A Bond of Blood (A Shade of Vampire #9)(17)

My heart leapt into my throat as I saw a tall, dark figure standing in the hallway. His hands rested on either wall. Shadows fell across his face as he blocked the door.

“Caleb,” I whispered.

He slid his hands down and moved forward into the light, stopping a couple of feet away from me. His face was now clearly visible.

“You were using me the whole time?” I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady. “All to get to Anna.”

His face was blank, unreadable. But his eyes were intense as they bored into mine.

He nodded curtly.

His admission stabbed through my chest. My breathing became heavier as the full weight of his deception came falling upon me. I reached into my cloak’s pocket. Pulling out the gun, I held it up in front of me, putting a few feet of distance between ourselves so that I could aim better.

“Where are my parents?” It was hard to contain the fury now bubbling up within me.

His eyes travelled down to the barrel of the gun, then up to my face again. If he was surprised that I had just pulled out a gun and aimed it at him, he didn’t show it. Finally he spoke, his voice deep and guttural. “We’ve taken them as prisoners here.” The way he spoke so calmly grated on my nerves.

His hand shot out and he gripped my arm. That he dared to touch me while I was still holding a gun shocked me. “Stop,” I gasped, pressing the gun against his throat.

He stopped in his tracks, his grip on me loosening only slightly. He glared down at me.

“How could you do this?” I breathed, the biting disappointment close to consuming me.

“I’m not who you thought I was.” His Adam’s apple moved against the tip of my gun.

His grip tightened on me again and he motioned to drag me back out the door. But I said, “Don’t think that I won’t pull this trigger.”

The shadow of a smile crossed his lips.

“You should have pulled it already,” he said. And with one sharp motion, he launched forward, twisted my arm in a hold behind my back and knocked the gun from it.

I stared in horror as it fell to the floor. I bent over to pick it up, but he held me back. Holding both of my wrists with a single hand, he pushed me to the floor. He spread me out on the carpet, his legs straddling either side of my waist. His free hand loosened my belt, disarming me completely as he hurled it across the room along with my dagger and two stakes.

I stared up at him, dumbstruck. He avoided meeting my eyes as his strong hands engulfed my waist. Hurling me over his shoulder, he raced out of the apartment and down the steps toward the ground floor.

I guessed a part of me had decided to seek out Caleb because, deep down, I had hoped that this was all a big misunderstanding. I’d hoped that he would be able to explain his innocence to me.

But now, at least the truth was clear.

He was right. I should have pulled the trigger when I’d had the chance.

Chapter 16: Caleb

I’d known that I would regret kissing that girl the moment our lips touched.

Now that Annora had made her intentions clear in regard to The Shade, it was far too dangerous to have even the slightest connection with Rose.

I’d been shocked that Rose had dared to seek me out. It had made me realize that I’d been far too soft with her. It had caused her to underestimate me—the kiss of death.

Now, the time had come to show her the monster that I truly was.

Ignoring her struggles, I raced down to the dungeons. I decided to show her the mercy of putting her in the same cell as her parents. But that would be the last gesture of goodwill she’d receive from me.

I avoided looking at her parents as I shoved her into the cell. I exited the dungeon just as swiftly as I’d entered it, ignoring the questions and insults that were thrown at me.

I didn’t know if she, her parents, or any of the prisoners would make it out alive. But I couldn’t help her any more. Implicating myself further would only put our lives in danger. I’d already only narrowly escaped Annora believing I was a traitor. I wasn’t about to risk that again.

Rose’s death would be less painful down in the cells along with the rest of her people than if Annora discovered her with me. The witch would unleash all her pent-up frustration on the girl, and Rose would wish she’d died any other death.

After locking Rose away, I returned to my apartment.

The first thing I did was smash my entire collection of instruments. They reminded me too much of her. I destroyed them one by one with my bare hands and threw the remains off the balcony. They tumbled down the cliffs and disappeared into the snow.

Even with those instruments gone, I suspected that I would have a hard time forgetting that girl. But my callousness toward her would at least destroy her affections for me—or whatever few I had imagined existed in the first place.

I walked over to my dressing table and poured myself a shot of whiskey, throwing it back and shutting my eyes. I had three more, then sat back down on my bed.

There was a knock on my door. I looked at the clock on the wall. It was late.

I opened the door to see Annora standing outside. Her long hair hung loose down her back and she wore a silk dressing gown that clung to her curves.

“How long have you been back?” I asked, stepping aside and allowing her entrance. I shut the door behind her.

“An hour or so,” she said, making her way toward my bedroom.