Page 56 of Born Free

I think maybe Houses aren’t as perfectly run as I once assumed. Orlando had spies when he first arrived, but we’ve been doing all kinds of shady things, and Orlando hasn’t caught us over any of them. As I wait in an electronics store across the street from the hotel, I don’t see anyone even watching at the door, much less watching subtly from the shadows. My guard is up, and I’m constantly scanning the people who pass by, the people who pause. But none of them throw up any red flags, and I’m fairly sure I’m paranoid enough to see if something was off.

Ten minutes go by. Then fifteen.

And when it’s been twenty-one minutes, the doors to the hotel open, and Sebastian steps out into the sunlight, sunglasses in place, Orlando at his heels, accompanied by Javier and one other House member.

They take a right and set off down the sidewalk.

I trail behind them a good hundred yards. Good thing I’ve got this vampiric eyesight, or I’d never be able to keep track of them. Sebastian leads Orlando and crew through the streets until, finally, the place is just ahead.

Poor Mason.

Anticipating what should be an impossible death can’t be fun. Vampires are supposed to stay dead when they get staked through the heart. It’s a hard rule. Yet he watched that very thing happen to his twin sister, and he’s talked to her and seen her since.

So, he just has to trust in my seemingly impossible gift.

I’m here, Mason texts.

And it’s just in time. Because right then, Sebastian steps into the coffee shop.

I peel off to the side, entering the alleyway from the other direction. I haul myself up onto a fire escape, tucking myself behind a mound of garbage and broken wood that shouldn’t be there. I stay back, a good thirty yards from the back door to the shop.

My ears strain to pick out voices from inside. I can hear people talking, but with this much surrounding noise and from this distance, I can’t make out any words.

My wait isn’t long, though. Just thirty seconds later, that back door bursts open. Orlando’s fingers are gripped around the lapels of Mason’s suit, and he shoves him back until Mason’s head smacks back against the brick wall of the next building.

“You think you can do the job of a Royal without Royal blood?” Orlando says, his voice quaking with adrenaline, mania, and rage.

“Someone has to give a damn about this area,” Mason says, his voice filled with venom.

“But it won’t be you,” Orlando growls.

And I nearly scream when Roman’s brother shoves a stake into Mason’s chest. My hands fly to cover my mouth.

I know I’ll bring him back in just a few minutes. But seeing the way Mason’s eyes widen, hearing his wet gasp… All I can think is that one of the very best people on this planet is about to die.

Orlando mutters a curse as he yanks the stake from Mason’s bleeding chest. Mason goes to his knees. And I watch it as his eyes lose their life. His skin turns gray.

“You know, I thought money would be a great motivator to get someone, anyone, to speak up,” Orlando says as he looks at the stake in his hand, dripping with blood. “But you’re the only vampire in this whole city to come forward. I think maybe that says something about you.”

Sebastian steps into my line of sight. “It says I have no loyalty to anyone in this city but myself.”

Orlando gives him an appraising look. “Javier will give you half now, the other half when you get me the names of the other council members.”

Sebastian nods. “I’ll get them. Give me a few days, and you’ll have your names.”

Orlando nods and tosses the bloody stake into a dumpster filled with food scraps. No one is diving through that filth. He gives a nod to his House members and walks back into the coffee shop.

Sebastian hesitates for just a moment, and I see his eyes cast around for me. Either he doesn’t see me, or he knows better than to actually look at me and potentially give my location away. He casually strolls back through the door, and I hear it close behind them.

I pull my phone out and text Patrick, Mason’s bodyguard.Once you see them leave, wait two minutes and then meet me out back.

Got it.

My eyes fix on Mason’s body, and I realize what a miracle my gift is. Being able to die for people? Lots of people say they would do it for their loved ones. I canactuallydo it. Mason lies there, still and motionless. To any other vampire, there would be no coming back.

But in just a few minutes, he’ll wake right back up.

They’re gone, Patrick texts.

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