Fractured (Deep In Your Veins, #5)(56)

“It’s hard to trust the word of someone who has potentially lied to her since the night he met her.”

Lazarus blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Did Marco really abandon me, Lazarus?” I asked. “Or was that a lie?”

A heavy sigh left him. “He told you.”

“No, Juliet did the talking. But you should have told me.”

“I did not lie to hurt you, Imani. It was part of his punishment. He Turned you to keep you. He is not the first vampire in history to have done that to someone of course, but I was determined that he would be the last of my nest to do it. You’re a good person, Imani. Compassionate. Forgiving. If you had forgiven Marco and the two of you had reconciled, what do you think that would have taught him and the others in my nest?”

Sam was the one who replied, “That it would all work out fine in the end.”

“Yes. It would teach them that braving my punishment would be worth it because, in the end, all would be fine between them and the vampire they Turned. So I made you hate him. It stopped you from going back to him, and it was something he had to live with. He did not abandon you. People are interchangeable for him, but I think Marco sees you as a person in your own right. I believe something in you…spoke to him, if you will. But that was not a justifiable reason for him to do what he did, and for that he was punished.”

Okay, I sort of understood that. There was no point in getting riled about it, because it hadn’t been personal to me; the whole thing was much bigger than me and Marco. Lazarus had needed to set an example. “Did it work?”

“No one has since committed such an act,” replied Lazarus. “I am sorry if you feel hurt that I lied to you. But it was the best for all concerned. And it has potentially saved a lot of humans from unwillingly being Turned.”

That wasn’t something I could or ever would be angry about.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN


(Butch)



I didn’t think I’d ever gawked before, but Imani had a way of shocking the shit out of me. I wasn’t in a great mood since she’d insisted on partaking in the training session. In my opinion, she needed more time to recover. But as she looked just as good as she claimed to feel, I didn’t push her on it. I decided that I’d keep a close watch on her instead.

As the session went on, it became clear that her speed and strength weren’t as good as before she was injected with the serum. Halfway through the session, I suggested that she take a break. Her response was, ‘I can’t afford to take breaks and go easy when there’s a battle coming.’

She intended to be part of the battle? “You can’t be serious.”

“Why? I told you I feel better.”

“That doesn’t mean you are better.”

“Stop fretting, I’m fine.”

I advanced on her. “Tell me you honestly don’t plan on being part of this battle.”

“I could, but it would be a lie.”

Her bored tone was pissing me off. “You’re weaker now, Imani. You might feel good, baby, but you’re not a full vampire anymore. Your reaction time isn’t as fast. You can’t rely on your speed and strength in the same ways that you could before. That means you need time to adjust to that and find ways to compensate for it.” Then she’d be fit for battle. Now? Not a chance, and I couldn’t risk her.

“I’m not denying that my strength and speed is more like that of a Sventé, but I may not need time to adjust to that because it’s possible that the change isn’t a permanent thing. I could just need more recovery time. Lena couldn’t read my DNA properly, so we don’t know anything for sure.”

“Exactly. We don’t know. That’s not good enough.”

She sighed. “Butch—”

“No, Imani, you shouldn’t be part of this battle.”

“Hey, do you remember that time when I asked what you thought? Yeah, me neither.” She raised a hand when I went to speak. “I let you say your piece. Now you let me say mine. Yes, I’m not a full vampire anymore. Yes, that could mean a lot of things. You saw me hurt and in pain, and I understand that it was hard for you and has sent your protective streak into hyper-drive. But you’ve got to get a grip on it.”

“If you think I’ll watch you walk into certain danger, you’re out of your mind.”

She haughtily jutted out her chin. “I’m not asking for your permission or approval, Butch. I’m going.”

She really was out of her mind. “You think Sam and Jared will allow it, knowing you’re weaker now?”

“Let’s ask them.” She turned to the pair, who—along with the rest of our squads—were watching us in fascination. “What’s your opinion on all this?”

Sam’s mouth twisted. “I know what it’s like to suddenly find yourself without your strengths; to have no real idea what’s happening to you. When I was becoming a hybrid, my system messed up in all kinds of ways. It took me time to adjust to the transformation. You’ll need that time as well. I’m going to make you a deal. We don’t know how long it will be before the dragons come here. If you’re in good shape when they come, you will be fighting along with your squad. If you’re not fit for battle, you will stay behind for your safety and that of the people who rely on you to watch their back.”