Page 6 of House of Pawns
“Circumstances change people, you understand that, right?” I’ve got the hole half filled back in.
“What are you talking about?” Sheriff McCoy, now that he’s caught on to what this hole means and its implications, joins me in filling it.
“I told you a few months back that I was a good person. That I wanted nothing to do with the House.” My lungs burn from the effort of breathing hard in this cold air. “But circumstances change people.”
“What happened, Alivia?” he demands.
“I got involved with Ian Ward,” I huff. I stop suddenly. I rest on my knees and wipe the stray hairs from my face. My eyes lock on Luke’s. “I knew it wasn’t wise and that bad things could only come from it, but I did it anyway and he did, too. Five days ago, Jasmine Voltera drove a sword through his stomach, right in front of me.”
“Wha—” he starts, but I cut him off.
“I’m not finished,” I say, holding a hand up and trying to be calm and patient. “She was going to let Micah kill Ian thatnight and I panicked. I went to the House instead and told Jasmine that I wanted them to kill me so I would resurrect. I was trying to distract them. Instead, they captured Ian, brought him for me to feed on, and it all went to hell.”
My throat feels tight. It’s hard to breathe as I recall how much blood rushed out of his body like a river.
“I wanted revenge,” I say with a hard edge. “I began plotting to take from her what she loves most, and that is the House.”
“Revenge is a dangerous dance when your partner is Jasmine and her House of pawns,” Luke warns.
“I am fully aware of that,” I respond as my eyes rise to meet his again. “But then Ian showed up at my house last night. Thirsty. His eyes glowing red. Fully resurrected.”
“Ian?” Luke repeats in disbelief. “Ian Ward is a Born?”
“Apparently.” I resume shoveling the dirt back into place with my bare hands.
Sheriff McCoy swears under his breath. “Just what this town needs, another Born.”
My instincts take over. I reach out and slap Luke. “Don’t go and act like this is his fault,” I seethe. “Ian has done nothing but protect this town from vampires for the majority of his life. You didn’t see him when he came to my house. The self-loathing in his eyes after he had to drink his first meal.”
Luke stares at me, his eyes hard. The cold air makes the red handprint on his cheek, smudged with dirt, rise quickly. “I can’t pretend to have sympathy for him. But I do trust Rath to keep him under control or put him down.”
I swallow hard, and my eyes drop away from Luke’s.
“Did you bring someone here with you?”
The alertness in Luke’s voice instantly triggers all the alarms in me. “No,” I breathe as I look around. “Why?”
“I just saw someone,” he says, pointing toward the tree line at the far edge of the cemetery. “Over there. He was definitely watching us.”
“You didn’t recognize who it was?” I ask. I’m instantly on my feet.
Luke shakes his head.
“And you’re sure it wasn’t one of the House members?” I reach into my pocket and wrap my dirty hands around a stake. I have a crossbow in the car, but it’s thirty yards away.
“I’m sure,” Luke breathes. He has his hand rested on the gun at his hip. “He disappeared as soon as I saw him.”
My eyes scan the trees, sweep the headstones. But I don’t see anyone.
“I’d be very careful,” Luke whispers. “I think you’re being followed, Alivia.”
Chapter
Four
THE SHERIFF AND I PART WAYS.
And after he walks me back to my car and I pull away, I feel as if there are eyes following me.
