The Awakening (28 page)

“Huh.” He crossed his arms. “How did Sal know you were supposed to be at the meeting?”

“He said his leader knew I was going to be there. The council would’ve notified him.”

He leaned his elbows on the table. “Okay. You seem to have all your bases covered, assuming I don’t contact Sal or the vampire councilman.”

I gave him a nonchalant shrug. “Contact them.” I hoped to God he wouldn't call them.

“How did you convince the Senator to withdraw from the race?” he asked.

“When I met with her, I told her I was supposed to be at the meeting. I asked her if it was worth it, implying she killed all those people. She didn’t come out and say yes, but she said it was to keep a secret hidden. Then I told her I would expose everything if she didn’t withdraw her name.”

“You bluffed.”

“In a way, and it worked. She sent Sal a message, taking her name out of the race. Sal removed my picture and he is now the temporary demon councilman. Now I just need to prove she gave the order.”

“I have a difficult time believing the Senator would give up a chance for greater power that easy.”

“Well, she did, and Sal has the email to prove it,” I said, a bit irritated.

“I believe you, but something is odd about it.” He leaned his face closer to mine and peered into my eyes. A soft wave of his heat brushed against me. “I would like to know what you are and what you are hiding.”

I leaned back and drank my warm chocolate. I wanted to ask how he sensed I was different, but I couldn’t or he would know for sure I was.

I set down my nearly empty cup. “I’ve told you who is responsible for your Alpha’s death and why they did it. What more do you want?”

“You told me it was to keep a secret hidden. That doesn’t explain enough.”

“Because I don't know anymore, I am still investigating her. I intend to find out the truth.” I leaned over the table. “Did your Alpha tell you why he was going to the meeting?”

He shook his head. “No, he didn’t tell anyone.”

“Can you find out?”

“Possibly. We’re going to declare him dead tomorrow. After the funeral in a couple days, we can enter his home, go through his belongings, and open his safe.”

“If you find anything, please call me. I want as much evidence as possible to get rid of that woman.” I curled my lip in disgust.

He grinned. “Now, are you going to tell me what you are?”

“I’m registered as half-demon.”

He tilted his head and pierced me with a sharp gaze. “What are you?”

I gave him a hint of a smile. “You’ll have to figure it out.” And good luck with your search.

“I’m very good at solving puzzles.”

A tickle of excitement sparked in me. If he could find out what I was, I’d give him a night to remember. Hell, maybe more than one night.

“I wish you luck with your search,” I said, keeping a straight face.

“Will you at least tell me why you won’t go out with me?”

“You never asked.”

“Will you?”

I lifted my cup and swished around the remaining contents. Meeting his gaze, I said, “Give me a ride to the hospital, and I will consider it.”

His lips twisted into a smile. “All right.”

We left the coffee shop and he drove me to the hospital, asking a few more questions along the way. He believed me, for the most part, but still knew I was hiding something.

He stopped in front of the entrance and as I reached for the door, he grabbed my arm. “Will you go out with me?”

I couldn't hold back the smile. “Maybe.”

He leaned between the seats, placing his face closer to mine. “Please?”

My heart raced as I gazed into his eyes. I could’ve leaned in and kissed his luscious lips. God knows I wanted to. His eyes slid down to my mouth. Maybe he'd thought the same thing I had. A quick kiss couldn’t hurt.

But I wouldn’t risk it.

I needed him to believe I was half-demon. I focused my thoughts on misting. Energy swirled within me, starting in my center and spreading fast until it covered every bit of me.

“Shit!” He swung his arms in the air, trying to find me. He couldn’t see me in mist form.

I passed through the truck door, and headed for the entrance.

“Call me,” he called from inside his car.

I stopped and turned around. Jackson stared in the direction of the entrance, his gaze hitting me, but not seeing me. I let go of the energy and reemerged in human form. The werewolf's eyes slid up my body until they came to rest on mine.

“Nice,” he said.

Was he referring to my breasts or my disappearing act? Either way, I smiled and waved to him, then turned and strode into the hospital. I had a feeling he'd call me in a couple days and ask me out again. And my answer would be yes.

Chapter 29

I stared out the window at the cars parked on the hospital lot. A steady stream of people, young and old, traveled to and from the premises. Above, pink and peach painted the sky as the sun dipped below the horizon. In a few hours, Boss would pick me up and take me to meet Sal. I’d finally get my full name.

“I can see a resemblance,” Jonas said, jarring me.

I turned. He was lying haphazard on the bed next to Tabby. They were examining a picture I had printed showing Attorney General Galluzzi. Alison Baxter, Chief Assistant, appeared in the background. The date on the photograph was two months before Alison’s death. I estimated I had been around four years old.

“You have similar eyes,” Jonas said. “And the stubby nose matches.”

Tabby slapped his arm. I was glad to see her back to normal.

“Hey,
sis
. Watch it,” he said.

“Be nice to your
wife
,” she replied.

I grinned at my fake husband and sister-in-law.

“Do you have any idea who you might have lived with after she died?” Tabby asked.

“No. Boss thinks I lived with my father since he was one of the old ones.” Part of me didn't mind that I couldn't recall my childhood. If I had spent it with my demonic father, maybe the memories were frightening. In which case, I didn't need to remember them.

“I think the memories will come back to you at some point,” Jonas said. “You already had one flashback at the bookstore. You just need something to trigger the memories.”

