is our target?”

“Yes, I’m sure. And it wasn’t easy. I ended up having to sit right behind him on the subway to try to get a glimpse of his neck for confirmation. He’s definitely one.”

I give her a hug for her effort, and that’s rare for me. I’m not an affectionate person, but she deserves more than one of Henri’s lame pats on the back.

“Thanks,” I tell her.

She leans into me. “Sure.”

“We’ll talk more about Mr. Senator tomorrow, and I’ll map out my plan.”

She nods and then gives me a look of worry. Almost like it’s just hit her that all this work she’s done to find William will end with me going up against a high-profile Hybrid.

“What? Little sis. You don’t think I can handle an old guy?”

She laughs. “No. Well, yes, I know you can handle him. I’m just not sure when you’ll get a chance. He always has people around him. There’s barely a window…”

“Okay stop. I’m tired and just want to sleep and figure this out tomorrow. You can tell me what you know then. After breakfast.”

“You’re sick. How can you think about food and a Hybrid at the same time?”

I shove her head, but she elbows me in my ribs and jumps up before I can counter.

***

The following morning, I’m eating breakfast alone when Henri enters. It’s early, so I know it will just be the two of us for a while, because my brothers won’t wake until at least eleven.

He sits with his coffee and a muffin, which he eats with a fork and knife.

“Good morning, Henri.”

“Yes. It is.” He looks at me and begins stirring in the cream and sugar. “Any progress on your Hybrids?”

I finish chewing. It’s unusual for him to want a progress report. “Yes,” I answer, trying not to frown.

“Good. Because reports of completion are already coming in.”

I get the feeling he’s challenging me. The Guards don’t talk amongst themselves about their assignments, so I never know who my brothers have or when they’ve completed their tasks. For some reason, Henri feels the need to rush me. And I don’t like it.

“That’s good news,” I respond with a nod.

“Yes,” he answers dryly, taking a sip of his coffee.

I make finishing my breakfast a priority, although Henri doesn’t seem to have the same plan. He pulls out a newspaper, but, instead of reading, he keeps talking to me.

“You’re close, I assume?”

I nod.

“Good.”

I’m finally done with my eggs and toast, so I stand to put my plate in the kitchen.

“Remember what I told you,” he says.

We make eye contact, and I can’t help feeling like he wants to say something else. But I nod again and walk away.

Rosie meets me in my room and we talk about William. She tells me everything, from what time he wakes up, to what Metro line he takes, to when he gets home, to when he takes out his garbage. I can’t kill him on the Metro, and, since his wife takes him to and from the station every day, I can’t get him in his car. I’m certainly not going to kill him at the Capitol. And according to Rosie, he’s a straight-up family man. Never goes out without his wife or one of his kids. He must be newly turned, I think. No signs of violent, erratic behavior yet. So how do I kill a family man with a ticking time bomb inside him?

Contemplating, I focus on her last detail.

“It’s trash night, you say?”

Her eyes get wide. “Yes.”

“Well then. William, our Hybrid, is going out with his own trash tonight.”

Rosie smiles and nods in approval.

I get dressed right after dinner, choosing my black fatigues for comfort and camouflage after dark. Next, I decide on my black Timberland boots, more for traction than speed. William will need to be taken down at close range, so I also head to our weapon room.

Hidden behind a floor-to-ceiling wall painting of a Romanian mountain range is the entryway. Through it is a narrow hallway that leads to our underground training room and weapons chamber. I choose knives, and at the last minute decide on a handgun in case he gets away, which I don’t anticipate.

He lives in a cul-de-sac along with three other homes. His house sits farthest from the road, and his driveway is long, which gives me a lot of leeway. At just after dark, I’m waiting in the tree line that borders William’s property. The only thing I’m hoping is that other neighbors don’t take out the trash at the same time as he does. Other than that, this should be an easy kill and removal.

I make myself comfortable and sit up against the base of a tree with my knife in my lap. Not knowing how long I’ll be here, I decide to take out a power bar and start snacking. Not because I’m hungry or need energy, but because it relaxes me. I don’t like to overthink things, especially right before an attack. I do the thinking beforehand. Now, I prefer to let my instincts take over.

I’m down to my last bite when I hear the garage door open. Quickly, I stuff the wrapper in my pocket and wrap my fingers around the knife.

As he makes his way down the driveway, he brings with him the grinding sounds of the trash bin’s plastic wheels on asphalt. I decide to wait until he’s dropped the bin off at the curb and is on his way back.

I’m taken by surprise when he starts whistling. Either these Hybrids are really evolving, or this guy has really just been changed. But, it can’t be too recent. His spine is already changing. Rosie saw it. He is one.

He makes his way back up the driveway, and all that’s left between us is the black of night. I make my move. At first, his eyes widen, as he doesn’t know what’s pouncing from the trees.

He’s unsure whether to scream or shout. I’m intruding on his property. What am I? Is it a deer or a fox? No, I think, the black haze coming for you is your death.

He’s so shocked, I almost think he’s human. His lips part in confusion. I’m about to hesitate until I notice his incisors advance from his gums. Nearly drooling in preparation for a defense, he prepares himself to do what the Hybrid nature in him wants to do, except it’s too late. I slice my saber across his throat, deep enough to silence any potential noise.

I swing myself around him, grabbing the top of his hair, being sure to hold his head still so he can’t bite me. He jerks back and forth and tries to growl, but the only sound that comes is gurgling. Wildly, his hands grip at my arms, scratching and digging as his nails extend.

Wasting no more time, I finish him by severing the base of his neck.

His body goes limp immediately. I return my knife to my pant-leg pocket and stuff him in a special sack that tonight, ironically, resembles a trash bag. I then hoist him over my shoulder and carry him to the trunk of one of our “family cars.” This one is a dark grey Lincoln, resembling an unmarked police car. All of this occurs within forty seconds from the time I initiated the kill.

I drive off, leaving it to the police to figure out the mystery of what happened. His family will be distraught at first, I’m sure, but they’ll be better off in the long run—not really knowing what he was.

Chapter 3
SECOND ASSIGNMENT

I pull into the garage as Dani is unloading his own trash bag.

“Waz up, bro?” he says.

“Nothing much. You?”

“Nothing here.”

We drag our bags over to the incinerator, where the Hybrids disappear from a world we won’t allow them to live in. Neither one of us discusses any details about our targets. The Guard is not about bragging or telling tales. What we do is about upholding a code, not boasting about it.

It’s just an unspoken rule to do our job. We finish disposing of our assignments, and Dani punches me in my arm.

“You want to shoot hoops tomorrow?” he asks.

I punch him back and pivot out of his reach. “Damn straight.”

It’s eleven o’clock by the time I reach my room. Rosie is waiting on my bed.

She sits up immediately. “You’re back.”

I throw my keys on the desk and take off my boots. “You didn’t think I would be?”

“Well, yes, I did. But I just have this weird feeling. I just wanted to make sure, that’s all.”

“You’re not a Reader,” I joke.

She sucks her teeth. “Yeah, whatever. I still have instincts.”

“And what do your instincts tell you?”

Without taking even a second to think about it, she answers, “They tell me things are going to get ugly. I mean, that was a public figure you just killed.”

“No, that was a Hybrid,” I correct.

“Yeah, but he was a public figure, and his disappearance is not going to go over easy. What if the Hybrids are getting smarter, and what if they notice, and what if they start planning something big?”

“You’re making my head spin, Rosie. Chill out. What’s done is done.”

Feeling a need to relax and get out of my blood-smeared shirt, I pull it over my head. She rolls her eyes. I say, “What? Is it too much hotness for you? Does your boyfriend not have these abs?”

“Oh, please. Maybe if your body was proportionate to your gigantic head, you might actually get a girl to think so.”

“Funny. Real funny.” I smile.

“I’m out of here,” she groans.

Talking about myself is always a good way to get rid of her. She turns before she leaves. “Are you ready for me to work on number two yet, or do you want to do some sit-ups first?”

I smile at the wittiness. “No, I’m going to shower. You can start on Riley.”

The next morning, Henri has the dining room table set for a formal meal. All of my Syndicate brothers are already seated.

“To what do we owe all this?” I ask.

Alexandru places a napkin in his lap. “We’ve been invited to share our good fortune.” He raises his glass of cranberry juice and takes a sip.

I look around. I don’t recall the invite, and since when do we come together as a whole to share our fortune?

“Come on, cuz. I saved you a seat.” Dani is smiling something devious and patting the chair next to him. I take him up on the offer. After all, he’s the only other one wearing sweats. We might as well band together.

“Where’s Petric and Andre?”

Henri finally speaks up. “They’re working. Apparently behind on their duties.” Behind? It’s only been a week. “At least behind the rest of you,” he clarifies. “You all have already completed your first assignment for this cycle. I’m so impressed, I wanted to share a wonderful breakfast.”

I haven’t had a chance to sign off on my kill in the books yet, so I wonder how he knows my first job is complete. Something in me tells me to keep quiet, but my curiosity is killing me.

“I haven’t recorded my kill yet,” I say.

Alexandru, Nicolae, Ovidui, and Simon let out a small laugh, as if I’m missing something. I look at Henri.

“Ah, yes, Vasile. I’m aware of that. But when you’re seen taking a load to the incinerator and leaving empty handed, one must assume. Am I correct?”

I nod my head slowly. He isn’t wrong, but I wonder who was monitoring the garage at night. Henri must’ve read my expression.

“You see, Vasile, we are in new, trying times, and I have increased the security by installing more cameras on the exteriors. I simply saw you on the video during my last sweep of the property.”

He wasn’t kidding when he said things were different. I immediately think that the security explanation is an excuse to hide the fact that he fears an internal breach of trust. He gives me a look that seems to urge me to remember our prior conversation.

Our kitchen staff brings in trays of food and places them on the table. Dani is the first to dig in. He grabs waffles, eggs, and bacon. I absently take the same.

Across the table, Alexandru selects a croissant and eggs. Nicolae, Ovidui, and Simon stick with bacon and eggs.

Spreading peach jam on his croissant, Alexandru calls Henri’s bluff. “You know, Henri, cameras aren’t needed here. This is the last place a Hybrid would want to visit.”

I can’t help but smile as I bury my face in my plate. Alexandru is one hundred percent correct. Hybrids wouldn’t dare come here. Not only are their worst nightmare assassins inside, but our dogs are too. Karelian Bear dogs roam the property inside and out. They make themselves so much at home here, we almost never see them, relaxing in their own space until it’s time to work or when called on. They’re an extension of us. The Hybrids would have to face about five doggy nightmares before even reaching us. Not a good idea.

Henri finishes eating his own croissant and jam. We all watch as he savors each bite. When he finally speaks, even I’m nearly convinced of the necessity. “True. That has been the case for centuries. But something tells me that these Hybrids are evolving in a way that we couldn’t imagine. And if you’ve noticed, they seem to be multiplying at a rate faster than what we’re used to. So I don’t think you’ll argue that it’s wise to take extra precautions.”

Nicolae, nearly finished with his eggs, leans back and wipes his mouth with his cloth napkin. “What are you saying, Henri?”

“I’m saying there can never be too many precautions to protect my family, even if it seems unnecessary.”

That fizzles everyone’s curiosity. They appear at ease now that Henri has admitted that he is possibly overreacting and not actually thinking a Hybrid would be so bold. I’m not sure what to think. One thing is for sure. Nothing is fizzling in my mind. Henri is keeping a close eye on the place, and I don’t like it. Not one bit.

I finish the last of my breakfast and excuse myself from the table.

“But Vasile, I haven’t been able to inquire if you need anything.”

I turn and look at Henri with both brows raised in confusion.

“That’s one of the reasons I brought you all together. I want to make sure you all have the resources you need to finish your work.”

I look around and see that my brothers are all just as taken aback as I am.

“As in?” I ask.

“As in, do you need any more weapons or anything I can arrange?”

Nicolae speaks up. “You really are going overboard, Henri. We have everything we need, and, if we don’t, we can—”

“Nicolae, thank you for your enlightening comment, but, as I said before, we may be dealing with a new kind. It is my duty to make sure you are prepared.”

Henri’s eyes are locked on mine. I shift my head a fraction, wondering what Henri knows that I don’t.

Alexandru stands and casually tosses his napkin on his empty plate. “Did anyone have a hard time killing their Hybrid this time?” We all glance at each other and shake our heads. “See, Henri…relax. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another Hybrid to kill. I’ll see you at the next Circle.”

Henri nods, still trying to pretend he hasn’t just doubted our competency.

After breakfast, I decide to make my kill official and record it in our record book, which is kept where we hold our Circle meetings. I find William Stafford’s initials next to mine and put yesterday’s date next to it. That stands for the day he died. As I make my way out, I pass Andre and Petric entering.

“Recording?” I ask.

Petric perks up. “Damn straight. This just gets more and more fun.”

I pat each of them on the back as I step by.

“Hey, Vasi, you want to shoot some hoops?” Andre asks.

“Definitely.”

Shortly after, I meet them and Dani outside. It’s early fall, so the weather is perfect for playing. I team up with Dani and we beat the socks off of them.

Dani ends up punching Petric in the arm. “I don’t know why you guys continue to torture yourselves. You can’t beat us.”

“Keep talking and you’ll eat those words.” Petric can’t hold back a smile as he threatens Dani, initiating a full wrestling match right there on the concrete.

I shake my head and back my way toward the house.

Dani grunts and yells after me. “Hey, Vasi, you can’t leave, man. What happened to having my back?”

“Not for nonsense.” I laugh and leave them to hash it out.

I elect to shower and eat dinner in my room for the sole purpose of avoiding Henri, which is weird. It’s just easier to eat without feeling like Henri is trying to read me. After watching an old movie, I’m able to block out thoughts of Henri and of mistrusting the loyalty of one of my brothers. But soon my peaceful solitude is broken as Rosie bursts through the door.

“Oh. My. God,” she pants.

I jerk up from my bed. “What is it now?”

She starts pacing the small room, her eyes looking everywhere but at me. I finally grab her by the shoulders. “Rosie, stop. What is it?”

She blinks a few times and takes a deep breath.

“I found your Riley.”

“And?”

“And Riley Lee Bennett is a she.”

Chapter 4
COMING TO TERMS

“A what?”

Rosie wriggles free and pushes my chest like she wants to knock some sense into me. “A she, you know, a girl. She is a she.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Vasile. Do I look like I’m playing around here?”

I stare into her eyes. The eyes that look so much like my mother’s. Usually warm, fun, inviting, and happy. Only now, none of those qualities are shining through, because there is no doubt—I see fear in them.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

She looks at me and turns her head to the side, eyes still on me, with her nostrils flaring. “Yeah, so you better tell me you accidentally got the name wrong.”

I didn’t keep the paper. We never do. Once we see the names and have all the information, we destroy it. That’s just another way to ensure the Syndicate’s survival. But I don’t forget or mix up names.

“Riley Lee Bennett of Fairfax, Virginia. I remember it well.”

She drops her shoulders. “Yeah, me too.”

“So then maybe there’s another Riley Bennett.”

“There isn’t.”

There has to be. For one, we don’t harm women. And two, females can’t be Hybrids. The DNA doesn’t mix. Never has. There can be absolutely no way my assignment is a girl.

“There’s no mistake, Vasile. I’ve been searching since yesterday. There’s only one Riley Lee Bennett, and I’m positive it is a she. And what’s worse is that she’s not infected. I mean, I know girls can’t be anyway, but when I found out she was a girl, I thought maybe things had changed. But tonight, I saw her. And I’m positive she is not a Hybrid.”

“Of course she isn’t.”

“Then what the hell is going on?”

“I don’t know. Why are you looking at me?”

“Because you’re the one assigned to kill her. Now what are you going to do about it?”

I turn around and pace my room a few times, but come up empty. I have no intention of killing a girl, but I also know the Readers wouldn’t make a mistake that big. Something is happening, and there is only one thing I can do. As much as I’m dreading it, I have to pay a visit to Henri.

After a faint knock on his study door and a few long moments, Stefan opens the door.

His eyes narrow. “Hey, son. What brings you at this hour?”

I nod a silent hello. “To speak with Henri, sir.”

His brows raise and he turns back to the study, prompting Henri to give his acceptance in a calm and melodious voice. “It’s quite all right, Stefan. Bring him in.”

I hurry past and give Henri an intense, silent stare. He immediately picks up on my mood.

“Stefan, can you leave us? I’d like to speak with Vasile alone.”

Backing his way toward the door and casting his gaze between us, he bows and says, “Certainly.”

As soon as the door closes, I lean over Henri’s desk.

“Henri, I think there’s a mistake with my assignment.”

“Why would you say that?” he replies, casually leaning back in his chair.

I sit down to keep myself calm, but still lean forward and nearly whisper, “Because it’s a female.” I expect a look of shock, but it never comes. “Henri?” I prod.

He begins slowly rocking in his chair with an unchanged expression.

I straighten up. “So you know about this?”

“Sit down, Vasile. Of course I know.”

“How?” I ask.

“Because I saw the name.”

I’m not letting up that easily. He’s holding something back and I’m sure as hell going to get it out of him.

“The name is not a girl’s name. How did you know it was a girl?”

“Oh, come on, Vasile.” He takes out a cigar and lights it. “A name is a name, and that one can certainly be a girl.”

I lean over his desk again, eyes fixed on him.

“Henri, I will not believe you knew this was a girl just by the name. And if you think I’m going to kill a female without answers, you are highly mistaken. My father would roll over in his grave.”

He looks at me and places his cigar in the tray. “All right, so be it. One of the Readers approached me the night before the Circle, just as stunned as you are now. Readers cannot help what they see, and they certainly cannot deny it.”

“So what did she see? Riley Bennett is not a Hybrid. It’s impossible.”

He sits up now, taking the tone to the next level. “I’ve tried to warn you, Vasile, that times are changing. These Hybrids are evolving in a way our ancestors never anticipated.”

“She is not a Hybrid.”

He slaps his palm on the desk. “How do you know?”

“Because Rosie saw her.”

“Rosie only sees things from a distance. You cannot rely on her.”

Of course I rely on her, and right about now I trust her way more than I trust Henri.

“Henri, she’s not infected, and you and I both know that, so why don’t you tell me why I’m expected to kill this person and burn her body like some trash.”

He stands now, leaning to within an inch of my face. I’m taller than he is, but he makes his presence known. “Because the Reader foresees that this girl is responsible for bringing down the entire Syndicate. Down. Gone. No more. No longer able to do our job and protect the people. Do you understand?”

I lean away, trying to sort it through my mind.

“Gone? How is that possible?”

“Vasile, you have already asked more questions than should be tolerable. I am telling you that a Reader saw her as the ruin of everything we stand for and do, and frankly, son, I don’t give a damn if she is female or not. She must be dealt with, and swiftly. Now you have an order, and I suggest you carry it out or everything your father taught you will be for nothing.”

I hate that he mentions my father, but reconsider his words. My father took pride in what we do, and the fact that there’s a threat somewhere that can destroy all of what we stand for makes me feel protective.

“What are the visions?” I ask.

“The visions show her infiltrating the Syndicate and gaining the trust of someone inside. Then, there are visions of members being attacked by Hybrids, one by one, until the Syndicate is extinct.”

“Well, who is seen betraying us?”

“She doesn’t know. Readers are not meant to see our kind in their visions.”

“Then we can try to find out ourselves and prevent it.”

“There is no preventing the ways of human nature! Our history ought to have taught you that. You cannot fight temptation. She will have to be killed. It’s the only way, or we will be destroyed.”

At this point, I’m speechless. I cannot allow my family to be ruined. The Readers are never wrong. Still, I’m not sure if I can do it.

As if reading my mind, Henri says, “You have to, Vasile. You must do what you are trained to do. There is no other option. It’s not about gender. It’s not about understanding nature. It’s about the future of our Syndicate. The future of humanity.”

Chapter 5
THE ER

Rosie has been doing her research, and I expect her to fill me in soon. Only, for some reason, I hope she’s not as quick at finding what I need as she usually is. Hope dwindles fast. I’m playing basketball out back when I hear someone hiss my name.

I turn, and Dani capitalizes on my distractedness, dribbling around me for an easy layup.

My shoulders drop.

“I win, bro. That’s twenty-one.” He picks up the ball and heads back to the house, passing by Rosie, who keeps impatiently shifting her weight to her toes. “Thanks, Rosie,” he gloats, giving her a playful shove that puts her off balance.

She ignores him and waves me over.

“What, Rosie? You cost me the game and you’re acting like you’ve robbed a bank. This better be good.”

“Well, it is.”

“What?”

“Your girl—”

“She’s not my girl.”

“Whatever. I’ve watched the girl for four days and there’s nothing up with her. Nothing.”

“All right, all right.” I take her shoulder and turn her toward the house. “Tell me inside.”

Back in my room, she closes the door behind us. I’ve never spent so much time in my room with my sister, but there’s this strange feeling of secrecy, and the confines of my room seem fitting.

I sit as she continues to pace. “Just tell me, Rosie.”

I barely finish my request before she starts spilling information.

“She’s so boring. She doesn’t do anything but go to school, work, and then to school again. Watching her is like watching paint dry. And she’s not a Hybrid. I knew it before, but I really know it now. Her neck was clearly visible. I was nearly sniffing it, and she didn’t budge. She’s oblivious to anything going on around her. She’s clueless! I followed her on the Metro and she sat completely still, reading, the whole time. Speaking to no one. Ugh. So very frustrating.”

“Why is that frustrating? Would you have preferred she talk to fellow Metro riders? I don’t get it.”

She stops right in front of me, crossing her arms. “No. But something to give off any sort of sign as to why she’s a target. It doesn’t make sense. She practically repels interaction with people, she’s such a recluse!”

I think about this information, and although she doesn’t sound hybridish, she sounds weird. “Where does she live?”

She starts pacing again. “She lives in an apartment across the street from campus.”

“What campus, Rosie?”

“George Mason.”

“She lives alone?”

“Yes.”

“What about family? Where are they?”

“Mom’s in a looney bin in West Virginia, and her dad’s in Afghanistan. I tapped into his file through one of our agency contacts. He’s a government contractor. He’s been there for six months and isn’t due back for two and a half more years.”

“And how old is she?”

“Eighteen.”

“So how long has her mother been off her rocker?”

“Since she was five. Her dad raised her alone until she went to college.”

This doesn’t sound too difficult to me. No one will miss her for a while, and if she’s a recluse like Rosie says, then neighbors won’t notice her missing either. Her professors will take notice of her absence, but they won’t think twice about it. College kids are always missing classes or dropping out.

The only place where there might be an issue is her work.

“Where does she work?” I ask.

“At the hospital in Fairfax. She’s a registration clerk in the ER.”

Hmm. They would definitely know she’s missing. “What days does she work?”

“She works the three-to-eleven shift on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.”

“All right, so if I kill her tomorrow, that would mean no one would think twice about her missing until Wednesday, and she’d be long gone by then.”

Rosie stops pacing again. “Vasi,” she says, sitting next to me. “You’re not really going to kill her, are you? I mean this is crazy. We’re not supposed to kill civilians. Mom and Dad would flip.”

I begin to open my mouth to protest, but I know she’s right. Issuing an order to kill a female civilian is something I could never see my father doing. And my mother was the most gentle soul on the planet. But, I can’t let the Syndicate fall.

I move Rosie’s hair away from her face. Staring back at me are those eyes. My mother’s eyes, and they are screaming at me to not do what I’m about to. I blink away the resistance.

“Rosie,” I say. “These Hybrids are evolving into something we’ve never seen before. We could all be in danger. And not just us. The whole world. We have to do what’s necessary to stay intact and keep the people safe. The Readers see her as the reason for the Syndicate’s demise. I have to do it.”

With her lips pressed together, she looks away from me and stands. I attempt to stand as well, but she puts her hand out to stop me.
“Don’t. Just stay where you are. I don’t want to rationalize this anymore.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a piece of paper. “Here’s her schedule and her address. I won’t speak of this with you again. And if you get another one of these assignments, you can find yourself another Scout.” She tosses the paper on my dresser and walks out, leaving me alone to think about doing what has previously been the unthinkable.

I fall back on my bed and close my eyes. A million things pass through my brain, and none of them tell me what I need. Usually getting my assignment sparks some incentive or anger, giving me the urge to become a vicious assassin. But now there’s only confusion racing through me.

Tonight is Saturday, and the realization that it’s the last shift Riley will pull before I eliminate her sinks in. My brain searches to find motivation in anything I’ve heard, but finds nothing. Frustrated, I decide to become my own Scout on this one, because I need to see something more to trigger my instincts.

Do I know what that is? No. But it doesn’t matter. I’m restless.

With my dagger in tow, I drive to the emergency room, hoping a plan will emerge after I see this girl with my own eyes. To see the person who’s going to destroy my family.

It’s eight o’clock, and I don’t want to drag my feet. She gets off at eleven, and the last thing I want is to be hanging out in the ER long after she gets off. Without another thought, I lift my shirt and slide the knife across my side, being sure to move it in a zigzag motion so that it looks like I cut it on a tool and not a knife. I flinch, making it more jagged.

Bleeding a little more than planned, I press a hand towel over my wound, get out of my car, and stagger my way into the ER. Concerned faces stare back at me from behind the counter.

I temporarily lift up my shirt and remove the towel. “I had an accident with a saw.”

An older woman wearing baby blue scrubs with teddy bears on them looks down at my side. “It looks like you got yourself good.”

I think she’s about to tell me to sit and wait my turn when she says, “Come along this way.”

Another woman, also wearing some kind of animal-print scrubs, comes around with a wheelchair that I don’t want.

“I can walk.”

“No, it’s policy.”

I look around, not liking the vulnerability, and search for anyone who could be my target, but no one looks under thirty. Frustrated, I plop into the chair, fighting the sharp sensation building in my side.

I’ve only been to the hospital once before, and it was when Rosie broke her arm riding a bike. They made us sit out in the waiting room while they made triplicate copies of my father’s ID and insurance information before letting us anywhere near the back. The fact that we’re skipping that step makes me nervous.

“Don’t you want my information?” I ask.

“No. We’ll get that from you soon enough. For now, just take it easy.”

We reach the triage room and I wait impatiently as the nurse takes my pulse, blood pressure, and temperature. By the time she’s done, I’m really feeling my wound and kicking myself for being so impulsive. If I thought my mother would be upset with me before, she’d really be unhappy now. Sending myself to the ER probably has her turning over in her grave.

“All right, sweetie, let’s get you set up in an exam room.”

The nurse helps me onto the gurney, and I’m reluctant to look down at the damage I’ve inflicted.

“I’m going to need you to take off your shirt.”

I look at her like she’s insane and then remember that I’m the insane one who actually needs stitches. She helps me take off my shirt and replaces it with a hospital gown that opens from the front. At this point, I need no further motivation to kill this Riley person. If she were in this room right now, she’d be a goner. I’d have no problem. None whatsoever.

“Okay, you’re all set,” she says, oblivious to my intentions. “The doctor will be in soon.”

I cringe one more time as I lay back, closing my eyes.

Eventually, a light knock sounds, as if someone is tapping a ring on metal. I open my eyes to see a girl pushing a computer on wheels into the room. It takes a minute to get my bearings, but I’m focused enough to see a very pretty face and the most perfectly curled hair I’ve ever seen. And the curls are not fake or stiff, but naturally spiraled and gently hanging down her back. I stare, my mouth open as I try to figure out the color. Blonde, no light brown.

I clear my throat and look away.

“Hi,” she says in the most innocent but efficient-sounding voice. I hear a sense of embarrassment in her tone. “I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s okay. Come in.”

She wheels the squeaky cart over and parks it right in front of me, giving me no choice but to look at her again. I follow her plain, teal-green scrubs down to the badge dangling around her neck. Riley Bennett. My chest feels a bolt of electricity from the realization that I’m lying two feet away from my intended target, and right now she’s looking at me with a soft smile.

Without thinking it through, I try to stand, but my mind can’t catch up with my limbs, and the room turns in an odd direction. I’m about to fall over when she jumps around her cart and grabs my biceps. Her long curls fling around her shoulders and into my face. A strong scent of mangos and strawberries races up my nose, and I feel a surge of complete confusion.

“Whoa,” she says. Assertive, but gentle as she lays me back down. Her warm hand on my forehead calms me until she mentions going to get the doctor, and then my eyes fling open.

“No,” I say. “I’m…” Her eyes make me cringe. Green with a hint of ocean darkness. “Fine... I’m fine.” I shake her hands off, not wanting to feel them on me. Not wanting to know what she feels like.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Well, okay, I just need to get your information.”

With my eyes still closed, I give her my name, address, and insurance information. She sends my card through a mini scanner attached to her laptop on the cart and then studies it. “You have a hundred dollar co-pay.”

I reach into my pants pocket and notice that she’s also not making eye contact with me, but her avoidance doesn’t seem devious. It seems nervous. It’s now that I notice her skin has a touch of caramel to it and also a hint of pink too. She’s blushing. I almost want to smile. In fact, against all control, I do.

She takes my cash, hands me back my card, and tells me she’ll return with a receipt.

She’s gone long enough for the doctor to make his rounds and tell me I’ll need stitches, and for a nurse to come in with a needle on a tray.

“What’s that for?” I ask.

“It’s a tetanus shot,” she replies dryly.

Unbelievable.

I’m thinking I should shoot myself for getting into this situation when the same gentle tap bounces against the metal door frame.

“Come in,” the nurse says as she wheels a stool around to my right side.

Riley comes back in carrying a receipt and casually walks over to me. I want to flinch away from the nurse because I hate shots, but I mentally brace myself. I even go as far as raising my sleeve to welcome it. With my gown pulled up far enough to expose my shoulder, I catch a glimpse of Riley. Her face turns from flushed to colorless, which is shocking, because there’s nothing pale about her caramel complexion. With eyes wide, the receipt falls from her hand as she slowly backpedals.

She looks as though she’s seen a ghost, but, last time I checked, there weren’t any in this room. And then I notice her eyes aren’t locked on any apparitions. They’re locked on my shoulder, or more specifically…my family tattoo.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I have to go.”

Nearly tripping over her own feet, she darts out of the room, leaving me to get my shot and stitches, all the while wondering why my tattoo scared the living daylights out of my target.

Chapter 6
DAY OF ATTACK

I’m back home, lying in bed with my side still aching from my self-inflicted wound. Many things are racing through my mind. Mostly pain and regret, as I wonder why I had to cut the muscle too. But then there’s confusion and frustration. Frustration because I can’t get images of Riley out of my mind, and confusion because I know something’s off.

I turn over every detail, and the way she bolted at the sight of my tattoo tells me she knows about my family. To an untrained eye, it looks like nothing more than a circle with maze-like lines inside. Not anything scary. So, in order for her to react like that, she had to know what it standsfor, and focusing on that does it. It makes me realize that she thought I was coming for her, because she does have intentions of ruining my family.

I throw my covers back and dress. It’s after midnight, and I had every intention of killing her tomorrow night, but the urge to do it now is overwhelming me. And if I don’t go this very moment, I might lose the motivation.

It takes me thirty minutes to cross into Virginia from my house. I’m actually relieved that I’m not killing a Hybrid. The stitches in my side would make it difficult to fight a true Hybrid. But this girl, I could handle with a thousand stitches.

Her apartment is on the bottom level, and I immediately have thoughts of how unsafe it is for a young girl to live alone on the ground floor. Especially in such a heavily wooded area. What kind of parents did she have?

I consider going through the window, but decide it would be just as easy to pick her lock. After making sure no one’s around, I easily slide into her foyer.

It’s dark and I turn to silently close the door. Before I take my hand off the knob, the scent of mangos and strawberries sails up my nose just as I hear the cock of a shotgun behind me. I want to pounce, but something in me feels pleasure that this won’t be such an easy kill. She’s actually prepared to protect herself.

“Do not move,” she says, turning on the light.

I can sense her nervousness, although she’s trying her hardest to sound strong.

“How did you know I’d come?” I ask, trying not to smile.

“Shut up,” she says, pushing the barrel into my back. “I knew it was only a matter of time. I’ve had nightmares about you.”

Now I’m confused. “What?”

“Well, not of you, but of your tattoo,” she says through gritted teeth.

Now I sense distaste in her tone, and I translate it as hate for my family. She’s not afraid of me. She loathes me, and suddenly I have no doubt that she would kill me and all of my brothers if she could.

