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I ask.
Bram swivels his head in my direction, an interested look on his face. He’s not completely unaffected by me then. Good to know. Mostly so I can use it to my advantage later. I may not need to, but it’s always good to have back up plans.
“Just get ready to go.”
He’s so surly. One day, I’m going to make him smile.
“I am ready, it’s you who isn’t.” Okay, so it isn’t going to be today, not if I carry on pissing him off like this. The corner of my mouth lifts into a smirk.
“Fine, let’s just get going.” He straightens out and stretches his shoulders, his back muscles stretching his shirt. Mmm. I could look at that all day.
He pushes past me and out of the double doors that lead out into the night. Handy those. But it does make me wonder what will happen if we’re caught outside during the day.
Bram walks quickly. I’m lucky I’m physically fit or I’d struggle to keep up with him. Which I realise is probably the point, but really just makes me more determined to prove to him I’m not just some damsel who needs saving. I never need saving.
“Where are we going?” I ask, when I can’t hold back any longer. We’re about fifteen minutes from the house the vampires live in, and the suspense is killing me. Or it would be if it weren’t for the fact I’m already dead.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” His words should be teasing, but they aren’t. He really doesn’t like me, and that’s going to be an issue if we’re going to work together.
“Dimitri said we’re heading towards the guild. If you get me to Westminster Grove, I can get us there.”
“We’re not going to the fucking guild,” he growls, spinning on his heels so he’s facing me. We’re inches apart, and he’s breathing heavily, though from what I’m not sure. He’s just as physically fit as I am, there’s no doubt of that. So why is he out of breath? Oh well, nothing about this man really makes sense to me.
“Why not?” I demand.
“Because it’s a fucking trap, Ashryn. Are you really so dense? I thought hunters were supposed to be smart.”
Oh boy, he doesn’t know what’s good for him. I feel my nostrils flare, and I try my best to steady my breathing in an attempt to calm down. It’s not going well.
“How is it a trap? Dimitri wouldn’t send us if it was,” I protest, despite the fact I have no idea if that’s true or not. Something in my gut tells me it is, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that trusting my gut tends to be a good thing to do. Most of the time anyway. It didn’t work so well the night I got turned if I’m honest.
“So dense.” He shakes his head and turns away from me. I grab hold of his arm and squeeze tightly. No way is he getting away without answering.
“What?”
“Hunters and vampires work together all the time. How do you think you got caught in the first place?” His face is filled with rage, and I wonder if this isn’t about me at all. Plus, while I want to deny what he’s saying is true, I don’t think I can. The only thing that makes sense is that it’s a set up.
His eyes bore into mine, locking our gazes for the first time. Wishes he could let his revenge go.
Oh. That’s surprising. Of all the secrets I’d have guessed at, letting this go wasn’t one of them. But I like it. Mostly because it makes him seem far less angry. Or not less, but it’s clear not all of it is directed at people outside of him. Some of it is how he feels about himself.
I reach out and place a hand against his arm. “You can let it go,” I say softly, even surprising myself. I’ve never had a reason to be this soft before. But he’s certainly bringing it out in me now. Even if he is being a bit of a dick.
“What—”
He’s cut off by a shrunken whizzing past his head and sinking into the brick of the building next to him. Uh oh. Not good.
I spin around, years of practice meaning both sai are in my hands, my feet braced a hips width apart. Which I always found a weird measurement. Everyone’s hips are a different size after all.
I look around, trying to locate where the projectile launcher is. I hope it’s not who I think it is, or we may be royally screwed. Ravi was good at hunting. Probably as good as I was. Had been. Whatever I count as. His kill count is high though, that’s not up for debate, and now he’s set Bram and I in his sights.
He won’t be alone either. Hunters are never sent alone. Okay, Dimitri’s right then. There’s no chance what happened to me wasn’t a trap. I’ll deal with that later. If Ravi’s here, then it’s likely Lily is too. Those two like to work together. But that does have its advantages. Mostly because I now know what we’ll be facing. And that I can take Lily in a knife fight.
My sharpened eyesight picks out a shadow against one of the nearby buildings, and I nod towards it. Bram looks at me in surprise, but I shake my head. I can’t, and won’t, explain now. I don’t want either of the hunters to know I’m on to them. If they haven’t figured out it’s me at all, then I may even be able to take them by surprise.
“Hello, Ashryn.”
There goes that plan. I turn slightly, feeling Bram do the same to the other side. While he may not like me, at least he’s willing to work in a team with me. Lily’s cherubic face, complete with gold curls and freckles, greets me when I have. She’s got one of those faces that’d fool anyone into thinking she was weak and innocent. I never envied her that. She often gets used as bait for that very reason. Men are often still men, even if they’re vampires. Though I’m starting to think some of the best men I’ve ever met are vampires. Odd how things work out.
