Allegiance (Causal Enchantment #3)(102)

“You. Stubborn. You’re sweet, remember?”

I rolled my eyes and shook him off, turning onto my side, my back to him, to sulk. “I’m not sweet. I have a wraith and ancient vampiress sworn to me and I’m poisonous to you. I’m deadly.”

Caden burst out laughing. I rolled back over and took aim at his chest, punching him hard. Only I had no gusto to it, my arms suddenly feeling like water. That earned another laugh. Pushing a few strands of hair off my forehead, he leaned in to whisper in my ear, his lips grazing my lobe, “Like I said—sweet.”

I gazed up at his face—so perfect, so real … so blurry? My eyelids suddenly felt like magnets, pulling together despite every effort to keep them apart. I felt my body sink deeper into the mattress, seeping into the springs and stuffing. Tingles rippled through me.

“Why am I so …?” I began to ask but my words dropped off. The milk … “Damn it, Caden …” I cursed in garbled speech as I drifted off into a drug-induced sleep.

That familiar prickle, now instantly recognizable, coursed through my body. It was coupled with fogginess this time. I blinked and narrowed my eyes, straining to carve through it. Would Veronique know something about Julian? The haze finally dissipated to reveal a dimly lit chandelier, the light dancing off crystals. I knew that light. It was my old room at Viggo’s. Not the first room—the princess suite designed to buy my adoration—but the blood-red room meant to remind me that I was a prisoner.

“Veronique?” I forced her lips to move so she would know I was there.

“Oui? Evangeline?” came the sickly response.

A shock of unease rippled through my chest. “What’s happened? You sound worse than before.”

Of its own accord, by Veronique’s control, my arm lifted up to within my vision. I gasped as I saw the fresh batch of black and blue bruising and angry burns. “They’ve started again?”

“Yes, but it’s nothing compared to what we’re going to do to your friend here,” a wicked voice sang out. With difficulty, I rolled my head to the side, toward the voice. Bile instantly shot into my throat. There, slumped over in a chair next to Imogen, was a bloody, battered, gagged, barely conscious Julian.

Panic detonated inside me. They had Julian.

Imogen stalked forward. “You will come here at once—with Sofie, with those other leeches. Bring all of them or both of your friends die. Do you understand?”

I froze, unable to speak, unable to move, unable to breathe. My face flew to the side as she slapped it. “Answer me!” she shrieked.

The stinging pain in my already injured jaw lasted long after I found myself back in the condo room. Night lurked outside. City lights streamed in through the window, allowing me to discern shapes and shadows. Wraith still sat in his chair. Caden was gone.

And they had Julian.

Scrambling out of bed, I stumbled a few steps, feeling a rush slam into my head. What was wrong with me? Oh, yeah. They drugged me, I thought bitterly as I headed toward the door, reminding myself never to take a drink from any of these vampires again. Still, I needed to warn them. We needed to get in there, to rescue Julian … My hand faltered on the doorknob. Wait a minute. I was doing exactly what the witches wanted me to do. Imogen asked me to lead all the vampires there. If I stormed out there and told them what I’d learned, I’d escort them right into Imogen’s trap. To their deaths. Stupid Evangeline. Think!

I slumped against the nearest wall and sank until I was curled up on the floor, my forehead in my hands. What the hell was I supposed to do now? What choice did I make? Did I say nothing and let Imogen torture Julian and Veronique to death? Or did I run out there and sign everyone else up for their own deaths? Knots upon knots constricted until my insides were a grotesque mass of anxiety.

Maybe … There was one other option. The logical choice. The least risky for everyone.

If I could just get out of here without being noticed … I quietly got to my feet, now intent on making less noise than the dead. Luckily, this wasn’t the average closet condo and my room was far from the main living area.

“Wraith?” I hissed.

“Yes?” came the monotone reply.

“Did you see any way out of this place other than the front door? Somewhere we could sneak out without everyone noticing?” Wraith had scoured the entire condo upon entry, taking inventory of all potential exits. I couldn’t be more thankful for his standard protocol than at this particular moment.

“Yes. There is a service entrance off the end of this hall.”

Perfect. “And were you paying attention to Caden when he explained how to get to the underground garage? All those tunnels we needed to take?” I silently berated myself for tuning him out.

“I have entered it into memory.”

I released the lungs full of air. I had my own personal Terminator. Finally. A bit of luck my way. Silently slipping on my winter coat, I crept to the door on my tiptoes. “Come on, Wraith,” I mouthed, cracking open the door. “And don’t make a sound.”

He was on his feet immediately. “Where will we be going?”

My finger flew to my mouth, to silence him. He looked at me blankly. “Be quiet! We’re going to get Julian and Veronique. And we’re doing it alone.”

15. Impasse—Sofie

I stood with my mouth agape, speechless.