“Look, I’m sorry,” I say, estimating the distance between us, and within seconds I turn around, push the barrel away, and spin her into a chokehold. I swiftly reach for my dagger and press it to her throat.

Mangos and strawberries. I hold my breath, knowing that the scent will haunt me forever. I close my eyes and shake the thought, leaving just enough of a pause for her to react. With as much strength as she has, she smashes her elbow into my stitches, causing my knees to buckle.

I grab for my side and look up in time to see the shot gun in my face. Her finger is on the trigger and it’s shaking far more than I’d like. I curse myself for my weakness—for actually letting this girl overtake me.

I put my hands up in submission, still holding my dagger. Her arms are shaking, and I know she’s going to do it.

“What do you want from me?” she asks, her bottom lip nearly quivering.

I think about an answer and then come up empty. “I don’t know.”

“Damn it!” she shouts, the barrel now against my forehead.

I’m certain she’s going to snap on me, but instead she breaks down and cries. Right there. Real tears. Sobbing into an emotional wreck with the gun still pointed at me.

“I’m sorry. But you’re making me nervous with that in my face.”

I say it even though it’s actually a small price to pay for encroaching on her property with the intent to kill, but, instead of laughing at my ridiculous statement or shooting me out of fear or anger, she backs away.

She’s either going to let me walk out of here or call the cops. Either way, if she makes it any farther away from me, I won’t get another chance. She’ll have that gun pointed at me from a distance. If I rush her, she’ll shoot me for sure, and if I leave, she’ll call the police. There’s no walking away from this, because she knows my name.

I make the quick decision to lunge for her legs. The gun swings out of her grasp and they both fall to the floor. I flip her over and lay on top of her, holding my breath in an effort to keep her scent away. After a short pause, I find my hands lifting her head to expose her throat. I expect her to scream, but she just sobs.

It’s by far the strangest encounter I’ve ever had with a target, and my brain is trying so hard to slice her throat with this blade. But no matter how much I will it, my hand won’t move. I focus harder, but only see my sister’s face, and my mother’s.

In all the ways I spin it, I know doing this wouldn’t make them proud. I sigh in frustration, breathing for the first time, and the scent of mangos and strawberries races up my nose. And now I’m on the verge of a breakdown too.

“I can’t do it.” I think, realizing I’ve also said it out loud.

I cringe, because I’ve shown weakness to the target, which is a violation of rule number one. Suddenly, it doesn’t matter. I can’t think straight, and all I know is that I’m laying on top of this girl with her face pressed into the carpet, and I can’t do it.

I drop my knife and release her hair.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She still sobs. “Yes you are.”

“No I’m not.”

I don’t even know what to do at this point. I’m sitting here, terrifying this girl, for what? The thought makes me sick, and, before I know it, I stand up and hand her the shotgun to prove it. She snatches it and crawls over to the wall, shaking profusely. I tell her again that I won’t hurt her.

She clenches her eyes shut and continues to cry. Within a few minutes, she unexpectedly drops her gun. I’m tempted to bolt out of there, but can’t stop from inching my way over to where she sits.

I kneel in front of her, not having a clue of what to do. I have no experience failing at an attack, and even less in dealing with female emotions.

“Look, I’m not sure what’s going on here,” I say, reaching for her knee. She flinches away, and though something tells me to just get up and walk away, I can’t. My emotions have never been so twisted and confused. Not only do I not want to leave, my body’s being pulled to her like a magnet.

“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”

Suddenly, as if gaining a bolt of built-up anger, she snaps at me with fire in her deep olive eyes. “Then why did you come here?”

I see hatred staring at me, and I can’t tell if it’s because she wants to kill my family or if she’s angry that I just tried to kill her, and then I realize it doesn’t matter.

“Look—”

“No, you look. I don’t want to be haunted by you anymore. So if you’re going to kill me, just do it already. I’m tired of the constant fear.”

“What? Wait, what are you afraid of?”

She starts laughing, and suddenly I realize the absurdity of the question.

“Okay, I’m sorry. That was stupid. But I mean, you said you have nightmares. About me?”

“No, just of that symbol on your arm. And monsters, a lot of monsters.” She looks at me pleadingly. “I don’t want to live like this anymore. My mom had the same nightmares, and she’s insane now.”

What I’m hearing is a complete contradiction of what I thought I knew. She thinks we’re a threat to her.

“If you don’t kill me now,” she continues, talking quickly, “you’ll just keep killing me in my dreams, and I’ll go crazy. Then they’ll lock me up too. So, please, just do it.”

Wow. Is this girl serious? Now she’s asking me to kill her. Can this mission get any more whacked?

“Listen, I’m not going to kill you, and I’m not going to haunt your dreams.”

“Then what do you want from me?”

I’m speechless, unsure how to answer, so I take a few moments to gather my thoughts. For the first time, I pay closer attention to her and notice her mint green and pink polka-dot pajamas. I contain a smile and for some reason decide on the truth.

“I was sent here…to kill you.”

Although she had to know that already, she looks like I’ve punched her in the stomach. Her head shakes.

“It’s the truth,” I say, looking away. “But I can’t do it, so you don’t have to worry.”

“How am I supposed to believe you?”

“Because you’re a girl, and we don’t kill females.”

“Who is we?”

I look at her, not getting the question.

“You said ‘we don’t kill girls.’ Who is we?”

It’s not a question I’m prepared for, but, if I’m ever going to get out of this apartment without her calling the police, I better be somewhat forthcoming. Repositioning myself against the wall closer to her, I start explaining. Henri is going to be furious, but I don’t see any other way.

“My family…we are protectors.”

I hear a little laugh. Even though I’ve just attacked her, I feel defensive.

“We are,” I explain. “We’re supposed to protect society from things called Hybrids.”

“Hybrids?” she asks, her voice steady and less shocked than I expected. I glance her way and see her waiting patiently, and it gives me the urge to continue.

“Yes. They’re creatures who bite humans, infecting them with a virus that will eventually cause the person to become extremely dangerous. My family has been around for centuries, and we seek them out and kill them before they can overrun society.”

“And you’re here because you think I’m a Hybrid?”

“No. Hybrids can’t be females. Honestly, I’m here because I was just ordered to kill you.”

“Why?” she presses.

“My Elder believes you’ll be the cause of my family’s downfall. And if we fall, the Hybrids will take over.”

“I see,” she says cautiously.

I’m not sure what to say next, because I’ve just dropped a bomb on her. I’ve informed her not only that monsters are real, but that she could be the ruin of the people who can rid the earth of them.

I’m still at a loss for words when she speaks up. “I can pretty much assure you I’m not the cause of your family’s downfall. I couldn’t even kill one of you when I had a gun pointed at your face. How the heck am I supposed to wipe out all of you?”

It hits me that she’s got a point, although, somewhere inside, I already knew she was no killer. If she can’t kill me, an attacker, when she had three easy chances, then she can’t kill anyone else. This girl is not a threat. So why in the hell was I sent here?

I stand to leave. “I shouldn’t be here. I’m sorry, I really am. I won’t hurt you. Please don’t call the police.”

I make my way to the door when she lunges after me. “Please. Don’t leave.”

I turn, doing my best to ease away from her grip.

“I don’t understand,” I say. “I just tried to kill you.”

Practically clutching me, she pleads, “Please, you can’t go yet.” Fighting the scent of her shampoo or whatever it is, I step farther away from the strangest situation I’ve ever been in. “Please. You’ve shown me that I’m not crazy. You made me see that my dreams aren’t made up. There are monsters, and that symbol exists. Don’t you see? I thought the symbol was on the monsters, but it isn’t.”

Something in me wants to stay with her, but I just can’t. My mind is clouded and my emotions are twisted. I need to go.

“I’m sorry, Riley, but I can’t stay here. I have to go home and try to make sense of this.”

“What’s there to make sense of?” she shoots back, stepping closer.

“Let’s see, how about the fact that I was sent on a mission to kill an innocent girl who is supposed to kill my whole family of elite assassins, only she can’t kill a fly. And how about the fact that this same girl has had nightmares of Hybrids.” Her shoulders drop as she realizes her own mental well-being is not the only one at stake here. “So, please, I need to go, so I can think. I’m sorry. Again. But you don’t have anything to worry about. I’m not going to come back to hurt you.”

And with that last promise, I walk out of her apartment, feeling more confused than ever. And something else is surfacing inside. An unfamiliar sense of yearning. And oddly, the more I think about it, and the farther away I drive, I realize that it’s a faint yearning to be near Riley Bennett.

Chapter 7
THE RESISTANCE

My brothers and I have never talked about any of our missions, but tonight I need to talk Guard to Guard, with someone who thinks like me.

It’s 2 a.m. when I knock on Dani’s door. He doesn’t answer, but he sleeps like a baby, so I knock harder. After a few minutes, he cracks open the door enough for me to plow my way through. His blond hair, which is normally perfectly feathered over his forehead, is shockingly all over the place.

“What the hell time is it?” he mumbles.

“Two,” I answer back unapologetically.

“This better be good, bro.”

“Oh, it is,” I say, finding myself pacing his room like Rosie does mine.

When I finally gather my thoughts, I spill. Not even hesitant to do so, because I trust him.

“Dani, what I’m about to tell you, you have to swear not to mention to anyone, especially Henri.” Now his groggy expression turns to confusion. “Look, I know we aren’t supposed to keep secrets in the Syndicate, but this is big, and I need help making sense of it.”

“All right.” Out of habit, he starts combing his hair forward with his palm. “Stop wearing a hole in my rug and sit down.”

The both of us huddle at the foot of his bed, and I tell him everything except the strange yearning sensation mustering inside me. When I’m done, he studies me closely.

“You moron,” he finally says.

My jaw drops, suddenly fearful that I’m too weak to fulfill a necessary job. “What?”

“You idiot. You don’t go sending yourself to the ER, you dope. What if she was some sort of monster-alien-Hybrid-beast? How the hell would you have fought her with stitches?”

I can’t help but laugh before I plead my case.

“I had to see her for myself. I couldn’t go into it blind.”

“Right. Well?”

“Well what?”

“Well, is she a beauty or a beast?”

“Dani. Seriously, man. What am I supposed to do? What would you do?”

“Depends on how cute she is.”

I nudge him hard enough to jar my stitches and flinch. “Ouch.”

“See. You dope.”

“You’re not helping. Be serious.”

“All right. Okay. That’s some freaky stuff. I don’t even know. I’ve never thought about killing a girl, but if the Readers see it, then—”

“But that’s just it, Dani. The Readers didn’t say that she kills any of us. How dangerous can she be?”

“I don’t know. I can’t think straight in the middle of the night, but we’ll figure it out. We’ve got fourteen more days before the next Circle. Just get some sleep and think it through in the morning and we’ll go from there. I trust your judgment, Vasi. If you think she’s harmless, then don’t do it. But if you decide she needs to go, and you’re having trouble with it, I’ll do it for you. No one will ever know.”

Somehow I’m fighting a surge of bitterness at his offer, when it’s actually a nice gesture in terms of our code. Even still, if I can’t harm one curl on her head, I won’t feel right letting someone else do it.

The rest of the night goes by in a blur. I try to think rationally about all possible reasons for this unprecedented situation. I try to think about what the Reader could’ve mistakenly seen and what needs to be done to fulfill my destiny. But all I can think about is her.

I lie, feeling the throbbing in my side, and it only makes me remember the bright lights of the hospital and the perfect way her curls fell past her shoulders. And then I think about the disarray of those same curls as we practically wrestled in her apartment. I cringe at the recollection and then can’t stop smiling at the visual of her holding a gun.

Images of her shaking hands and pleading eyes ricochet inside my skull, but somewhere intertwining with those images, I see bravery, and it makes me smile again. Then, I’m angry, frustrated, and annoyed all over.

Mentally and physically exhausted, I finally fade into a brief sleep.

My morning starts off later than usual. I can’t seem to find the energy or the desire to have breakfast, so I lie around until I feel the need to clean myself up.

My long shower makes me realize that my last twenty-four hours have been unproductive. It’s like I’m wandering around aimlessly, and it bothers me to no end. I feel lost and unmotivated.

The urge to shoot hoops briefly comes, but I pass because my stitches are too new. Instead, I decide to go for a drive, when I see Rosie making her way down our wing. Her room is down the hall from mine, so seeing her is no surprise.

It’s a welcomed encounter, because she brings normalcy into my life, and that’s something lacking right now. I’m about to say “hey” when I see her suck her teeth and roll her eyes. My head bounces back in reflex, and I look behind me to see if anyone else is there. It’s just me.

“What’s that about?” I ask as she gets closer. Without answering me, she brushes past and huffs in disgust, but I grab her elbow. “I said what’s that about?”

She swings around and jerks herself free, deciding not to hold back.

“I know you left last night, and I saw your bloody towel in the bathroom,” she hisses. “How could you?”

She’s looking at me with a disgust that I’ve never been faced with, and it shocks me momentarily. By the time it registers why she’s so pissed, she’s halfway down the hallway.

“Rosie, would you stop? Please.” I catch up to her, and in a whisper I say, “It’s not what you think.”

“The hell it isn’t. What? Did you kill a cat?”

“Keep your voice down. No, I didn’t kill a cat.” I lift up my shirt to show her my bandage. “I’ve got stitches. I was cleaning it this morning. That’s what you saw on the towel.”

Her shoulders relax, but she crosses her arms, waiting for more. “Fine. I was going to,” I admit. “I even cut myself so I could pay a visit to the hospital, but—”

“You stalked her?”

“No! Well, sort of.”

She starts walking away, and I go after her again. “Rosie. Stop, damn it. I didn’t do it.”

We’re in front of her room now, and she looks at her door, then at me. “But you will.”

“No I won’t,” I say firmly.

“How do you know?”

“Because I already tried.”

She sucks in a breath, so I quickly finish, “I didn’t go through with it. But I found out some more about her, Rosie. She has nightmares about Hybrids.”

“What?” She pulls me into her room and closes the door, where I spill everything. It’s more than I told Dani, and I still feel the same sense that suddenly our two-hundred-year-old code of secrecy is going to pieces.

“You can’t kill her, Vasi.”

“Haven’t I just finished telling you that?”

“Yeah, but I mean, no matter what Henri says.”

“I know.”

“But, you have to figure out what’s going on with her, and you have to mark it in the book or else Henri will get suspicious.”

That’s something I didn’t think about.

“If I mark that I killed her in the book, that would be lying. That’s a blatant disgrace to the Syndicate. I’d be disowned.”

“No one owns you, Vasi. What’s the worst that can happen? And besides, you have a right to be the head of the Syndicate. Not Henri. You can disown him if you want to.”

My vision is getting cloudy and the room spins as the voices of Henri, Stefan, and Valentin ring in my head: “Do it, Vasi. Save our family. Save the people.” And then I hear my father saying, “Listen to your intuition, Vasi. Do what it tells you.”

Then my sister’s head comes into focus, and I see her big browns melting into me like syrup, and I hear her and my mother saying, “She’s just a girl, Vasi.”

“Damn it.” I jump up, grunting at the sharp pain shooting in my side.

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know.”

Without further explanation, I wander through the halls until I end up in our supply room. And I don’t mean food supplies. I mean our underground weapons and training facility, surrounded by soundproof walls and impenetrable locks that can only be opened with a ten-digit password unique to each Guard.

I’ve brought myself here to focus on the destruction that I’m trained to do. I survey the custom-made stainless-steel knives and blades, and high powered rifles and guns with silencers.

Explosives, ropes, anything that can be used to seek out, attack, and kill—all are within my grasp. My hands trace over the weapons, and, as I admire the fine craftsmanship, a calm sense of purpose comes over me. I’m an assassin. This is what I want to do, what I will do.

To a Hybrid.

A Hybrid. I felt it before, but know it now. I’m not going to harm a girl.

These weapons are not meant to be used on Riley Bennett. That much I know.

And since I won’t lie about my abandoned mission, it’s time for me to see Henri, again.

By the time I reach his study door, I decide not to tell him anything about the encounters with Riley. It’s not necessary for what I need to accomplish, and I don’t want him thinking she personally affects me.

Inside his study, he’s playing a game of chess with Stefan. I ask to speak with him alone, but he refuses this time.

“We have no secrets here, Vasi. You know that. Whatever you have to say to me, you may say to Stefan.”

Nodding, I sit, and although Henri is trying to appear as if he has no secrets, something in his eyes tells me otherwise. He’s making this even more difficult.

“I’ve come to respectfully tell you that I won’t be able to complete my second assignment.”

Stefan’s marble pawn falls over, breaking the lingering silence.

Henri remains much more composed. “Now, Vasi, we’ve already discussed this. Even challenges we do not understand must be confronted. Have no fear. You will prevail.”

I clear my throat to make sure he hears me clearly. “Henri. I’m not afraid. I’m not completing my task, because my target is simply not a Hybrid.”

I notice Henri’s grip on his bishop tighten as he makes a move. “Again, Vasi, I have already told you, the Reader sees that your target will become a threat, and that is all that matters.”

There’s no use debating, so I stand and nod respectfully to both men. “I’m sorry, Henri, but my intuition is telling me otherwise.” And knowing it’s the only way Stefan will truly understand, I add, “And my father taught me to always follow my instincts. No matter what. So, I’m sorry. I can’t.”

I back away as they continue their game. It appears no further comment will be made, so I turn to leave. As if waiting for the exact moment my hand touches the knob, Henri says to Stefan. “He is a respectable boy. We will just have to reassign her to someone else.”

My reflexes cause me to grip the knob a little too tightly and pause.

“Unless,” I say, hopeful, “the Reader’s vision changes.”

“Perhaps,” he says. “We’ll just wait until the next Circle and find out. Have no worries, Vasi. The Syndicate will do what is necessary.”

Chapter 8
THE UNEXPECTED

I know what Henri means when he says the Syndicate will do whatever is necessary. Even if a Reader doesn’t still see her as a threat at the next Circle. But, I also know Henri won’t want to raise an alarm that he’s lost control. He’ll wait until the next Circle and assign her name as if it were the first time. No one will know the difference.

Even though the idea bothers me, I can’t seem to bring myself to think about it any longer. It’s one thing for me to refuse an assignment, but it’s another for me to interfere with assignments that aren’t mine. The last thing I want to do is continue to inflict it on my mind. I’ve already inflicted unnecessary pain on my body. Which is exactly why I decide to feed myself.

I fix a sandwich and chips, and then grab a water and sit at our dining room table. No sooner am I there does Rosie plop herself across from me. I ignore her, no longer feeling obligated to explain my decent nature. I’ve already done enough to make myself feel better.

“So?” she says after she can’t hold it in any longer.

“So. I told you.”

She leans forward in a whisper now. “No, what did Henri say?”

“He said ‘okay.’”

“That’s it?”

I eat my chips, since there’s barely anything left of my sandwich, really hoping she’ll drop it there, but I know better.

“So, he didn’t say anything?”

I roll my eyes. “No, he said something.”

“Damn it, Vasi. Stop jerking my chain. What did he say?”

I lean back, my lunch officially not going as planned. “He said he’ll wait until the next Circle and do what needs to be done.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know—”

“Yes you do. He’s going to assign her to someone else, and you’re going to let him.”

“Rosie. It’s not in my hands anymore. What do you want from me? I can’t help what the Elders decide.”

She stands swiftly and leans over the table to whisper, “You might as well have done it yourself if you sit back and let someone else do it. She’s my age, Vasi, for Christ’s sake. I didn’t sign up to be a part of this crap.”

There’s a fire in her eyes that I’ve never seen before, but something tells me I need to take back the control a Guard is given over his Scout. It’s time to separate blood from duty.

I stand, leaning over the table as if I’m going to fill her in on a secret. In the same hushed tone, I lean into her. “Rosie, what we do keeps those Hybrids from taking over everyone. Including you. The Readers have been doing their work long before you were even a thought in Mom’s brain. So you need to show some respect, and right now you are way out of line. I suggest you go back and wait until we have another assignment that’s our business.”

She looks stunned and takes a deep breath. “If you guys start killing people for no reason, then all honor goes out the window.”

“Like I said. Back to your own business.”

I stand firm, knowing she wants to huff and puff, but she sees I’m serious. I’ve never played the superior card with her before, but it’s about time she got a glimpse. Scouts can easily be replaced, and if Henri senses resistance from her, too, it’ll just be another thing I have to deal with.

After one barely audible huff, she stomps off, but I suspect she won’t mention the assignment again, and neither will I.

I pick up my empty plate and return it to the kitchen. I’m about to find Dani for some Horse when I hear the doorbell chime. Looking for any reason to keep my mind on something other than reflections, I quickly make my way to answer it.

Like a makeshift butler, I find pleasure in pulling open the door. “Yes,” I practically sing until my eyes bulge. Before my brain catches up to my antics, my unexpected guest speaks, nervously.

“Hi. I’m sorry, but I didn’t know how else to reach you. I…I…looked up your address in the computer at work.”

A very large frog is caught in my windpipe as I stare, speechless, at her mesmerizing ringlets blowing in the wind around her nervous face, which is nearly pleading with me for a response.

All I can think of is, “You shouldn’t be here.”

Her bottom lip clamps shut and opens slightly before clamping shut again. “Um…”

“No, I mean it,” I say, closing the gap of the door so it’s only slightly open. “You really can’t be here right now.”

She steps closer, which causes me to close the door another inch. “Listen. Please. I had a nightmare that Hybrids were living in my building, coming for me. And this morning, I think I saw one, and you said your fam—”

“I also said my family put a hit out on you. Weren’t you listening?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know where else to go.”

I look at her and sympathy overtakes my stiff bones.

“Just give me something from your purse,” I say.

Her eyebrows raise above the almond-shaped olives which are staring at me like a lost puppy. “Give me something from your purse, quickly,” I demand.

She shuffles through her bag, with shaking hands, and gives me something, which I put in my pocket without looking. “Now, go back to your apartment. Lock your door and wait for me.”

She sighs, nods, and backs away. I close the door without watching her leave. As casually as possible, I walk back to my room, heavily hoping that Henri and Stefan are exactly where I left them.

I shut my door and immediately begin pacing.

You cannot be serious.

She did not just show up at my house.

This is insane.

Rosie is right.

We didn’t sign up for this.

My nerves are going haywire, the walls closing in on me. I don’t want to think anymore about what’s going on, or to have to care when, or if, this girl walks right into the lion’s den. It’s not my problem.

About forty paces later, I calm down and start thinking logically. That means I block out the images of her perfect face and, instead, concentrate on her words. She mentioned Hybrids, and, although I’m lying to myself by saying I don’t want to see her, I easily focus on my duty.

If there are Hybrids around her apartment, then that’s a language I’m prepared to speak, and it also gives me a logical reason for seeing her. Finally focused on something familiar, I take out the object she gave me.

It unfolds easily to reveal a receipt. Curiosity sparks me to scan the items: mandarins, milk, bagels, grapes, and tampons. Not needed information. Yet, I can’t help but laugh. Somehow it puts the real back into this surreal situation. I fold it up and put it in my pocket, vowing to give it back to her.

After dark, I make my way back down to the supply room. There have only been a handful of times when a Guard has run into a Hybrid without being on an assignment, and there is an absolute seek and kill motto if we do. Not having seen the situation for myself, the proper thing to do would be to put Rosie on it to confirm and gather intel.

Given that Riley says they’re in her apartment complex, and Rosie knows where Riley lives, I can’t ask Rosie to scout first. She’d see the connection, and it would only open doors I worked hard to close earlier. I need to do this by myself, and anyone with a brain would probably say it’s unwise, but it is what it is. If Riley wanted me dead or hurt, she’d have pulled the trigger last night. And if she had ulterior motives, I don’t think she’d be so bold as to walk right up to our door.

When I’m done hashing out where I’m going and why, I grab two knives, strap them around my ankles, and then put on a gun harness and tuck one at my side. By 9 p.m., I pick up a couple of disposing bags, just in case, and hop into my truck, heading to the very same apartment as the night before.

I don’t know what I’m doing. Or why I care, or why I can’t seem to put my trust in our Readers. I’m supposed to be the smartest, the most efficient. The one with the most promise. That’s what my father believed.

When I was fourteen, I trained in direct-contact fighting with Dani. My father and Henri were supervising and guiding us. I was winning the entire fight, and Dani was getting frustrated, so I eased up.

Once it was over, I realized that it wasn’t Dani’s frustration that made me fold, but the desperation in Dani’s eyes to impress his father. That’s the only time I’ve ever let one of my brothers beat me in training, and the only time I’ve seen Henri praise his son.

Afterward, my father commended me on my unselfish showmanship, and then he told me to never do it again, saying he didn’t want me to compromise myself and what I’m capable of just to please someone else. He also warned me to never compromise my integrity, because it could be the difference between life and death. As I drive, I don’t feel like I’m compromising. It feels right.

When I arrive at Riley’s this time, she’s wearing a pink robe and slippers. Her hair is dangling around her shoulders in messy ringlets. I don’t see much makeup. Not something I paid attention to before. Now that I think about it, she’s just naturally pretty. I blink away thoughts of the kind of nice things I want to do for her, and not just for her, but with her.

Get a grip, Vasi.

She steps aside, and my eyes drop to the floor in an awkward attempt to avoid further eye contact. There I notice her feet, covered in pink, fuzzy slipper-boot things that an Eskimo might wear trekking through the snow. Again I smile, having no clue why this girl makes me feel soft on the inside.

“Thanks for coming,” she says. “I mean, I think, anyway.”

Toughening my mojo, I turn, more abruptly than intended. Whatever this is needs to stop, so business is business.

“You said you saw Hybrids. Where?”

Shutting the door, she nods and walks past me into her living room. It’s pretty sparse. There’s not much here, but it looks homey. Warm colors, blues and browns and lots of fluffy pillows. It’s a girl’s apartment, for sure, but with a hint of maturity.

She sits down Indian style and pulls one of the throw pillows onto her lap. Her arms wrap around it like it’s providing her comfort. In a way, I feel for her. It seems like she’s a lonely girl with no one to turn to. No wonder she came to me, even at the worst possible time and to the worst possible place.

Finally, I’m inclined to sit. With the awkwardness from my last visit still hovering, I find a chair in the corner, farthest away from her.

“Um,” she begins, her gaze locked on the pattern of her rug. “I had a dream of being in some forest, and I fell down. Then, the sound of what seemed like bears began to home in on me. I was terrified and alone, but knew to lie there and play dead, so I did. But then, one started sniffing at my legs, and, no matter how hard I tried to be still, I couldn’t. I had to open my eyes, and that’s when I saw them. They were not bears, but men. Salivating and sniffing and finally growling. I screamed my head off and woke up.”

“That’s interesting,” I say, still taking it all in. “But I’m not surprised.”

She looks up at me. “No?”

“No. You’ve been through a lot. I attacked you last night and told you that monsters exist. You’re probably freaked out. Anyone would be. A nightmare wouldn’t be unheard of after…after what I did.”

I’m not looking for her forgiveness, and she doesn’t give it to me. Her mind is too focused on her nightmare.

“No,” she says shaking her head. “That’s what I thought too. But when I got home this afternoon, there were a couple of guys hanging out on the front steps of my building. They were laughing and drinking. My gut told me to keep one hand on my pepper spray, but my keys fell in the process of reaching for it, and then one of them lunged at me. I nearly had a heart attack until I saw it was the guy who lives upstairs.

“Anyway, he bent down to pick them up, and I swear, his spine was like…protruding under his shirt—”

I put up my hand, feeling an intense interest to know specifics.

“What did he do after that?”

“He handed me the keys and smiled. With big, yellow teeth.”

“What about his friends?”

“I don’t know. I said thanks and bolted past them. But they were all looking at me with these strange smirks. So, I waited until I heard them go upstairs, and then I went to your house.”

“What makes you think I’d be able to help you?”

“I just remembered you saying you guys fight them. It just seemed right.”

“How do you know I’m not one of them? What makes you think I’m the good guy?”

I want to know what’s going on inside her brain. She’s studying me with a look of hesitation. Like she wants to say something, but doesn’t.

I don’t let up. “Well?”

She sighs, looks directly at me, and, after studying me closely, says, “Because you have nice teeth.”

I laugh. No one’s ever said that to me, but then I’ve never been compared to a Hybrid, either.

“What?” she says, finally cracking a smile.

“Nothing. I just wasn’t expecting you to say that.”

It’s quiet for a moment, and then she offers to get me something to drink. Oddly, she reminds me of my mom.

The way my mom invited people in with her smile made even me believe our house was the warmest on the block. Little did our guests know that Dad was the leader of the Syndicate. A beast killer. Protector of the town.

Warm. That describes my mom and her natural ability to accommodate guests, but we all knew there was a deeper layer than what any of our “friends” or neighbors saw.

Looking at Riley’s eyes, there’s definitely something soft and inviting about her, but I get that same sense of layers.

“So let’s talk about your neighbor,” I say, refocusing.

She clears her throat. “Oh. Okay. Um…” She grabs her long curls with both hands and, with one sweeping twist, it’s in some sort of ponytail-knot thing, only I didn’t see her use anything to pin it up. I’m mesmerized, wondering why I’m staring at this girl’s hair. It’s pulled away from the soft skin of her neck, and I blink away thoughts of moving closer to her—just in time to hear what she’s saying.

“He lives right upstairs. He’s in my Econ class, and that’s pretty much it.”

That’s it? “Have you noticed him missing at all over the last few weeks?”

“Not really. We had break, and he could’ve gone away then, but I really didn’t notice. Why?”

“Because when they’re infected, they can’t maintain the same demeanor and focus. Once they’re too far gone to blend in, they’ll start to hide more.”

She shudders, and something in me mimics the flutter. Concentration is hard, and I’m almost wondering if this girl is the devil, because I don’t want to talk about anything right now. I’m wondering if the skin on her exposed neck is as soft as it looks.

“Are you okay?” she asks, brows raised.

I shake my head. I’ve never been entranced this way, and the wisdom lurking underneath the hormones is telling me to leave. Honesty finally kicks in as I admit to myself that thoughts of Hybrids didn’t bring me here.

I’m not ready to take out a Hybrid with stitches in my side and my mind clouded by a pretty face.

“Hello?” She’s waving a hand that gets my attention.

“I have to go.”

“What?” I can hear the panic in her voice, but I don’t take back my words.

“Look, I believe you about the Hybrids, but I’m not in the right mindset to do anything tonight. I need to go home, get one of my brothers, and look into it tomorrow or something.”

“I don’t want to stay here alone. How am I supposed to sleep?” She stands and makes a beeline toward me as I fight the urge to jump over the back of the chair. She is the devil, luring me into something I’m not supposed to be doing.

My feet step to the side. “Seriously, Riley, this is dangerous. There may be more than one. I won’t go into this blind. Now you just stay in your apartment with your gun and lock the doors. I’ll take care of it tomorrow with one of my brothers.”

She argues. “Those guys really freaked me out. Can you just take me with you?” She grabs my arm, but I pull it back, needing to stay firm.

“Listen to me. I cannot stay here, and you cannot go anywhere with me. Just—”

A knock at the door stops me short.

“Who’s that?” I ask, instinctively whispering.

“I have no idea.”

A second knock. A near pound on her door, so I put my finger over my mouth.

Leaning closer, I whisper for her to see who it is. Nodding hesitantly, she slides past me, takes a look through the peephole, and then quickly jumps away from the door.

“It’s him,” she mouths.

Just…fantastic.

My head drops, and my feet find themselves gliding over to look myself. What does this guy want? Through the hole, I can see he’s nervous. No, not nervous, but losing composure. He’s tapping his foot and looking around, biting his lip impatiently. He wants in here, and this whole damn experience is only getting more irritating by the second.

“What does he want?” she whispers.

“How the hell do I know?”

Her forehead creases. “What do I do?”

“Nothing,” I answer, making my way back into the living room.

She follows. “Okay.” She’s nervously wiping her hands on the side of her pajamas.

“Hey, Riley. Yo!”

We both turn toward the door, but ignore the beckon to answer.

He bangs some more. “Riley. Hey. I need to borrow some sugar!”

“Should I give it to him?”

“Are you serious? It’s eleven o’clock. He can find some sugar somewhere else.”

He pounds again, and it takes everything I have not to open it with a pound on his face. But I hold tight and tell her to turn out the light. He’ll get the message eventually.

