Eternal Echoes, Emblem of Eternity Trilogy Book 2 (25 page)

He picked some lint from his shirt like he was bored. “You’re reaching if you think you had that fight under control. Also, I didn’t only say you were a danger to me, I said you were a danger to us all. And we put up with each other in London; we’ll put up with each other now.”

I stared at him, frustrated beyond belief. “I don’t like your attitude.”

He laughed. “Like I said, same old Cassandra.”

I glared.

He looked in a stray plastic cup sitting on the dresser in the room. He picked it up, sniffed it, and immediately threw it back. Personally, I wouldn’t have chanced even a sip of an unknown substance at a college party. Really, anything could be in there. Tate didn’t seem concerned, however—which I felt offered a glimpse into the state of his crazy little mind. I was starting to feel less bad about myself in regard to his ‘danger to us all’ comment. He put the yellow plastic party cup back on the dresser with a loud slap, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Where’s your entourage tonight?”

I crossed my arms, mirroring his movements. I’d once read that mirroring could be used to persuade people to do what you want. Something about the subconscious recognizing similar body language. I could use all the help I could get. “Not here.”

He looked around. “You sure?”

“Do you see them?”

“Never know,” he said, holding my gaze like he knew something I didn’t. I stared back, wondering if he was pulling my leg, or if Amaranthine and Daevos members could make themselves invisible too. I knew the Amaranthine and Daevos had powers, but Alex and Emil hadn’t exactly been forthcoming about what exactly those powers were. I knew they had to do with Trackers and spells, but wasn’t sure how it all worked. I needed to be more proactive finding out more about what those powers were, and how they functioned. Based on Hannah’s display fifteen minutes ago, the Daevos could definitely do more than take souls. And since they were trying to take me, I’d gathered the more powerful the Tracker they had helping them, the more power the Daevos—and maybe Amaranthine—had.

Tate had been watching me puzzle it out and interrupted my thoughts, “Seriously, where are they? They never let you out of their sight this long.”

“Yeah they do,” I said. “Sometimes I take long showers to get away from them.”

Tate laughed. “You think they’re not watching you in there?”

I frowned. Emil wasn’t watching me in there, at least, not unless he had a secret magic ring like Alex’s, x-ray vision, or really could go invisible. Alex had said he tried to give me privacy sometimes. I’d assumed the shower—and bathroom time in general—was one of those instances. I’d been spending a lot of time in the bathroom because of it. I didn’t want to think about that not being the case, so I answered Tate’s question, “Alex is busy playing Switzerland between the Amaranthine and “Rebel” Protectors. Emil went along to try and convince everyone involved that the Daevos aren’t part of the Tracker abductions.”

Tate stared. “So they left you, probably with instructions to stay home, and instead you went to a party and almost got kidnapped? Again?” He whistled like I was in trouble. “That was dumb. Good luck explaining yourself.”

Yes, I’d already established that. I didn’t need to hear it from this yahoo, too. I screwed up. But there was no way I’d admit it to him. “You saw me; I handled myself.”

“Yeah, until you didn’t. Why weren’t you using your powers to fight them? It would have been a lot easier.”

It wasn’t any of his business why I hadn’t used my powers. “I said, I handled it.”

He watched me closely, biting the inside of his cheek. I could tell more questions I didn’t want to answer were coming. I wasn’t sure I trusted this guy, but he sure knew a lot about me, Alex, and Emil. I wanted them to confirm his identity. Maybe I was about to make another bad decision, but I was on a roll tonight and figured another couldn’t hurt. I picked through the coats on the bed and slid mine on. “Come on.” I grabbed his arm. He stumbled slightly, unprepared for me to navigate him.

“Where am I going?” He asked as we walked through the deserted house. A radio blared an upbeat pop song—the only sign the house and lawn had been crowded with drunk college kids less than twenty minutes ago.

“To my house.” We walked out of the house, down the driveway to the snow covered sidewalk.

He raised a brow. “Why am I going there?”

I steered him down the street to my Mustang. I wondered if he had a car here. Hmm. Probably. And it was probably worth at least ninety grand—the supernatural sign-on bonus. Oh well, he’d have to get it later. “Two reasons: One, I want confirmation you’re really Emil’s brother.”

He snorted. “Come on. Even if you don’t remember, you have to see the resemblance.”

I took in his coffee colored brown hair, square jaw, and wide grin. Maybe. Maybe I just didn’t want to see it. I continued with my reason list, “Two, if you are Emil’s brother, Alex and Emil need to know you’re here.”
Plus, if they know you were with me tonight, and you’re not a threat, I might not get in as much trouble
, I added in my head.

“And if they know I was with you at the party, you might not get in as much trouble.”

I stopped, staring at him. Was he a mind reader too? Was that one of his powers?

He shook his head. “Your motives are transparent. Women don’t do manipulation well.”

I laughed out loud. “Are you kidding me? Have you spent any time around women at all? I dare you to hang out with a group of high school girls for a day. Then come back and tell me we don’t know about manipulation. We come with it ingrained in our psyche straight out of the womb. What do you think cleavage is for?”

I got in my Mustang and reached across the seat, unlocking the door for Tate. He whistled as he sat. “I’ve wanted to ride in this since I first started watching you.” If he really was Emil’s brother, good car taste ran in the family.

I started the car, moving it into the street. “Yeah. Speaking of that, how long have you been stalking me?”

“Since I got here.”

“Which was?”

“The same time as Emil. I followed him.”

“Why?”

He paused, staring out the window. I didn’t think he was going to answer, but he finally said, “Because Emil doesn’t always make the best decisions.”

