Page 75 of Deadly Alliances

“Holy fuck, you’re the best,” she raved, showing more excitement than I’d ever seen from the to-cool-for-school naga.

She wrenched open the package and pulled out a stick with eager fingers. Brett reached over with his thumb extended, and a little flame ignited on the end of it. With a wry smile, she leaned over it, sucking on the cigarette until it began to burn. Then she straightened, her eyelids fluttering with satisfaction as she took a deep inhale and then blew out a stream of smoke.

Leya cleared her throat and stepped forward. “I, um… I did talk to Miss Heather. She liked the idea of a shifter council, but she’s hesitant about allying against the military just yet, especially while she’s stuck on campus. She asked me to keep her informed of those who have committed so she can reach out to them herself, which I think is the best plan of action. I believe she will ultimately agree.”

“Okay.” I chewed my lip. Again, it wasn’t bad news, just not good news either. “Brett? Any luck with your parents?”

He sucked in a breath between his teeth. “Actually, Ash, they suggested your dad, too.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “No. That just won’t work. I told you, he’s too loyal to the general.”

“Loyal to the general or to the military?” Brett asked.

“What’s the difference?” I asked a little too loudly.

Brett held up his hands in a gesture for me to quiet down. “The difference is that loyalty to the general is personal, but loyalty to the military is having the best interest of all shifters.”

I scowled at him as I reluctantly debated the issue. The truth was, I didn’t know my dad that well. Up until a few months ago, I didn’t even know who or what he was. Since meeting him, I got the impression that he was a man of honor, and I wanted to believe it now. Before the military hostile takeover, our relationship had surprisingly grown into a comfortable one, where I felt free to be myself. And he had tried so hard to foster that closeness.

Was his loyalty to Dracul just part of his job, or did he have personal favor for the man? If there was even a possibility of Brett being right, wasn’t it worth it to find out?

“Ugh, fine, I’ll talk to him,” I relented. “I’ll make sure to just fish around until I’m sure he’ll come around before I fess up to what we’re doing. But I doubt it will even get that far.”

Brett put a hand on my shoulder. “Look, I know you don’t know him that well, but I’ve known your dad for years while I’ve been here. He’s a good man, Ash. He might surprise you.”

I shrugged. “I hope so.”

“What about your soldier boyfriend?” Petra asked before taking another puff.

“I’m not sure yet,” I replied. “He’s sitting in a meeting with some military honchos.”

Brett’s eyes sparked with both interest and concern. “Is it about Tobias?”

“I don’t know,” I said, my tone lilting with mirrored worry.

There had been no word about the mission since Tobias left the school days ago. If he had been successful, shouldn’t we have heard something by now? Surely, the general would’ve made some grand announcement decorating his son’s heroic effortsand the imminent return of the siren. The fact that he hadn’t made me almost sick with anxiety and doubt.

Muffled voices sounded on the other side of the greenhouse a few yards away, and the seven of us immediately scattered back to our original positions. A few seconds later, Mr. Sharp came through the door shaking his head.

“How the hell are we supposed to get anything done with pencil-dick soldiers interrogating us at every turn?” he growled.

Brett and I shared an amused glance.

“Here.” He tossed a bag of screws to Brett. “Let’s get done as much as we can before curfew.”

My phone dinged, and I checked it quickly before attempting to lift the soil again.

“Dinner tonight?” A text from my father.

Well, I had agreed to at least try to talk to him. I guessed now was as good a time as any. “Sure.”

Chapter 29

Tobias

My knee was still warm where Arya’s hand had touched me only minutes ago. I wanted to call after her, to insist she abandon me and save herself. I didn’t care what the vampires did to me as long as she was safe, and if she did anything foolish trying to get me out, she wouldn’t be safe for long. Hadrian’s daughter or not, he’d throw her into this cell at the slightest hint of betrayal.

Why did she have to be so fucking stubborn? Why did she always put everyone else above herself? When she’s the only person who matters.

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