She flips the switch, and it’s dark, except for the light from the street lamp peeking through the tiny cracks of her vertical blinds on the sliding glass door. My eyes scan the room, adjusting, and within seconds she moves close enough that she’s touching me. Mangos and strawberries. My eyes take a quick roll toward the back of my head, because I can’t seem to get away from this temptation. I can sense her fear, and it makes me want to calm her.

A few moments of silence go by, and I say, “See, he got the point. He’s gone.”

She sighs, but then the streaks of light on her wall are disrupted by a shadow. Both of our heads turn quickly. There’s no doubt that a person is trying to sneak a peek through her blinds. This idiot has gone stalker.

I make my way over to the blinds with every intention of yanking them open. Hybrid or no Hybrid, this guy’s pissing me off. I’m almost there when the knob on her front door jiggles, stopping me dead in my tracks. A quick look back at the blinds tells me there are two people, or Hybrids, trying to get into this apartment.

“What the hell?” I mutter.

Before I have time to wrap my brain around the possible scenarios, I find myself guiding Riley by her elbow down the dark hall of her apartment.
“Where’s your gun?”

“It’s in the closet by the front door.”

“What’s it doing there? Forget it. Just take this one.”

I give her the gun that has been tucked away by my side.

“It’s ready to fire. This is the silencer. You just need to aim and shoot. Now, lock yourself in your room and don’t come out. Only shoot this thing if you have to.”

She’s nodding, but feels limp, so I give her a shake to rouse her.

“Okay,” she responds weakly.

By the time I make my way back to the front door, he’s nearly picked the lock. My mom used to scold me for cursing, but right now several words run through my mind.

From behind the door, I wait. It finally clicks and slowly swings open. My knife is ready in my hand. At this point, it doesn’t matter if he’s a Hybrid or not.

Stealthily, or so he thinks, he enters, closing the door behind him. I wait until he’s out of the narrow hall, with his guard down. He thinks he has free roam of her dimly lit living room, but he’s wrong. I pounce on him from behind.

With him surprised and off balance, I grip his hair, forcing his head downward. With my thumb I trace his spine and easily feel the sharp, widened ridges of the bones. I slice his throat two seconds later, and then, with the last blow, my knife finds a home in the back of his unnatural neck.

This kill was easy, but there’ll be no victory dance, because I hear the door open behind me.

I turn in time to see two more figures making their way into the apartment. This is not what I need. Suddenly this feels like a trap, but there’s no time for me to even think about it.

The second Hybrid pounces on me, but luckily the other one is still too new to harness the savage mauling instincts. He stands back, eyes wide, mouth salivating. Soon the urge to maul me will overtake him.

My one knife is stuck in the spine of the first Hybrid, so I hold this one off by his neck and grab for my other knife. One thing full-blown Hybrids haven’t seemed to master yet is keeping their wits when challenged. Right now, this one is so wild that he can’t think straight, which means he’s momentarily confused.

By the time he’s figured out to use his claws, my knife is ready. Swiftly, I thrust it into his neck, finishing him with the slit to his throat.

I’m shoving him off of me just as the third Hybrid crashes into my injured side. Certain that more stitches have ripped, I clench my arm and knife against my side. The Hybrid starts kicking me, and I protect my torso, barely maintaining an awkward grip on my knife.

He jumps on me as I shield him with my forearms and fumble with my knife. I’m trying to reposition my grip, while wondering what’s happening. Is this it? Are there more? Will I have it in me to fight more? Maybe Henri was right. This girl will be the death of us all. Including me…now. Struggling with that last bitter thought, I hear a whipping sound and feel the Hybrid fall limp. It’s just enough time for me to move in with the knife and slice his throat, penetrating his spine.

Fatigued, I lift my head just enough to see Riley pointing my gun at him and, then, at me.

Chapter 9
RESISTANCE

I’m too exhausted to even wrap my brain around the idea that this girl could kill me, so I just close my eyes and fall back. My hand clenches my side, and then I smell her. Mangos and strawberries. I wonder if her hair is right in front of me.

“Oh, my gosh,” she says.

All I can think to say is, “Lock the door.” The last thing I want right now is another one sneaking up on us, and who knows how many more there are.

Thankfully she doesn’t ask why or delay, and hops up quickly and locks the door, including fastening the chain in the slider. My muscles relax, and then my questions start pouring out as she makes her way back over.

“What the hell is going on? And why are three…three Hybrids in your apartment right now?” She starts to kneel beside me, but I quickly stop her. “Back away from me.”

She pauses and then inches her way against the wall.

“Answer me.”

“I don’t know,” she says.

“The hell you don’t.”

“I swear, Vasile.”

“It’s Vasi,” I snap, not sure why, other than it bothers me to hear her sound like my sister or mother when she addresses me.

“Okay. Vasi. I don’t know. Honest.” She starts back over to me, but I put my hand out like a crossing guard.

“Stay over there.”

“Why—”

“Because I don’t trust you, that’s why.”

I hear her release a big huff of air. She’s got her mouth in a tight line and her forehead all scrunched up. “Don’t look at me like that,” I say.

“What did I do?” I’m about to tell her, when she keeps going, building momentum with each word. “You’re the one who came into my house trying to kill me, and I just saved your life, but I’m the one you don’t trust right now?”

I hesitate with my answer, and that’s when she tells me to get out. The look on my face is complete confusion now.

“That’s right. I said get out of my house.”

“No,” I answer, and then her mouth clamps shut. I gather myself off the floor, and she does the same, never taking her eyes off me. “I’ll leave once you tell me why three Hybrids are in your house.”

She raises her voice and walks so close to me that she has to look up to keep eye contact. “I said I don’t know.” For a few moments, we’re in a staring contest, and then she relaxes her shoulders and crosses her arms. “What’s the big deal anyway? You said this is what you do. Kill these things—”

My nostrils flare, and I close the space between us even more, because she needs to know who’s in control here. Slowly, so she doesn’t miss a single word, I say, “Because it’s unheard of to find more than one Hybrid in one place at one time, and three just walked through your apartment door, while I was in here.”

She takes a step back from my intimidating proximity and looks me over.

“You think I had something to do with this? I didn’t even know what these things were until you told me.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I swear, Vasi.” Now she’s back in my personal space, and my instinct to back away from this vixen sends a wincing pain through my side.

“You’re hurt,” she notes.

“You think?” I say, brushing past her.

“Where are you going?” she asks, softening.

“To my truck to get something to put these things in.”

I don’t even wait for her comment, because right now my mind is racing. I’m not sure anyone in the Syndicate has had to kill three Hybrids by themselves at once, and the fact that her apartment is riddled with them right now makes me angry. Angry because it doesn’t add up, and angry because I don’t know what to believe about any of it.

I hear my father’s voice telling me to listen to my inner thoughts, and then Henri’s telling me to listen to his warning. My head races with the thought that my family’s existence depends on this girl’s death.

The door clicks behind me, and my eyes scan the hall while my ears strain to hear any more threats. When confident that there aren’t any more freaks lurking around hidden corners, I make my way to the truck for some body bags and head back into her apartment. She’s standing pressed in the corner.

“You didn’t have to leave me in here with them,” she says.

Ignoring her, I put the Hybrids in the bags and fold up the blood-stained area rug. I wait for a clear path, and lug them to my truck one by one. For a brief moment, I consider jumping in my truck and speeding off, but things need to be said first to ensure we don’t meet again.

I’m about to knock on her door when she pulls it open. Her eyes are as round as quarters as she anticipates my words.

“Are you coming in?”

“No.” Her shoulders drop a notch or two, but I don’t care. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m leaving, and that you shouldn’t expect to see me back here. And please don’t come to my house.”

“That’s it? You’re leaving me here?”

“Yes. You can’t expect me to be your friend. Just stay away from me.”

I take a step back, and she comes into the hallway, pajamas and all.

“What am I supposed to do if I find another one of those things, or they come for me again?”

“Look. We have Readers who find them for us. You don’t have to.”

“Well, they didn’t find these. They would’ve killed me if you hadn’t been here. Please.”

“I’m sorry.” My brain wills my feet to start moving.

She follows, grabbing my arm. “Why do you hate me so much?”

Yanking my arm free, I turn and lower my face to hers. “Look! I don’t hate you, but my family says you’re bad news, and right now I feel like you’re the devil. And on top of that, I’ve gone against just about everything our code stands for by not killing you. Now please, stay away from me.”

Tears well in the corners of her green eyes, giving them a shine that captures my attention in ways I don’t need.

“Just go back inside,” I demand, regaining my focus. Turning my back on her, I find myself driving away with three dead Hybrids and no explanation for how I found them.

On my way home, I call Andre and tell him to meet me in the garage. Dani already knows about Riley, but he’s Henri’s son, and although I trust him more than anyone, Andre would be a better option right now.

He meets me outside, and I nod as he follows me to the back of the truck.

“What’s up?”

“I picked me up a couple of Hybrids.”

He sees my three trash bags and his eyes widen. “What the hell? You had three assignments?”

“Naw. Just two.”

“Then what the h—”

“Let’s just say I picked up two unexpected ones when I only anticipated one.”

“Damn. At the same time?”

“Yeah.” I start to carry one bag, and I can feel warm blood seeping its way down my side. The pain causes me to let out a half grunt, half wince, and he thinks it’s a battle wound.

“What happened? Did you tell Henri?”

I’m having a hard time lugging my bag in the garage without further highlighting my injury, but I try. The last thing I want is for Andre to start worrying. “No, not yet, but I will.”

“Good, ‘cause he needs to know this. The Readers should’ve seen this. We can’t be sent out there to be ambushed like that.”

“It won’t happen again,” I say. We reach the incinerator, and Andre won’t stop talking even as we shove the bags in.

“How do you know? This is crazy.”

He has no idea. He’s just hung up on the fact that more than one Hybrid was there. He’s good at what he does, but heaven forbid if he were confronted by three Hybrids at the same time. He’d panic.

“Because,” I say to calm him down. “I just think I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Which was true. “And when I saw one, I just reacted and did what had to be done. End of story. They’d have probably been on the list at the next Circle, but hey…I saved us some trouble later.”

“Damn, Vasi, you are one lucky son of a—”

“Right,” I say, punching him in his arm.

“You need help getting the other one in here?”

“No, I’m gonna take a piss, and then I’ll get it.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

We part ways, and after about ten minutes I go back out there and bring the third one in, hoping to have slid this incident under Henri’s radar. If he was watching the garage cameras, he would’ve seen just me and Andre each bring in one. That wouldn’t have raised an alarm, and he’d have hopefully gone to bed satisfied once we went into the house.

I don’t plan on keeping this incident from him forever, but a little time would be nice. Maybe by tomorrow, I’ll think of a way to approach him about this. Right now, it’s just not my priority. Fixing myself up is.

One thing we have a lot of around my house is first-aid supplies, so a few butterfly adhesives later, my stitch job is looking better. By the next morning, my mood is too. For some reason, I feel good. And the fact that I took out three Hybrids on my own makes me feel even better. So much better that I eat breakfast at the family table, unconcerned about running into Henri.

It’s early, so my brothers aren’t up yet. Eating my Mini-Wheats alone gives me time to reflect on my accomplishment, but I don’t admit to myself that I had help, because that would mean thinking of her, which is not on the top of my to-do list.

So, I let my mind wander to other places. Like thinking of how proud my father would be and how much his training paid off in keeping the Hybrids’ teeth at bay.

If you panic and worry about their claws, you only open yourself up to their teeth. That’s what I was most worried about during the fight. I watched the third one lurking in the corner. His hands were flexing in and out of clenched fists and his claws were extending, but all I thought about were his teeth. As long as the fangs weren’t drawn, he was of little concern to me. Until he kicked me in my side.

Not cool. I begin to think of my technique, and then remember my knife gripped incorrectly. I flinch. So what if she shot him with my tranquilizer gun. I would’ve had him. I imagine my father agreeing with me, and smile. Then, my ears ring with my mom telling me I shouldn’t have been so rude to her.

I wasn’t rude to her, I think.

Finally Dani comes in, sleepy eyed, with a full plate of warm breakfast.

“You make that?” I ask.

“Heck, no. Clara made it.”

“Right.” I say, teasing him, knowing he couldn’t find his way around the kitchen if his life depended on it. I’m not sure what he’d do without Clara or her housekeeping and cooking duties.

“So, what’s new?” he asks.

“Not much.”

“Not what Andre says,” he replies, sitting down.

Damn. “Andre’s just being Andre,” I respond too quickly.

“Three? Vasi, that ain’t got nothing to do with Andre being Andre.”

So much for the code of secrecy. Well, I suppose it doesn’t count since technically they weren’t assignments. “Yeah, well. What can I say?”

“You can tell me why you didn’t call me.” He’s stabbing his eggs with such force that it moves his plate, so I decide to tell him the truth.

“Because I thought your dad might be watching the cameras, and I didn’t want to put you under his microscope.”

“Eff my dad. Don’t ever cut me out for Andre’s ass again, man. I thought we were like this.” He holds his fingers up, crisscrossed.

“We are, but like I said.”

“And why are you hiding from the cameras anyway? And what the hell happened?”

I tell him part of the truth, and it’s enough to chill him out. By the end of our conversation, he believes I was in the parking lot, staking out Riley’s for any suspicious activity, when I saw a Hybrid snooping around her window, and pounced. Then two more came out of nowhere.

“Dang. That’s some crazy stuff. And they were full-blown crazed out you say?”

“Yeah. Crazed out.”

“Why were they trying to get into her apartment? That’s calculated. Hybrids don’t plan things like that on their own. Or do they?”

“That’s what I wanted to find out before I talked to Henri.”

“Look, just don’t go doing any more crazy stuff on your own. If you plan on going there again, take me with you. Don’t be stupid.”

I laugh as I stand up. “Oh, no worries. I won’t be going there again.”

“What? Sounds like that’s where you need to be if you want answers.”

My back is turned to him, but I’m curious as to why he’s not telling me to stay the hell away from her, so I turn back. “Why?”

“Vasi, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she’s got a hit out on her from the Syndicate, and three full-blown Hybrids were salivating on her doorstep. That chicky’s got a death warrant on her head, and if you don’t kill her..sounds like a Hybrid will. Sooner or later.”

Somehow that’s not news to me, but I’ve done a pretty good job in the last twelve hours suppressing my concern for it, and I’d like to keep it that way.

“Not my problem,” I say, turning to leave. Unfortunately, my calm façade starts to slip away and is replaced by an intense curiosity that has her name written all over it.

Chapter 10
THE FOLD

There’s twelve days until the next Circle, and for a few of those days I do a pretty good job of distracting myself. Dani, Andre, and I went up to the mountains for two days with our ATVs, but, by the time we were headed home, images of Riley kept popping up all over the place. Even her voice. So here it is, Wednesday evening, and I’m hanging out in my room, thinking of her.

I thought I was doing a pretty good job of not caring about her existence. I figured, even if she was evil, Henri would have her taken care of soon enough, so no need for me to ponder. But something in me is just pulling so hard. Hard enough to prompt me to get in my truck and drive.

The normally crowded beltway is fairly peaceful at night, unlike at rush hour, and it gives me time to think about my conflicting emotions. But before I know it, I’m headed to Riley’s. By the time I get there, I’ve convinced myself that I’m just going to watch her from a distance…for any abnormal activity.

I know she works until eleven, so I find a parking space that’s out of her view, but close enough to see when she comes back.

Most of the time goes by with little activity. College kids coming and going. At first, I’m lackadaisical about all of them, until I remember the last Hybrids looked like regular college kids too, and then I start paying more attention. Still, nothing looks out of the ordinary. It gets boring real fast.

Finally 11:25 rolls around and Riley’s black Accord pulls in. She parks right up front and wastes no time scurrying up the front steps. Like she’s cold, or just in a hurry. Right before she opens the main entryway door, she looks around, taking a quick scan of the parking lot. Then the door opens and she disappears.

I expect the lights to come on, but they don’t. That makes me sit up, paying closer attention. Five minutes go by and still no light. Did she make it inside?

I’m tempted to get out and check the inside hallway to see if everything’s okay, but catch myself. I’m not here for her safety. My mission is to see if she’s up to anything. At least that’s what I tell myself.

Finally, I notice movement from the blinds in her bedroom window. They move again, and I feel myself sigh some sort of foreign relief, but why no lights? Looks like an avoidance tactic. Maybe even one I showed her. Next time I’ll tell her to park her car somewhere other than right in front of the doorway. What do you mean next time, Vasi?

I stick around until about 12:30, and then boredom takes over. There’s nothing to see, so I put my truck in gear and head toward the street. Creeping past her window, I take one final look, knowing now why Rosie was so bored. Watching her really is like watching paint dry.

I’m past her building when I take a final quick peek in the rearview mirror. A black shadow scurrying across the parking lot causes me to take a second look. I turn back to see the figure move between two cars and across the sidewalk. Its movements are odd enough to prompt me to pump the brakes and back into the nearest space for a better view. Once I’m facing forward, I’m stunned.

What the…?

The figure, in a black jumpsuit with bright white tennis shoes, is now sneaking a peek into Riley’s bedroom blinds.

What is the deal with these people?
She’s not that cute. Well, maybe she is, but damn.

The longer I sit here and watch him move around for a better view between the blinds, the more irritated I get.

I’m tempted to get out of this truck, but remind myself that she’s not my problem. If she didn’t want to risk perverts sneaking peeks, then she should’ve rented on the top floor.

Even still, I don’t attempt to put my truck in drive. I decide to stay until this John moves along, when something about him catches my eye.

He’s swaying his neck back and forth, and at first it looks like he’s trying to get a better angle. I stare harder, and sure enough he keeps shifting his weight uncontrollably.

Couldn’t be.

Again?

You can’t be serious.

This chick has another Hybrid outside her apartment. My nerves are about to squeeze the life out of me in a slow, painful death. Why me? I just fixed my stitches and all I came over here for was to quench my curiosity, not throw myself right into the middle of the crazy orb hovering around her like a plague.

“Damn it,” I mumble.

I can’t leave a Hybrid anywhere. It’s code.

I find a knife under my seat and climb down from my truck. Quietly closing the door, I make my way around the backside and follow a path behind the row of cars lined up across the street from her building.

This shouldn’t be too hard if I get him away from the open space next to her building. Quick deliberation leads me to pick up a pebble and throw it far enough to hit him in the back.

He turns scanning the parking lot, but doesn’t see anything. As soon as he turns back to her window, another rock hits him. He turns again, and, this time, the yellow glow from his irises can be seen all the way from where I’m standing.

I throw another rock while he’s facing me, and once he discovers the source, he lets out a low grumble and runs straight toward me.

Idiots. They let their emotions control them, so all he’s thinking about is savagely attacking me. I wait…wait…and once he lunges I roll to the side so he misses. He’s too worked up and off balance to counterattack swiftly, so I pounce on him while his back is turned. Confined between two cars and a chain-link fence, he starts flopping around like a caged beast, but his movement is cut short as I slice his throat and thrust my knife in his spine.

Once he’s down, I look around to make sure we’re still alone, and then swiftly drag him behind a nearby tree and pull my truck up. Nervous that someone might see, I just shove him into the truck bed.

I make my way home, not really knowing what went down. My kill gets stuffed in a bag after pulling into my driveway. Then I lug him like garbage and burn him. No longer wanting to hide these extra kills from Henri, I plan to confront him first thing in the morning.

I don’t sleep too well, so rising early comes easy, and I’m able to catch Henri at breakfast. The first half of the meal is eaten with cordial conversation about nothing much, but eventually I switch gears.

“Henri. There’s something you need to know.”

“Is that so,” he says while casually adding cheese on top of his bread.

“Yes.” I pause to maintain caution in my words. “I’ve been observing Riley…to figure out what’s suspicious or dangerous about her…and, in the few times I’ve surveyed her place, I found four Hybrids trying to kill her.”

He finishes chewing, never looking up from his plate. “Vasi, it sounds like you have stepped outside of your responsibilities.”

“What?”

“Your responsibilities don’t include surveillance.”

“Henri, with all due respect, I think you are missing the point. Four Hybrids tried to attack one girl. The same girl you think is a danger to us. Don’t you think that’s odd?”

Taking a sip of his cranberry juice, he swallows slowly and wipes his mouth with his napkin. “Vasi, you passed on completing your assignment. It’s not your place to concern yourself with her surroundings any longer.”

It’s very clear he’s not bothered by the fact that Hybrids seem to think her apartment is a feeding ground, not to mention the fact that they weren’t singled out by any Readers.

I stand, satisfied that I’ve done my part in reporting my findings. “Okay. I just thought you should know. I’m just trying to make sense of a strange situation. That’s all.”

I walk past him and he reaches for my arm. “We will decide what the right thing is at the next Circle. I told you we’re approaching unprecedented times. I understand that you’re confused, and for that I have excused your one-man-renegade show. But now, your orders are to stay away from that threat.”

Naturally my brain tells me to nod respectfully, so that’s what I do. But the “threat” reference bothers me.

I end up spending the rest of my day at home, blowing off some steam. I work out in our gym, do some training, try out a few new weapons, and then take a shower.

All the distractions don’t take my mind off of Henri and him telling me what to do. Four Hybrids is unprecedented, and he still calls her a threat to us. I can’t stop wondering why he thinks that. Or why she’s attracting monsters. Something doesn’t add up, so of course I do exactly what I’m not supposed to.

That night, I head back over to her apartment. Surveillance is not my thing, but I still want to find out if there are any more untargeted Hybrids sniffing around her place. And if I’m being truthful to myself, something in me wants to make sure she’s safe too.

I do that every night through Saturday, at which time I find myself no longer bored that nothing’s happening. There’s a pinch of relief and satisfaction that things seem normal, until she surprises me, because this time she glances my way.

That wouldn’t have caught me off guard, because she usually scans the parking lot as if making sure no one’s following her, but tonight her gaze settles right on me. I freeze, tempted to duck, but don’t. Then she nods and smiles before going inside.

Does she know I’ve been watching her?

No way. Let’s see, the last time I saw her, I pretty much called her the devil and told her to stay away from me, even if monsters came back to haunt her. No, she didn’t see me. Otherwise, she’d have probably given me the finger instead.

Or would she? What is this confusion I feel, and what is this urge to go find out? I carry on a conversation with myself for about thirty minutes, then decide I’m not a coward and that this is not the first girl who’s smiled at me.

I break the rules further by getting out of my truck and heading for her front door. It’s like an out-of-body experience. Everything I’ve ever been taught is telling me to turn around and listen to Henri, but my emotions and instincts are running this show. And right now, they’re telling me to go inside.

It’s midnight when I knock on her door. Some would find that rude, but I don’t. At least not until she doesn’t answer.

After a minute or two, I’m about to back away, feeling stupid for intruding, when I see the peephole darken. I feel uncomfortable. If she doesn’t open the door, then my emotions are going to make me look like an idiot.

Another few long seconds pass, and then the door pulls open, revealing an empty foyer.

I’m not sure if I should enter or wait, so I opt for the latter. Then, she peeks her head out from behind the door.

“I’m sorry,” I say, feeling intrusive.

“No, it’s okay. Come in.”

Momentarily relieved, I step in and suddenly feel like I’m trespassing again. She’s wearing a red cotton nightshirt that comes down to her thighs, with those pink slippers again, and her hair is wet. Gone are her trademark curls, replaced by darker, wet ringlets hanging heavily behind her ears. Damn, she’s still cute even when she looks like a wet puppy.

Knowing she’s just had a shower makes me start to feel like a peeping Tom myself, but I refuse to say I’m sorry again. Because I’m not. It’s time for me to man up, so I stand firm and give her a look-over.

Her tiny hands are acting like they want to be in her pockets, except she doesn’t have any. Instead, they end up somewhere behind her back.

“I thought you wanted to stay away from me,” she says.

“I do.”

“Then…why are you here?”

I smile, because she’s so perfect even as she struggles to stay composed. “I just came by to make sure you weren’t being attacked by monsters.”

“Oh…right.” She doesn’t sound surprised. “Like last night and the night before?” Her eyebrows travel further up her forehead as she waits for my answer. My lips part, but I remain silent. I’m looking for words to explain, when she adds, “I saw you kill that Hybrid the other night.”

My throat tightens. “What?”

She brings her hands back around to the front and crosses her arms. “I heard a growl outside my window…so I looked out and saw it running…then I saw you.”

I don’t say anything, because my concentration is fading and I don’t know what to say or deny.

Somewhere over my confused thoughts, I hear her whisper, “Thank you.” And before I can say anything back, she steps forward…so close, and the fresh scent of mangos and strawberries races up my nose, causing me to inhale a deep, intoxicating breath. She tilts her head up so her mouth is just below mine. The closeness sends my brain spinning.

I don’t even know what’s happening, but I feel my palms on the sides of her soft face as her body presses against mine. The unfamiliar temptation I feel causes me to pull my hands back until she puts her arms around my waist. Then I find myself kissing her like I’ve never kissed anyone. Like if I don’t kiss her now, I’ll never have another chance.

As a need to hold onto her takes over, I pick her up. In the same motion, she wraps her legs around me, like she feels the same way.

Not sure where to go, I lean her against the wall. Suddenly her lips no longer satisfy my hunger. I need more, so I taste the left side of her neck. When that’s not enough, I taste the other side until she groans in my ear, luring me back to her lips.

I never noticed her nails before, but I feel them under my shirt, pressing into my back. It causes me to hold her tighter, and the next thing I know she’s pulling off my shirt. Lifting my arms that high sends a sting through my side, but I don’t falter.

Here we are, me bare chested, and her in only a T-shirt. What are we doing? I think. I don’t even know this girl. Then I decide that I don’t even care.Pulling her away from the wall, I carry her down the hallway, hoping my memory serves me well in the darkness. On my way, I’m still kissing her. I pull back briefly to give her a chance to tell me no, but she just leans her lips back into mine.

By the time I reach her room and lay her down, I’m ready to fall into nowhere and everywhere with her, but my thoughts are clouded.

“Riley,” I say, pulling back. “I’m in your bedroom, and I shouldn’t be.”

She softly kisses my neck, sending all my muscles into overdrive. “Why not?” she asks.

“Because I don’t want to sleep.”

My answer sends her leg around my waist, locking me to her. She whispers, “Then don’t.”

Right then and there, I decide she can keep me this way all night. Without any further hesitation, I press myself to her and enter into a place where I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

Chapter 11
THE AFTERMATH

I wake up, almost forgetting where I am. But a quick glimpse of purple and turquoise polka-dot sheets tells me I’m not at home. And my bare chest and boxers tell me I’ve done something I probably wasn’t supposed to. I sit up and find myself alone in her bed. I look around for anything that’ll knock some sense into me, and see Riley in the corner. She’s sitting there with her knees pulled to her chest, all wrapped up in a blanket.

For a minute, our gazes lock, but she breaks away, clenching her eyes shut and shaking her head.

“Um,” I say. Then I shake my head too, because I’m pretty sure that was a stupid thing to say. “Are you okay?” I add.

She buries her head into her knees. “No.”

“Um.” Damn it. I shake my head again, but I don’t know what else to say. All I know is that something feels wrong. Like I’m in trouble. When you wake up half naked with a girl and she says she’s not okay, you should probably worry.

I start the rundown of what happened last night. Did I do something wrong?
Well yes, Vasi, you dumbass. You slept with a target. I shake my head at my stupidity, but somewhere else inside there’s a feeling that it wasn’t wrong. It didn’t feel wrong. In fact, everything about her felt so right.

“I’m sorry,” I say, and then wince, because I say that phrase way too much around her. But I can’t help it. I don’t want her to be hurt, and right now she’s not looking so good.

“No, don’t be,” she says. “It’s my fault.”

Now I’m confused. My memory tells me that I’m the one who came to her house. The one who picked her up, the one who took her to this room. But she is the one who made a move to kiss me, and she’s the one who took off my shirt.

I stand up and find my clothes. “Why does it have to be a fault?” I ask.

She muffles a laugh between her knees. “Because you don’t even like me, and I can’t believe we just did that.”

My words are caught in the back of my throat, so I take a brief moment to pull my pants up. I can’t bring myself to tell her otherwise, because I don’t know what I feel for her, so I say, “I don’t dislike you.”

Wrong choice.

She lets out a long, exaggerated sigh and stands up. Beneath her blanket, she’s wearing her red T-shirt again, but this time she has on flannel pants under it. She walks past me without saying anything. All I want is to take my words back, but don’t. I’m too busy trying to reckon with her hair, a disarray of curls shooting out in several directions. It makes me smile, and then I decide that maybe I do like her.

I turn and follow her out of the room, but she quickly shuts the bathroom door in my face. That’s fair, I suppose. But wait a minute. She’s the one who seduced me. I didn’t come here to violate her personal space or make any promises. She asked for it, so why is she making me feel guilty? With that last thought, I become annoyed that she’s reneging on her decision to be withme, and then I remember why I don’t have a girlfriend.

I had one in high school, a girl named Celeste, and things quickly went from good to awful. Right after we did it, she started getting all clingy. That wasn’t necessarily bad, but when I had somewhere to be (family business), she pitched a fit about it. “Why aren’t you spending time with me? Where are you going? Who are you with? Why are you trying to hurt my feelings? My friends say you’re up to something. Are you cheating? I can find someone who wants to spend time with me.”

It was like nails on a chalkboard, so I broke it off. She started dating someone on the football team the next week, and me? I decided female hormones and me didn’t mix. And that goes for right now too.

I go back into her bedroom and finish putting on my clothes. I’m making my way down the hall when I hear a sniffle. Is she crying? Seriously?

I head for her front door, but I hear my mom’s voice stabbing at my brain. “Vasile, you’d better not leave her like that. I didn’t raise you to be insensitive.” Her voice is jabbing at me and I’m trying to ignore it, but my mom’s voice was like music to my ears when she was alive, and I can’t pretend like I don’t want to listen.

Her voice keeps me on the right path, keeps me being someone who’d make her proud. I just can’t help wondering why she didn’t speak up sooner. Like, before I even knocked on the door last night. Fine, Mom. I’ll say something nice. And then I’m leaving.

I knock on the bathroom door. By now, her sniffles have turned into sobs.

“Riley, you okay in there?”

“Do I sound okay?”

“No.”

“Good. Now you know, so go away. Seriously.”

“I’m not going away.”

“Look. I don’t need you protecting me. I don’t need you feeling obligated to do anything anymore. Just please leave. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not leaving until you open the door.”

“You’ll be waiting awhile.”

“Look, I don’t have time for this. Please, just open the door.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Why? So you can call me the devil and tell me how wrong it all was.”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“Because my dead mother just told me to say something nice to you. That’s why. Now please open the door.”

There’s no reply, but the sniffling ceases. Either I’ve shocked her or she thinks I’m crazy. I lift up my fist to knock again, when the door opens.

“What?” she says, her eyes red and puffy. I stare in shock, pretty sure this is the worst she’s ever looked in the morning, but she still has some hold over me that makes me feel weird inside. “Say something nice then.”

I clear my throat, suddenly speechless.

“Nice,” she says, moving past me.

I instinctively reach out and grab her elbow, turning her back toward me.

“Look. I’m sorry.” Dang, those words again. “Listen. I don’t do this.” I make a circular motion with my hand to show her I mean everything—coming here, touching her, and staying last night. “I don’t make a habit of being with girls, and I especially wouldn’t spend time with a girl I don’t like. At least not in that way.”

She’s looking at me like I’ve stopped midsentence, waiting for more. I got nothing. I’ve said something nice, so I nod and turn toward the door. Then I turn back with an itching curiosity to ask her a question.

“Why did you go there with me, if you think I don’t like you?”

She exhales a small chuckle and rolls her eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe because I thought it would make everything okay. But it didn’t. I’m still crazy and you’re still going to leave me alone.”

Shaking my head, I attempt to offer some peace of mind. “Look, I haven’t seen any Hybrids all week. I think you’re good.”

“No I’m not.” She throws her hands in the air and drops them in defeat. “The nightmares are still there, and last night they were the worst.”

Something urges me to step closer to her. “What kind of nightmare?”

“A nightmare with more monsters, and you…you were one too. But you didn’t hurt me. You just looked at me with disgust.”

Her eyes glass over.

“I’m not a monster,” I say. “I may be a lot of things, but I’m not a monster. And you don’tdisgust me.” A tear spills over, and I reach up to wipe it away. She’s definitely having an emotional moment, but somehow her emotions don’t bother me like Celeste’s did.

