Blood Trinity (Belador #1)(84)

That definitely sounded like a trap. “What do you mean?”

“That’s all I’m sharing. Be smart and come with me.”

“When did you start thinking I was Barbie and you were Ken? What are you offering me to come with you? I’ll take a convertible in any color but pink.”

“You could save the Beladors.”

She didn’t believe he would help her do that. “How?”

“Give me what I want and I’ll tell you how.”

“Oh, sure. Hand you the rock and trust you not to kill everyone with it.”

Tristan cocked his head to one side, studying her. “Here’s a freebie to use as you choose. If you tell Brina I’ve escaped and am working with the Medb, she’ll come straight to me and she’ll die first, which works for me.”

“She only travels as a hologram.” That was common knowledge among anyone who knew about Brina.

He shrugged. “The Medb shared a lot of information with me, including Brina and Tzader’s history. They can kill her if she comes to them this time in any form.”

What did he mean about Brina and Tzader’s history? He’d said that as if he meant the two of them together. And he knew about Brina in hologram form.

The Medb had been doing a good job of educating Tristan.

He wasn’t finished sharing. “If Brina comes to me, so will Tzader and his sidekick, Quinn, who will call in an army of Beladors. They’ll play into the Medb and Kujoo’s plans, then they’ll all die before the Kujoo get to the point of wiping out the Belador race. You decide if you want to tell Brina, because she can find me the minute she learns I’ve escaped. Up to you to tell them or not.”

“If you hurt Tzader or Quinn, you’ll wish you were back in that cage,” she promised.

“If I was only an Alterant, you might win, but not with the power of the Medb behind me, and I’ll be even more powerful once I get the Ngak Stone.” Tristan’s confidence froze her blood. “You want to keep your tribe safe? Find that rock and bring it to me yourself on Wednesday morning, and I’ll tell you how to protect the Beladors.”

The pain in her leg interfered with thinking straight. “Let’s say I believe you, which I don’t. What if I don’t find the rock first?”

“If I find the rock first I’ll give you one other chance to save the Beladors.”

Did he think they were playing Let’s Make A Deal? “What would you possibly be willing to take in trade for letting the Beladors live?”

“You.”

Both offers were unfair, unrealistic and undesirable. Stay with him? He was insane on top of being a monster.

Tristan stood quietly for a moment. “I need a female Alterant to populate our species.”

Ah, consolation female for the group. He was out of his ever-lovin’ mind. “And if I choose to accept either of these incredibly attractive offers, how would I find you if the Nightstalkers don’t know?”

He smiled at her sarcasm as if he’d find her entertaining company. “I plan to get my hands on that rock first. When I do, I’ll call you to me.”

None of this made sense, and he was crazier than bat shit if he thought she’d go for that bunch of hooey. But she’d play along since he was going to let her live. “I’ll have to think about it. I don’t understand any of this.”

Tristan touched his fingers to her chin and she held still only to show him she didn’t fear him. She could lie with her body as well as her mouth. “You will eventually, but I’ve told you enough for now. Make the right choice when the time comes. I take care of what’s mine.”

She scoffed. “I am not yours.”

“Yet.” He lifted his fingers and combed them through his thick blond hair. “Don’t waste your time trying to follow me. You can’t.”

Evalle shook with rage over his arrogance to think she’d consider walking away from the Beladors for him. Sure, a part of her wanted to be safe and out from under the threat of the Tribunal. But not with this guy, who had been trying to kill her until he’d realized who she was.

What about everything else he’d told her?

Could Brina be killed if she appeared only as a hologram? Did the Medb have a way to reach her through that form with the Ngak Stone? What if she didn’t believe there was a Medb trap and told the Beladors, then her tribe was lured to their deaths? Doing so could doom Tzader and Quinn. That wasn’t a risk she wanted to take. And would they even believe her, given she’d been warned by a rogue Alterant?

Tristan strolled quietly to the street and disappeared. The minute he stepped out of the park, the buzzing in her ears subsided.

Had she been inside a warded area or some sort of spell zone? She didn’t think Alterants could do that kind of magic or disappear, but then she didn’t know as much as Tristan did about Alterants, Brina or the Beladors, because Brina had kept her in the dark about so much.

And she didn’t know how much of Tristan’s ability was due to Noirre majik.

She sent a telepathic message. Tzader, we need to meet. I’ve got news on the Ngak Stone and it’s not good.

Within a minute, Tzader answered, Meet at Trey’s house. I’ll contact the rest of the team. You bring Storm.

She’d forgotten about Storm and limped around, turning in a circle as she searched the park for him. Using her kinetic ability, she pulled her sunglasses up from the ground and put them on.