Page 77 of Bad Moon Rising
That gas…tear gas didn’t affect them. The fact that someone had found a gas that did freaked him out on several levels. First, they’d been set up. Second, someone knew what they were and how to weaken them. Third, if not for Antonio, they’d be dead. Now he owed the vampire. His enemy.
Antonio held up his hand as they came to the edge of the wooded lot. They halted to watch a dark sedan cruise by.
Antonio whispered, “This modern age sucks. Satellites, cameras…everyone’s watching. It’s a bloody miracle neither of our species has been outed.”
For centuries, their species had warred. Eventually, they signed a shaky truce in order to keep their existence secret from humans. But the hate persisted. The distrust ran deep.
Roman couldn’t conjure any logical reason for the vampire to risk his life for theirs.
“You had to have followed us. Why go to all this trouble to save us?” Roman asked. “This seems out of character.”
Antonio rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m with the Alliance. We’ve been observing you boys for a long time. I often admire your work. Sometimes, you get sloppy. Like the other night at the club. Or today. Your intuition had to be telling you before you even went inside it was a bad idea.”
Roman met Nova’s gaze when he referred to the club.
Nova shrugged and pointed at him in a silent,don’t say a word. A snort-laugh almost escaped him, which would’ve been a highly inappropriate noise for this situation. But the world had gone crazy. They followed their archenemy, who had saved them, after almost dying in what should’ve been a simple meet-up with Ky.
“What’s the Alliance?” Flynn asked the exact question pinging inside Roman’s head. “And whattheyare you talking about as watching?”
He knew a lot about non-human creatures, but he’d never heard of an Alliance.
“Quiet.” Antonio darted across the street and behind a house to cut through the yard. They zigzagged in this fashion for at least a half mile. A black van stopped in front of them. Antonio opened the sliding side door and hopped in. “You coming? Guarantee if you go back for your car or to your plane, they’ll do something to unequivocally eliminate you, like a missile.”
Once they’d climbed inside, sitting on bench seats that faced each other, the van moved onward. No one spoke. Nova sat next to Roman, their thighs touching. He wanted to ask if she was doing okay. He sure as hell didn’t feel okay.
Worry met him when he glanced down at her. She squeezed his hand in silent affirmation she would survive. Afterward, she didn’t let go.
“Not even a thank you from any of you?” Antonio finally asked after endless silent minutes.
Roman and Flynn remained quiet. He was proud of his brother for not breaking. Flynn wasn’t historically good at keeping his mouth closed in this kind of situation, especially when they needed answers. Flynn usually went bullheaded, full-force assault to get information.
Eventually, the vampire would talk. He was the kind of person who enjoyed a good monologue.
The vampire gave an exasperated sigh. “The Alliance is an organization that includes representatives from many different species,” he said. “We protect the world from other inhuman beings who have gone rogue. Our mission is to keep non-humans secret from humans. Sort of what you guys have been doing for the past few decades. But we do it by choice. And…” He clasped his hands. “You might be a little bit better at it than many of us are.”
Flynn crossed his arms. He didn’t even smirk at the compliment, which meant he was freaked out. “You lurk because you’re in awe of our skills? Right,” he said sarcastically. “I don’t buy it.”
“Who is thetheyyou think watched us?” Roman asked.
“The ones who owned the building and tried to kill you.”
“And they are?” Roman held up his hands.
“I don’t know.”
“Then why are you following us? How do we know this isn’t some sort of elaborate setup?”
“I almost got blown up myself.”
“But you didn’t,” Roman said. “Why were you there?”
“My assignment is to protect you from whoever they are.”
“Who gave you this assignment?” At this point, Roman wanted to strangle him for not answering anything directly.
“The leader of the Alliance. There’s some precognitive ability involved. We know you guys are important.”
Roman signed in frustration. Typical of a vampire to answer but not. Annoying species.