“I’m sorry,” she says, backing away. “I’m not normally a basket case. I don’t know why I get so weak around you.”

She backpedals until she can’t go any farther, and then looks like she wants to slide back into the corner. My reflex is to lunge toward her, grabbing her elbows as she folds into my chest.

Ma? This is not part of the deal.

“Stop whining, Vasile.”

I’m fighting the urge to hold her, but I can’t stop. She smells so sweet, and being this close only highlights how small and fragile she feels. Thoughts pass through my mind as I try to remember if I was gentle enough with her last night. I think I was. There isn’t an ounce in me that doesn’t want to treat her with love and respect. Did I just say love? What the…?

“Yes, Vasile, you did.”

I check my thoughts and motion to let go of her like she has cooties, but she’s so limp, she’s going to crumble right to the floor. Without thinking, I scoop her up and carry her out to the living room and set her on the sofa. “Come on, Riley. Don’t be like this.”

She shakes her head. “I’m okay, really. I’ll get over it.”

“You don’t look okay.”

“Thanks,” she says wiping her nose on her sleeve.

“Well, you don’t. But you may have a good reason. Do you want to tell me more about the dream?”

She looks up, the whites of her eyes getting clearer, making the green stand out again. “I think I’ve shared enough of my mind for one day.”

“No, not really.”

She laughs sarcastically. “You like hearing a crazy girl talk monsters?”

“No, not especially. But it’s better than some other things you could say.”

“Like what? Asking if you’re going to be my boyfriend now? Don’t worry. You’re off the hook. I’m good. I’m over it.”

“Over what?”

She stands with renewed strength. “My own drama. I’m sorry. I had a moment. It’s done. Over. You can leave now. I’m fine. Tell your mom thanks for the kind words.”

She opens the front door and motions for me to leave. This irritates me, as does the mention of my mother.

I walk over and shut the door hard enough for her to cower. She’s so small that I nearly have to bend my knees to make sure I’m in her line of sight. “Look. I don’t know what your problem is, but you’re making my head spin. I’m sorry. There, I said it again, and hopefully for the last time. I’m tired of it. I’m tired of you making me feel confused. I’m tired of going against direct orders and risking my life. Tired of you making me want to come here all the time, making me want you period. It’s exhausting.

“One minute you’re tempting me, the next you’re groping me, and the next you’re throwing me out. In case you didn’t notice, I liked you. I liked you enough to go against orders to kill you. I liked you enough to come back here to make sure you were safe. And I liked you enough to give in to all of it last night. So now you know. I hope you have a fantastic, safe life. I’m out of here.”

I move to open the door again, and she pushes it shut with her hand. Before I realize what’s happening, she has her arms around me again. “I’m sorry,” she says. “I’m just trying really hard to keep it together.” She’s clinging to me with her arms around my waist, so tight it hurts my stitches, but I ignore it. My brain tells me to put my arms around her in return, so I do. “I’m not this nutty. I swear. I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

Her words are muffled in my shirt, but I can still make them out. “You just don’t understand. My whole life, I’ve thought I was crazy. I’ve thought hell was coming for me. And you….you…took it away, and all I wanted to do was cling to you. I wanted you to make it all stay away. And I’m sorry. I swear. I don’t want anything from you. You can do whatever you’re supposed to. I’m okay. Really.”

She backs away, and there are fewer traces of puffiness to her face, but her hair is still out of whack. Even so, she’s the most perfect girl I’ve ever seen. I don’t know where this is going, or even where I want it to go. But I like where I’m standing, and the way she looks at me as if I’m the only person in the world. I like the way she clings to me for protection; the way she manages to make me feel like I don’t have to be here unless I want to; the way she felt last night. I could’ve kissed every inch of her and it wouldn’t have been enough.

My mom doesn’t have to speak to me for me to know what to do next. I lean over and take her face in my hands, kiss her gently on her salty lips, and then pull back and nod. “It’s going to be okay,” I say. Then, I walk out of her door and into the bright morning sun where my truck is waiting for me. It won’t be the last time I come here, so I won’t even bother telling myself that it is.

By the time I arrive home, it’s only 7 a.m. The comfort of my bed is sounding good right now, so I slip my way through the halls. My door is ajar, causing me to enter with caution. Rosie’s sprawled out on my bed in her clothes and tennis shoes. I’m too exhausted, mentally, to wake her and make her move, so I lie down beside her. Between Riley, my mom, and Rosie, I’m feeling like I’ve had enough estrogen for one day.

***

It’s 10 a.m. when I wake to find Rosie sitting on my bed, legs crisscrossed, staring at me.

“Where were you?” she asks with a tired scowl.

I roll back over, thinking I need some basketball time to escape the female emotions. “Out,” I say.

“Out…where?”

“Just keeping an eye on things.”

“Right. Well, I stayed up until two waiting for you.”

“What for?” I ask, trying to shield the sunlight from my eyes.

“Because I wanted to make sure you weren’t lying in some Hybrid ditch. Now where were you?”

“The last time I checked, I’m an adult, Rosie—”

“Cut the crap, Vasi. Tell me.”

I sit up, wincing, the soreness in my side finally demanding my attention. “Fine. I was watching over Riley.”

She scoots closer. “Really? What’s happening? Tell me!”

I’m trying to think of something to feed her nosiness, when I get an idea. I can’t keep watching Riley all the time. One, it’s too tempting. Two, Henri would eventually notice. And three, I need to see what I can find out elsewhere.

“Rosie, I’m actually glad you’re here. I’ve been watching her lately to make sure she’s not a threat or in danger, and it’s exhausting. I can’t do it alone anymore. I’m going to need your help.”

She perks up. “Oh, this is getting good.”

“Yeah, well, seriously. You can’t tell anyone, and she can’t notice. We’ll trade off. You take the first shift.”

“Starting when?”

“Starting now.”

She frowns. “Right now? Why?”

I tell the partial truth. “Because she’s alone, and I’d like to make sure one of us can watch her today. You’re the only person I can trust to do it.”

She agrees, and, with Rosie gone and me feeling a little more comfortable that Riley isn’t on her own for the day, I fit in some basketball. Dani and Andre meet me out there and we just shoot around. Both of them know I have stitches, so we avoid the physical contact of an actual game.

By lunch time, I feel good and squeeze in a quick shower. It hits me that I’ve only thought about Riley for three quarters of my morning. Plus, I’m getting restless, having not heard from Rosie about what Riley’s doing. Even still, I don’t call her, for fear that she’ll suspect I care too much.

A knock at my door excites me a little. Rosie? I answer to find Clara, holding a plate with a large sandwich and fries in one hand and a Pepsi in the other.

“Hey, Clara”

“Vasile.”

“What’s this?”

“Food,” she says, walking past me. She sets it on my desk and turns, putting her hands on her full-framed hips.

“Clara, you don’t have to cook for me.”

“You’ve told me that a thousand times, but your mother would have my rear end if I let you starve. And the last time I checked, you haven’t fixed yourself anything today, so here it is. Eat.”

She wipes her hands on her apron, nods, and walks past me the same way she came in.

“Thanks, Clara.”

Without turning toward me, she says, “You’re welcome.”

Clara is smart. The aroma from the hot beef and tomato sandwich and fries fills my room, drawing me in hook, line, and sinker. Realizing I am hungry, I dig in, but it doesn’t subdue my thoughts of Riley. I finally fold and call Rosie.

“Hello?” she answers.

“Rosie, what’s up?”

“God.”

“What?”

“That’s what’s up,” she says.

“Care to elaborate?”

I can hear a song in the background and recognize it as one from her playlists, so she’s in her car.

Sounding bored, she says, “I’m sitting in a church parking lot. Been here for two hours.”

“Two hours?”

“Yes, two hours. You owe me.”

I ignore her solicitation to get something from me later, and concentrate on the intel. “So she’s at church?”

Quickly, she answers, “Yeah, she must’ve sinned recently.” I cough, nearly spitting out my food. When I regain my composure, I tell her people don’t have to sin to go to church.

“Yeah, well, they don’t have to stay this long if they didn’t.”

I laugh. “Why don’t you go in there and cleanse yourself too. It’ll do you good.”

“Not a chance.”

“Why not?”

“Because people would look at me funny.”

“Rosie. You’re being silly.”

“No I’m not. It’s a Baptist church.”

“So.”

“So, everyone there is…you know…African American.”

“You don’t have to be African American to be Baptist, Rosie.”

“Here you do. I’d stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Riley’s in there,” I say.

“Yeah, well, she’s sticking out like a sore thumb.”

Interesting. What’s she doing?

Rosie snaps me out of my train of thought. “All right, well, if you’re done. My favorite song’s on, so...”

“Okay. Just make sure she gets home and then come back here. And tell me if you see her talking to anyone strange.”

She hangs up, and I feel partly like I’m stalking Riley, and partly like I’m protecting her. The strangeness of it all makes the spy sensation stand out, and I don’t like it. I finish my food, trying to shake concern for her. Again.

Rosie gets back and tells me the only people Riley spoke to in the parking lot were women in large hats, and she drove the speed limit the whole way home. I don’t know why everything about her makes me want to smile.

I don’t ask Rosie to watch her anymore tonight, but I feel like I’m dancing around an invisible issue. I have to figure out a way to bring normalcy back into our lives. As normal as they can be, anyway.

Tonight, the only thing I can think of is to pay Riley a visit to settle some things, and to make sure she’s able to take care of herself. I drive to her house with a determined purpose. This time when she opens the door, she’s wearing a yellow pajama top with white pants. It’s good to see her covered up, because my thoughts stay clean.

“Hey,” she says, smiling, but not too brightly. Her expectations don’t seem too high, but nevertheless, she seems glad to see me.

“Hey,” I close the door behind me, and, as if on auto pilot, I lean down to give her a kiss on the cheek. She leans in to absorb it, subtly.

“Can we sit?” I ask.

“Of course.” She leads the way over to the sofa. I expect her to sit in the middle, but she chooses the edge and places the pillow on her lap. Again, she’s found a way to make me want to come to her.

“Listen,” I say, sitting next to her. “I don’t know what to say or do about anything that’s happened. I just don’t want you thinking bad things about me. And I want to make sure you’re safe.”

“Okay?” she says, like it’s a question.

I haven’t planned what I’m going to say, so it’s sounding like rambling, but I keep going. “I need to make sure no more monsters or anyone from my family bothers you, but in order for me to do that, I need to find out what’s going on. And I can’t do that being around here all the time.” She nods. “I want you to take this,” I continue, showing her a handgun. Surprisingly, she takes it without hesitation. Her face is unmoved, but she’s examining it as if deciding on a purchase. “It has special bullets that will immobilize a Hybrid almost instantly. Since you can’t take one out or dispose of it properly, all these will do is tranquilize it until you can get to safety and call me. Do you think you can handle that?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, so stay indoors as much as you can. If you go anywhere, be alert and take this with you at all times. And I’d like your phone number…if you don’t mind.”

She smiles. “Anything else?”

“Just that, once I know what’s going on, things should get back to normal.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I need to find out why you were targeted by us and why the Hybrids came for you.” I stand, wanting to keep the visit short. I think I’ve given her peace of mind without complicating things between us.

“Hang on,” she says.

After a minute she comes from her kitchen with a piece of paper. I don’t know why I’m looking at her like a deer in headlights. Maybe because I expect her to ask a dozen questions, which she doesn’t.

“What’s this?” I ask, reaching out.

“My number,” she says slowly, sounding out each syllable.

“Right,” I say, fighting the tickling sensation in my stomach. I put the paper in my pocket and force my feet to walk toward the door. I want her to stop me, even if it is to ask a bunch of questions. All she does is offer a soft smile and open the door for me. Still, I manage to keep the conversation going a little longer.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I think so,” she says, giving me nothing.

“All right. I’ll call you then?”

She smiles and shifts her weight onto her tippy toes. If I don’t lean over, she won’t be able to kiss me, but like gravity I do. Her soft kiss lingers, comfortably, on my mouth the entire way home.

Chapter 12
THE ANSWER

What I want to do and what I can do are two different things. It would be easier to just go ask the Readers why one of them thinks Riley is a danger to us, but that’s impossible right now.

I have a week and a half before the next Circle, so for the next few days I make a bold move and tell all my brothers about me being asked to take out a female civilian. After the initial shock of my revelation, they all give me a reaction I’m looking for, except Alexandru. He’s the last person I visit.

It starts with good hospitality. Although surprised to see me at his Arlington high rise, Alexandru offers me a drink and a place on his sofa. Things seem easygoing until I start talking to him about the assignment and not following through. Then, he immediately goes on the defense.

“Vasi, you shouldn’t be here talking matters concerning the Syndicate. We have rules for a reason.”

“And what are those reasons, Dru?”

He leans back on his black leather sofa, with one leg crossed over the other a little too femininely for my taste. But I know those looks are deceiving. He’s lethal. Arching his back, he props one arm on the back of the sofa and says, “Because young members get ideas in their heads that make them think they can do whatever they want. And that leads to making unwise choices.”

For a moment we sit quietly, and I think about arguing with him that ignorance is not bliss, but don’t. I only want to say my piece. At this point, I don’t care if he tells Henri about my visit, so I don’t hold back.

“All I’m saying is that I was asked to go against code and kill an innocent girl—”

“How do you know she’s innocent?”

I pause. “Because I have a feeling.”

His head falls backward and a strong laugh escapes his throat. “Vasi, I can’t believe you’re actually considered to be the promising one. You’ll get us all killed with your feelings. Go home and let the Elders take care of our family, like they’ve done for centuries. And, because I think you mean well, I’m going to forget that you came here behind Henri’s back.”

“Just think about it, Alexandru. It doesn’t add up.”

He rolls his eyes. “Goodbye, Vasile.”

I stand and let myself out. My drive home leaves me feeling frustrated, still lacking answers. Even though I’ve gained confidence that six of my brothers won’t carry out a potential repeat order from Henri, I still feel lost and insecure. Like something is spiraling out of control and I’m trying to reel it in blindfolded.

At least I’ve spoken to them and know which one I have to worry about. And what are the odds Henri will pick Alexandru if a Reader still chooses her? The thought makes me anxious. When I get home, I find myself tossing and turning in what is normally the comfort of my own bed.

With all the advocating I’ve been doing, I haven’t seen or spoken to Riley in four days. I miss her. After not seeing her for so long, going to her house seems out of order, so I decide to call.

“Hello?” she answers.

“Riley, this is Vasi.”

“Hey.” She sounds surprised.

“Sounds like you weren’t expecting me to call.”

“I wasn’t,” she answers quickly. Her confident riposte quiets me. “But it’s nice that you did,” she adds.

I’m holding back a smile now. Damn.

“Well?” she asks.

I guess this is the part where I tell her why I called. Why did I call? I pass on a couple of answers and settle on a copout. “I’m following up on whether or not you’ve seen any more Hybrids.” The tone in my voice is so formal, it causes me to roll my eyes.

“No, I haven’t,” she answers dryly.

“That’s good.”

“Anything else?” she prods.

I wince because she’s making me work harder at this conversation than I planned. It’s either say “no” and hang up or find something else to say.

“How about you? Are you okay?”

“You mean, have I had any more hysterical episodes?” She chuckles. “No, things have been pretty quiet.”

“Good. Well, good night,” I say, gripping the phone, regretting that our conversation is over already.

“Good night,” she says, but I can’t bring myself to hang up. After a few seconds, I hear, “Vasi?”

“Yes?” I answer, a little too relieved.

“Do you want to go to church with me on Sunday?”

The question flew out of left field, and so does my answer. “Sure.”

“Can you be here by 10 a.m?”

With my promise to see her in a few days, I hang up. I haven’t gone to church since my parents died, and I don’t want to start now, but this girl has me curious. Plus, it gives me a reason to see her and to scope out the people she hangs around.

For the rest of the week, I avoid Henri like the plague. I don’t know if Alexandru talked to him, and, even if he didn’t, I have no interest in conversing with Henri.

On Sunday morning, I dig out my only pair of dress slacks and a button-up shirt with a blazer. I wore this at my first Circle, before I figured out that sweats would do.

I arrive at her door a few minutes before ten, avoiding the pretense by not hiding the fact that I’m early. She doesn’t bother with pretenses either, because she opens the door before I even knock.

My stomach stuns me with an internal cartwheel. She’s wearing a lavender dress, fitted to her knees, with a small white sweater. Her hair is in a loose up-do, making her look hot and sophisticated at the same time.

“Hey,” she says. “Come in.”

“Thanks,” I reply, moving forward.

She’s close enough for me to kiss her, but I hold back. It feels awkward, not having seen her for a week.

“I’m almost ready. Hang on.”

She hurries down the hall as if she’s late, and after a few moments she returns to the foyer with a pair of tan, strappy shoes with a sexy-looking heel. I watch as she puts one hand on the wall and leans over to put on each shoe with her free hand. I find myself smiling as she tries to maintain balance.

“There,” she says, popping up. “Ready?”

“Always,” I say, opening the door.

“I like the Sonny Corinthos look,” she says, passing over the threshold.

“Who?”

“Never mind,” she answers, smiling as she walks ahead of me.

My gaze zeroes in on the way her curves fit perfectly in that dress. She turns, and I’m not sure if I’ve looked up in time. She’s holding back a smile.

“So, how have you been?” she asks.

“Good.”

“Good.” She turns around, and like a magnet my gaze travels down her back again, until I realize we’re headed toward her car. “We can take my truck,” I say.

“No, my car’s fine.”

This unsettles me, because I’m not too keen on girl drivers. This mostly stems from the fact that I don’t trust my sister behind a wheel. And now, I feel no different.

“I like to drive,” I say.

“Me too.” Her alarm chirps, and she stands right at her driver’s door. I stop at the curb with my hands in my pockets. I feel weird. I’ve already committed to going to church with this girl. The last thing I want is to be driven around by her. “Look,” she says, putting her hand on her hip. “I’ll drive there since you don’t know where it is, and you can drive back.”

I consider it for a minute and agree, not really wanting to make a production of it. The next thing I know, I’m sitting in the passenger seat, at her mercy.

“So, you like MJ?” she asks.

“Who?”

“Come on,” she says, backing out of the parking space. “Don’t tell me you don’t know who Michael Jackson is, either?”

“Of course I do.”

She smiles. “Good. I was beginning to think you lived in a cave under that mansion of yours.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” She laughs, hooking her iPod into the jack. “My favorite album of his is Thriller. Is that okay?”

“Sure. Whatever you want.”

She puts it on with the volume low.

“So, I’m glad you called,” she says. I’m surprised by her good spirits. I don’t know how I expected her to be, but I’ve never seen her more confident—except for the time when she groped me in her foyer.

“You’re in a good mood,” I say.

She laughs, shifting her manual gears smoothly as we turn onto the main road. “I told you, I’m not always a basket case.”

“I never said you were.”

“But you were thinking it.”

“No—”

“It’s okay. I don’t blame you. But I told you, I’m over it.”

“That was fast.”

“Yeah, well, with my mom, I’m used to having moments every now and then where I break down, let it all out, and then I’m fine.”

I’m not sure what to say, so we ride along listening to music for a while. It’s nice to see her so refreshed, but at the same time her fears are what made me want to help her so much. Without that, I’m not so sure I’d be willing to risk my family’s trust for her. Or would I?

“So you’re not worried about anything anymore?” I ask.

“Of course I am. Are you kidding? But I’ve gotten it out of my system. You know how I feel about it, and you’ve made me feel better. So, I’m okay with whatever happens.”

“I didn’t think I had that much power.”

“Oh, I don’t believe that,” she says, smiling slyly. She turns up the music and leaves that last thought to ruminate between us. My mind wants to wander to last weekend, but I try to keep it clean.

“Speaking of blocking things out…” She flips to the next song as“Thriller” starts to play. “I don’t need to tell you why I’ve never liked that song.”

I smile as she skips to “Human Nature.” “So where are you taking me?”

“It’s a historical church on a country hillside. It takes about thirty minutes to get there. You’ll like it.”

“You go there every week?”

“No. Just when I feel like I need answers.”

“What kind of answers?”

“Just ones that’ll keep me from seeking them from you.”

Interesting. Sounds like the place I need to be, but I almost feel jealous at the idea of her not coming to me when she needs something.

“I can still give you answers,” I say, disbelieving that I’m putting myself out there like this.

“I know.” She looks at me. “But your answers are toxic.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She looks away, turns up the radio, and smiles. I turn it down. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask again, offended.

“I didn’t mean toxic. I meant….tempting.”

Tempting? I suppose both of us know all about that. I look out the window. “About last week…I’m sorry.”

“Are you?”

I think for a minute and then decide on the truth. “No, but if you are, I don’t want—”

“I’m not. But I’d rather not talk about it on the way to church.”

“Right,” I say, finding myself holding back another smile.

A short while later, we pull into the small parking lot, and she’s right: it’s already drawing me in. Somehow, I’m confident that this tiny white church will give me some answers too. Maybe even a good cleansing while I’m at it.

We step out of the car, and I wait for her by the hood. Even with her heels on, she’s considerably shorter than me, and it highlights her vulnerability. I cringe at the thought of someone doing anything to harm her, but she doesn’t skip a beat. She beams her full smile at me and slips her arm through mine.

We walk like that across the gravel parking lot, and every so often I feel her grip my arm tighter as she maneuvers her way across the gravel. Once inside, I see exactly what Rosie was talking about. Although small in size, the church is packed with people, all of whom are African American. We’re greeted at the door, handed programs, and take our seats in one of the back pews.

My first thoughts are uncomfortable, because I feel like more than a few people have stolen glances at us, wondering why I’m here. However, those thoughts dissipate as I look around and get a familiar feel.

Orange and red stained-glass windows line the walls. A small choir pit is in the front right corner, and a podium and microphone are in the center. Though the atmosphere is quite different from what I’m used to, I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s done here, on the little hillside Baptist church. A church where my family’s targeted enemy has taken me.

Just then, the pianist begins to play a soulful tune as the choir stands. The preacher enters from a small door to the left and takes his place at the podium. I like him already. He’s older, dark skinned, grey hair with a matching beard, and glasses. He’s the leader here, and those sitting around me are his people. The responsibility is something I respect.

He raises his arms for us to stand. “Please join the choir in singing the opening hymn.”

By the time the fourth verse rolls around, we’ve been signaled to sit and I’ve taken a look at my program to note the name of the preacher: Reverend Webb. I’ve also surveyed the room, which is filled with predominately senior citizens, many of whom are women in large hats decorated in everything from flowers, artificial fruit, and ribbons.

I would’ve loved to see Rosie sitting in here by herself. My thoughts are interrupted when Rev. Webb begins to lead a prayer. It’s the longest prayer I’ve ever heard, and somewhere in the middle I feel Riley nudge my knee. I open an eye to see one of her legs crossed over the other, angled close enough to me that it’s touching my leg. I squeeze my eye closed, blocking out the electricity that’s brewing in my thigh.

After the prayer, I expect her to realize her knee is still touching mine and move it away, but she doesn’t.

The thick silence surrounding our bodies is broken by the choir singing another song. Upbeat like the opening one. The pianist has barely hit five keys when the whole church starts humming and singing along. Not bad, I think.

Obviously, Riley is in agreement, because I feel her leg start to move up and down as she taps her foot to the rhythm of the crowd’s claps. By the time the chorus rolls around, I feel like they’re singing to me.

Not my brother, nor my sister, but it’s me, O Lord, standin’ in the need of prayer.

Not my brother, nor my sister, but it’s me, O Lord, standin’ in the need of prayer.

It’s me, it’s me, O Lord, standin’ in the need of prayer.

I feel my own foot begin to tap as my mind absorbs the feeling that I do need something.

One more song goes by like that and then we observe a scripture reading, another prayer, and offering.

This puts us in here for about an hour so far. Based on Rosie’s rundown, I’ll be here another hour, and I’m wondering what they could possibly have planned for so long. Right away, I discover more songs. This time slower, but equally rhythmic and enticing.

The choir digs deep inside to belt out portions:

Leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning,

leaning, safe and secure from all alarms. Leaning,

leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

I feel Riley’s shoulders swaying back and forth ever so slightly. Admittedly, I feel like doing the same, but don’t. I just keep my eyes on the pianist. About halfway through the song, I see Riley’s hand go up to her face a few times. After the third or fourth time, I sneak a glance her way. She wipes a subtle tear from her face with her eyes closed, taking in the lyrics.

Without planning it, I reach my hand over and pat her knee gently, and something in me decides to keep my hand there. Just as I do, I feel her body give into my arm and her head lean into my shoulder.

Feeling her against me like this brings a softness to my nerves and limbs that I’m not used to. We stay that way for the rest of the song, and I wonder how long she’ll stay nestled against me like this.

Finally, an hour and ten minutes into the service, Rev. Webb begins his message. I’m watching him with an intense curiosity.

I don’t know where he’s going at first, because he’s talking about time-sensitive mailing materials, about how we get notices in the mail and have a certain date to reply. Before long, I’m getting it.

He says that people have to make a decision, and we aren’t guaranteed a certain amount of time to make that decision. Sometimes people decide to do God’s work, but it’s either too late or they don’t mail the reply to let God know.

Not only do we have to make the decision in time, we have to mark it, put it in the envelope, stick a stamp on it, and mail it back. We can’t just decide, but then let the deadline pass, because if we do, it’s like we never made the decision to begin with.

I’m sitting here, fully aware that he’s talking about God, but I can’t help but think about a decision I have to make. I’ve obviously made a few so far that have kept Riley alive, but I haven’t committed fully. I haven’t put it in the envelope and mailed it, so at this point I can still change my mind. Do I want to mail it? Do I want to keep her safe that badly? Will I risk everything for it? For her?

I tune out the benediction and glance down at Riley. She’s no longer resting her head on my shoulder, but her body is no doubt still leaning into me. I absorb the energy she’s giving me, and realize my hand is still on her knee. I also realize the answer to all of my questions.

I don’t know why or what it will cost me, but yes. She makes me feel like someone I’m supposed to be. Someone I’ll never be if she’s gone. It makes no sense, but I don’t care anymore.

I don’t even realize the service is over until she takes my hand from her knee as she stands. Easily, she keeps holding on to it as she guides me into the aisle. I’m introduced to several people, all of whom act like they’ve known Riley forever.

A plump woman with an overwhelmingly large chest walks straight up to us and hugs Riley, and then me. It’s something I’m not used to since my mother died. Then a thin, lighter skinned elderly woman with a cane comes over, offering hugs too.

“Aw, my child, it’s so good to see you again. And look what we have here. Yes, you are just so precious. Who is this?”

“Nana, this is Vasi. Vasi, this is Nana Mary.”

Okay. “Hi,” I say, nodding.

“Aren’t you a handsome fella.”

I look down, embarrassed by the affection. My family was that way. But somehow amongst all the code and service to the Circle, I’ve almost forgotten what affection feels like. The realization makes me miss my parents that much more.

Chapter 13
MAILED

I’m hugged about twenty more times before Riley leads me out, still holding on to my hand. I’m so busy processing the whole experience that I forget I’m driving back.

“You’ll need these,” she says, dangling her keys.

“Oh, right,” I murmur, reluctantly letting go of her hand.

We approach her car, and instead of going straight to the driver’s side, I find myself opening the passenger door for her before getting into my side.

“Do you remember how to get back?” she asks.

“I believe so.”

“Okay.”

We make our way out of the parking lot, and she takes the initiative to put the music back on. We’ve listened to all but a few tracks before she speaks again. “You’re awfully quiet. What are you thinking about?”

“Just the message.”

“Oh.” She smiles. “Are you ready to put a stamp on your letter?” she mocks.

“Actually I am,” I say, holding back a smile.

“What’s it say?”

Having barely come to terms with my decision, I decide to reply jokingly. “It says it’s for me to know and for you to find out.”

“Fair enough.”

After driving a few more miles, I break the comfortable silence. “So how do you know those people…at the church?”

“Ah…that’s for me to know and for you to find out.”

She’s quick witted, but I’d like to think I’m quicker. “That’s what I’m trying to do,” I counter. “So why did you call that woman Nana?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her body turn toward me. “Because that’s what she is. My Nana.” I look at her, not following. “You know… Nana…grandmother.”

I’m still not following, and I don’t consider myself an ignorant person.

“She’s my dad’s mom.”

“Really?” I say, more surprised than I would’ve liked. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes. Although fair, she’s strikingly unique looking. “So, your mom?” I ask.

“She’s white. Not sure which heritage, because she was adopted. But I have her green eyes, and we look a lot alike.”

At this point in the conversation, “Thriller” has made it around for a second time, and I reflexively hit the “next” button.

“Thanks,” she says.

After another few minutes of silence, she asks, “So what did you think of the service?”

“I liked it.” There’s another pause, and then I decide to close the gap. “You were right about finding answers.”

“Really?” Her smile is wide and genuine. “And what answer did you get? Or can you not share?”

“I can share it.”

“Okay…so?”

“I found out what I want.”

“And what is that?” She’s leaning toward me, elbow on the console, listening attentively.

“I’ll tell you another time,” I say, enjoying the light mood of the conversation. She picks up on my avoidance and changes the subject. For the rest of the drive, we talk about music and trivial things.

When we arrive at her apartment, I walk her to the door, but decline her invitation to come in. She looks disappointed, but shrugs slightly. My gaze travels over her features, and my earlier hesitation goes away. I smile, and before walking away I say, “You.”

“What?” she asks.

Leaning in closer, with a long gaze into her ocean-green eyes, I say, “That’s the answer I got. That’s what I want.”

Her neck moves back a few inches in surprise, and then a half smile forms across her perfect face.

“What does that mean?” she asks.

I shake my head. “I have no idea.”

Her smile turns into a small, confused laugh, and I can no longer resist tasting her perfect lips. I kiss them like they’re mine to keep, mine to protect, and mine to no longer have to miss.

She breaks away. “Does that mean I can call you now?”

This girl is by far the most unpredictable person I will ever come across, and I soak it up, knowing now that she’s what I’ve needed, though I didn’t even know it. My answer is easy. “Yes.” I’m not even halfway to my truck before I feel the weighted anticipation of my cell phone in my pocket.

Later that evening, I tell Rosie what I’m up to. Even though I know she opposed killing Riley from the beginning, I don’t expect her to be on board with me blatantly going behind Henri’s back. Happy is an understatement. She’s ridiculously giddy.

“Yay!” she says, jumping up and down in my room. “Vasi has a heart! Vasi has a heart! I so have to meet this chick. How in the world did she get to you?” She paces. “Wait, maybe she’s bewitching or something weird.”

“Rosie, the girl is not bewitched. She’s fine. She can’t hurt a fly.”

She sits beside me, stabbing her gaze into mine. “Then how did she get you like this?”

“Like what?”

“All goo-goo eyed over her.”

I stand. “I’m not goo-goo eyed, Rosie. I just like her.” Then I tell her how I’ve been hearing our mom’s and dad’s voices when I’m near her.

“It’s like they’re telling you to protect her. Holy crap. I knew you shouldn’t kill her. I had that same feeling. Well, not the same, but you get what I’m saying!”

We talk more about what it could all mean in the grand scheme of things, and, after a rapid Q&A session, Rosie knows everything except that I slept at Riley’s last weekend. By the end of our talk, she’s on board with helping me figure out why Riley was targeted, as well as helping me cover up the time I spend over there, starting with tonight.

I’m taking this morning’s message and running with it. It’s not enough that I’ve decided to spend more time with Riley; I have to own up to it. Sign, seal, and deliver it, so I make the call around nine o’clock. My plan is to hang out with her for a few hours, but it ends up not happening that way.

I return to her house at around nine thirty. When I knock, my nerves are in knots. Worse than when I went on my first kill. It’s like I don’t know how to stand or what to say. Will things be awkward? The last time I knocked on her door after dark…well, no need to recap.

She answers, in pajamas again. But this time a T-shirt and matching grey pants. Still cute, and the sexy fit of her top makes my mind wonder.

“Hi,” she says, and without skipping a beat she reaches up to kiss my cheek. Most of my nervousness disappears with the comfortable aura she’s giving off. “Come in.”

I head for the couch in her dimly lit living room and briefly glance at the hospital drama playing out on the television. She sits beside me, pulling a pillow onto her lap.

