My heart stops beating for a second. Goddess, he is in a room with Maddie! What’s he going to do now?
“Aloysius,” a voice says. I have heard it before, more than once! Peeking around the corner, I spot the tall frame of a man I have indeed seen a number of times.
“Durant, my little brother,” Aloysius says, reaching out his hands and patting Durant’s shoulders. “You did so well. I am glad to know that at least one of my brothers is loyal.”
Durant smiles shyly, making my heart sink. “Anything for you, Aloysius.”
“I am glad you don’t hold it against me that I hit you,” Aloysius says, in his smooth tone that sends chills down my spine.
“No, I deserved it,” Durant says. “The little girl is in this room.”
“What about the blood test?” Aloysius asks.
“I sent a second one to the lab,” Durant says.
“What about Juniper?”
“I told you she is betraying you,” Durant professes.
“Ah, you must forgive me for doubting you. But you and she were both saying the same thing,” Aloysius chuckles. “But you have proven your loyalty.” He turns to Atticus. “Find Juniper and kill her.”
I am positive I see Atticus stiffen slightly, but he nods. “Yes, Lord Aloysius.”
He turns on his heels, running in my direction. What the fuck am I going to do now? There is not enough time to hide now, so I prepare for a fight, wondering how I am going to overpower Atticus, and then Durant and Aloysius when Atticus walks around the corner. He raises his gaze, eyeing me in surprise.
To my shock, though, he doesn’t halt; he doesn’t say anything, simply tears his eyes away and walks past me.
What was that?I ask Stellan.When he let me run the first time, I thought it was part of his game, but now?
No idea,Stellan mutters.But I have the feeling we are not his priority right now.
Before Atticus disappears down the staircase, he turns to look at me. There is something in his eyes, something urgent, insistent, and I wonder what he wants to tell me. While I am still wondering, he turns around again, hurrying downstairs and leaving me with more than one question.
It’s obvious I am running out of time, though. It seems like Juniper was secretly stalling time for us and working as a doubleagent. Meanwhile, Durant double-crossed us all, and he sent a blood test to the laboratory, meaning Aloysius will soon know that Maddie is his child.
Fuck it!Stellan, prepare for a fight.
I am ready!
I take a shaky breath, scooting closer to Maddie’s door. I wish I could say I didn’t hesitate or that I wasn’t scared, but the fact is, I am terrified. I have trained with Lucian, but taking it up with an ancient vampire lord… no way. There is a reason Silas never joins our training. He said to me once that he is too scared he’d accidentally kill one of his warriors.
This sounds more and more like a suicide mission.
I can hear a phone ringing inside the room, focusing on my werewolf senses to hear better. “That’s the lab,” Durant says.
“Pick it up,” Aloysius commands.
For a moment, I can hear Durant talking to whoever is on the other line. Once he hangs up, I can hear him clear his throat. “They got the results.”
“And?” Aloysius says impatiently.
“She is yours. You are the father.”
My heart sinks even further. Up to this moment, I still had some hope left that Durant would turn around and not betray us.
“My child?” Aloysius sneers. “A filthy half-breed.”
I can hear some shuffling, and then all of a sudden I hear Maddie. She is crying. Fuck, she must be so scared!