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They wouldn’t even have to kill me. They could simply leave me here to starve.
I had the horrible feeling that Talon’s father—because I was sure now that the man helping me was Talon’s father—was the only reason I’d been given food and water. If something happened to him, I was fucked. If only I was some kickass slayer like Twilight. I would’ve given every penny I’d earned as a thrall for that switchblade in my sewing box. Why hadn’t I kept it with me?
But I’d been taking a syndicate SUV to my mom and dad’s house. Why would I think I’d need a freaking weapon?
I sat on the floor, arms wrapped around myself. God, I hated being this helpless. Hated having to depend on someone else to rescue me.
Talon will come for you.
I had to keep telling myself that, had to keep my shit together.
Surrendering to the fear was letting them win. And they would not win.
Time inched past. I did some yoga, paced back and forth. When Esposito returned, I was curled up on the dirt floor again, half-asleep, but the door opening snapped me awake.
I scrambled to my feet, blinking against the weak light from the hall.
“Here’s your dinner.” He thrust a baguette and an apple into my hand. His mouth touched my ear and I flinched, but he was only trying to tell me something. “Talon’s on his way,” he whispered. “I’ll come back for you as soon as I can.”
I grabbed him. “What’s going on?” I whispered back.
A shake of his head. “I can’t talk. Stay ready.” Then he was gone.
I put the apple in my coat pocket and sat back down, breaking off a piece of the baguette. It was stale, but I took a sip of water and gamely chewed.
There were really only a couple of reasons why Esposito would help me escape, and they all boiled down to a single conclusion.
He didn’t believe Talon would be alive at the end of this.
34
Talon
I eased Brien’s boat out of the cavern under a hazy third-quarter moon. When we were away from the cliffs, I set course for the island on the map, increasing speed until we were running wide open, the pointed bow cutting through the waves like a knife through butter.
Brien and Cain were concealed below deck in the small cabin. At the bow, Twilight frowned into the night, the wind whipping her black braid around her shoulders, oblivious to the sea spray hitting her face.
She’d realized something was up and demanded to know what. When she’d heard a rescue mission for Eden was underway, she’d insisted on coming even before she knew they’d demanded her in exchange. At that point, not even Brien could’ve stopped her from coming.
She’d dressed in something similar to Eden’s Catwoman outfit, although her sleeveless top was blood-red and her black leggings included hidden pockets for weapons. Her eyelids were done up in some sparkly shit, her lips the same red as her shirt. Trust Twilight to wear makeup to an ambush.
Although when I thought it over, I understood. It was camouflage, just like her cover as a social media influencer had masked her activities as a slayer.
“We’ll get her back,” she told me, unconsciously echoing Brien and Cain. “That’s a promise.”
I grunted. I wouldn’t relax until Eden was safely back at the castle. “You want to go over the plan?”
“I think I’ve got it.” Twilight turned so her back was to the rail. “When we’re five minutes out, you’re going to put those fake silver cuffs on my wrists.”
“I’ll have to let them take you.” None of us liked this part, especially Brien. “If they suspect this is a setup, we’ll never see Eden again.”
She pointed a thumb at her chest. “Former slayer, remember? I notched a dozen kills—before I was turned. Those assholes don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into.”
My brows climbed. “Okay, then.”
“Yeah.” She flashed a hint of fang. “Anyway, you’ll refuse to let them have me until they hand over Eden. We make the exchange, and Brien and Cain will follow me in the shadows. But if these bloodsuckers won’t give you Eden, then you have to leave, Talon. I know you don’t like that part, but unless we can figure out where Eden is right off the bat, they have to think they’ve won. It’s the only way they’ll give away where Eden is.”
I scowled. Twilight was right, I hated that part of the plan. I wanted to tear apart the whole damn island the instant we landed. Unfortunately, this scheme was the best we’d been able to come up with limited intel and on a short timeline.