We sit watching TV until the silence during the commercials drives me paranoid. I want her to lead a conversation, but realize that she’s in a defensive position, not knowing what to expect from me. And if she’s on the defense, that puts me on the offense.

“Are you okay with my being here?” I ask.

She looks away from the TV. “Yeah, of course…”

“What are you thinking?’”

“What are you thinking?” she counters.

“Everything…you, my family, Hybrids. Everything.”

“That about sums it up for me too,” she says. “Except, I’m also wondering why you’re here, now.”

“I don’t know.” My gaze is fixed on the television, where a patient is being rushed into a set of double doors. Nurses and doctors shout vital signs and orders. I tune out what they’re saying, and realize she wants me to make my intentions obvious. But I’ve never had to put my feelings out there.

Suddenly, I like the comfort of my solitary mind better, so I backpedal. Up until now, I’ve only put a stamp on the envelope. I may be standing in the post office, but I haven’t put it in the box yet. It’s still not too late, and leaving now would make things a whole lot less complicated for me. Like a coward, I take a deep breath and stand.

“I think I should go.”

She stands, taking hold of my arm. “Please…don’t.”

I turn toward her, examining her face. We’re standing so close, our feet are nearly touching. I catch sight of a stray hair sticking to her bottom lip. With a mind of its own, my hand reaches up and slides the hair away.

She leans her cheek into my fingers and closes her eyes. Now, what I’m thinking has nothing to do with Hybrids or my family. It’s all about her. I place my hand on the back of her neck, giving her more support to lean into it.

Warmth travels through my arm and into my feet. My body leans toward her until my lips brush her forehead. She tilts her head up so her temple is touching my face. Mangos and strawberries rouse me.

“Do you always cause this much trouble?” I ask.

“I’m sorry,” she replies, pulling back slightly.

“I’m not.”

She exhales, and her breath sends a wave down my neck, prompting me to pull her closer. Our lips meet until her whole body is pressed against mine. I have a feeling where this is going, but I’m not so sure it’s a good idea. I don’t want any more episodes of her hiding in a corner in the morning, so I keep my desires in check.

As if reading my mind, she pulls back, breathing heavily. I expect her to say something, but she just presses her face into my chest and hugs me tight. The pressure of her arms around me is like a tranquilizer, calming the electricity flowing through my body.

“Can you just stay with me like this?” she asks.

I’m hoping she doesn’t think I came over here for something more. “Of course.”

We stay like that for a few more minutes, and then I initiate sitting. We find our places on the sofa, but this time she curls herself against my chest. With my arm around her, and the scent of her filling my lungs, we watch the rest of the TV show. The time is ten o’clock.

Sometime after midnight, I wake with a crick in my neck, realizing we’ve fallen asleep. I think of waking her, but decide to move her into the bed instead. Laying her small frame on her pillow reminds me of how fragile she is.

On my way out, I hear her groggy voice ask me to stay. It’s not something I planned on, and I’m not sure how to explain my absence from home. However, there’s an urge within me to comply.

I make my way back over to the bed and sit next to her. “Okay.” Once she falls back asleep, I head out to the sofa. I’m not sure why I want to be the gentleman now. I had no problem making myself more than at home in her room last week, but now it seems different. My hormones aren’t what’s driving me now. It’s something else.

I lie on the couch and look around the dark, quiet place. It doesn’t take long to wonder how I could’ve left her here all week without someone watching out for her. Thoughts of the peeping Tom-Hybrids standing outside her window flash through my mind, followed by lame memories of me giving her a gun for protection. I’ll have to do better.

With that last thought, I drift off to sleep in her apartment, officially sending my reply.

My sleep is dreamless, and I’m only awakened by the smell of something sweet. Cinnamon mixed with coffee. A couple of blinks later, it hits me that I’m at Riley’s. Still on her sofa, but now covered in a purple afghan.

I shift the blanket to the side. Then I realize that she must’ve put it on me as I slept and suddenly have an urge to pull it back more gratefully.

Her soft voice rings in my ears like a wake-up call. “You didn’t have to sleep out here.”

I follow the sound to find her leaning against the kitchen doorframe. I smile, then stand. “No, but it was probably a good idea.”

“You’re probably right,” she admits.

“Mind if I use your restroom?”

She motions with her hand, and I waste no time rinsing with mouthwash and splashing water on my face. Feeling refreshed, I find her in the kitchen in a stare-down with her oven.

“I hope you don’t mind cinnamon buns from the can.”

I lean against her counter, the smell of coffee surrounding me. “I don’t mind.”

She’s still watching them intently. “Just another minute or two and they’ll be done.”

“What’s with the coffee?”

“What do you mean?”

“What? Are you, like, thirty?”

She laughs, still watching her buns. I’m watching her buns too, trying to keep focused.

“No. I’m eighteen. I started drinking coffee in tenth grade to keep myself awake at night. I didn’t want to fall into my nightmares. Now it’s just habit.”

At least she has a valid reason for jumping on the coffee wagon so young. The oven beeps, and she carefully reaches her potholder-covered hands into the oven and pulls out perfectly risen mounds of dough. “You don’t?” she asks.

I blink, not sure I heard a question. “Don’t what?”

“Drink coffee.” She glances her gorgeous greens my way, waiting for a reply.

“No, I get my caffeine from Pepsi.”

“I have some in the fridge if you want.”

I take her up on the offer, and, once she ices the rolls, we sit at her small dining room table and have cinnamon rolls.

Through the first portion of our sweet rolls, I learn more about her. She’s a freshman at George Mason, that much I knew, but she’s studying to be an elementary school teacher. Not anything related to medicine. She says her mom used to be a nurse, and that’s where her interest in working in the ER comes from, but for her future, she describes her love for working with little kids.

I shake my head, thinking about Henri’s order. How would I have lived with myself if I had killed off an innocent elementary school teacher? It doesn’t even make sense. The more she talks, the more angry I get at this whole mess of a situation.

Hoping to calm down, I change the subject and ask about her dad. Ironically, he works for Homeland Security and is on a three-year assignment overseas. Despite the distance, they seem very close. Her eyes light up as she talks about him. What I don’t understand is, if he’s still alive, why is her mother locked away in some looney bin?

She quickly takes up his defense. “My dad loves my mother, but, when I was a kid, she used to lock me in places. She would say that she was keeping me safe. My dad said she left me in the car to go grocery shopping. I was two, and it was ninety degrees outside. A passerby saw me in there and called the police, and they broke me out. Later, my mom wrote me and told me that she did it because she had nightmares of monsters in a parking lot, so she was keeping me safe.

“Then when I was three, she locked both of us in a closet. We had apparently been in there for hours, and I started to cry to get out. When my dad came home to let us out, she tried to stab him, because she thought he was going to bite us or something.

“He stayed with her even then, but when I was five my dad said she started talking about hearing monsters hissing all around me, and she was afraid she’d hurt me accidentally while trying to make them go away. That’s when they decided it was best for her to get help. She checked herself into that hospital and has been there ever since.”

No wonder she’s tough as nails on the outside, but like mush on the inside. I couldn’t imagine living with the idea of my own mother being a danger to me. And here she is, living alone, going to school and work in constant fear.

I don’t even know what to think of her right now, but I feel like we have more in common than a lot of people. Certainly not the same responsibilities or familial obligations, but the pressure of handling everything alone. Yeah, I have Rosie, and my brothers, but no one can carry a Guard’s burden, except the Guard himself. All our fears, all our worries, are all left for us to deal with at the end of the day. And we’re both expected to pull it off without anyone knowing what truly goes on inside our minds.

I sit, watching her sip her coffee, absorbing it all. The strangest thing is that I want her to know me too.

“So what about you? Where are your parents?” she asks, as if on cue.

Normally that question would bother me, as I hate to reflect, but with her it doesn’t.

“My parents were killed when I was fifteen.”

Her jaw drops and she looks down at her coffee. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.”

“Both of them?”

I nod, taking a big chug of my soda. “Yeah. There was a robbery at our house—not the house I live in now, but the family one we had when they were alive. I don’t know what happened exactly, but my mother answered the door and the rest is history.”

“Who was it? Did they catch him?”

I shake my head. “No, and I’m positive it was more than one guy, because otherwise my father wouldn’t have let—”

“What about you?” She leans forward, setting her cup to the side. “Were you…?”

“No, I wasn’t there, but we were supposed to be. My sister and I. It was dinner time on a school night. We were always home then, but Rosie was late coming from her friend’s house down the street, so my mom sent me to get her. I was gone twenty minutes, and when I came back…”

I don’t want to recount the rest. By the way her hand is covering her mouth, she’s shocked enough. I don’t need to tell her they were shot in the back of the head. Or how I found my mom lying dead, in the dining room, on her favorite imported rug. Or my father lying face down near his gun closet. And I don’t want her to feel the need to console me, so I stand up and take my plate to the sink.

She follows right after me, but doesn’t say anything at first. Instead, she takes the plate from my hands. “I’ve got it,” she says, turning on the water with a vengeance. “I just can’t believe people. Why? Why would people be so evil?”

“I don’t know,” I answer quietly.

She finishes rinsing and sets the plates in the drying rack. We turn around so we’re side by side, leaning our backs against the counter, and then she processes the information. “And ever since then, you’ve been killing those things like a machine?”

I shrug it off. “It’s what my father did. It’s what I was born into.”

“No mother, no father…? Just risking your life and killing all the time?”

From there, I tell her about my relationship with Rosie, Dani, Petric, and Andre, and what we do for fun. The basketball, the off-roading, the traveling. I try to convince her that there’s more to my life than hunting Hybrids, but I’m not doing a very good job.

She takes my hand in hers and leads me to sit on the sofa. Turning her body toward me, she lifts her knees so they’re nearly on my lap.

“I think I’m beginning to understand you,” she says.

“That’s good. That makes one of us then.”

“I’m serious.”

“Me, too.”

“What are you so confused about?”

Here’s where I admit that I’m still coming to terms with what I’m doing, by being with her at all. How it goes against everything the Circle stands for. By the end of my admission, I’ve more than piqued her interest in my family history.

She asks me where the Syndicate comes from, how they know about the Hybrids and how come no one else does. I decide to answer her questions and start with how the Hybrids came to be. After all, I’ve mailed the letter. There’s no point in holding back now.

Chapter 14
FAMILY HISTORY

Learning our history is a requirement growing up. In order to understand our place in the family, we have to know everything. Reciting all of it would be second nature, but I choose to only tell her the necessities.

“My family is from Romania. In the fifteenth century, there was a famous ruler who was ruthless and cruel. People feared him like he was the devil himself. During his reign, villagers were brutally punished for even the simplest of crimes.”

She was listening attentively, and I comfortably put my arm around her and told her what happened next:

After awhile, villagers started going missing and would later be found dead, with their bodies mauled. At first people thought their ruler was behind it, but then they started to suspect someone or something else.

Rumor spread that Transylvania was cursed. That’s when my ancestor, Octavian, decided to do something to protect the people. He and his brother, Vladimir, started to track the attacks.

At first they used Karelian Bear dogs to help find the unknown beast, but, on several occasions, a dog would take off on a scent, only to be found dead. They realized they needed a stronger, faster hunting animal, so they brought in snow leopard cubs.

Octavian and Vladimir trained the cubs to hunt, and their wives helped take care of them. A few months later, the cottage where Vladimir and his wife, Angela, were living was attacked during the night. Vladimir immediately released the cats, and they chased the creature into the forest, but his wife was seriously injured.

She hadn’t seen what had attacked her, but said their leopards saved her life. The next day Octavian and Vladimir found one of the leopards lying in the forest, barely alive. There was a trail of blood leading away from him, but the creature was never found. They believed the leopards killed whatever it was, because the attacks on the villages ceased.

Eventually Vladimir’s wife fully recovered, and they thought the cat did as well. But in the months that followed, it became withdrawn and unpredictable. Octavian and Vladimir suspected some sort of rabies-like infection. Octavian wanted to kill the leopard, but Angela refused.

Shortly after, one of the trainers was bitten while feeding the leopard. After that, Angela took up the task of caring for him by herself, but she was bitten as well, confirming they could no longer save it.

My uncles made the decision to kill it. My aunt’s wounds healed again, but then they noticed the trainer didn’t. He became unpredictable and violent, and it didn’t take long before he became just as unstable as the cat. That’s when they began to figure out that the infection must only affect males.

The bitten trainer became so delirious and dangerous that Octavian decided he needed to be killed too, but he was like family, so they procrastinated until it was too late. He escaped the village, and the attacks started happening all over again. Octavian and Vladimir knew it was the trainer because of the human-sized bite marks on the victims.

My ancestors immediately put together a team of hunters to capture the trainer. They asked for volunteers, and many strong, brave men stepped forward. They were called the Guards.

After a week of not being able to find him, they acquired more dogs to keep in the villages for protection and sought out the help of two women who claimed psychic abilities.

With help from the psychics, the Guards did find and kill the trainer. Afterward, they examined the body and were horrified to see physical changes. He was emaciated. His spine was widened and protruding. His nails were yellowed and long. The whites of his eyes were also yellow. He exhibited feline characteristics of their big cat, so they called him Hybrid.

They burned the body so news wouldn’t spread of what happened, and they thought all was well until they heard a neighboring village was nursing a man who had been bitten by an animal and was now delirious.

And that’s when the Syndicate was officially formed. The Guards added the two psychics, who became our Readers, and Octavian and Vladimir were the leaders. They felt responsible, so they spent the rest of their lives trying to track down all the people who would become infected, before they could hurt anyone else.

When word spread that there were foretellers and humans hunting the creatures, people started crying devil and witches, so the Syndicate went undercover. Each member was sworn to secrecy to protect themselves from persecution. And that’s what we’ve been doing ever since.

I finally take a look at Riley, and she’s staring up at me, mute. “You okay?” I ask.

“Um…yeah, I think so.” She blinks. “So how did your family end up in America?”

“Well, when men were infected, they realized they would eventually be killed, so some of them fled before the infection overtook them. They ended up in places all over the world, so the Syndicate gathered more volunteers and split, eventually multiplying into several Syndicate cells.”

“And no one knows, after all these years?”

This is where I really shock her. “The government knows.”

She pulls back, sitting up. “What?”

“There’s a lot your government knows that they don’t tell you.”

“How? Why?”

“In 1947 there was a sighting and attack in Roswell—”

“The aliens?” she interrupts.

“That’s what they want you to think. It was actually Hybrids, but the government didn’t want to cause an uproar, so they covered it up with an outrageous story of a UFO crash. The newspapers ate it up, and people have speculated and believed ever since. What they don’t know is that the government successfully covered up the real truth.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. And the government has been paying the Syndicate big dollars ever since. We handle the Hybrids and keep the public from finding out about it.”

“Unbelievable.”

I’ve noticed that our bodies are no longer touching, but don’t make a move to close the gap. Choosing to let it all ruminate, I sit there still and quiet. After a few minutes of thinking, she asks, “So you still have these Readers that foretell their existence?”

“Yes. We all meet once a month at what we call the Circle. There, we have the Guards—there are eight of us now—and five Readers, and three Elders.”

“Elders?”

“Yeah, they’re the Octavian and Vladimir of our time, the ultimate decision makers and organizers. The lead Elder is given his position by birthright, and the others are elected by the Circle.”

“And a Reader or an Elder told you to kill me?”

“At the Circle, the Readers write down the name and location of a Hybrid, and the lead Elder, Henri, assigns a Guard to each name.”

“So my name was chosen and Henri assigned you to me?” I nod. She exhales strongly. “And Henri is in charge because he’s a descendent of Vladimir or Octavian?”

“No. Vladimir’s descendents are in charge of the Romanian Circle. Henri’s not related to Octavian. He was voted in because his father was the one who set up our relationship with the government, helping us thrive financially…and because there was no one else more qualified.”

“You said you were related to Octavian.”

“I am. But when my father died, I was only fifteen, so the Circle voted Henri in.”

“So you’re supposed to be an Elder?”

I laugh. “Yeah, but when I’m older. I’m not Elder material.”

“But your dad was, and you will be too, right?”

“I suppose.”

“And is that why you didn’t follow through on what Henri told you to do?”

I think about that for a second. I do have a hard time seeing Henri in the place my father used to be, but don’t consider myself oppositional.

“I don’t think so. It just didn’t feel like the right thing to do. Then, when I saw you…”

“You saw me and what?” she whispers.

“I saw you and… I just knew I shouldn’t.” That’s enough information for now.

“I felt it too,” she says. I turn to her, hoping to read her face for signs of clarification. “When I saw you, it felt like you came to protect me. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt that. And then when you showed the nurse your tattoo, I freaked out. I was confused and scared.”

“You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”

She scoots back over to me and leans her head into my chest. “So what happens now?”

“Well, I have to find out why you were selected, who selected you, and if you’re still a target.”

“How do you plan on doing that?”

“Our next Circle is Wednesday, so I’ll figure something out.”

“I know you don’t have to be here, but it means a lot to me. And I promise I won’t ever hurt you, or your family.”

I smile, feeling a blind sense of trust. She looks up at me and pulls my neck closer to her. Our lips meet, and she melts into me, becoming a part of me. A part that I won’t let be hunted and killed. Even if Henri considers me the traitor.

Chapter 15
HENRI’S CIRCLE

Wednesday comes around more quickly than I expected. Rosie has figured out that only one Reader came a day early for our last Circle. Dorina and her Shadow both arrived on a flight at eight o’clock the night before. That means they’re probably the ones Rosie saw going to Henri’s study that night. I can’t outright confront Dorina, but I can watch her more closely for any private interaction she may have with Henri.

As usual, I greet Adela when she arrives. After a quick embrace, Eugen grabs her bags, and she starts in with trivial complaints about the traffic. At first, I’m relieved that she seems unaware of the unusual turn of events. Then I start to feel a need to fill her in, hoping maybe she could give me some advice. Maybe even tell me what she sees in the future, but not now. Henri would definitely notice if I started sneaking off with Readers.

Instead, I play it casual, showing more respect to Henri and the Elders than usual. I want to come across as ready to serve, reliable, the Vasi that Henri has always believed me to be. The last thing I want is for him to think I have intentions of going against the Syndicate, because I don’t. All I want is for someone to provide me with a reasonable explanation as to why a female was targeted. No theories, but accurate predictions. Until I get that, no one is going near her with a twenty-foot pole.

I mingle around the living room, watching the rest of the Readers arrive. Dorina comes last, and I expect her to avoid eye contact with me, but she nods directly my way and we exchange kisses on the cheek. There’s no tension whatsoever in her embrace, but she probably has no clue that I refused to kill one of her targets. Then again, how would she? Readers don’t know who gets assigned to whom.

“Vasi,” she says with her chin up, eyeing me through her bifocals. “You’re turning into such a handsome man. Your mother would be so proud.”

Eugen speaks up. “Isn’t that the truth of it?” He slaps my back, and I find myself enjoying the seemingly normal encounter, until Alexandru arrives. He comes through the front door and is instantly welcomed into the arms of Camelia and Adela. They exchange embraces, and Alexandru catches my gaze while he hugs Camelia. His look is cold enough to send a chill down my spine.

Immediately, I decide to step up my game.

“So,Vasi,” Dorina says, pulling my attention back. “Tell me, dear, how have you been? Are you keeping everyone in order here?”

Her question shocks me to the point where I have to work at keeping a straight face. Then it occurs to me that she’s joking. Or is she? Dorina has always been friendly to me. All the Readers have, but she seems to be glued to me today while going out of her way to question me. Maybe it’s just my imagination.

Regardless, I’m happy when Dani, Andre, and Petric come around the corner and Dorina momentarily breaks away to greet them in a similar manner. Dani looks at me like I’ve done something wrong and can’t wait to get me alone. I wonder if there’s a sign on my forehead that says I stayed with Riley last night.

Dani smoothly steps around Dorina and makes his way over to me. To my relief, Dorina follows, striking up conversation with Dani and Petric. I’m listening, intrigued by the undivided attention she’s giving us. Meanwhile, Alexandru, Simon, Ovidui, and Nicolae are huddled in a corner, with their hands in the pockets of their dress pants. I watch as they all appear to be unfazed by the upcoming call of duty. A few of them even catch glimpses of their watches, surely counting down the hours. Observing them makes me wonder if they care about maintaining the safety of civilians or maintaining their accustomed lifestyle, and then I hear my name.

“Vasi?” Turning back, Petric is staring at me and Dorina is gone. “That was rude. Dorina was talking to you.”

“She was? What’d she say?”

“She was just going on about how proud she is of all of us, and how she hopes we don’t grow up too fast and have to face the dangers of the world.” He mocked “dangers” by wiggling his fingers in my face.

“What are you, like, two years old?”

He punches me in the chest. I counter quickly with a smack to the side of his head. Our horseplay is interrupted by a sharp clearing of a throat.

“Ahem,” Rosie interrupts, standing in the doorway. “They’re ready for you.”

“All right. Let’s do this,” Andre says. “Let’s bust some chops.”

How naïve they seem right now. If only they knew how choppy I suspect things are going to get.

As we make our way down the hall, Dorina’s words play out in my mind. What did she mean by hoping we don’t grow up too fast? Could she know how messy things are getting?

If she thought Henri was up to something, I highly doubt she’d suspect him of using his youngest Guards to carry out the task. No, she’d assume he’d have one of the older, more experienced ones do it.

If she’s really concerned about us, I may have a chance at getting information out of her after all. If she supported what Henri ordered, then she would have been conversing with Alexandru’s group instead. This is all complete speculation, assuming that Dorina is even the one who visited Henri or fed him Riley’s name, but it’s worth hoping for.

Once we reach the meeting room, Shadows and Scouts remain outside, and the rest of us file in. I sit in my normal seat, appreciating the fact that I have a good view of each of the Readers. Everyone takes their seat, and I take special note of Alexandru’s final gaze in my direction just after he sits. I’m not sure what his problem is, andI wonder if he’d be all up in my face if I hadn’t visited him.

Henri calls everyone to silence, and the normal order of things begins.

He welcomes us and goes through his rehearsed call to action, and then stands and hands the black pens to Valentin and the stacks of mini parchment paper to Stefan. The three make their way down from the platform.

“Now,” Henri continues as usual, “We will give each of you your tools, and we will witness as the images God has shown you come forth onto the paper. Share with us what you see. Share with us what you know. Share with us what needs to be done.”

This time, I’m watching the Readers intensely, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees.

Each of the Readers takes their pen and paper and begins to write. Adela, again, writes assertively and is finished first. Only two papers.

Camelia and Joana write slowly, with their eyes closed. Each only writes on one sheet.

My eyes lock on Dorina next, who’s writing rather quickly and much more relaxed than last month. Two sheets when she’s done. Lastly is Ramona, who’s sitting with her eyes closed. It’s hard to see her lap from my angle, but it’s clear enough to see that she hands Henri two sheets, bringing the total to eight names.

It’s a definite drop from last month’s sixteen names, but, then again, I did kill four myself unexpectedly. I’m sure those four would’ve been included this time. Henri quickly collects the rest and stands behind the podium. We’re called to retrieve our assignments. As usual, I’m last, and when I get mine, I put it in my pocket without looking at it. Back at my seat, I scan my brothers for any abnormal reaction.

Each looks at their names and carries on as usual. Petric, Dani, and Andre, eager as ever. Simon, Ovidui, Nicolae, and even Alexandru appear unbothered by any of their names. I’m about to look away from Alexandru when something catches my eye. His thumb is rubbing the paper in his hand very slowly. I find myself wondering what’s on that paper to make him feel the need to rub it between his thumb and fingers, and that’s when I see it. A second sheet.

My eyes narrow and a sharp jabbing sensation bounces around in my throat, making it difficult to swallow. He has two sheets. I do the math, and it doesn’t take Einstein to figure out that if the rest of us get one, and he gets two, that equals nine names. I’m sure the Readers only turned in eight names. And now, I’m also very sure that we have a problem.

Henri dismisses us, and, for the first time since he arrived, Alexandru refuses to make eye contact with me, and I immediately know.

I head straight to my room, with Rosie nearly stepping on my heels.

“What happened?” she whispers.

“Tell you in a minute,” I say, not looking back.

Once in my room, I start pacing.

“What the hell happened in there, Vasi?”

I throw my hands in the air. “Let me see…I watched the Readers turn in eight sheets, and then saw Henri hand out nine. Nine.”

“What does that mean?”

Feeling little patience for long explanations, I turn and square up to her. “Rosie, it means Henri added one in.”

“You can’t be sure—”

“I’m sure, Rosie. I watched them like a hawk. Eight names. That’s it. He put Riley’s name back in the mix, and I’m very certain he gave it to Alexandru.”

This is where Rosie’s eyes widen. “Vasi, if Alexandru has her name…”

“I know.”

“He’ll kill anyone.”

“I know.”

“So what are you going to do?”

Refocusing for a moment, I take the paper from my pocket. I quickly read the name of some John Major Marshall and hand it to her.

“Take this, start tonight. Find out everything you can so I can kill him tomorrow. Then, I’ll take Riley somewhere safe to buy time. No one knows any details about her yet, so no matter who got her name, the Scout would need at least a day to relay the intel. That means you need to work fast. Tomorrow, Rosie. I need it by tomorrow.”

For the first time, Rosie is speechless. Her eyes are wide and all she does is nod. I spin her around and send her out the door.

After several minutes of contemplating the best course of action, I decide to go out to the living areas and mingle briefly. I think it’s best for Riley if I appear calm, collected, and ignorant. If Henri or Alexandru suspects me of doing anything to interrupt another direct order, then Riley might be in danger even sooner.

After a couple of drinks and jokes with Dani, I turn in for the evening. Riley works until eleven, and the waiting is eating away at me. I want to meet her there and stay with her, but I wouldn’t put it past Alexandru to put his Scout on her right away. If not to spite me, then just for curiosity alone, and I can’t risk his Scout seeing me with her.

At eleven thirty, I settle for hearing her voice and force myself to sound relaxed. Not easy when you’re telling a girl to call in sick for the rest of the week and not leave her house for even a second. Surprisingly, she’s calm and gives up no argument.

“I’ll do whatever you think is best,” she says.

Good to know, but what I need right now is not something she can do. Then again, maybe there is something.

What I need is to visit Dorina to find out exactly why she sees Riley as a threat, but I’ll have to wait until she’s back home, away from Henri. I’m no longer going to avoid breaking the rule of speaking to Readers about assignments outside of the Circle. And because I’m certain that she’ll hesitate to answer any questions about her visions when I visit, I’m going to take Riley with me.

For one thing, I’ll know if Dorina is the right Reader based on her initial reaction to seeing Riley. And for another, I’ll be able to tell whether the vision was genuinely threatening just by how Dorina handles being near her.

I put my plan in motion by telling Riley I’ll pick her up tomorrow for a little trip. Once we hang up, I think about all of the scenarios until I’m tired enough to fall sleep. The last thought in my mind tonight is not of Riley, but of Rosie—hoping she’ll have the info needed to get my assignment done tomorrow.

In the morning, I make plans to have breakfast with the family. The thought of having to watch Henri smile as he butters his bread turns my stomach. He’ll no doubt be thinking of how his good little soldiers are about to kill their targets while I’ll be thinking about how to save one.

I still go, because it gives me a chance to gauge his interaction with Alexandru. Only problem is, Alexandru is missing in action. But I keep my cool. I’ve already sat down, and Henri has been watching me for the last five minutes. If I get up now, he’ll know something’s up.

I’m doing everything I can to keep my mind from trying to trace Alexandru’s every move while I eat my breakfast. I knew he was going to act fast, but to miss the traditional post-Circle breakfast really shows he means business. And the most irritating thing about it is that Henri doesn’t ask one time where Alexandru is. In fact, he looks extra cheerful at his absence. Smug even. Or maybe it’s just my imagination. Henri always looks smug, which could be why he’s always rubbed me the wrong way.

He always plays the over-protector card. Says he puts the Syndicate first, no matter what. If our family doesn’t survive, then the whole world dies. Everyone has always bought into it—even me, until recently.

Now I realize my father put people first. The Syndicate came second. Our code was always our priority, but only because it was our duty to save humanity. Not ourselves. But Henri was preaching. Save the Syndicate. Kill a girl, kill a human—just kill, even if it doesn’t make sense.

I can no longer contain myself.

“Where’s Alexandru this morning?” I ask casually.

Dani laughs, shoveling a forkful of blueberry pancakes in his mouth. “Probably hung over. You know Alexandru. He needs a night with the ladies to get him in the zone. Boost his ego.”

“That’s enough, Dani,” Henri barks, uncharacteristically. We all look his way and watch as he clears his throat and wipes his already clean mouth with his napkin. He looks at Dani. “Alexandru’s personal business is none of your concern.” Then he scans the table until his gaze rests on me. “And if anyone is concerned about him being in the zone, know this: Alexandru is more than ready to carry out his task. He’s so ready, he’s decided to concentrate on it as soon as possible.” He looks at the others, but I know he’s still talking to me. “Maybe you should all be as vigilant.”

My throat is raging with fire and my stomach is in knots. Petric breaks the silence that follows by trying to lighten the mood and please Henri at the same time. “Well then,” he says. “Let me just finish this bite, and I’ll go grab my knife. I’ve got a Hybrid to kill. Anyone want to join me?”

“I do,” I say throwing my napkin on my unfinished plate and sliding my chair back.

“Me, too,” Dani says, but with less conviction. I glance at him and can tell he’s annoyed that his father embarrassed him like that.

“All right! See, Henri?” Petric says, shoving in his last bite. “We’re in the zone. Alexandru’s not the only one of us willing to kick some Hybrid ass today.”

“Damn,” Andre says, disappointedly looking at his half-eaten plate. “All right. I’ll get a jump on mine too. Then maybe I can take a vacation.”

“A vacation sounds good,” I say, nodding to Henri and my older brothers, all of whom are eating, unfazed by the rest of us and our apparent need to compete with Alexandru for Henri’s praise. For a long moment, Henri’s gaze locks on mine, as if he’s trying to read where I’m about to go. The last thing I want is him alerting Alexandru to anything, so I think quickly and turn to Dani, Petric, and Andre. “I’ll see you guys later. Rosie’s supposed to have my target report this morning.”

“That’s what I’m talking about,” says Petric, punching me on my arm.

“Take it outside,” Ovidui says, cutting into his pancakes. “Have some respect around the table. Some of us are still eating.”

Henri leans back, appearing full. “Oh, Ovidui, they’re just boys. So, so young. Let them have their fun while they still can.”

Nicolae speaks up while holding his glass in the air. My gaze is drawn to the orange juice that is now traveling in a faint circular motion as he holds the glass in place of pointing a finger. “The fun never stops, boys. It only takes more of it to feel the thrill.”

What is that supposed to mean? I decide not to care, and head out of the room physically slower than how I want to. By the time I reach my room, I’ve turned my day over a thousand times. Basically, I know Riley is in danger and there isn’t much time before Alexandru goes for her.

If I’m going to keep her safe, I have to make a move sooner rather than later. I need to pick her up right now and take her away, but my target is still out there. No matter how I feel about what Henri is up to, I can’t leave with that job unfinished.

Just as my frustration level is at its peak, Rosie barges into my room.

“I’ve got what you need.”

I hop off my bed and snatch the paper she holds out to me. “Perfect, Rosie, I knew you’d come through quickly.”

“Wait,” she says.

“What?” I’m looking at the paper. John Major Marshall. Twenty-one years old. Works Tuesday through Saturday, four to close at the local gym. Lives alone, in an un-gated apartment community. “What’s the problem?”

She walks past me. “I just think you’re rushing, Vasi. Something doesn’t feel right.”

I turn toward her, my gaze following as she paces my floor. “Tell me about it.”

“No, I’m serious.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“No, listen!” She stops pacing and crosses her arms, square to me. “I mean it. I get it that you’re trying to protect Riley. I’m with you on that. But you don’t work like this.”

“Like what?”

“Rushed!”

“Well—”

“Well, nothing. It’s not safe. I don’t like you going into this without giving me a chance to get more.”

I’m looking at the paper. “It looks like you have everything to me.”

She huffs and rolls her eyes. “No, I don’t. I tailed him for one day. One day. It’s ninety percent research. It’s not enough.”

I’m looking at my baby sister and noticing something in her that I’ve never seen before. Worry. It sparks a small smile from me. “Rosie. It’s one Hybrid kid. I don’t have time for you to trail him for four days and tell me the same stuff that’s on this paper. I’m sorry. It’ll be fine.”