Interesting. I hadn’t talked to Emil much about his family, but in the few discussions we’d had, I’d gathered he was kind of a lone-wolf. He’d only mentioned his brother once in conversation, and it was only to let me know he was alive. I’d assumed he didn’t have much contact with his family at all. “I got the impression you and Emil don’t get along.”

Tate looked over at me. “We get along fine, we just don’t see eye-to-eye on some things.”

“Like what?”

“The Daevos, and Emil’s place in it.”

I wanted to know more about that, but I was pulling into the driveway. I knew Alex and Emil weren’t out of their meeting yet. If they had been, Alex would have immediately checked his ring, saw I wasn’t where I was supposed to be, and hunted me down. It would not have been pleasant. Explaining to him why I left wouldn’t be either.

I pulled into the garage and got out of the car. “Come inside,” I said. “But you have to stay in the basement until I come and get you.”

“Why?” he asked slowly.

“Because Alex is going to be spitting fire that I left tonight. Emil probably won’t be happy either. I need some time to explain my side before I tell them I brought home a stray soul killer.”

He smiled. “Is there anything to do down there, or am I just supposed to stare at the wall?”

“There’s a Wii. And movies. But be quiet until I tell you to come out.”

He considered for a few seconds. “Okay. I’ll do it, but you have to bring me a sandwich and a Coke.”

“I can do the sandwich,” I said, “but not the Coke.”

“You have something against soda?”

“No, but my roommate’s boyfriend despises it and we only keep Pepsi in the house.”

He snorted. “They’re the same thing.”

“Don’t ever tell Zach that.” I said, closing the garage. “He’ll beat you with his Pepsi cans.” Tate followed me inside the house.

The dizzy feeling hit me on the way up the stairs. I’d just settled Tate into the basement with a sandwich and energy drink—which I’d found stocked in the fridge in place of Pepsi. Jas and Zach must be doing some serious studying. I managed to make it to the kitchen before I fell.

“You can’t let anyone know,” Tate warned, his eyes scanning the room.

I quickly moved away from the corridor, out of sight.

“I know,” Emil said.

I crouched behind a large vase, allowing me to see Emil and Tate, but still stay hidden from their view.

“Love—” Tate shook his head, utter disbelief etched over his face. “I don’t agree with it. I don’t even believe in it anymore.”

Emil’s eyes softened. “I can’t begin to describe the feeling, Tate. I’d do anything for her.”

I sighed at Emil’s words, and leaned on the vase, smiling. The vase fell to the ground with a noisy crash. Emil and Tate immediately stopped talking, startled. I muttered words I’d learned from servants who frequented gambling hells, and stepped away from the vase, pretending I’d just entered the room. “There you are! I was searching for you.” I frowned, looking down at the shattered pieces of pottery. “Unfortunately, I tripped, and the vase suffered for it.”

Tate spared me a glance that indicated he thought I was the equivalent of a slug. “Perhaps you should find a new toy,” Tate said, looking at me, but addressing Emil. “This one seems defective.”

Tate’s long, dark hair was pulled back with a leather band, his sharp features marking him as an aristocrat. I held his gaze and lifted my chest, standing taller. “Apparently manners weren’t a requirement in the stable.”

Tate inclined his head, his brow wrinkled. “What stable?”

“The one you were clearly raised in, my lord.”

Emil snorted a laugh and patted Tate on the shoulder. “I told you she was special.”

Tate narrowed his eyes. “Especially infuriating. You might regret your choice, brother.” Emil smiled down at me, love gleaming in his eyes. “Never.”

I smiled back. I felt the same way.

Sitting in a house with a room full of testosterone is not the most pleasant experience. I should know—I’d been surrounded by it in similar situations for months. In that time, I’d learned testosterone causes mostly sane guys to lose their freaking minds, especially if they think the person they love is in danger.

I was perched, rigid, on the edge of my chair in the living room as Alex paced the room, the veins in his neck bulging and plainly visible from ten feet away. Emil was calmer, as usual, but just as unhappy. His normally relaxed demeanor was replaced with tense muscles, despite the comfy couch he sat on. My lecture had started the second Alex and Emil walked in the door and I’d told them about my party adventure. The lecture had been going on for more than thirty minutes.

Alex stopped stomping around the room long enough to ask, “Tell me again why you lied and went out with people from school we don’t know?” He took a few more steps, his voice getting louder. “Why you would take that risk after everything that’s happened in the last eight months, and the last few weeks especially?”

I looked from Alex to Emil. Emil watched me, not giving any indication Alex was overreacting. To be fair, he wasn’t. I’d made a stupid mistake because I wanted to prove that I could take care of myself. I wasn’t perfect and let my need for normalcy drive my actions. Something had finally snapped in me and I just wanted to go to a college party like every other college student. One night away from the insanity of my life. But I’d almost been hurt in the process. And if Robert, Brian, and Hannah hadn’t sent the rest of the students peacefully away, I could have put them in danger too. It was a dumb choice, and I owned it. I wouldn’t make it again. This was my life; it would never be normal. I had to come to terms with that.

I sat taller, addressing them both. “I know it was a bad decision. I take full responsibility for that. I shouldn’t have done it, and I’m sorry.” This was the tenth time I’d apologized—at least. “However, I took that
risk
, because despite what the two of you seem to think, you don’t own me. You’re withholding more information from me than you should. You can’t keep telling me what to do without cluing me into all the details. You say you’re sick of waiting, that you want me to decide who my soul mate is. Until you treat me like an equal, I’m not choosing either one of you!”