Page 29 of Underworld
Sniffing, I dabbed at my eyes. I wasn’t going to cry over that prick anymore. At least, not anymoretonight.
Rising, I paced over to the window and gazed outside. A blood moon hung in the sky, its light unearthly against the pearlescent gleam of the barrier. The Academy’s magic altered the light through the day so it simulated sun during the waking hours but at night, we could see the moon in terrible clarity.
Despite the moonlight and the beauty of the barrier’s glow, the darkness of the night lay heavy around the Academy. It was almost like I could feel it in my very bones.
A soft sigh from behind me had me turning and I watched as Yuri wiggled around the bed before curling into a tight ball. A look of abject misery twisted her pretty features. I wondered if the memories of her maker plagued her at night, despite Olivia’s magic that kept the memories at bay.
Yuri always seemed bold and brazen. Now, sleeping and obviously haunted by something painful, the vampire looked impossibly young and vulnerable.
The weight of her vulnerability—and so many others—lay in my stomach like a rock.
Going to my dresser, I picked up the note Cole had left behind and read it again.
Little Angel,
You should have taken my first deal, now things only get worse. I can’t protect you from my brother if you refuse to stand at my side. Listen to reason, Lilith. You and I are the same. Your other Virtues can’t accept you for what you really are.
I can.
Meet me in the tunnels at midnight—I’ll make sure Luc’s army isn’t surveying the area during this time. Failure to comply will be met with violence. The demons want blood and an outlet for their rage. I can’t promise protection for anyone you love when they’re like this, so I suggest you act quickly. You have seven days before my brother launches his new weapon—and trust me, your pathetic little Academy won’t survive this time.
Come soon.
Come alone.
C.
Just reading it made me feel ill. It was probably the most I’d ever heard Cole say at once, even if it was written in a letter. If I read between the lines, I almost would have said that he felt like he was doing me a favor. Did he think he was holding his brother back?
Did he really want to protect me?
I had so many questions for him. All the torment he’s put my Virtues through didn’t make sense—unless it was all a distraction. Something to appease his brother while he kept Luc occupied until my return. Dantehadbeen feeding the Dean information on Demonspawn attacks, giving the Academy time to prepare and survive each one.
Now that I had arrived, it changed the game, and like Cole said, the demons wanted blood.
I had no idea what to do.
It didn’t really matter if he meant to protect me or not. If I refused to go with him, I only endangered everyone, and what would happen to my Virtues if I left? Would they finally fall apart?
For Logan and Kaito, hope had been the only thing for them to hang onto. I’d seen what my Virtues looked like when they’d given up, and it wasn’t pretty.
The bonds between us were so twisted and frail. What would it do to them if I left to meet with Cole after everything he’d done to them? Tous?
I could argue I was doing it for the safety of everybody at the Academy, including my mates and it would be the truth.
But that truth wouldn’t help them—and that wouldn’t helpus.
The raw ache in the center of my chest swelled until it almost hurt to breathe and I set the note down. Pressing my hand over the emptiness in my chest, I closed my eyes.
What am I supposed to do?
A wolf howled in the distance, the ominous sound an omen that no matter what I did, someone would suffer for my choice.
I tried to sleep. For the most part, I failed but I did manage a couple of restless hours before finally giving up and climbing from bed.
“Ouch,” I muttered, stretching my sore body. Muscles in my back protested as I opened my wings.
The discomfort subsided after a few twinges, so I closed the massive, feathery cinderblocks strapped to my back in preparation to repeat the stretch.