Our gazes meet, and I can almost read the words of concern flying across her face. “I don’t like it, Vasi. I need another day.”

Stepping forward, I take hold of her shoulders. “We don’t have another day. Look. It’s just me and you here. We can do this. We’ll figure it out, but I can’t protect Riley until this Hybrid is gone.”

She tilts her head to each side, stretching out the tense muscles in her neck. “You’re not going to listen to me, are you?”

“Not until tomorrow. Right now I need a huge favor.”

She wriggles her shoulders free and takes a deep breath. “What is it now?”

Chapter 16
A PLAN

The urge to keep anything from happening to Riley is pressing at me, making it nearly impossible to contain my impatience, and that’s what has Rosie so spooked. I’m not usually like this, but I can feel Alexandru planning his approach at this very moment, so I have to act quickly.

I ask Rosie to go to the mall at Tysons Corner. It’s crowded and convenient to all of our locations. The plan is to leave a baby stroller in a second-floor dressing room at Macy’s and then wait in the parking lot for Riley to come out. She’s to take her to Crystal City, check her into a hotel under a fake name, and then come straight home so no one suspects her involvement.

Riley is to park and enter the mall on the opposite end. Most likely she’ll be tailed, but Scouts are usually pretty distant unless they suspect something out of the ordinary. And as far as I know, Alexandru doesn’t have cause to believe I’d be so bold as to interfere with someone else’s assignment. Plus, Alexandru’s Scout is a guy, so he’ll keep his distance from a lady’s dressing room so as to not draw suspicion.

When Riley arrives, she’s to shop around casually for an hour, just long enough for the Scout to get bored and complacent. Once she has a handful of clothes, she’s supposed to go to the dressing room and change into old workout gear, tennis shoes, and a hat that were packed beforehand in one of her large handbags. After changing, she’s instructed to put the large handbag in the stroller, cover it up, and walk out toward the nearby exit.

Alexandru won’t do anything in a public place, and he won’t have enough info on her apartment complex to feel comfortable eliminating her in broad daylight, so I feel pretty confident that Riley will be safe through this.

Even so, I talk to her on her cell phone from the moment she leaves her apartment until she gets inside the mall. Another precaution. None of us would attack while a target was talking on the phone.

Once she’s in the mall, I have to let her go. Too much talking would raise suspicion and take away from her in-store performance. At this point, I have to trust her and Rosie to take it from here.

While she’s in the mall, I busy myself with preparations for my own assignment. Downstairs, I arm myself with more weapons than usual. Not sure why, other than I feel like taking some serious aggression out on someone. This poor Hybrid doesn’t have a chance. In fact, there may not be anything left to bring back.

I kill an hour doing target practice and make sure to spend some time in the garage overtly gathering up some empty trash bags. This is for show. If Henri is sitting on his spying perch, I want him to be at ease knowing that I’m not missing a beat on my duties.

Then I begin messing with my ATV to draw attention to a future alibi. I start it up, rev the engine, and make noise with the ramp in preparation for putting it on the back of my truck. Within minutes, the noise has already brought Dani outside.

“All right, man, I draw the line. What in the—”

He’s looking at me like I’m a math problem. “Nothing. Just preparing for a little weekend getaway.”

“You want me to come?” he asks.

I shake my head.

“Don’t BS me, man. I know you’re up to something, and this proves it.”

“How so?” I ask, pushing the four-wheeler toward the ramp at the back end of my truck.

“Because you don’t mess with your rides while packing that many knives and guns.”

I look down at myself, wondering if it’s that obvious. I am packing some heavy artillery, but nothing anyone would pick up on unless they were looking.

“Dani, I’m about to go on a kill, and then I want to blow off some steam tomorrow.”

I lift the four-wheeler into the bed, and his gaze is burning a hole in my back. When I have it situated, I turn back around to see Henri standing next to him.

Never before have I thought Dani favored Henri. He’s nothing like his father, but looking at the two of them studying me is making me see a resemblance.

“Why Vasi, what’s with all the raucous during the dinner hour?” Henri asks.

He doesn’t care about the dinner hour. “Sorry, Henri. I’m just gearing up for tomorrow. I’m going to the mountains.”

“Is that so? A time of leisure? It doesn’t quite fit your profile.”

I take the opportunity to lean against my truck and cross my arms. “Why not?”

“For one, you have an assignment. And two, since when do you go joy riding alone?”

I doubted Henri before, but never suspected he was as rotten to the core as he appears to me now. Okay, so yeah, I was ignoring the Syndicate code or whatever, but he seems way too concerned with my agenda.

I propel myself away from my truck with ease, open my jacket to reveal two guns, and pull up a pant leg to reveal a blade. “I’m taking care of my assignment this evening.” Allowing my clothing to fall back into place, I continue with just enough truthfulness to hopefully get him off my back. “And then, I’m going to blow off some steam. It’s getting too crazy around here for my taste.”

It’s true, and because I’ve stated it outright, it appears I have nothing to hide. He knows that his ordering a girl’s murder rubs me the wrong way, and it would only be natural for me to want some breathing room.

I nod to both of them and then make my way over to the unmarked assassin car. Dani calls out, “Vasi, why don’t you eat?”

Since when does Dani care when I eat. I turn, confused. “I’m good.” The look in his eyes says something unfamiliar. The mix of anger, disappointment, and maybe even worry tells me he’s not too keen on my uncharacteristic behavior, but I don’t have time to decipher it.

I keep my gaze on him long enough to hope he can get the picture that he’s messing with my plan, and not in a good way. Then I nod to both of them and get in the car. Halfway down the driveway, I take a peek in the rearview mirror to see Henri and my best friend, who, for the first time in my life, looks like a copy of his father. I shudder and blink away the view, hoping to relax.

I’m hitting the highway just as my phone goes off. It’s about time, I think, taking a little bit of my irritation out on Rosie.

“Hello?”

“Vasi, I’ve got her.”

Forgetting to express my appreciation, I quickly ask why Riley didn’t call me herself.

“Gee whiz, Romeo, she’s right here. She hasn’t even buckled her seatbelt yet.”

“Well, get out of there and make sure you’re not followed.”

“Yes, brother sir. Here she is.”

Before I can retract and thank Rosie for completely trusting my insanity, I hear music to my ears.

“Hey, you.”

I have no idea what it is about this girl that melts my insides like a freakin wimp, but she does. It’s like I turn into somebody else. Someone with a weak heart made of warm wax. It doesn’t make sense, and it feels contradictory while I’ve got three guns and two knives attached to my body. I decide to toughen up and keep it formal.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. Rosie was exactly where you said she’d be.”

“Good. You weren’t followed?”

“No, I don’t think so. Rosie’s good. She moved my car too.”

“She what?” That wasn’t in the plan.

“Yeah, she said she hotwired it while I was shopping and moved it to a nearby apartment complex. That way when the Scout or whoever goes back out there, he’ll just think I left and he missed me.”

Clever. I hadn’t even thought about that. Rosie definitely just bought us some extra time with that. Even if he found her car later, he’d think she was inside an apartment. It was perfect. I’d have to thank her for sure, and agree to whatever bribes she’ll ask for.

I smile. “Okay, well Rosie is going to take you to a hotel. I want you to stay there, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“The morning? Why not tonight?”

Even if I could, it wouldn’t be a good idea to spend this night away from home and then disappear for a few days. Henri would know something was up. With my story and Rosie’s brilliant idea of moving Riley’s car, there would be no reason for Henri to suspect me of anything…yet. I’m not going to ruin the leeway we have now. Plus, I have something important to take care of.

“I’ve gotta handle something tonight, but I’ll come and get you tomorrow.”

“Handle what? Like a Hybrid?”

This is when I hear Rosie ranting in the background. “He’s an idiot. Let me talk to him.”

In a soft voice, clearly not wanting to challenge Rosie, she says, “Um, your sister wants to talk to you.”

I don’t even bother telling her it’s okay, because I know Rosie’s already pulling the phone from her hand.

“It’s not nice to snatch, Rosie.”

“Whatever, Vasi. Seriously, this is not cool. I’ve done what you asked. Now you have to trust me and please let me have another day or two to tail that thing. Please.”

“I don’t have a day or two, Rosie.”

“Yes you do. I’ve got Riley. She’ll be safe in the hotel. Another day or two won’t make a difference.”

“Yes it will. In a day, Alexandru will know she’s missing, and you better believe they’ll be watching me like hawks. I’d never get to her. Now please, just go with the plan, and I’ll see you soon.”

I hang up the phone, feeling sorry for putting Rosie through this and even more sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye to Riley. But, I can’t worry about that. It’s peanuts compared to taking out a Hybrid. I have to get focused, and right now it’s hard.

My mind keeps traveling back to my conversation with the girls. As if on cue, my phone vibrates with a text. From Riley: “Be careful. I’ll be waiting.”

It’s enough to prompt a smile from me, but not enough to mess up my concentration. It’s perfectly Riley. With a sense of optimism and confidence, I eagerly head for my hour and a half trip to Culpepper, Virginia, the home of a soon-to-be-dead Hybrid.

Even though stuff is about to hit the fan with Henri and Alexandru, I can’t help nurturing a sense of satisfaction. One would think I’ve completely gone off the deep end, but it seems right. No way to explain it.

Driving, I feel the presence of my mother and father, encouraging me to be strong and follow my instincts. Not one ounce of me feels like a disappointment to the Syndicate. Not one.

I do know right from wrong, and nothing is right about targeting and killing a girl. And even if she weren’t a girl, she’s completely human. That’s two nos. And to think I almost lost my true self to Henri’s propaganda.

It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ve made my decision. Alexandru is not getting within a mile of her, at least not without getting through me first.

Just thinking about Alexandru and his smug overconfidence gets me ready for a confrontation. By the time I reach my destination, I’m pumped. I pull into the apartment complex. It’s just as Rosie described. It looks like it’s about thirty years old and left standing after a bout of modern build-up around it.

At one time it was probably one of the nicer places to live, but now it sits behind a back alley of two shopping centers. I drive through one time and don’t see much activity going on, which is a good thing. I always worry about women and children passing through when the target lives in a complex, but this one is quiet. Real quiet.

It looks like this place doesn’t get visitors often, so I park my car on a side street behind the complex. That way, it’s out of view from residents, but also close and dark enough to where I can “take out the trash” without being noticed by passersby.

Now, it’s time to make a move. Rosie said he’s the only one on the lease, but she wasn’t sure if he has a girlfriend or a roommate, which is why she requested more time.

As a safety precaution, I take out one of our props from the backseat. It’s a pizza box, and, although I’ve played the part more than once, it still makes me chuckle to pick it up. I add a baseball cap to go with it and then get serious. With the empty pizza box in hand, I decide to walk the sidewalk in front of the entire complex to make sure there are no witnesses lurking around.

It’s completely desolate save for a bunch of decade-old two-door cars with tinted windows and chrome wheels. Definitely not a family complex. Satisfied, I turn toward the targeted address.

The closer I get, the more eager I am to finish this. That way, I can go home, sleep innocently, and get Riley in the morning so we can move on to the next step.

The target lives on the second floor, and the iron stairs are exposed to the outside, which means I need to act fast, because noise will travel farther than if muffled inside an interior hallway. I climb the stairs two at a time and take a deep breath before removing one of my knives from my ankle and placing it in my hand beneath the pizza box.

In my left hand, I’m holding a ticket with gibberish scribbled on it. A few quick knocks later and my Hybrid speaks.

“Who is it?” he shouts through the door.

“Pizza delivery,” I say.

“We didn’t order a pizza!”

Damn. We? Not going to be as easy as I thought. I’m going to have to sit and wait. Hopefully whoever he is with will leave, or he’ll come outside. Either way, I’ll have to regroup. I take a step back. “Oh, sorry,” I answer, pretending to reread my ticket.

I’m about to walk away when the door swings open, letting out a whiff of smoke, and not the nicotine kind. Since when do Hybrids get high? Maybe he’s new too. I look him over closely and notice he’s blatantly holding the source of the aroma between yellowing nails. He’s not new.

“Actually, we’ll take the pizza.”

“Nah, I had the wrong address. My bad.”

“No. We ordered it. Didn’t we?” He turns his body to open a pathway into his living room. It’s dark except for a blue glow. I follow the source to a lava lamp on the table. I fight from rolling my eyes, when several voices pull my attention back.

“Yeah we did.”

“Hell yeah.”

“How much, dude?”

I scan the dim room, trying to decide which one to reply to, when every nerve in my body tightens. In the darkness, I catch the faint glow of at least seven pairs of eyes. Hybrid eyes, and counting the one reaching out for my empty pizza box, that makes at least eight. Crap.

“Can’t, man. Gotta deliver it.” I pull back, but he snatches it. By the time he realizes the box is empty, I’ve made my decision to get the hell out. “Get him!” someone growls.

I take off, jumping down six steps at once, and then I take a quick turn and jump down the other set. Even running at a full sprint, I can sense all of them chasing after me. To them, I’m probably just a guy playing a prank, but they’re about to find out otherwise. I put my knife between my teeth as I run, and then take hold of both guns. As soon as I get them close enough to my car, each one can hang it up.

Two hundred yards later, I reach my car. Turning swiftly with my hands hidden behind my back, I wait. To my shock, there aren’t eight. Not possible. There’s at least a dozen running toward me. How in the hell am I going to get out of this?

I decide there’s not enough time to wait for them to get closer. I start picking them off. My aim is usually on point, but it’s pitch black out here, and the only thing I have to go by is the sound of their feet and the occasional yellow reflection in their eyes. I aim for the heads. One down. Two. Three. Four. They’re getting closer. I fire with both hands. Miss. Hit. Five down. Six. Seven. Closer. Too close. I fire faster. Eight. Nine. No miss. Damn. Nine. Ten.

There are three left, barreling down on me, minds wild. I aim for two at a time and decide to shoot the middle one last, when I’m tackled from the side. I’m thrown into the car door so hard, the passenger window breaks. The knife drops from my mouth and I feel a blazing tear in my stitches. Focusing on the most immediate threat, which is the Hybrid on my back, I turn the barrel of the only gun I’m still holding and shoot him in the face before he can bite me.

The three remaining are almost on top of me. I drop to the ground to give myself some extra seconds. Hybrids are not as coordinated as humans, and the motion to attack me on the ground while running full speed will trip them up for at least a few seconds.

On the ground, I raise my legs to fend off the Hybrids, and manage to put a bullet in one of them. The other two fall on top of me, knocking the gun out of my hand. Not good. I grab both of their throats with all of my strength, no longer trying to kill them. Right now, I’m doing everything I can to keep one from biting me. Turning into one of them would be worse than death, but I can’t fend them off much longer.

Their weight is heavy, and my arms are getting weak. I’m shaking, but there’s nothing I can do. If I let go and reach for my knife, I’ll expose myself. Pushing them off with all my strength isn’t enough, and I begin to feel nails at my own throat. It’s over.

I decide my only chance is to let go and attempt a head butt on both of them at the same time. Without thinking it through any more than that, I let go and the lack of resistance causes them to fall into me while I thrust my head upward, knocking it into both of them.

A searing pain shoots through my skull, and I feel myself passing out, with nails digging deeper into my throat. Just as my eyes are closing, I feel the weight of them ease off and a cool rush of air sweeps over me.

Everything goes black.

“Vasi!” I’m smacked in the face. “Vasi!” I’m being shaken. “Vasi!”

I roll my eyes and rest my head on the pavement, trying to pull myself back to the moment. “Vasi!”

I pry an eye open, which sends another pain through my skull. A blurred face is hovering just above me. I reach for the knife in my pant leg. I’ve gotta take a swipe. “No, Vasi. It’s me. Wake up! Are you bitten?” My clothes are pulled away from my neck and wrists, causing me to jerk away and roll over. “Look at me!” the voice shouts.

I turn back and watch the face as it comes into focus.

“Dani?”

“Yeah, it’s me. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was delivering a pizza,” I slur.

“In a Hybrid den?!”

My vision starts to clear. “I didn’t know it was...wait a minute. What are you doing here?” I cover my eyes and rub the pain away from my forehead.

“Rosie called me. She said you didn’t give her a chance to find out what you were walking into. She was worried sick.”

Great. Will I ever live this down? Surely, she’ll be running the show from now on.

I make a move to get up, and Dani grabs me like a child. “Ouch!” My side is burning, and I can feel the fresh blood seeping into my shirt.

“Here, you sit.” He opens the passenger door and pushes me in. “I’ll get these bodies, and then we need to get the hell out of here.” He goes to gather them up and then decides to pick up my weapons. “Here. Take these in case any more of those bastards come out.”

I nod and do my best to scan the darkness to cover his back. Within ten minutes, Dani has gathered up all fourteen Hybrids and stuffed them, sans bags, into both of our trunks and backseats. He tries to move my car to a safe location until we can come back later to pick it up, but I refuse, saying that I’m okay to drive.

Even though I’m probably not okay to drive, I make it, following Dani like an old lady. By the time we’re halfway home, my head is completely clear. A little headache, but mentally, everything is working fine.

If Dani hadn’t come, I’d either be dead or a Hybrid right now. The more I think about it, the more angry I get. We pull into the driveway at around ten o’clock. Dani jumps out of his car and bursts into the house.

“Dani!” I call after him, but he’s gone.

By now, I’m feeling well enough to start lugging these freaks into the garage. By the time Dani comes back, I’ve managed to drag four in. The pain in my side prompts me to take a break. That’s when I hear Henri’s voice.

“You weren’t kidding, my son.”

The pain in my side suddenly gets worse.

“No, Father. I’m not kidding. And this is only four of them. Vasi would’ve been dead if I hadn’t gone to check it out! What’s going on?”

I don’t even look at Henri for his response, because I don’t care.

“Now now, son. Settle down.” He starts pacing, and by then Petric and Andre come out.

“Damn,” Petric says.

Andre notices the blood seeping through my shirt. “You all right?”

“I’m fine.” I point to Dani. “Thanks to him.”

Dani steps closer to Henri. “Yeah, well good thing Vasi’s an excellent fighter. He took out a dozen of them before I got there. A dozen. He could’ve been killed!”

“Enough, Dani!” I can’t tell if Henri’s irritated that Dani is challenging him or if it’s because I lived. He turns to my other brothers. “Go get the rest of them out of the cars and burn them.”

“Father, what are we going to do? This isn’t normal.”

Henri pauses for a moment, and then replies, “You are going to go inside. That is an order.” When Andre and Petric come back with the first load, he turns to them. “And you two will not say a word about this to anyone.” They look at him, confused. “I don’t want to worry anyone.” At this point, I’m rolling my eyes relentlessly. “We are facing unprecedented times. We will all be challenged. This is a result of someone not doing their job in the Syndicate.” He looks directly at me. “And now, we have to fix it. I will fix it.” He turns to all of them. “Now do what is asked and speak nothing of this to anyone.”

At this point, I can no longer hold in my contempt. I let out a deep rumble from my chest, feeling that this is a perfect time to make my exit. A real one, and if I do it now, Henri will attribute it to me blowing off steam, which wouldn’t be all that inaccurate.

“I’m out of here,” I say.

“Where are you going?” Dani asks.

“To the mountains. You can come if you want, but you better stay away tonight. I might mistake you for a Hybrid.” Or Henri, I think. I’ll call him later to tell him not to come, but for now, I want Henri to think I don’t have anything to hide other than anger.

Satisfied that I’ve killed my target, survived a whacked-out attack, and given Henri a plausible reason to watch my dust, I lift my aching body into my truck.

I head to the only place that makes sense right now.

Chapter 17
THE MAYBE

I call Riley and let her know I’m coming. Hearing the relief in her voice makes me wonder what Rosie told her. It doesn’t matter. If it weren’t for Rosie, I’d be toast right now, which reminds me that I owe her. Once I get off the phone with Riley, I call Rosie. To my relief, she doesn’t go down the I-told-you-so road, and that makes me feel more thankful. Saying it more than once comes easy, and also makes me appreciate having her as my true blood.

Just as I’m about to hang up with her, she stops me.

“Hey, Vasi?”

“Yeah,”

“I like her. I don’t know why, but I do.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Be careful, and call me if you need anything.”

It’s at this moment I’m witnessing a new Rosie. Mature Rosie, concerned and responsible. She’s always been a good Scout, but it’s been fun for her, just something for her to do. But now, she’s truly earning her place in this Syndicate.

“I will,” I say.

“Okay. And don’t do anything stupid.”

I actually laugh out loud at the irony in that. “Okay.”

Next, I make a pit stop at a local drug store to buy some first-aid supplies and toiletries. Since I left the house on the fly, I’m empty handed. That means I’ll have to make a quick shopping trip for some clothes. But for now, I take the opportunity to stock up on toothpaste, deodorant, and shaving items. I’ve never shacked up with a girl, and it’s making me a little paranoid.

At eleven o’clock, I begin driving in circles through the city to make sure Henri didn’t have me followed. When sure, I make my way to Riley’s hotel. I end up parking down the street, because my big dually won’t fit in the parking garage of her hotel—which is fine with me. My truck, coupled with a big yellow four-wheeler sitting in the back, sticks out like a sore thumb, but hopefully no one will be looking for it yet.

I’m doing my best to make it through the lobby and up the elevator casually. But once she opens the door, the pain in my side returns, the weakness from fighting overtakes me, and the strength I mustered to get from there to here disappears. All I want to do is fall into her.

She either picks up on what I’m thinking or her instincts kick in, because she pulls me inside and lifts my arm around her shoulders.

“Oh, my gosh,” she whispers, walking me over to the bed. I sit, feeling like I don’t know which way to lean. Forward, to the left, right, back? I don’t know. “What happened to you?” she finally asks, steadying me.

I tilt my head back, meeting her gaze.

“I almost didn’t get him.”

“Oh geez, Rosie said you shouldn’t have gone. Here. Take this off.” She pulls my coat off and gasps. “Vasi. Oh gosh, wha…why didn’t you say something?”

By now, the whole right side of my shirt is a red mess and half sticking to me.

“I’m all right,” I whisper, still staring at her.

Her gaze is fixed on my torso, and I watch every line in her face twitch as she runs her fingers over my shirt, testing where she can pull it away from my skin.

“I think you should go to the hospital,” she says, resigning.

I shake my head. “I don’t do hospitals.”

She counters quickly. “Vasi, this is more blood than when you cut it the first time, and you went then.”

I smile in amusement at my lingering stupidity. “I only went before to meet a certain registration clerk, remember?”

Her gaze meets mine again. “Must’ve been some coincidence then.”

“Not really.”

She stands upright. “Not really?”

“No, not if I sent myself there on purpose.”

She rolls her pretty greens. “Are you serious?”

“I’m serious.”

She sighs deeply and crosses her arms. “Well then, what now?”

She seems a little miffed, but I appreciate a little temper.

“Well, you can register me if you want, and then hand me that bag over there so I can fix myself up.”

She puts her hand on her hip and shakes her head. In a long stare-down with me, a smile finally prevails. “Fine. What’s your name?” she asks, deciding to play along.

“Vasi Petrescu.”

“And how did you hurt yourself?”

“I got attacked by Hybrids.”

Her smile disappears. “Hybrids?”

“Uh-huh.”

“How many Hybrids?” she asks, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Oh….like…fourteen.”

“Fourteen?!”

To keep her concern in check, I hurry it along. “Yeah, but Dani came and it’s all good. Fourteen less Hybrids. So um, if you don’t mind, miss, I need medical attention, please.” I point to my blood-soaked shirt.

She bites her bottom lip and looks down at my side. “All right. We can get you fixed, but I have to check…you’re not planning on attacking any registration clerks tonight, are you?”

I laugh. “No.”

“Fine, then I’ll help you.”

She pulls on my bicep, scoops up the bag, and guides me toward the bathroom. Once we reach the threshold, she stops. I look at her, confused.

“Do you want me to come in?” she asks.

I think about doing it myself and, although I could, I decide not to. “Yes,” I say, finding myself mesmerized again by all the shades of green in her eyes.

Without a pause, she pushes me in and enters behind me, closing the door. In hard concentration, she leans me against the counter and slowly pulls my shirt away from my skin. Once separated completely, she lifts up my shirt and pulls it over my head.

Looking down, I see the blood caked on my abs and immediately know this is not going to feel too good. She’s examining me closely, and the only comfort I feel is the touch of her fingers against my side.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” she says. Then, in a professional manner, she takes one of the folded white washcloths off the shelf and runs it under warm water. While that’s soaking, she unwraps the butterfly bandages and antibacterial ointment. Her fingers are shaking, and I hold back a smile, confident my wound is not the cause of her nervousness.

“This may hurt,” she says, squaring her feet in front of mine.

I don’t reply, because, for the first time, I’m noticing her fitted white tank and how tone her arms are and how soft the skin looks. I do believe this is the first time we’ve seen each other in such a well-lit space.

It’s odd to think that I’ve already been with her and don’t even know the details of her body. The lack of knowledge makes me want to find out, to do it the right way. With my mind wandering, I barely feel her clean me up. And she was right—my gash wasn’t torn all the way open, and, even though my stitches are nearly dissolved, the butterflies are sufficient.

Once I’m cleaned up, she finally looks up at me, her body still squared with mine. My hands find themselves resting on her hips, and I want to kiss her. Instinctively, my gaze settles on her lips, and I’m leaning in, absorbing their proximity, when her soft smile disappears.

“You have two knots on your head,” she whispers.

Too quickly, I lean toward the mirror. A small shooting pain sears my side, but I ignore it, because I’m staring at twin bumps, already turning purple above each one of my brows. Nice.

I turn back to her, not sure what to say, but suddenly feeling not all that seductive. “I head-butted two Hybrids at the same time,” I explain.

She’s quiet for a minute, and I think my battle wounds have ruined the mood until she reaches behind my neck and pulls me to her in a kiss that sends a warm vibration from the two knots at the top of my head to the boots I can’t wait to take off.

She presses her body against me, and my fingers thread through her hair, forming a fist. I feel like I’m in heaven. Maybe one of those Hybrids did kill me. Then again, maybe not, because I don’t even know if I have a place in heaven.

Still kissing her, I turn us around and lift her onto the counter. Now she’s eye level and the position of her legs is sending me into overdrive. I’m only thinking about one thing.

“Wait.”

I think I hear something, but the word doesn’t ring clearly. “Huh?” I say, still kissing her.

“Wait a second,” she says, nudging my chest.

I pull my head back to see that her eyes possess a new look. Sort of on the verge of uncertainty. No, not on the verge—definitely uncertain.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, leaning back in, not wanting to spoil the moment.

“I’m sorry,” she says, making a move to get down.

“No.” I step in closer so our faces are only inches apart. “Don’t. Tell me what I did.”

She shakes her head. “Nothing. It’s completely me. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to tease you, but you’re here and you look so good, and I want to, but…”

“But what?”

“I promised myself I wouldn’t.”

Now I’m confused. “Why?”

She lowers her head and our gaze breaks. “Because it’s wrong, and when I prayed about it at church, the answer I got was I shouldn’t have done that before marriage.”

Okay. Um… Can’t really compete with God on that, but now I’m feeling like I’ve tossed this girl onto the sin wagon and compromised her ticket to heaven too.

Wait.

“Hang on. Was I your first?”

“No,” she says. I try not to look disappointed, but my shoulders hang slightly. “There was one time when I was sixteen,” she clarifies. “I thought I loved him, but I just wanted someone to protect me and make me feel sane. I thought he’d make my nightmares go away. So I did it, and the next week I shared my dreams with him, and he laughed and told me I was nuts. I just stared at him and realized I didn’t even like him.

“After that, I promised myself I’d never do that again. Not until I was married and knew for sure that the person loved me and I loved him. And then you came along, and I don’t know…there was this need again to be protected, and you understood about my nightmares, and I felt this urge like I needed to be with you. I wanted it so badly. More than anything I’ve ever felt.

“And then the next day I felt so stupid, because I knew you couldn’t love me and I certainly couldn’t have loved you, and then I went to church and felt good. Like it was okay, and that I was forgiven as long as I promised not to do it again. And here I am again. Like I need to, and I can’t, even if I think I might…”

She stops, and I’m looking at her like a deer in headlights, but manage to speak. “Think you might what?”

“Forget it.”

I want to keep her attention, so I pull her hips closer. “Think you might what?”

She’s completely uncomfortable and squirmy, but I don’t let her off the hook. I want to hear her say it.

“I think I might…” She looks away and then back. “More than like you…maybe even love.”

I take her face in my palms and pull her lips to mine before either one of us can say anything else.

I know what she’s said and what I should say back, but nothing comes out. My feelings for her might very well be the same, but even if I could wrap my brain around exactly what it is I feel, I wouldn’t be able to put it into words right now. Instead, I just kiss her, wanting her to know how much I want her too.

It doesn’t take long for my manhood to rise again, so I force it back down. No matter how much I want all of her right now, I understand her promise and why she made it. We kiss a few more long seconds before I pull away. Our gazes meet again, and even looking at her eyes I can see her chest rising and falling, out of breath. I smile, hoping to cut through all the intense hormones filling the air.

Smiling too, she collapses into my chest, giving me the opportunity to kiss the top of her head and rub her shoulders. “Come on,” I murmur.

She gives me a hug before sliding off the counter. Our hands meet naturally, and feeling her fingers between mine makes me feel like the protector she needs. The protector I want to be. Walking with her makes me feel good, and maybe…I more than like her too.

Chapter 18
THE TIE THAT BINDS

She sleeps in my arms that night, and the closeness of her against me gives me one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time. We couldn’t have fit together any better, and by morning I know she’s someone I don’t want to be without.

After finishing a big spread of room service, we gather her bags and pack up the truck. I decide to go clothes shopping once we get to Tulsa, feeling it’s safest for us to get out of town as soon as possible. By now, I’m sure Alexandru has figured out something is off with Riley’s whereabouts. He’ll have his Scout find her car and be on twenty-four-hour surveillance at the apartment complex where Rosie parked it.

In another day, they’ll figure out that she’s missing. Then, I’m sure Henri will assume I’m to blame, which doesn’t bother me in the least. It does, however, put me on a time crunch. I need to get to Dorina before Henri has a chance to plant seeds in people’s minds.

The first place we go is the bank. Another thing my father told me about was a safety deposit box, where he kept an emergency supply of cash and identities for us. At the time, he said it was to protect us from the government in case they turned on us. He said that though they treat us like royalty, when they want to erase any trace of Hybrid existence, we shouldn’t expect to be protected. Eliminating all record of Hybrid existence could include deleting the records related to the Syndicate—including its members.

I still believe that’s a possibility, but the more I remember the conversation, the more I’m starting to believe my dad was protecting us from something else as well. For one, he made me promise not to mention the existence of the box to anyone. “No one,” he said, with such conviction that I flinched. He saw my surprise and explained that all members of the Syndicate had one, and, to ensure the safety of the contents, no one else was supposed to know. At fourteen years old, it was a good enough explanation for me, so I remembered everything he told me about the box and haven’t thought of it until now.

His instructions were clear. One, only access the box in an absolute emergency. And two, once you access it, remove all of the contents and follow the instructions inside the box.

I have no idea where opening the box will lead or if I’m even ready to go down the path my father hoped I’d never have to, but in my gut I do feel this is an emergency. Simply put, I don’t trust Henri, and remembering his apathy for my well-being last night makes me certain he wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate me too. That means that, whatever I do from now on, it has to be well thought out and precise—and invisible to Alexandru. In other words, a new identity to travel with. I hope my father has it in there.

When we arrive, I offer to let Riley come in the room with me, but she opts to wait in the lobby. I’m glad, because emotions overtake me as I open the box and stare at the contents my father left for me and Rosie. On top is an envelope with my name on it. Inside is a letter:

Vasile,

If you are reading this, it means that your mother and I are no longer there for you, and for that I am truly sorry. If we can do anything for you now, it is to make sure you have everything you need in our absence. The mere fact that you have sought out this box means that you have no choice. Whatever your reason, know that you will prevail and find peace.

You’ve always been able to handle anything pushed your way, and now is no exception.

Here is what you need to do. Inside you will find birth certificates for you and Rosie. These are temporary identities with which you can obtain a driver’s license, credit cards, and whatever you need to travel unnoticed. I’ve included two for each age range. Choose which one you want, and keep the second in case the first identity is compromised. Next, use the cash whenever possible, but make sure it doesn’t draw attention.

