Reborn (Shadow Falls: After Dark #1)(103)

He smiled. “It could mean I might get lucky and sneak another one.”

“Not on your life.”

The smile vanished from his eyes. “So you’re really into the shape-shifter, huh?”

“You said one question,” she growled.

“And one run.” He took off.

She actually debated not going, but she wanted to know where she’d met him. She took off, pushing herself until she almost caught up with him. He sped up. She pushed harder, but not to the point of puking. She’d done that twice too many times.

When he realized she wasn’t going to push herself faster, he slowed down. And amazingly true to his word, when they had made one lap, he started down.

She landed beside him, a little winded, but not embarrassingly so.

He studied her. “You could have gone faster.”

“It’s late,” she said.

He nodded. “It is.”

Della’s phone dinged with an incoming text. She ignored it, thinking it was from Steve. And she didn’t want to text him back in front of Chase.

“Okay spill it,” she said. “Where did we meet?”

Chase moved over to the fallen tree where Della had been sitting earlier and dropped down, motioning for her to join him.

“Just tell me,” she said.

“I am, but it’s going to require some explanation. So sit down.”

She did, but she made sure there was plenty of space between them. “I’m sitting!” she said, losing her patience. “Start talking!”

Chapter Thirty-one

“I belonged to the Blades.”

The Blades? Della’s gut tightened and the spot where she carried a scar from being knifed started to ache. Chase had belonged to the the Blades. A different gang than the Crimson Blood, but outlaws just the same. She and Steve had gone on a mission to see if this gang were the ones killing humans as initiation. They had been. And she’d gotten knifed during the investigation and could have died if Steve hadn’t gotten her blood.

“You’re rogue,” she said with accusation and scooted a little farther away on the downed tree.

“No, I … joined the group for a reason.”

“What do you mean?”

He exhaled. “If I tell you, do you give me your word that you won’t repeat it? To anyone? That includes Burnett.”

Della decided to be honest. “If it endangers anyone, I can’t keep silent.”

“It doesn’t endanger anyone.” He paused. “I was sent on a mission, looking for someone. I was working undercover for the Vampire Council.”

Now she knew he was up to no good. “The Vampire Council are rogues who oppose the FRU.”

“The council isn’t rogue. They don’t agree with all the FRU rules, but they aren’t the bad guys.”

Then something else dawned on her. Something personal.

“You were going to let the Blades kill me. And they would have—”

“No!” he insisted. “I stopped them from following you and Steve out that night. The fire Steve started just slowed them down.”

Was he telling the truth? It appeared so, but … “Why are you here? Is the Vampire Council trying to bring down the school?”

“No. They see this place as a good thing.”

“Then why are you here?”

He hesitated again. “I’m still looking for someone.”

“Who?”

“That I can’t tell you.”

“If you find this person are you going to cause them harm?” She studied his light green eyes.

“No, I’m trying to help them.”

Honesty rang deep in his voice. “Are they here?”

“I can’t answer that either.” He leaned back.

Suddenly another question hit. “Why are you telling me this?”

His expression changed and something told her he was going to lie.

“The truth. Tell me the truth.”

His hand, resting on his thigh, tightened. “Because chances are, you are going to find out.”

“How?”

He shook his head. “I can’t say any more.” A strand of dark hair swept across his brow and she had a strange urge to brush it away. She folded her hand to resist.

She sighed in frustration. Had she actually given her word she wouldn’t tell Burnett any of this?

She needed more information before deciding if this was something Burnett needed to know. “Why are you trying to get into the FRU?”

“I wasn’t. Burnett actually came to me. He was impressed with my strength and speed, and I thought I might help catch the killer.”

“You thought wrong,” she said. “It’s your fault we’re holding Billy. Billy didn’t do it.”

“It’s not all on me, Della. Think about it. Burnett doesn’t trust me anymore—which means he wouldn’t have held the kid solely on my word if he didn’t believe it himself.”

“So you both are wrong.”

Chase leaned over, and his shoulder almost touched hers. “Okay, if I’m wrong, give me a chance to make it right. Tell me who you think did it. I’ll help look into it.”

She shifted away. His closeness made her edgy. “Why would I tell you anything now?””