Page 72 of Requiem
“No, he likes to kill. I’ve seen it in his face. He just won’t ever admit it to you,” Alexei says, and the amusement is gone now. “He is a weapon, girl. One I built very carefully.”
A beat.
“Is he there?”
My pulse spikes. “No.”
“Pity.”
Another pause. Then, almost lazily, he adds, “You have a deadline. The event begins in five days. If you are not there, everyone will know what Jude is. And they will come for him.”
My fingers start to shake.
“Oh, and,” Alexei says softly. “I found you.”
My stomach drops.
Rafe’s head snaps up.
Alexei continues. “I knowexactlywhere you are now. Charming little cabin.”
Nausea claws up my throat. I’m staring at the phone in my hand, horrified. My body is shaking.
Shit, shit.
“You think you’re hidden,” he says, with a quiet laugh. “But you lit yourself up the moment you touched the recent layer of my system. Very clever work, by the way.Almostimpressive.”
My mouth opens and closes, but I’m lost for words.
“And since you seem so fond of hiding,” he goes on, “I thought you’d like to know, you’re being watched.”
My blood turns cold, and I immediately find Rafe’s icy gaze.
“Men are already there,” he says simply. “Outside your little refuge. But I’m patient. I like to play. Especially since I know you don’t have shit on me.”
Micah moves beside me, and Rafe’s expression hardens.
“Don’t bother looking,” Alexei adds lightly. “If you’ve noticed them, I’ll replace them. Kill them. I don’t give a shit.”
I can’t speak.
“Return what ismine,”Alexei grits out. “Or I will give the order to kill every man in that fucking house, and take you, girls, to Vlad. You will be sold like a toy, used up until you die. And Jude will forever know that his friends are either dead or getting drugged and fucked.”
The line goes dead. For a second, no one moves. It doesn’t even sound like anyone is breathing.
“Fuck,” Micah mutters, dragging a hand through his hair as he starts pacing. “Fuck. Godfuckingdammit.”
Heather’s hand is pressed over her mouth. Nico is already turning, grabbing his laptop. Kieran is swearing under his breath as he unlocks his phone. Adriana stares at the floor like she already knew this was coming. Rafe is the only one still. He’s thinking of what to do. But the truth?
We’re fucked.
***
I don’t even realize I’ve started moving until I’m already at the stairs. “I’m going down,” I say.
Micah’s voice cuts in immediately behind me. “Em—”
I whirl on him. “Hehasto know.”