Next, remember this. Never return to this box. When you need something more, there is another box at the National Bank in D.C. The box number is A6491 and the key code is your mother’s day of birth followed by your sister’s. This box has more cash and identities. It also has the account number for an off-shore bank account with more money in it. I trust that, if you use it, it will be for good purposes only, which includes the safety of you, your sister, and any families you two may have.

Finally, always remember to follow your instincts, watch your back, and know that we love you. We could not have asked for a better son to lead our future.

Forever with you,

Dad

P.S. Destroy this letter immediately.

I’ve never seen this side of my father, and doing so now makes me miss him even more. Despite the emotions coursing through me, I pull myself together. His encouragement renews my determination.

Riley stands to greet me as I come out. Without saying anything, she puts her arm through mine and walks with me to my truck. Once inside, I show her the contents. Right away I think one of the birth certificates can be used by her, but I don’t want to make that decision without consulting Rosie.

While still in the parking lot, I reach Rosie on her cell, letting her know I accessed a safety deposit box Dad kept for us. I leave out the details about the existence of another box, mainly to keep her from worrying. She takes it very well. Then, she says Riley is more than welcome to use one of the birth certificates. Her only demand is that she get to decide which name we save for her in case she needs to use one of her identities. The choices for a twenty-five year-old are Michelle Reed and Jennifer Conner. She reserves Michelle.

The male choices are Thomas Scott and John Roberts. I couldn’t have cared less, but Riley picks John. Apparently she thinks the sound of “Jenn and John” is “cute.” I roll my eyes and laugh, putting the unused certificates in an envelope. She places her hand on my thigh and gives me a comforting squeeze, instantly relaxing my nerves as we gear up for the trip to the DMV.

An hour and a half later, we have driver’s licenses that peg us as John and Jenn. I have to admit, I feel lighter by the time we get to the airport, go through security, and board the plane—pretending to be someone else. Someone without the Petrescu responsibility.

We find our seats, and it’s then that I notice Riley not looking so good.

“You all right?”

She swallows hard and looks at me. “Yeah, I’m just a little nervous.” She breathes deeply and sweeps her curls up with both hands, twisting her hair into that knot-bun-looking up-do. Then she starts fanning her neck. “And hot,” she moans.

“You’re not afraid to fly, are you?” Rosie is, and she drives me crazy every time I have to go somewhere with her.

“No, I’m just nervous about meeting your, um…”

“Dorina?”

“Yeah,…Dorina.” She rests her head on the back of her seat.

I’ve never seen her look so uncomfortable, and that’s saying a lot, because we’ve been in more than a few awkward situations. “Why?” I ask, overly curious.

“What if she doesn’t like me?”

I smile. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. I can assure you, she won’t like you.”

She whips her head around, eyes wide. “Huh?”

I chuckle, then shrug. “She won’t.”

“Why are you taking me then?” she hisses, but it comes off weakly.

“Because I need to find out why she doesn’t like you.”

“But…you don’t need me there for that.”

“Yes I do.”

“No you don’t.”

“Riley, I know what I’m doing.”

“Well, will you please fill me in, because I’m not feeling too sure about this?”

“Listen, I’m not a hundred percent sure she’s the Reader who put your name in. The only way I’ll know for sure is to see her reaction to you.”

She tilts her head back against the seat and closes her eyes. “Great.”

She looks completely miserable, and at first it’s cute, but after a few minutes of watching her suffer, I lean into her and get more serious. “Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise.”

She turns to face me, her nose nearly touching mine. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

We land in Tulsa at four o’clock and rent a car under the name John Roberts. Dorina lives about twenty minutes from the airport, but I drive slowly and take some detours, giving both of us extra time to gather our composure. On the plane I was nonchalant about Dorina not liking Riley, because it doesn’t matter if she does or not. But, that doesn’t mean we don’t have anything to worry about. Dorina’s Shadow, Gavril, is the one to watch. Like all Shadows, he’s an ex-Guard. That means he’s trained to assassinate threats to the Syndicate and Gavin’s reaction will depend on how much Dorina doesn’t like Riley.

I know he won’t just kill her off the bat. He knows the rules: we don’t kill females. But he’s also been a loyal member of the Syndicate for more than forty years, and I wouldn’t put it past him to feel obligated to follow through like Henri does. Especially since it’s his own charge who sees Riley as the threat.

By the time I reach Dorina’s, Riley has let her hair down and applied a light coat of lip gloss. Like that’ll help. Then again, maybe it will. We pull into the driveway and Riley asks if Dorina is expecting me.

“No,” I answer. “You ready?”

“No.”

“She’s not going to bite.” I get out of the car and walk around to her side. She makes me pull her up and hold her hand as we walk. She’s still hesitant, but I give her one final instruction. “Just stay close and don’t stare at her Shadow.”

She squeezes my hand, nearly cutting off the circulation, but doesn’t ask why. Good. I don’t want to have to tell her that Gavril could take her out in the blink of an eye if he wanted. Or that if he tries, he and I will be in an ugly fight right there inside Dorina’s house, and then she really won’t like her.

No, I just stay quiet and ring the bell. I move Riley’s tiny frame behind me so she’s out of sight from whomever opens the door. She doesn’t resist. Rather, she moves easily and presses herself against my back. I want to turn around and tell her again that it’ll be okay, but don’t have time.

The door cracks open to reveal Gavril. I should’ve known he’d answer. “Vasi?” He looks confused. Of course he would. Members of the Circle don’t go around dropping in on Readers.

“Hey, Gavril. Is Dorina home?”

“Yes. What’s going on? Is everything okay?” He brings his shoulders back, making himself an inch taller. It almost makes me laugh. Sure, he’d still be one to reckon with, but I guess I’m just used to his secret-service persona. Intimidating to get past, yes, but in hand-to-hand combat? Probably really rusty.

“Everything is fine. I need to see Dorina. It’s about her last reading. I have a question.”

“Did Henri send you?”

“No, he didn’t.” I can feel Riley nearly shaking against my back. Not sure how long the poor girl can hold up. “But I can’t finish my assignment without further assistance from Dorina.”

He nods, cautiously, as if accepting the explanation for my breach in procedure.

“All right. Come in.”

“I brought a good friend with me, if you don’t mind.” I step aside and let him take a look at Riley. He doesn’t look too happy.

“Vasi?”

“She’s my friend. Don’t worry. We won’t be long.”

He moves aside to let me pass. “Mind if you stay outside?” I ask. He looks at me like that’s not an option, so I bring up code. “It’s still Circle business.”

He knows he’s not permitted inside the Circle anymore, and, even though he narrows his eyes with a hint of doubt, he doesn’t fight me on it. But he does challenge Riley’s presence inside. I quickly tell him that she has to use the restroom after the long flight, and agree to send her right out when she’s done.

He takes the bait and yells toward the long hallway. “Dorina! You have a visitor.” With one final, appraising glance, he nods and lets us by. I close the door and turn to Riley.

“Once she sees you, don’t say anything. No matter what her reaction is. When I tell you to go outside, go sit with Gavril and talk about the pretty golf courses here. Even if you don’t know a thing about golf, just engage him and act normal.” She nods, and I move her behind me again, continuing through Dorina’s entryway.

Dorina comes around the corner, drying her hands with a dish towel. “Vasi? What are…?”

I repeat the conversation I had with Gavril. When I’m finished, I tell her she needs to meet someone. Then, moving aside, I expose Riley, who’s standing completely still.

“Vasi!” Dorina turns her back instantly and covers her eyes.

“What’s the matter, Dorina?” I ask, closing the gap between us.

“Vasi, um, I’m sorry, but I can’t have company right now. I’m not feeling well. Please leave.”

Riley’s already backpedaling, and I can feel the tension as I glance between the two of them.

“Okay, I will in just a minute. Riley, please go outside and wait for me.” She scurries out like a squirrel and I square myself right behind Dorina’s back. “Please, I have to ask you something.”

“Is she gone?”

“Yes.”

Quickly, Dorina turns around, giving a large exhale. “Vasi, what are you doing? Where is Henri?”

“Listen. I don’t have much time, so I need your help.”

“Help you? I can’t help you. You need Henri. Vasi…” She glances over my shoulder. “You’re in danger.”

“How so?” I prod.

“I can’t say. You just need to see Henri, right now.”

“Dorina, I’ve already seen Henri and now I’m seeing you.” Her expression turns to worry, as if she’s just realized I know more than she originally thought. “I need you to tell me what you know about that girl outside.”

Her gaze bounces between me and the door. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do,” I urge. “I saw your reaction. You know who she is. Now tell me what you know.”

Her gaze finally settles on me and turns sharp. “What have you done?”

“Nothing yet, Dorina. That’s what I’m trying to tell you! Now please talk to me.”

“Vasi, tell me it’s not you.” She walks away, heading into the living room. “Why are you compromising your future?”

I don’t even turn over the question, because it doesn’t matter. I won’t have a future unless I can get past this mess I’m in.

“I’m not compromising myself.”

“You’re with her. You brought her here!”

“Because I needed to see your reaction. To be sure you were the right Reader. She has no idea why she’s here. She thinks she’s meeting an aunt.” She relaxes a little at my lie. “Listen, I’m new at this, and Henri gave me her as my last target. And you and I both know that the Syndicate doesn’t kill women.”

She glances at me and then crosses her arms. “Henri told me he would take care of it. He didn’t say he would order a hit on her.”

“Then why did you write her name?”

“He said it was my duty. I went to him and told him I had reservations, but he said I must give the names of all threats, no matter what, and that he would decide how to handle it. He planned to warn you guys and make sure none of the boys wavered toward her.”

“Well, he didn’t. All he did was order the hit. And I couldn’t do it without knowing why.”

“Oh, Vasi,” she sighs, sitting down. “We can’t have this conversation.”

“Yes we can.” I say, sitting next to her.

“It goes against every code we stand for.”

“So does killing her. Now tell me why.”

“I can’t. Henri is the Elder, and if he knew this conversation was taking place…”

I interject. I don’t want Henri to know about this. The only thing I can think of escapes my mouth. “I’m supposed to be the Elder, Dorina, and I’ll claim my position if I have to to get these answers. Now tell me why I’m ordered to kill that terrified girl out there.”

She’s completely stunned by my declaration, and I sit firm, letting the aura of authority linger.

She studies me intensely and begins to soften. “Well well, Vasile. How I see your father in you.” I don’t waver. She thinks a moment and then continues. “My visions aren’t clear. I only see her, then her apartment. Then I see Hybrids coming into her apartment. Then I see her with a Guard. I can’t see his face, but then the image shifts to Henri being killed as she watches. And she has a satisfied look on her face. No fear at all. Then, I see no Syndicate. Nothing. Everything is gone, including the visions.”

My mind is spinning. “You see Henri dying while she watches?”

She nods.

Well that explains why he has it in for her. “That’s all?”

“Yes.”

“Well that doesn’t give Henri cause to have her killed.”

“Hybrids congregate in her home.”

“How do you know they are congregating?” I counter.

“I saw more than one entering her place.”

“Yeah, well I did too.” My answer surprises her. “I witnessed them going into her apartment too, but not to congregate. They were there to kill her. And had I not been there, she’d be dead, killed by a Hybrid. What does that say?”

“W-w-well, I don’t know.”

“Exactly, which is why I can’t kill her without more information.”

I stand to leave, and she holds my arm. “Vasile…what about Henri?”

“So he dies and she’s there. Doesn’t mean she’s responsible.”

She gently squeezes my arm. “Vasile, do not waver in everything your father taught you.”

I place my hand on hers. “I’m not, Dorina. It’s because of the things my father taught me that I’m following my intuition.”

“I don’t think you’re making a wise decision, but I understand your reservations. I have them too, but you can’t trust someone you know nothing about, either.”

“I won’t.” I begin making my way to the door, and she follows behind me.

“What will you do now?” she asks, right on my heels.

“I’m going to find out everything I can about her and then do what needs to be done.”

She sighs heavily, but embraces me before I exit. I don’t ask her not to tell Henri I’ve been here, because it doesn’t matter anymore. I’ve already strayed, and he’ll know soon enough.

When I step out on the porch, Gavril is rambling something off about the back nine and Riley is politely sitting there, listening, but unnaturally still. She looks like she’s avoiding setting off an explosion.

“Thanks, Gavril. You ready?” I ask, turning to Riley. She hops up and walks my way.

I don’t take her hand this time, because I’d rather Dorina not see us that way, and Riley picks up on my formality. Following along, she turns and thanks Gavril for teaching her about the greens and then politely says goodbye as we walk to the car.

Both of us let out huge breaths once we get in.

“I thought you’d never come out,” she sighs.

“Well, it’s done,” I reply, driving away, becoming painfully aware that Dorina is right. I may think I know Riley, but I really don’t. And that’s gotta change, right now.

I pull over a few miles down the road at a park with mini lakes and fountains. It seems like a good place to get to the bottom of things. Surely, having no idea what I’m thinking or what Dorina said to me has got to be eating away at Riley. By now, she’s sitting perfectly still and is oddly quiet. It reminds me of how she appeared when Gavril was talking to her. I have issues, but I’m not a time bomb, and certainly not someone she should be afraid of.

I offer her a reassuring smile and tell her I just want to talk to her. Still quiet, she nods and gets out of the car. Together we walk side by side to a bench overlooking little lakes whose green water is reminiscent of Easter egg dye.

She finally breaks her silence. “Are you going to tell me what happened back there?”

“It was her. She’s the Reader.” I tell her most of the visions, leaving out the part about her watching Henri die, and then I tell her why I brought her to the park. “Dorina agrees that my reservations are justified, but believes I don’t know enough about you.”

She lets out a nervous laugh and then shrugs. “I’ve told you everything about me.”

“No, I need to know everything.”

“Like?”

“Tell me about your family. Let’s start with your mother.”

“I’ve told you everything I know about her.”

“What about your grandmother or grandfather?”

“I don’t know. My mom was adopted. I told you that.” She shifts her weight and looks away.

It’s obvious she’s getting uncomfortable, but this is important. Scouts don’t do in-depth searches on the targets’ families. They do just enough to find out their location and ensure there won’t be any interference. That means it’s up to me to dig deep on this. Call it an in-person background check.

“I know, but it’s really important that I know every single detail about your life, because if I don’t, my family will continue to use it against me, insisting I don’t know you and therefore can’t trust you. Just tell me everything you can.”

“Fine.” She looks back. “My mom was adopted and then bounced around from foster home to foster home because she kept acting up. She never mentioned any of her foster parents. She only kept one picture of her birth mother, and the only thing she knew was that her name was Cosmina.”

My head jerks back. “Cosmina?”

“Yeah. Why, what’s wrong?”

“Cosmina is a Romanian name.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know, but it’s not something to overlook. Don’t you think that’s odd?”

She shrugs, but I’m focused on it. I don’t meet many people from my country hanging out in America, so this strikes me as an important detail.

I put in a call to Rosie and ask her to find me anything she can on a Cosmina in every genealogy and family history book we have at the house. Then, I sit and wait. I feel like I don’t know anything, like everything I’ve reconciled with is crumbling on top of me. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here, and, moreover, why I’m the one doing it. Andre and Petric are perfectly capable of handling something like this. Who am I kidding? I wouldn’t wish this confusion on my worst enemy.

“Vasi, you’re scaring me now. I don’t know that Cosmina person. I swear. If she did…”

I shake my head. “No. I’m not worried about that. I just think the connection means something and it’s frankly confusing the hell out of me.”

“Listen, I don’t want to be a burden on you. If it’s easier for you, you don’t have to stay with me. I can take care of myself.”

She starts to get up and walk off. “No you can’t,” I counter, taking hold of her elbow.

She turns around with a deep crease embedded between her brows.

“Well, maybe you’re right, but so what? It’s better than this rollercoaster I seem to be on. I just want my life back, and for you to have yours back. This is getting exhausting.” She’s still ranting, but I tune her out to the sound of my cell phone ringing.

It’s Rosie. “The only thing I see on a Cosmina is a record from the Syndicate’s Russian division. She was the daughter of a Reader named Madalina who left the Circle in the fifties. Madalina ran off with Cosmina when she was a baby and was never seen again. They said she turned her back on the family.” I’m completely stunned and it takes a few moments before I can respond.

This news is beyond important. “Can you find out the details?” I finally mutter.

“I’ll try. Why? What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you later. Thanks.”

I hang up, letting go of Riley’s elbow. She’s been intently listening. Swallowing hard, I meet her gaze and tell her exactly what Rosie learned. The news is causing my pulse to race, but her forehead is still creased. “So my great-grandmother could’ve been a traitor?”

“No,” I counter, leaning down to her level. “It means those aren’t nightmares you’re having. If you’re related to this Cosmina, then you are a Reader and your mother is not crazy.”

Chapter 19
A REUNION

We go straight to a local hotel, order room service again, and stare at each other while we wait. We’re both tense and quiet and I don’t like it, but finding the right words to say is beyond me.

Everything is passing through my mind at once. If she’s technically one of us, then how can anyone believe she’d bring us harm? What does it mean? What is the connection? Does it make her a threat or solidify that she’s not? I have to tell Henri this. Or maybe I don’t. Frustrated, I begin pacing. Maybe if I go back to Dorina’s, she’ll know what to do. No. I can’t risk going there twice. We’re going to have to figure this out ourselves.

A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts. Riley makes a move toward it.

“No!” I shout, a little too quickly. She jumps, shocked, and I stand in front of her and sigh. “Sorry, but please don’t answer doors.” She’s been missing long enough to spark an all-out hunt by now, and thoughts of what happened the last time my mother answered the door cause me to shudder. “Let me get it,” I say.

A flash of understanding crosses her face as her gaze leaves mine, bounces off the door and meets mine again. She steps to the far corner of the room, more than willing to let me get the door. I pull my gun from the back of my belt, wishing I were more heavily armed.

Unfortunately my guns and knives of preference are still in the car I drove to the hit. Too preoccupied with making my trip look like a weekend getaway, I hadn’t armed myself properly. The only weapon I have is the handgun that stays in my glove box.

With it cocked and by my side, I ask who’s there.

“Room service.” A small sense of relief washes over me, but my guard is still up. I open the door and watch closely as the waiter rolls the cart just beyond the threshold, and then I tip him, sending him on his way.

Riley is still in the corner. “It’s good. You can relax,” I say.

“I’m famished,” she says, eagerly making her way over to the cart. It’s the most she’s said since the park.

“Yeah, me too.”

We transfer our American cuisine over to the tiny round table by the window. She digs into her burger while I’m deciding on which of my entrées I want to eat first: the burger or the chicken sandwich. Still undecided, I start on the fries.

“Vasi?”

“Yeah?” I say, finally deciding on the burger.

“I don’t think the Cosmina you found is related to me.”

“Oh she is,” I assure, not missing a beat in my sandwich.

“What makes you so sure? I don’t even know her last name. It could be anyone.”

“Riley, it’s not a coincidence. You have nightmares about Hybrids, and so does your mother. It’s the same Cosmina. I know it.”

“But don’t you think I’d know if I were some sort of psychic?”

I shake my head, savoring the taste of my sandwich and feeling much more relaxed as I talk through this. It feels right. Like she’s family. Which she is. Not by blood, but code. “You wouldn’t know, because you didn’t have anyone to tell you what your visions were. If you didn’t believe in monsters, then why would you believe in your visions? Being a Reader takes training, which neither you nor your mother had.”

She leans back and raises her brow, considering. “So I’m like one of your Readers?”

I nod.

“And my mom’s not crazy?”

I shake my head.

“All this time she thought she was. All of these years she’s been in an institution with no one to help her.”

It looks like she’s about to cry, and just as I’m tempted to reach out and touch her, she unexpectedly propels herself toward me. I drop my sandwich, unsure of what she’s about to do, and then she wraps her arms around my neck, kissing my cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispers, tears beginning to fall.

I place my hand on her forearm, which is nearly choking me. “For what?”

“For saving my mother. And for saving me. My mother’s not crazy. You have no idea how much it means to me.”

I swivel my legs away from the table and pull her to my lap. “Why are you crying?”

“I’m not,” she says, wiping her face.

I still don’t know what any of this has to do with our future or my family, but her gratitude reminds me of why I’ve done this. I hold her tighter, my face resting in the nook of her collar bone, her hair tickling my nose. The familiar scent of mangos and strawberries wraps itself around me, and I breathe her in, knowing that I do more than like her.

“I love you,” I admit, shocking myself as the words slip out unexpectedly.

“What did you say?” she asks, pulling away.

“You heard me,” I whisper.

Choosing not to press the issue, she takes my face in her tiny palm and pulls me to her. She kisses me hungrily, and her free hand finds its way to the back of my hair. I’m at her mercy as she holds my head in a tight grip. Reluctantly, I finally turn my face away.

“You’d better stop,” I warn.

“But I don’t want to.”

“Me neither, but there may not be a church nearby for you to redeem yourself again.”

She sighs, nearly whining and stares at me for a long minute. “You’re right.” Then she kisses me again and whispers, “I love you too, by the way.”

“I know.” I smile confidently. Then I kiss her nose and pat her thigh, prompting her to get up. Once she’s standing, I take a deep breath and slip past her.

“Where are you going?” she asks.

“To take a cold shower,” I answer without looking back.

After the shower, I feel good and refreshed, but didn’t think to pack anything to sleep in other than my boxers. That means it’s me, her, and my underwear. Hopefully she’ll be able to handle herself, because if she comes on to me like that again…I’m pretty sure she’ll be looking for forgiveness tomorrow.

I come out of the bathroom and notice she’s cleaned off the table and tidied up. “Sorry, I was bored,” she says. Her gaze travels down my frame and quickly settles on my face. “Mind if I shower too?”

“Not at all.” I move away from the bathroom door and open my hand to guide the way. She scoops up a small pile of clothes from the bed and heads over. Both of us hold back smiles as she passes and closes the door. A moment later, I hear the lock click. I smile again.

While she’s in the shower, I think things over some more and call Dani. He’s flipping.

“Are you insane, Vasi?”

Did he actually think I was going four-wheeling without him? He doesn’t know me very well. “No I’m not. I’m perfectly sane. Can’t say that about Henri, though. No offense.”

“My dad’s worried about you.”

I snort. “Right. He was real concerned last night when I almost died.”

“That’s just his way of maintaining order. He was stunned. He’s been asking about you since you left.”

“I bet.”

“He has. He’s worried, man. He thinks you need help.”

“Help?” I roll my eyes.

“Yeah, he thinks you need to see someone. Like maybe you’re having post-traumatic stress from your parents’ deaths.”

I laugh bitterly. “Yeah, I’m having post-traumatic stress. But it isn’t from my parents. It’s from him ordering a hit on an innocent girl. And from Hybrids attacking her and me left and right. If you don’t see something wrong with this picture, then maybe I don’t know you that well.”

“You know me, Vasi. I’m with you, but you can’t run away from the Syndicate. It doesn’t look good that you’ve run off with this girl. You need to come back on your own.”

On my own? “What the hell does that mean?”

“He sent Alexandru to find you and bring you back.”

I jerk upright. “What?!”

“Yeah, he’s called a meeting with the Circle and wants everyone there to talk about what’s going on.”

Unbelievable. What a crock. “Wake up, Dani! He didn’t send Alexandru to bring me back. Alexandru got Riley’s name this time. I wouldn’t do it, so Henri gave it to him!”

Dani is silent. Too silent. “Vasi, just come back. I’m on your side, but it doesn’t help that you’ve gone AWOL.”

I think about my options for a few minutes.

“Vasi?” he says, breaking the silence.

I sigh. “Just tell Henri I’ll be home tomorrow night.”

I hang up the phone, pissed. “What’s tomorrow night?” Riley says, emerging from the bathroom, clenching her wet curls in a towel that covers most of her body.

“I’ve got to go home. Tomorrow.”

Her lips part. “Okay…”

She knows it’s strange, but doesn’t question me on it. I appreciate the space, but want her to understand. “Henri has sent Alexandru ‘looking for me’ to get me to return for a meeting.”

“Okay?”

“Alexandru is not looking for me. He’s looking for us, and I don’t like the sound of it. It’s better if I show up, because everyone needs to know what I know. I can’t just let Henri feed them half of the story.”

“Okay.”

“Would you stop saying that?”

“Okay. I mean. All right. Where should I go?” The silent message in that is I’m not going with you to your house even if you drag me.

I agree. “I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

“O—I mean, sounds good. Well, I’m just going to dry my hair.”

I nod and lie back down, rehearsing what I’m going to say. It’s real simple. She’s one of us, the Hybrids want her dead, and I’m not going to let that happen. Period.

If Dorina thinks she’s seen a trace of my father in me, just wait. They’re about to see what real leadership looks like, and it isn’t Henri.

Riley comes out, hair dry and body blazing. I try to keep my eyes from her shorts and small tank. I don’t think she’s wearing a bra, but my quick glance can’t confirm. I look away, and she flips the light off and climbs onto the bed with me, nestling into the nook of my arm. We don’t watch TV and we don’t talk. At least not for a while. The silence speaks loudly enough, tossing thoughts and ideas through our heads while we both ponder internally.

After a long time, she speaks up.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“About…?”

“About my mom.”

“What about her?”

“I want to see her.”

“All right.”

“Tomorrow.”

There is a lot on my agenda, but that isn’t one of them.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say as nicely as possible.

She pulls back, pushing off my chest. “I want to. Vasi, you don’t understand. Every day that passes is torture for her. I don’t want another minute to go by with my mom thinking she’s a freak. She left me because she thought she was a danger to me. She missed my whole childhood. She’s in there all alone. I can’t—’

“Okay, okay. We’ll go.”

She instantly relaxes back into me, and again I wonder what it is about this girl that causes me to go against everything rational. Then, mental fatigue takes over as we both fall asleep early.

The following morning we take a sunrise flight back to D.C. and then rent a car for the two-hour trek to the facility where Riley’s mom is.

Now I’m feeling nervous, though I’m not sure why. Since I’m confident we’re not being followed, it must be that I want Riley’s mom to like me too, but does it really matter right now? She’s probably so far gone that she won’t even notice me. Still, my palms are sweating.

“You’re nervous,” Riley says.

“No I’m not.”

“Yes you are. Don’t worry. My mom has her moments, but she’s the kindest woman you’ll ever meet. At least, when she’s not having visions of monsters.”

Good to know. We arrive at the complex and our roles have oddly changed. This time, she’s leading the way with me in tow, and I’m holding on to her hand for dear life.

We reach the information desk and Riley asks, “Sonya Bennett, please?”

The receptionist peers out over her bifocals. “IDs, please.”

Riley turns to me and it takes a second to register. She’s waiting for guidance on which IDs to give her. Using our true identities here is probably best, so I hand the woman my license. “My name is Vasi.”

Riley hands over hers, and, after making copies, the woman hands us temporary visitor passes and points us down the hall. We ride the elevator to a secure floor, apparently the room location requested by her mother and father. Riley says it’s not that the facility is worried about her mom escaping, but rather that her mom is worried about things coming in.

Off the elevator, Riley’s strides have noticeably shortened as we near her mother’s room. For the first time since we arrived, I feel like taking the lead again. Putting my arm around her shoulder, I give her a supportive squeeze and guide her to the door.

“I haven’t seen her in months,” she mumbles.

After a long pause and a deep breath, she hesitantly pushes the heavy door open to reveal a petite woman with long, wavy, blond hair, sitting in a chair with her back to us. Her arms are moving strangely, but from our angle we can’t see why.

Although the room is set up like a standard bedroom, decorated with inviting yellows and greens that match the plush comforter, it still feels like a temporary space. Like maybe a hotel room.

“Mom?” she asks as we walk closer. “Mom? It’s me, Riley.”

We pause for a response, but get silence. Stepping closer, we can follow the movement of her mother’s arms; she’s rigorously knitting something blue.

Riley touches her arm, which finally breaks her mom’s concentration, but she still doesn’t look up. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she says pulling away. “I have to finish this. The baby needs his blanket. He needs to be warm. I have to finish.”

Riley looks around the room and then at me. I don’t see anything, so I shrug. Confused, she moves in front of her chair, kneeling. “What baby, Mom?”

Sonya looks at Riley, wide eyed, and then at me. “Why…well..” She turns back to Riley. “Your baby.”

Riley glances at me. “Mom, I don’t have a baby.”

Next, the unexpected happens. Sonya lunges forward, knocking Riley back. She takes hold of Riley’s shirt and urgently shakes her. “You let the monster get him? Tell me no!! Tell me you didn’t! Not the baby! Not the poor baby!”

Riley’s fighting her off, but she’s too stunned to get a grip on anything, so I step in and pull her mom off. “I told them they were real. I told them!” she shouts.

Sonya is almost as tiny as Riley, so lifting her is easy. Once pulled away, she cowers for a moment and then turns on me with her eyes narrowed. “You were supposed to protect them. How could you?!” She starts banging on my chest and scratching at me.

Finally grasping the turn of events, I spin her around easily and hold her arms down.

Riley recovers from the floor. “Mom! Stop it! There is no baby. I don’t have a baby!”

She squirms angrily for another few moments and then finally settles. “No baby?”

Riley shakes her head. “No.”

“No?”

“No, Momma.”

Her wide eyes stare intensely. “But what about the monsters?”

Riley looks at me and then back to her. “Momma, there’s no baby, but you’re right about the monsters.”

Chapter 20
THE FUTURE

I guide the entranced Sonya over to the small sofa next to her bed, and we all sit, Riley and I positioned on either side of her.

“Mom, this is my friend Vasi.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, looking at me. Her eyes are the color of Riley’s, highlighting the resemblance between them. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I don’t know what happened.”

Riley starts rubbing her back. “Mom, it’s okay.”

“If there’s no baby, then why are you here?”

“Mom, I’m here to tell you that you’re not crazy. Vasi here is a member of an organization called the Syndicate. They hunt down things called Hybrids. Those things you see, they aren’t monsters. They’re humans who are infected by something that makes them turn bad. I see them too.”

“You can see them too?”

“Yes, and we aren’t the only ones.”

Sonya slides to the edge of the sofa. “But, if they’re real, you have to get out of here. Now. They’re coming for you. You can’t be near me.”

Riley grips her mother’s shoulders. “Mom, it’s not you. They’ve already come for me, but I’m fine. Vasi won’t let anything happen.”

Her mom turns my way, making me feel uncomfortably placed in the middle again.

“So you’re the one?” she asks quietly. “Yes…you’re the one I dream about. The one who will protect the baby.”

I’m weirded out again and steal a glance at Riley, who comes to my rescue. “Mom, what are you talking about?”

“My dreams, the monsters, you, the baby, him.” Sonya says it so matter-of-factly that Riley can’t help but play along.

“Tell me more about the dream, Mom.”

“I see monsters, and they’re coming after me, only when they find me, they don’t want me. They want you. And then I see you and the baby. A pretty little baby. And they want him too. The baby. They want to take him. But…but then I see him.” She points to me. “And he makes them go away, but they always come back…for the baby. But I can help the baby. He needs a blanket. I’m making him a blanket.”

I’m wondering whether this facility is helping this woman or making her worse.

Riley’s thinking more figuratively. “Mom, why would monsters want the baby?”

Her mom stands and walks over to pick up the blanket. Rubbing it, she appears as though she’s remembering something. “Because this baby is special,” she says, admiring her creation.

“How so, Mom?”

“Because the baby can kill them all. All of them. If he’s protected. If he can be kept safe.” She meets my confused gaze, sending a chill up my spine.

Riley stands up and moves in front of Sonya. “You’ve seen a baby kill these monsters?”

“Yes. And then we’ll be safe, and then I can go home.”

“How can he kill them all?” I interject.

“Because he’s special,” she shoots back quickly.

“Special how?” I prod.

“Because he’s gifted. He has the sight to find them all and he’s a fighter like you. He’s born with both gifts.”

I think my head is spinning from information overload. I look at Riley, whose gaze is fixed on me as she repeats the question. “Mom, do you mean he can find these monsters with his visions and he can fight them?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said…isn’t it?”

“And whose baby is it Mom?”

“Well, it’s yours…and his.”

I feel like a deer in headlights, and Riley is shaking her head in denial. I force myself to get a grip and think rationally. If this really is a Reader, then I should take her visions seriously. Sure, they’re unrefined, but it’s feeling a bit too real to ignore.

