“I do,” he says. And that same crazy self-belief is back in his eyes. “The ritual won’t kill them, what I’m doing is righteous, and I’ve offered them a reward!”
“What reward?”
“Training they can’t get anywhere else, among other things. You’restalling.”
He gestures at the muscular, bearded vampire holding Emma.
“On the count of three,” Valiente begins. “One…”
Nicole’s daughter struggles in the iron grip of the undead Hunter who looks like freaking Bluto from Popeye. Her eyes bulge at me like she’s trapped in a burning building and I’m the last firefighter on Earth.
Valiente must have noticed that I kept looking at her. That’s why he chose her!
“Two…”
Crap. This whole “exchange” he’s offering is feelingmore and more like one big red flag. It’s some kind of magical contract, and Valiente is insisting on specific language like a fae. He’s rushing me, refusing to negotiate or give me time to think. And Collin is just standing there, gently smiling at me, like a lamb willing to be led to the slaughter—like when the elf wanted to take him from me in my apartment, and he didn’t want me to get hurt. But this time, stomping my feet and refusing to hand the watch over will just get a bunch of kids killed. And if I choose to attack Valiente instead, same thing.
If this were Ms. Stryker, she’d surely know some way to turn this to her advantage, but I finally have real power, and I have absolutely no idea what to do with it! I’m out of time, out of options, and just not smart enough?—
“Thr—”
“I’ll make the deal!” I cry out.
10
Valiente’s lipcurls with pure satisfaction.
“You’ve made the right decision, Alvin,” he purrs. “As I’m sure the Avatar told you, it really was the only way for you to come out ahead.”
He uncurls his fingers and extends his palm, coolly waiting for me to give him Collin to torture so he can bring an evil god of death back into our world.
I pivot to Collin. His sweet face is framed with golden curls, angelic and beautiful, and he smiles back in that gentle, trusting way of his. His features seem sharper now, clearer somehow, and they burn into my memory. Like my mind is taking a picture. Like it might be the last time I ever see him.
“You’ll save me,” he says. “I know you will.”
I force myself to nod, even though there’s no reason to believe it’s true. Then I grip his shoulders and press my forehead desperately against his.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I say through grittedteeth. “I should have said this earlier, but… I reallylikeyou.”
There’s a rock in my stomach, and I’m not ready to use any other L-words, even if I’m tempted to right now. But I can’t shake the sense that he’s sacrificing himself for me, again, and I need him to know how I feel before it’s too late.
He responds with happy warmth, like the perfect boyfriend he is. “Same.”
I want to keep stalling, but I know there’s no point. Valiente was already at “three” with Emma. This is the only play.
I make myself step away from Collin and turn toward the Vampire King. Valiente swims in my vision as I blink back tears. I numbly drag my legs forward, each one feeling like a wet sack of useless weight. It’s insane to show even more weakness in front of him, but I’m barely keeping it together. After climbing the steps to the stage, I glance down at Rafa, still kneeling on the platform. He seems just as at peace with my decision as Collin, only more resigned, maybe. Hopefully, once we’re out of here together, he can help me come up with some kind of plan to get the watch back. That is, if he’s not too jealous or whatever after what he heard me just say. It would be totally like me to have screwed that up, too.
Once I’m facing Valiente, I say, “I give you this watch and anyone in this room who wants to leave can go, and you won’t come after them ever again. You will honor that?”
This close to him, the cloud of ozone magic from his amulet fills my mouth with a bitter metallic tang. He’s notas tall as Rafa, but I still have to crane my neck. I feel more like a little kid than ever.
“To the letter. You have my word.”
“Okay,” I say.
There’s a shiver in the air. The magic of the covenant locking in, I assume.
I remove the artifact from my jacket pocket without looking at Collin. I can’t bring myself to see him disappear. But I sense his absence immediately, and it leaves me truly alone.
