Page 31 of House of Crimson Hearts
Another man built like a mansion slides up next to her.
“What the hell is going on, Lincoln?” Red says.
The man, Lincoln, scrunches his face up and shakes his head at her. Two more women step forward and raise their hands and another male.
“That’s it?” Chief says.
“Would you look at that. Five for five,” Cordelia says. “Then, I guess we have our teams.”
Chapter10
I’ve waited such a long time for this moment. For this game to finally play out. Such a fool waiting this long to confess your sins, Cordelia…
To confess that you’ve known about this door since its creation. And more of a fool if you think ten days is enough to break the barrier.
I thought you were better than this. I guess not.
Never mind.
Lower yourself to working with these peasants, but if you think you’ll get to the door before me, you’re mistaken.
Teaming up with your enemy?
Pathetic.
It won’t last.
Ten days and then I’ll win, once and for all…
Chapter11
RED
Iwake up the morning after the ball, my stomach lined with dread. One, because I need to go back to the Midnight Market tonight to clock the idiot who sold me weak blood. Two, because I need to pull the Chief aside and ask her what the hell she’s thinking agreeing to let us partner with fucking vampires for some ridiculous set of trials for some cure that probably doesn’t exist. And third, because Lincoln has left me a report on the security breach yesterday and there’s no good news in there either.
I climb the west tower until I reach the Chief’s outer room. Her receptionist waves to me and indicates I sit down.
There’s a tray of cookies on the coffee table. I take one and bite it. They’re warm, and it crumbles in my mouth, sending me back to childhood. Mama always used to bake cookies on our birthdays; it was a tradition and we got to decorate them in icing and sweets. Of course, Amelia would always make it descend into a food fight and Mama would always pretend to be mad as she scrubbed us in the bath. She never was, I could tell from the smirk curled in the corner of her mouth.
But the last year before Mum died, we couldn’t afford all the extras. So Mama baked one bigger cookie and the three of us shared it with hot lemon tea next to the fire. Even though there was only a third of a cookie each, it still tasted just as good.
My eyes well and I rub my face as the Chief’s door opens and Fenella walks out.
She gives me a curt nod. Her reddish hair is braided in plaits and twisted into an elaborate up-do over the top of her head. It’s pretty if a little inconvenient as a hunter.
“Red, morning, or I should say, afternoon now,” Chief says as she checks her watch. I follow after her into her circular office. Warm midday light showers her desk and carpet as she sits behind her large oak desk.
As usual, I take the chair opposite.
“Any word from Lincoln?” she starts before I can even begin to question what the hell last night was.
I hand over the report he slipped under my apartment door. Her face crinkles, the lines growing deeper the more she reads. She groans as her eyes scan the final paragraphs.
“Make sure we have additional security on during guard shift changes. I want you to fortify the tunnels with the automatic stake weapons, line the barriers with silver.”
“Done,” I say and shift in my seat because the thing I’m really here to talk about is thick between us.
“Anything else?” Chief says.