I try to measure this vision against Dorina’s, and something occurs to me. “Sonya? What happens after this boy kills all the monsters?”

“They will go away, and so will the dreams, and we can all live in peace. No fighting, no monsters.”

My throat is dry. I look at Riley and murmur “So no Syndicate. Because of you.”

The Reader had it right. Riley is the reason for the Syndicate’s fall, but not because she’s bad. “Do you know what this means?” I ask, closing the space between us.

“No,” she says, shaking her head.

“Riley.” I take her face in my hands. “It means that I’m not a traitor and you’re not a threat to my family.”

She stares at me in shock.

“We have to go now,” I say, feeling an immediate need to share this information.

She nods and looks at her mother. “I want to take her with us.”

Sonya is not in a state of mind to travel, but I say okay, and Riley turns to her mother eagerly. “Mom, I want you to come with us. I don’t want you to stay here anymore.”

Sonya doesn’t move an inch. “No, I can’t go with you.”

“Why not?” Riley asks.

“Weren’t you listening? The monsters find you when I’m around. You have to stay away.”

“I’m not leaving you here. Please, come with us.”

“No,” she says firmly, gritting her teeth.

“Mom—”

“I said no! Now get away from here, right now!”

Not wanting to upset Sonya further, Riley finally gives in.

“We’ll come back for her,” I assure her.

***

I’ve thought of a million reasons why I’ve been so confused for the last month, and not one of them included the notion that Riley and I would have a son. A son who is gifted with unprecedented abilities. A Guard and a Reader in one? No one has even thought about that. Readers have always been…well, Readers. They’re usually older. And if they’re not, they’re mostly recluses who move to the beat of their own drums.

What are the freakin odds that I’d go find myself a girl who just happens to be a Reader and doesn’t even know it? Madness. No wonder Henri is off his mark. No one would ever think it.

I get worked up just thinking about telling everyone. There’s no way Henri can continue believing she’s a danger. It makes perfect sense. Why the Hybrids are after her. Wait, how would the Hybrids know about her, and how are they organizing premeditated attacks like that? They have definitely evolved more than any of us knew. Something’s going on for sure, but I now have good reason to demand that Riley be deleted from the hit list.

Once I get over the relief of finally having something to support my irrational desire to keep Riley alive, it sinks in. Me and her? A mother and father? I’m not father material. I’m selfish, overconfident, carefree, young. I’m not even close to what my father was. Maybe Sonya’s wrong.

For the first time since getting in the car, I glance over at a dazed Riley. She looks almost catatonic. I decide to pull over at a little scenic overlook and let everything sink in. Both of us sit there, mute. After awhile of watching the cloudless sky, a crazy thought crosses my mind.

“Riley?”

She looks at me. “Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah. No. I mean…yeah, I guess.”

She looks so afraid and so strong at the same time. Like she’s on the verge of tears again, but holding them in with everything she has. I can’t imagine what she thinks. The Syndicate has been my life. Although this is a surprise to me, I’ve trained for opposition. At least I’m semi-prepared for some of this.

A month ago, she was just a college student learning about making a difference in little kids’ lives. Now, her world has been rocked twice over and she hasn’t asked for any of it. Yet, here we are. I’m looking at her and she’s looking at me, and my body tells me one thing—that I don’t ever want to be away from her. What is this magnetism? I don’t even know, but I want it. People don’t feel this way unless they’re supposed to.

And like that, it clicks. Almost instantly I make a decision that is by far the most unexpected. “Riley, do you believe what your mom says?” I ask.

She blinks for what seems like the first time since our gazes met. Then she looks down, playing with her nails. “I don’t know. She’s been in that place for a long time. She could be really messed up.”

“I know. It’s obvious that she needs help, but do you believe her?” She keeps playing with her hands. “Yes or no?” I prod.

She looks at me with watery eyes and nods one time.

“Me too,” I say quickly. “Where’s your real birth certificate?”

“My what?”

“Your real birth certificate, where is it?”

“My apartment. Why?”

After a long deep breath, I say something that’s even surprising to me. “Because I want to get married.”

Her jaw drops. “Huh?”

“Yes. I don’t know why, but I believe what she says is true. And that means I’m supposed to be with you and protect you. Not sometimes, but all the time. And I want to. But if I’m going to make that commitment, then we need to step it up. I need Henri to see just how serious I am about this.”

“But you don’t have to marry me, Vasi.” She’s shaking her head.

“Yes I do.”

She turns her head and looks out the window, and I realize I’ve just asked her in the lamest way possible. Damn. I wouldn’t marry myself.

I reach over and touch her arm. “Riley, I’m sorry. That was a weak way to spring that on you. It’s crazy. But it’s what I want, and not just because of Henri.”

She turns back. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah.” She smiles softly. “Okay.”

Instant relief hits me. “All right,” I say, and what I’m about to tell her is even more lame. “I want to do it today.”

Her eyes widen, and then she blinks away the shock.

“Today? Where?”

“The courthouse. I want to do it before I face the Circle.”

I expect her to look offended or even disappointed that I don’t anticipate a big production in a pretty dress, but she shrugs and says, “Okay…but we have birth certificates with us, remember?”

I briefly consider the identities of Jenn and John in my glove box, but shake my head.

“No,” I say, leaning into her. “I don’t want you to be Mrs. Roberts. You’re going to be a Petrescu.”

And Henri is going to flip.

Chapter 21
THE PETRESCU RETURN

I call Rosie and tell her to meet me at the courthouse with my birth certificate and our parents’ rings. After a few minutes of her freaking out about what Henri will say, she agrees and then tells me she hopes I know what I’m doing.

Next is the pit stop to Riley’s. I know it could be dangerous, but it’s necessary. And I’m hoping Henri has called off Alexandru at least for the time being. He knows I’m coming to the Circle tonight, so he could at least wait to hear what I have to say. Besides, if Alexandru tries to make a move on Riley while I’m with her, that’s his mistake. I’m not afraid of Alexandru or his Ferragamos.

We pull up to her apartment at two in the afternoon, and together we walk with my arm protectively around her until we’re safely inside her foyer. I make her stand there until I check inside the closets to make sure it’s clear. Then I check her kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. It’s oddly quiet, but still feels like someone has been here, and that’s when I notice her drawers ajar. Her room was pretty spotless the last two times I was here, so this doesn’t sit well. I call out for her to come in.

She’s not in the room two seconds before she confirms my suspicion. “Someone’s been here,” she says, moving to close her drawers.

“I know. Let’s hurry.”

She quickly finds a photo box under her bed and, after checking its contents, tucks it under her arm.

Just when we’re about to leave, she stops. “Wait a minute,” she says.

“We don’t really have a minute.”

“Well, I need a minute.” She gently shoves me into her hall and attempts to close her bedroom door. I resist, wondering what’s going on. “I want to change,” she says.

I survey her jean capris and yellow T-shirt. “You look fine.”

“If we’re really getting married, I’m not wearing jeans.” She stands firm and pushes me again.

Up until now, she’s pretty much done everything I’ve asked, without whining, complaining, or arguing. And the funny thing is, I like her assertiveness just as much as I like her compromise. I smile. “Okay, but make it quick.”

“I will…if you back up.” She shoves me one more time in my chest, and this time I give way.

Standing in her hallway gives me more time to think about what we’re about to do. It’s crazy, reckless, and ridiculously spontaneous, but right. After five minutes of carrying on a conversation with myself, she emerges.

A quick glance her way turns into a full-blown stare. Standing before me is hands down the hottest girl I’ve ever seen. My eyes take in her soft curls, which she’s let loose from the up-do. Now, the perfect curls gently dangle around her shoulders.

I gaze upon her, taking in the tank straps of a plain white linen dress that’s fitted to her knees and then gently flares at her calves. I follow the line of her legs to a pair of strappy, platform white sandals.

“Um…” It’s all I can say.

“Ready?” she replies, taking a deep breath.

“Definitely,” I murmur.

She grabs her box of memorabilia and puts her arm comfortably back around my waist as we walk out the same way we came in.

By the time we get to the courthouse, it’s almost four o’clock. I’m not even sure if we can get this taken care of today, but I hope so. If the court can’t do it, then I’ll find us a minister somewhere.

When we pull into the parking lot, I see Rosie’s car, but no Rosie. I hope she’s inside.

That’s an understatement. Not only is she inside, but she’s already started filling out the paperwork and has already called in a time slot for us with a justice of the peace.

I owe her big time.

At 4:30, I’m standing in front of Riley, our officiant, and our witness, Rosie, about to make a life commitment, and I don’t have one ounce of hesitation. By the way Riley’s holding my hand and looking at me, it appears that she doesn’t either.

Her gaze never breaks away from mine. As we stand there, I see through her eyes, eyes that show me a hint of vulnerability, but that speak of trust too. I smile and take note of the different shades of green in them as I repeat my lines and she repeats hers. I stop counting at nine different colors of green—light, dark, in-between, and even shades of yellow—when I hear the man standing between us make it official.

It rings loud and clear, and I feel a calmness I haven’t felt in years. I lean into her lips, sealing our destinies. There is simply no turning back now. I think about that invisible letter I mailed not too long ago, and it makes me smile. I didn’t just mail it; I put it in a slingshot and catapulted it.

After I’m done kissing her and soaking up the joy I feel, along with the joy I’m going to feel when I tell Henri, I look at Rosie. She’s never smiled so big. Every one of her teeth is showing beneath a camera with which she’s rapidly taking pictures of us.

“I’m happy for you, Vasi.” She reaches out, hugs me and then Riley. “Thank you,” she says to Riley. “I haven’t seen him this genuinely happy since our parents died.”

Standing there, embracing, are my sister and my, dare I say it, wife. This is my family now. Watching Rosie accept Riley and support me in everything validates my actions. It makes me feel proud and like, if my parents were here, they’d be proud too. And no one will be able to make me feel like any of this is wrong.

Before we leave, Rosie volunteers to take Riley back to a hotel, because, as it stands, I’ll already be late to the Circle. Riley refuses to come with me, insisting that she does not want to be a distraction. Rosie agrees. It would be better for me to go alone, and even if I do believe Alexandru is at the Circle, the idea of Riley returning to her own apartment is unappealing.

At the last minute, Rosie gets the idea to take Riley to the house where we grew up with our parents.

“Out of the question,” I say.

“Vasi, it’s right around the corner from the estate. A hotel is at least thirty minutes away. It doesn’t make sense. It’s our house. We kept it for a reason.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Rosie, I am not leaving Riley in that house alone. Forget it.”

By that house, I mean the house my parents were killed in. Not an option right now.

“I’ll stay with her, Vasi.”

On my last “no,” Riley steps up to me.

“Vasi, it’s okay.”

“No it isn’t.” Why are they ruining this moment? The last thing I want to think about is her going to the place where my parents died.

Turning my face so our gaze is locked, Riley says, “Hey, that’s your family’s home. It’s okay for you to think of it as a good place now.”

What? Did Rosie hug some insanity into her?

“I’ll be with her, Vasi. Mom and Dad would want us there.”

“No they wouldn’t.”

“Yes they would. Mom loved that house, and you know it. Which is why we’ve never sold it. If you abandon it forever, the bad guys win.”

I’m shaking my head. She continues, “If you really want me to take her to some empty hotel on your wedding day, then fine. But I think we should go to our house.”

I can’t even believe I’m considering this. I haven’t been able to drive past that house in four years. Now she wants me to let her take Riley there.

“It’s close, Vasi. You can be there in five minutes after the meeting.”

And that’s the soft spot. Their proximity is what makes me give it serious consideration. After a moment of silence, I turn to Riley. “Are you sure you want to go to that house?”

She shakes her head. “No, but I don’t want to go anywhere if it’s not with you. If I’m closer to you there, then I’m okay. And I’d like to see where you lived. To learn more about you.”

It’s madness, but I can’t bring myself to argue. It is my house, and it is close, and much more meaningful than a random hotel room. “Fine,” I say to Rosie. “But you better not leave her side for a second, and don’t open the door for anyone.”

With that concession, I say goodbye to both of them and set my next destination to my current home. It’s not far, but a little rush-hour traffic puts me behind schedule. Everyone will be there, and as usual I’ll be the last one in. Why break tradition now? Other than the fact that I might miss what Henri tells the others, I’m not worried. Well, maybe I am.

Weaving in and out of traffic puts distance between me and Rosie’s car, but that only means I’ll get to the meeting faster and, in turn, back to Riley sooner. I finally reach the house ten minutes after Henri’s scheduled meeting time. Black sedans, Hummers, and sports cars are lined up alongside our driveway. I catch a glimpse of each as I drive by, and eventually notice that a particular CL 600 is missing. No Alexandru? It’s not like him to be late, I tell myself. Unless…There’s only one thing that would keep him from this meeting, and that is an assignment. A very important one.

I look around and still don’t see his car. My nerves start to tingle with a maddening cold, and I immediately think of Rosie and Riley. If he’s not here, then he thinks he can complete his mission, which means he’s there. I immediately call Rosie’s cell. No answer. Next, I call Riley’s. No answer. I cringe with panic.

My tires leave ten-foot-long tracks on the pavement as I whip my truck around, cursing myself for giving Alexandru the benefit of the doubt that he’d actually wait to hear what goes down at the meeting. Because of my stupidity, I handed him the advantage on a platter.

“It’s okay,” I tell myself. Rosie can handle herself. She’s armed, she’s trained for emergency situations, and she knows not to answer the door. There’s no way she’d answer the door. No way. Except if it was for family. But she knows Alexandru has Riley’s name. So she wouldn’t.

I could just smack my head against the steering wheel. I swear, if Alexandru harms one hair on Riley’s head, I’ll…I don’t even know. I can’t even believe. My parents…feeling angry, restless, alone−none of those feelings would compare to how I’d feel if something happened to either Rosie or Riley.

Just. Don’t. Answer the door.

Even as I near my old neighborhood, there’s hope. Hope that I’m wrong. That Alexandru is somewhere else, that he isn’t that cold blooded.

But I’m not wrong. Parked just behind Rosie’s convertible Beemer is Alexandru’s CL 600. Right there in the open, like he’s a welcome visitor.

Not having the patience to mess with the key code on the garage, I rush up the front steps angry and fearful for what I’ll find. I pull out my gun and push open the unlocked door. An overwhelming heaviness pulls at my insides as I remember everything about this house. The large oil painting hanging in the foyer, the massive crimson circular rug. The good, the bad, and the unimaginable. It’s all happened here.

“Rosie?” I call. “Riley?”

Like knives cutting through my chest, I hear a familiar, deep voice. “Vasi, I knew you’d come. We’re in here, little brother.”

Gun still outstretched, I turn the corner to the family room. My body tenses and my jaw clenches when I see the girls tied to dining room chairs, mouths duct taped, with Alexandru standing behind them in a black turtleneck. “Damn you, Alexandru.”

I cannot believe what I’m seeing, but something is very wrong with this picture. Aside from being enraged to see Riley like that, it immediately crosses my mind that Rosie shouldn’t be bound. She’s not part of this. Even if Alexandru wanted to kill Riley, he doesn’t have to involve Rosie.

I aim between his eyes.

“Hold it now, golden boy.”

As he speaks, he exposes a weapon he’s been pointing into the back of Riley’s head. My blood is boiling, slowing my thought process, so I think of the only negotiation I can.

“Alexandru, you don’t have to do this. I have information. She’s not a threat to us. Just wait until the meeting. Once I tell Henri, he’ll take the hit off her. Just—” he nudges the gun into the back of her head, causing her to release a muffled cry. “Wait!” I growl. “You can wait, damn it! You have another target. Can’t you just do that one first?!”

He shakes his head slowly, almost pitying me. “Vasile, Vasile, Vasile. Why do you think I’ve waited for you?”

“I don’t know,” I answer, maintaining aim.

“Well, see if your overrated brain can fathom this: you are my other target.”

“What?” I mumble, unable to focus and breathe at the same time.

“You’re a traitor, Vasi. You’re out. You had your chance.”

“I’m not a traitor, Dru!” I shake my head, trying to keep my gun steady at the same time. “There’s no way a Reader saw that. No way!”

“No, Vasi, not a Reader. Henri.”

I swallow, trying to think. So that’s where the extra name came from? That bastard. I feel like I’m losing control, so I keep explaining.

“I’m not out. I’ve been trying to see what’s going on. Riley is not a threat to us; she’s a gift. She’s the reason we find all the Hybrids and kill them. Do you know what that means?” I nearly growl.

Now he starts laughing, mockingly. “You are clueless. Henri doesn’t want to kill them all, you idiot. Then what do you think happens to the Syndicate? What, are we all going to get nine-to-five jobs?”

“Are you saying Henri wants the Hybrids around?”

He rolls his eyes. “All right. Enough. I’d love to chat with you, but I’m late. I just couldn’t help giving you the opportunity to come out of your dream before you visited your parents.”

At that moment Rosie tilts her chair backward, falling to the ground. For a brief second, Alexandru glances her way. Riley mimics Rosie, falling sideways. In that split second, Alexandru loses focus. Without hesitating, I put a bullet in his right temple just as one of his rounds shoots into the carpet beside Riley.

He immediately falls to the floor as a second round from his gun hits the wall.

“Damn it!” I shout, running over to him. It’s not supposed to happen like this. Not family. Not this way. We’re brothers, for Christ’s sake.

How in the hell can I explain this to the Circle? They’ll never believe it. Never believe that Henri would order something like this.

I cringe, kneeling over Alexandru’s lifeless body, feeling anger and sorrow for him at the same time. It’s not right. None of this. My body mourns this, but the sound of sobs pulls me from my regret, and I quickly return my attention to the girls. I go to Rosie first, because she’s lying on her back, still tied to the chair. I roll her over and start on her ropes.

My hands fumble with the knot, fingers trembling from nerves and anxiety.

I can’t get it. I can’t get it. Memories of my mother and father wash over me. “It’s all right, Vasile,” my mom says.

No it’s not all right. It’s not all right, because I couldn’t untie hers either. I couldn’t get it, and I can’t get Rosie’s. I’m sweating, blinking away the memory. I need to concentrate on this knot, but I can’t get it, because it’s triple knotted, triple looped, like my mom’s knot…it’s like my mom’s knot. It’s like my mom’s knot.

I jump back. Jesus.

“Vasi, what’s wrong?” Rosie asks, trying to wriggle free.

Without answering, I burst into the kitchen to get a knife, just like I did four years ago. My heart is ricocheting off of every corner in my chest as I bring the knife back into the room. With shaking hands, I cut both of them loose, but they remain completely still, watching me. I don’t want to scare them, but I can’t help kicking anything I can find. “Damn you!” I shout. “Damn you!”

I’m pacing the room as Riley sits frozen in her chair.

Finally, Rosie grabs my shoulders. “Vasi, what’s wrong with you?”

My shoulders sink and my legs feel weak. “You don’t want to know,” I whisper.

“Yes I do, Vasi. Now tell me.”

And just like that, I look my sister in the eyes and tell her what she has a right to know. “Your knots were the same as our parents’ knots. The same, Rosie.”

She shakes her head. “No.”

“Yes.”

“But anyone can tie a knot, right? It doesn’t mean it was him.”

“It’s the same, Rosie, which is why it makes perfect sense that Mom welcomed him into the house at dinner time. She trusted him.” My mind is so confused. Did Henri plan this all along? Kill my father so he could be leader?

Thinking about the betrayal sends me kicking over another end table, knocking the lamp off.

Riley flinches and covers her ears. “I think I’m going to be sick,” she says, leaning over. I realize that I’m only making the situation worse. I walk over and pull her into a hug. She collapses into my chest. “I’m so sorry,” she says.

“Why are you apologizing?” I pull away and lower my gaze to hers. “This is not your fault. It’s not your fault.”

Rosie, still in shock, walks over to us. “What now, Vasi? What now? Henri has a hit out on you both, and if Alexandru really is responsible for our parents’ deaths, then no one is safe. No one.”

She’s right, which is why I have to stop Henri. My first inclination is to wring his neck in a slow, miserable, agonizing death. But if I do that, the rest of the Circle will panic. I’ll have no credibility, ultimately giving them reason to believe I am the traitor. So I have to think here.

I mechanically gather a trash bag and put Alexandru’s body in it, no longer feeling remorse. Once he’s loaded into the back of my truck, I instruct Rosie to take Riley to the beach house in Maryland. The Syndicate has access to many houses around the world, but this one is ours. Another purchase of my father’s. It will be where I meet them later.

Initially, neither one of them wants to let me do what I’m about to, but there’s no option here. I cannot run from Henri forever. Not only that, but I refuse to let him feed anyone else his whacked-out fantasies or get away with what he’s done.

I give both of them a hug, taking the time to kiss Riley before urging them into the car.

Back inside, I take in what used to be my home. Happy and comfortable, thanks to my mother. And Henri took that from me. I won’t let that slide. So I do something that will rock this American Circle: I call the head of the Romanian operation. If I want Henri to be held accountable for his decisions, then I have to bring in other cells, someone else to ensure that he’s not acting out of selfishness or even self preservation. My choice is the descendant of Vladimir: Serban.

I make my way to my father’s study and find his belongings. Among them is his Day-Timer with all the Syndicate members’ phone numbers.

It’s nearly the middle of the night there, but this is an emergency. The phone rings and rings, and eventually I hear a confused and irritated Serban.

“Alo?”

“Serban. I’m sorry to wake you, but this is Vasi. Vasi Petrescu.”

I’ve never spoken directly to Serban before, but remember him visiting with my father many times. I only hope that he and my father may have had a bond that will pave the way for me. He greets me with a heavy accent. “Vasi? Yes, what is it?”

From there I tell him everything I can while he listens in silence. When I’m finished, a long silence continues, and then he says, “Thank you, Vasi. I do not think this information should be ignored. I will call a meeting with all of the Elders and notify Henri tomorrow that no action is to be taken on any human until further notice.”

This is a huge win, and I should be overjoyed to hear even the slightest bit of support, but I fear Henri will persuade the other leaders when they all meet. Since I’m not a leader, I won’t be invited to attend, and who knows what Henri will say in my absence.

“Serban?” I ask. He’s older, like Henri, so I feel amateurish, but I continue: “I’m humbly grateful for your attention to this matter, but do you mind if I ask what happens from here? At your meeting, I mean?”

“I’m not able to tell you what goes on in the Council, Vasile, but I can tell you that I’ll be looking into your Reader’s visions. We’ll see if any of my Readers validate it.”

I hang up with him. My emotions are mixed. I have no clue what his Readers will see. It could confirm that Sonya is right, or that I’ve got it all wrong. I can only hope I’m correct.

Chapter 22
SOLO

Pulling into the driveway where Henri awaits, I once again feel the rage that had left me while I was talking to Serban. I want to hurt him, but I tell myself that this has to be done the official way if I want it to permanently change things for the better. Even if it takes everything I have to restrain myself from busting in there and choking him.

Instead, I take my aggression out on Alexandru. I drag his body out of my truck and dump him by the incinerator. I don’t put him in, because, even though I want to, burning one of my own will never be something I can feel good about—even if he betrayed me in the worst way.

I quickly make a pit stop by my room and change shirts so I’m wearing black, and then I make my way down the hall. Scouts and Shadows are lined up against the walls on each side of the hallway. I nod like I always do when I’m late, and then make my way into the room.

A hush immediately falls over the room, and everyone turns my way, wide-eyed. Dani is the first to crack a smile, followed by Andre, then Petric. No surprise. I return a subtle smile before surveying the curious faces of the others and then settling my gaze on Henri’s frozen expression.

He’s never looked so surprised by my tardiness, so I’m thinking his reaction stems from something else. Maybe the fact that I showed up at all. Why would that surprise him? Oh right. I’m supposed to be dead.

I clench my jaw and nod before finding my usual seat. Henri greets me with the most false open-armed gesture possible.

“Well, Vasile. Thank you for joining us.” He looks toward the door. “Now if we only had Alexandru, we would be good to finish up here.”

Something tells me that he doesn’t need Alexandru to finish up anything. His curiosity stems from the fact that the wrong Guard showed up. I swallow and steady my voice. “He’s in the garage,” I say, pointing casually.

A small flash of satisfaction crosses Henri’s face.

It occurs to me that he thinks Alexandru is disposing of a body, and, if it’s not me, then it must be Riley’s. I test him, hoping he doesn’t call my bluff.

“Do you want me to go get him?” I ask, standing in offering.

His hand flies up in a holding position. “No. No, that won’t be necessary. We were just finishing up, Vasile.”

“What did I miss?”

He looks around, and I do as well. Almost everyone is keeping their gaze away from me, especially Dorina. What did he tell them?

“Vasile, I’m sorry to say that we have voted to temporarily remove you from your position in this Circle. It has been determined that you are a threat to this operation.”

I look around. “Who voted? And on what grounds?”

“Voting is confidential, but rest assured there were enough votes to take this action.”

I stand. “On what grounds?”

He looks at me, thinking he has won this battle. “On the grounds that you have gone against the Circle’s orders and have sabotaged another’s assignment, in essence severing the trust between us and you.”

This is bullcrap and everyone knows it, but it’s already been decided, and by the looks on the Readers’ faces, this needs to come to an end. And not in an all-out fight between me and the Elders here and now. This has to be peaceful, but I won’t let Henri believe he’s won.

“May I make a statement before I leave?”

Everyone perks up, curious. Henri looks around, clearly preferring I didn’t, but concedes.

“Certainly.” Then he plants doubt before I even speak. “We all know you are suffering from mental confusion and post-traumatic stress, so I urge you to speak sensibly and not to jeopardize the hope of your return to the Circle.”

I roll my eyes and clear my throat. Addressing everyone but Henri, I remind them of the code not to kill a female, and how it is that reason alone that caused me to hesitate on my order. Then I tell them about her ancestry, her mother, and the vision. The Readers look shocked, but in a good way. I finally turn to Henri to see if he will consider the possibility. He doesn’t.

Instead, he stands. “This is absurd.” He lets out a forced laugh. “You are going to seriously bring a crazy woman’s nonsense into our Circle and pass her off as a Reader? Vasile, I have tolerated and been lenient to your fallacies, but enough is enough. You have lost your way, and I order you to leave this Circle until you can come to your senses.” Or until you can have me killed.

I look to the other two Elders, Stephan and Valentin. Both are stoic, but I sense doubt in their eyes. They lack Henri’s rage and his urgency to put me out. I stand firm and continue my revelations. “I want you all to know that I didn’t ask for this. This was put upon me, and I don’t know why. But, through all of this, I have learned and maybe even felt it all along that there is great purpose for me, and all of it revolves around this girl. Since meeting her, I’ve felt the power of the future. Felt the good I will do with her. There is no evil in her or me, and I think you all know that. But I will not oppose your decision today. Rather, I’ll leave and allow all of you to think and seek inside your own minds and hearts for the truth.

“But, know this: I am willing to protect all of you at all costs. And I will, even from afar. If you’d like to reach me for anything, you will find me at my father’s beach house with Riley.”

I let the small gasps escape before I tell them that she is my wife. And then Henri slaps his hand on the podium and points bitterly at me. “You have just confirmed that you cannot be trusted.”

I turn to him with satisfaction. “Maybe you should ask your Readers how what I’ve done goes right along with their predictions.”

“You’re out!” he shouts.

“That may be true according to you, Henri, but not to Serban.” Henri’s eyes narrow. “He knows what’s going on with me and Riley, and has ordered a Council meeting to determine the next course of action. In the meantime, you are not permitted to harm a single person who isn’t infected.”

I can almost see the hot air coming from his nostrils. “You have no idea what you’re doing. You’re a little boy!” he shouts.

“No, Henri, I was a little boy, and now I’m a man. A man who has learned more truth than I want to.” With all attention on me, I pull out one of the knots that was used to tie Rosie and Riley, and I show the Circle. “Like this. I just cut this knot, and another, off of Riley and Rosie, who were a bullet in the head away from being murdered, just like my parents. They’d be dead if it weren’t for me. And this knot.” I hold it up. “This is the exact knot that was used by the intruder who killed my parents. I’d know, because I cut the knots off their wrists myself.”

I look at the thin rope and then toss it to Henri, who allows it to fall to the floor, untouched.

In the silence that follows, I take a moment to contain my built-up anger, and it transforms into a sadness that causes my eyes to glaze over. After a deep breath, I look, vulnerably, at each one of my brothers and sisters and Elders. And then I say, “If you want to know who’s responsible for it, you can find him in the garage. If you want to know how he ended up there, I’ll have copies of my own home-security footage for you to view. It has quite a confession on it.”

I glance at Henri. He can barely contain his anger, but he knows it’s over. And with those last words, I walk out of the Circle that is no longer my own. I pass silently back through the Scouts and Readers, stop by my room to grab a few things, and get into my truck. It’s 9 p.m., and by midnight I’ll be home in the arms of the one for whom I’ve given up, and gained, everything. The one who will make a difference in the midst of this centuries-old chaos. The one who will make me a better person, a better fighter, and a better leader.

When I finally pull into the small gated community by the ocean, I see Rosie’s car and feel an immediate sense of relief. They’ve made it, and regardless of what we’ve been through, we’re here together now.

I grab my bag from the back and shut the car door. I’d only packed the basics on my way out and am unsure if I’ll even be able to grab the rest later, but it doesn’t matter. All that matters is my family. Riley and Rosie.

I’m halfway up the sidewalk when the front door opens and my sister bursts out, hugging me hard enough to remind me of my fading stitches.

“Oh my gosh! I was so worried. What happened?”

I hug her for a minute longer so she can see that I’m okay. “I’ll explain later. But it’s fine. For now.” As I’m about to ask where Riley is, I catch a glimpse of her in the doorway. She stands still, her arms crossed, and, although she lacks Rosie’s clear signs of relief, something about her expression draws me comfortably near.

When we’re standing face to face, she falls into my chest and holds onto me even harder than Rosie did. She doesn’t ask questions or say anything, but our embrace speaks for itself. It feels like an eternity until Rosie passes us and breaks our silence.

“Come on, Vasi. Let’s show you what I picked up.”

I don’t want to let go of Riley, but a glance in her eyes tells me she’s all right. A smile finally forms. Mimicking Rosie’s excitement, she takes my hand and says, “Come on. It’s so cute.”

Inside the foyer, I immediately hear excited panting and prancing paws.

“Look at her,” Rosie says, picking up the black-and-white puppy.

A Karelian Bear dog. “I thought we’d need one,” she says. “Figured we should get a brand new one to protect the house from anything unfamiliar.”

“Good thinking,” I say, tickling the pup behind the ears. By “anything,” I know she means our own family too. If we’d brought one of our own dogs from back home, it’d be used to anyone in the Syndicate, and, as unsettling as it is, we can’t trust them right now.

“What did you name her?”

“Kita,” Rosie says, exchanging a spirited glance with Riley.

“Kita,” I whisper, once again impressed with Rosie’s planning ahead.

Standing here, I think of what the future holds, and of my family. And intertwined throughout those thoughts is the fact that I am, and will always be, a Guard; that Rosie is a Scout, and that Riley is a Reader. And that is enough to help me eliminate the Hybrids until every last one of them is gone.

Acknowledgements

Unbelievably, this is the fourth time I’ve sat down to write my acknowledgments, and it blows my mind. I started out with a little story and just wanted to see it in print, and now here we are on my fourth book. I seriously cannot thank you enough for reading my stories and for your support. Your constant feedback and interest truly motivates me to keep going, and I cannot tell you how much it means to me, so thank you!

To my mom, who once again volunteered to take this extremely stressful but fun ride with me. You have seriously hit this one out of the park with your fantastic editing skills. This book is much better because of you, so thank you again!

To my copyeditor, Sheila Ashdown, thank you for your sharp eye and for the time you spent jumping into my world and helping to make it better with your expertise! And to Dawn Sloane for always coming in to save the day with a proofread whenever your phone rings!

To my children, and to my husband who hasn’t read a book since high school until he read all of mine! You’re the constant in my life, and I thank you for listening to my plot dilemmas and for sharing my thoughts with my imaginary friends!

And finally, to God. Through Him, all things are possible! Thank you!

ENJOY OTHER BOOKS BY SHELENA SHORTS:

The Pace

The Broken Lake(The Pace Series, Book 2)

The Iron Quill (The Pace Series, Book 3)

The Hour of Dreams(The Pace Series, Book 4)