Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

THE FINAL BLOW

I wake again, lying face-down on a carpet. It's grey with dust, and it smells. I roll onto my side, coughing, my throat feeling bruised inside and out.

‘We've woken up, have we, my lady?'

The words are scornful, the voice oddly familiar. I look up to see a girl standing over me. She's slender, wearing baggy trousers and a cropped T-shirt, her dark hair pulled back messily from her face. A scar snakes up from the neck of her T-shirt. I recognise her. It's the blood dancer from the bar, the one who threatened me. Kyle's ex. What the hell is she doing here?

I push myself into a sitting position, hugging my knees. ‘Where am I? Tell me.'

‘I give the orders here, Raven. Not you.'

‘Here' appears to be a bedroom. Quite a big room, the windows covered with long wooden shutters. There's a large bed against one wall, a dusty small table either side holding guttering candles, melted wax spilling in rivulets. There are holes in the bedspread, the fabric stained. A faded photograph hanging on one wall shows a family – two parents, two children. This girl is none of them.

But she is human. Which means that, as far as getting out of here goes, she and I are equals. I wonder where Kyle is, and when he's going to arrive, though I've no idea what time it is, whether it's day or night. I'm also not sure what's going on, but I'm still clinging to the hope I had at Mistral's, that Kyle was faking and he'll keep me safe, that he still loves me. The presence of his ex is making the fantasy harder to maintain, though.

I scoot back to the wall, using it to push myself to my feet. ‘Fuck you.'

She smirks. ‘Really? Is that what you think is going to happen?'

Bitch. I straighten my shoulders. ‘I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole.'

Her grin gets wider. ‘Too bad your boyfriend doesn't feel the same way. Kyle!'

He comes through the door, locking it behind him, slipping the keys in his jacket pocket. He's beautiful as always, clad in black denim and leather, his satin dark hair brushed back.

‘Kyle!' My heart leaps. I just know he still loves me, even if he is working for Mistral. This is all some weird misunderstanding, a plot to expose Mistral and his stupid rebellion. Kyle had to do what he did, to keep me safe, so he can get me back home and we can tell my parents. I reach for him.

But, to my horror, he ignores me, going to his ex and sweeping her into his arms. She turns her head, smirking at me, her arms around his neck. He bends his head to kiss her.

And my heart breaks.

Just snaps.

I remember him in a blue room, telling me about the rules that prohibit humans and vampires from being together. I'd thought he meant us. Shock rolls over me, cold and dark, along with the realisation that he didn't. The fantasy that he still loves me, that he'll keep me safe, dissipates like morning mist, leaving cold agony in its wake. He wasn't talking about me. He was talking about his dancing girl.

Oh god. Pain is everywhere. I control it, tamping it down into a ball, hot and heavy inside me, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of seeing how hurt I am. I fold my arms and look away. There's a whoosh of air and Kyle is in front of me.

‘I'm sorry, Emelia.' I swear I see a flash of pity in his eyes.

‘Yeah. I bet you are.'

‘You have to understand – we had no choice?—'

‘I don't understand anything about this.' I bare my teeth at him.

‘Why would you?' The girl comes closer. ‘You have no idea how things really are for us out here.'

‘Jessie, leave it.' So that's her name.

‘Oh, yes,' she goes on, avid eyes shining, ‘poor little Raven, all alone in her tower. No wonder you fell for the first one to show you any affection.'

My gaze moves to Kyle. He meets it, silver eyes bright, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. A tear escapes, warm on my cheek. ‘Why?'

‘Because I had to,' says Kyle. ‘There was no other way, believe me, to get what I want.'

‘I thought I was what you wanted.' It's taking everything I have to stay so calm, to speak this way. I feel as though I'm having an out-of-body experience. This cannot be happening.

Kyle looks down.

‘You… you looked after me. You told me you loved me, that we would have a life together. You saved me from the Reaper gang, at the waterfall.' My voice cracks, like my heart.

‘Did I save you?' One corner of Kyle's mouth tugs up. ‘Or did I call them? When I left you alone for a moment? What better way to gain your trust than by saving your life?'

My mouth drops open. Cold ripples through me. ‘Y-you… how would you…?'

‘You never asked me, did you, why I was in the pits. Not that I would have told you. That's where they send the Reaper gangs, if they catch them.' Pain flickers across his face. ‘To die.'

‘You're a Reaper?' I curse my own stupidity, that I've been so dazzled, thinking him some champion of the pits, feeling sorry for him.

‘I was. The last of my gang, when Mistral found me.'

‘Mistral.'

Kyle nods. ‘Do you really think your parents would have hired me to watch you, their most precious daughter, without his recommendation? Too easy, really.'

‘Why?' My voice rises. ‘Why would he do this? He's family!'

‘It doesn't matter why.' Kyle's expression shuts down.

‘It does to me! He's behind the fucking North Wind! My father almost died! When I tell them?—'

‘When you tell who, Emelia?' Kyle shouts at me, his fangs bared. ‘You're not going to ruin this for us, and you're not going to tell anyone anything. When Mistral is with your mother, he'll see to that.' He snarls at me, and I shrink away, my heart broken.

‘Kyle, enough.' Jessie pulls him from me, stroking him as though she's soothing him, their heads close together. It's too much. I turn away, heading for the window. Maybe I can throw myself out of it.

‘Not so fast, my lady.' Kyle's arms come around me. I struggle, screaming, not wanting him to touch me while at the same time in agony that he never will again. He turns me to face him, his hands tight on my shoulders.

‘Be quiet!'

‘Fuck you!'

He slaps me, hard, my head snapping to the side. I stop screaming, my cheek stinging.

‘I don't want to hurt you.'

‘Too late for that,' I snarl.

‘I'm sorry—' he says. I stare at him in disbelief.

‘Kyle.' Jessie sounds worried, which is weird.

‘—but I'll do what it takes to keep you quiet. Are you going to be quiet?'

If he wants me to be quiet, that must mean there are people nearby. People who can help me. I scream again. Kyle grabs my throat and squeezes. Black spots form in front of my eyes. Jessie protests, telling him he's squeezing too hard. Kyle says he's not going to hurt me, that I'm just harder to knock out than most people.

‘Time to sleep again, my lady.' Scorn colours his words.

And I'm gone.