Page 59 of Born Wicked

“You’re about to find out,” Elena says. “But honestly, I want to hear the rest of this conversation.”

Teresa glares at Elena, but the recording continues.

“You’re a smart woman, Juliet. Just one of the many reasons I fell in love with you.”

This is intimate. This was a painful conversation with a man I once loved. And I’m playing it for four others to hear. But if that’s what it takes to get Roman released, so be it.

“It is administered intravenously,”Sebastian carries on.“It should take about an hour to take effect. The gifted should have full access to their gifts within twenty-four hours. The vampires won’t feel very good for a day or two, but they’ll restore to full capabilities.”

“Thank you, Sebastian,”I say.“This means everything to me.”

“I’d do anything for you, Juliet.”

I squeeze my eyes closed.

It hurts. It hurts so damn bad.

But now?

Now it just makes me angry.

“Where are you?”

Superintendent Day leans forward just slightly at my question.

“You don’t need to know that,”Sebastian says, not answering anything for anyone.

“Are you safe?”At this question, Teresa’s eyes slide over to mine. She can’t deny it anymore. With that question, she knows I didn’t harm Sebastian. That I never would have been the reason for his disappearance.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,”Sebastian’s voice comes through.“I really am sorry, Juliet. If I could do it all over again, I would. You and I were made for each other. I will always regret what my actions did to us.”

“Sebastian, I-”

The recording ends. I leave my phone sitting there, and for several long seconds, silence hangs in the air, loaded and heavy.

“There’s your proof,” I finally say. My throat is tight. My body feels heavy. My feet want to run. Fight or flight. Apparently, right now, in this situation, my instinct is flee.

But Roman is still sitting in a jail cell because of me.

“Sebastian is alive and well,” I continue. “He left town because he knew he’d done some bad shit, and he couldn’t face it. I didn’t do anything to him. Roman had nothing to do with it. So, you need to release him. Now.”

The muscles in Teresa’s jaw flex, tightening and releasing, five times in a row. The look on her face tells me she knows I’m right. She doesn’t like it. But she knows she’s going to have to release him with this proof.

“You’re new to this position,” Elena says. She steps around the empty seat and takes it. “We had a peaceful, harmonious relationship with Jerry for years. Now that this job is yours, you’re going to have to learn that there are some things that happen in this city that you’re going to have to turn a blind eye to. That there are some things that you’ll have to let us deal with.”

Teresa’s eyes narrow at Elena. “Enforcing the law is my job.”

“Yes,” Elena says as she leans back in her seat and crosses one leg over the other. Other than how pale she still is, you’d never know she was puking her guts out just minutes ago. “For the humans. Enforcing the rules for the vampires is our job, though.”

This is the first time I’ve gotten to witness it first-hand. Someone being told this life-altering news that vampires are real. So far, it’s only been me that’s been shocked by that.

It’s entertaining watching the array of emotions playing out on Teresa’s face. Doubt. Annoyance. Consideration.

“I thought most people grew out of wanting to play pretend,” she says, her tone cold.

“This isn’t a game, and we’re not playing,” Mason says. And instantly, his eyes flash red, black veins sprouting on his face. His fangs lengthen, and he gives the most terrifying hiss.

Teresa jumps violently in her seat, knocking it back another two feet.

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