Page 10 of A Sacrifice in the Smoke

Right. After Noah intervened—damn it, he’d saved my lifeagain—I remember the ground shaking. I remember the air filling with fire and shouts of panic. I remember running from the pool house, flying back down the path, thinking only of my family and getting them out. I remember a scream tearing its way up my throat when I saw what had happened to the place I used to call home. Flames and smoke billowed out of the French doors I’d walked through not ten minutes ago. Did my sisters get out in time? Were Gabriela or Alexei at the party?

There were vampires and humans everywhere, most of them masked, many of them injured. I searched their eyes, hoping for a glimpse of Beatrix’s red or Gabriela’s lavender.

Then another explosion had gone off, blowing me backward, and I hit the ground so hard that everything went black.

How long have I been out? What if someone I love is dying?Slowly, I begin to sit up, but pain knocks me over like a tidal wave. I return to the ground, breathing raggedly. Blades of grass tickle my cheek. Without warning, a memory flashes—myself as a child, rolling around in this grass, laughing and screaming as my father tickled my ribs, a rare smile creasing his face.

In the next moment, a familiar scent greets me in a breeze. Swallowing a curse, I turn to find its source.Noah. My fears are confirmed when, through the cloud of dust and shadow, I spot a faint shape. The outline of a familiar, muscular body lying on ground.Damn it, Noah, I think as I once again try to rise. A strange combination of fear, gratitude, and fury wars in my chest—he must’ve come after me when I bolted from the pool house.

I muster the strength to drag myself to him. The thought crosses my mind that Henry might have followed me, too, but a quick glance around us shows that he’s nowhere in sight. I know I’ll see him again, though. He’ll be coming after me now because of what I know. Another enemy to add to the ever-growing list.

“Noah?” I rasp, reaching him at last. His face is paler than it’s ever been, but I can see his eyes moving beneath closed eyelids. Relief floods me.He’s alive.

I lift my head, hoping to find a Feeder—fresh blood will speed the healing process for Noah. Humans are tending to their masters everywhere I look. Trying to rouse them, offering their throats and wrists, guarding them with their very bodies. It seems that the rebels are gone, their task completed, but it’s possible they aren’t finished. These vampires are vulnerable.

The thought sends more urgency through me. Resting my hand against Noah’s chest for reassurance—his heartbeat is slow and steady—I twist around and shout, “We need a human! Can one of you help us, please?”

A few of them glance my way, but none of them budge. To them, I am just a guest from the party, and not worth the risk of their masters’ ire should they wake up and find out their own needs were neglected for my sake. Well, I’m half-human, aren’t I? Why couldn’t my blood help him?

Just as I’m about to tear my wrist open with my fangs, I feel the telltale prickle of someone watching me. I raise my head and meet Edward’s gaze. He sits across the garden, his back resting against a hedge, a slave’s throat pressed against his mouth. He grips the back of the girl’s head so tightly that the veins in his hand stand on end.

“Oh, look, there’s your lovely uncle. Shall we have a chat with him, too?” a voice asks weakly. My head swivels so fast that one of my muscles protests. Noah’s eyes are wide open and fixed on me, instead of Edward. Something tight and hard within me begins to loosen and bloom.

“No need,” I manage, realizing that I never got the chance to tell Noah that Henry is the traitor. “I’ll tell you about it later. Can you stand yet?”

As a response, Noah sits up. Even he can’t hide a wince, but he doesn’t flop back to the earth, like I did. After a few seconds, Noah gets to his feet. The movement is missing his usual grace and speed, which says more than anything his words could. Carefully, I put my arm beneath his and lend what strength I have left. Surprising me yet again, Noah doesn’t argue. He just steers us through the wreckage, past the bodies, and toward the far end of the mansion. He doesn’t speak again.

Eventually we pass Edward and the girl he just killed. A trickle of blood travels from the corner of his mouth to the edge of his jaw, but he does nothing to wipe it away. I stop beside him, fighting against the fear poisoning my insides, and lift the mask I’m still somehow wearing. Just as it was with Henry, Edward doesn’t look at all startled to see my face. Did my contacts fall out?

“Charlie—” Noah starts in a low voice, probably worried I’ll say something reckless.

“Tell him it’s Henry,” I mutter to Edward, who stares at me without expression. “Henry is the one he’s been looking for. I don’t have any proof, because he confessed to me just before the bombs went off, but remind the Vampire King that I’ve never lied to him before. And I’m not stupid enough to start now.”

Edward doesn’t reply, and after a moment, his gaze goes past me. He lifts his finger, probably flagging down another slave to whet his appetite. I swallow a weary sigh and walk away.

I wait for a remark from Noah, but he remains silent. Another minute or two goes by, marked only by the number of steps we’ve taken, which are taking all my focus to accomplish. I must have a concussion, because my head is still pounding, screaming at me in pain.

We finally make it to the street, and there are no cabs in sight. I hadn’t brought my phone to the masquerade, so I can’t check the app to see if there are any drivers nearby. Since Noah doesn’t reach for his, I assume it was lost in the chaos. “I guess we’re walking,” I tell him, who must’ve already reached this conclusion, because he’s stepping off the curb and sauntering in the direction of the city.

Vehicles for news stations rush past, and it looks like we left just in time. I trudge along, noting that we’re nearing Midtown, and happen to glance down at my skirt. “I’m afraid you’ll have to tell Sylvia that she’s not getting her dress back,” I say faintly. There’s not much left of it.

“She won’t mind. It’ll just give her the excuse to go shopping. She’ll like that.” Noah doesn’t take his eyes from the horizon while he answers. Pale, golden light touches his beautiful face, and I tear my stare away from him—I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been awake to see the sunrise, and I don’t want to miss it now. Someone once told me that I need to find the good in being alive, at least once every day.

I may not have any idea if my family is okay, but at least I know Drew is safe, far away in Oldbel.

“For the record, I blame you,” Noah says suddenly, diverting my attention from the fire in the sky. Pulling my thoughts away from Drew as he always does, in one way or another.

I’m in too much pain to react to his ridiculous comment, but I still attempt a halfhearted glare. “What? The masquerade wasyouridea, Noah.”

“Well, you should’ve talked me out of it!”

Normally, I would have a retort ready, but this time I can only roll my eyes. That’s when I realize we’ve reached the front door of Alexander’s. I slowly draw to a halt, feeling tired and sad. Even though I’m off the hook for the vampire venom problem, it still feels like we haven’t won. Within these city walls, there only seems to be death and pain. No one wins here.

“One more thing,” I say faintly, turning to face Noah. My mind has gone to the last time we survived a bombing. The words he’d thrown at me when I’d tried to help the people I care about.You’re human, Charlie, which means you’re weak.

Noah quirks a brow, but the gesture lacks his usual flare. “Oh?”

I smile and step closer. My chest brushes against his, and Noah’s pupils instantly dilate. His gaze drops to my lips, then even lower, blazing with eagerness.

---