I nodded in agreement. I'd actually had two flashbacks, though I had failed to tell anyone about the second one with my vampire lover. Maybe someone hadn’t erased the memories from my brain, but rather locked them away somewhere and we just needed the key. I held onto hope.

“When will the doctor release you to come home?” I asked.

“He told me tomorrow. They said I’m healing much faster than they thought I would.”

“That’s good news.”

A male nurse dressed in white strode into the room carrying a tray. The delicious scent of butter and roast floated in with him. I took a deep breath, savoring the aroma.

Jonas hopped off the bed. “Looks like your dinner has arrived.” He moved past me and sat in the chair under the television.

The nurse set the tray on a stand and rolled it over the bed in front of Tabby.

“Thank you,” Tabby said. Her lips curled in the beautiful smile familiar to me.

“Enjoy,” he said before he left.

She handed me the photograph of Alison. “Have you thought about asking Benny about your past?”

I folded the picture and shoved it in the back pocket of my jeans. “He said I wasn’t in their records.”

I couldn't question Benny about my past, but since he had the gift of clairvoyance, I could ask him about the future. He might know if I’d see my father again or if I’d meet my vampire lover. He might know if we would bring Galluzzi to justice. A chat with Benny might prove fruitful. It was worth a shot, at least.

Tabby picked up a roll, looked at it, then took a bite. “Mm, it’s pretty good.”

Roast with carrots and potatoes for the main entrée looked and smelled good to me, though I questioned the slimy red dessert.

“It smells good.” Jonas came over and investigated Tabby’s food. He reached to grab something from her tray, but Tabby shooed his hand away.

“Get your own,” she said.

“Fine. I will.” He looked at me. “Care to join me in the cafeteria?”

“Sure.” I hadn't eaten much since the previous day. As for the other nightly hunger, I'd have to get a quick fix later. Hopefully Jonas wouldn't mind.

“Can you get me another milk?” Tabby asked. “Make it two. I’m dying of thirst. And if they have any cookies–”

“Milk and cookies–got it,” Jonas said as he backed toward the door.

I followed Jonas out of the room and down the bright hall. Waiting in front of the elevator, I noticed he hadn’t shaved in awhile. Brown stubble covered his cheeks and chin, making him look rougher, tougher, and definitely more attractive.

“How’s your arm?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Sore, but I'm fine. It was a flesh wound, nothing major.”

His injury might not have been major, but it had come damn close to it. I hated to think about how he almost died because of me.

“We shouldn’t have any more problems since I'm now registered in Sal's database,” I said.

“Unless someone else is still trying to find you.”

The same thought had occurred to me. I wondered if my father had an all points bulletin out for me since I sold his watch. Then there was my secret vampire lover. Was he looking for me? Only time would tell.

The elevator pinged and the doors slid open. We stepped inside and Jonas tapped the button for the second floor.

“Boss and I both think Sal doesn't know about my other breeds,” I said after the doors shut.

“We need to make sure it stays that way,” he said.

“I agree. Maybe I won’t have to deal with him much after our meeting. He got his temporary appointment, and Galluzzi withdrew her name from the race. What more could he want?”

The doors opened and the smell of food blew in. My stomach rumbled.

“They always want more,” Jonas said as he stepped out of the elevator.

The demon part of me understood the desire for more. In my case, I wanted answers, not power. Since I was part of the investigation now, I would fight to get results.

He led the way to the cafeteria, following a narrow path leading to rows of food on display. We picked up gray plastic trays and scooted them along, picking up various steaming bowls and plates. By the time we reached the counter, dishes covered his tray. I had three on mine, and two cartons of milk for Tabby. Jonas paid, and we found a private table to enjoy our meal.

“I wish I had money. I feel bad you guys are always paying for things,” I said as I unwrapped the napkin from the utensils. With my life finally settling down, I needed to find a job. Jonas, Tabby, and Boss couldn't support me forever.

“To be honest, it’s all Boss’s money. He gives us money and keeps track of the accounting,” Jonas said before shoving a chunk of pot roast in his mouth.

All Boss’s money? I wondered where he got it. He had several houses, lots of weapons, and cash on hand. Maybe the WWOPP paid well.

As I ate my dinner, I thought about how and where I could find out about my past. Galluzzi had answers. The bitch was evil, but she had information I needed. Since I had derailed her dreams of becoming president, she probably wouldn’t be willing to answer any questions. Then it came to me. I had power over her I could use to my advantage. She believed I was as normal as the first time we met, whenever that was. Hell, the mere fact I was alive gave me power over her. All I had to do was figure out a way to probe for information without her suspecting I had no memories.

On top of my own answers, I needed evidence to convict Galluzzi, the kind of evidence that she would probably keep close to her. I needed to know more about her past and people she associated with since the start of her career. A light bulb illuminated in my head.

“Jonas,” I said, wiping my mouth with my napkin. “I have an idea to help our investigation.”

“Oh?”

“The Senator has all the answers we need, and she was behind everything.”

He nodded as he shoved more food into his mouth.

“What if I got a job working for her?”

He stopped chewing and stared at me with a blank face. “What?”

“I’m thinking of getting a job working for the Senator.” I'd kill two birds with one stone. By working for her, I'd get paid and be able to find answers to our long list of questions.

He finished chewing. “You can’t be serious. She tried to have you killed.”

I set my fork down. “I’m supposed to be dead, but I’m not. She thinks I could damage her reputation if I go public. As long as I am walking around, I’m a threat to her. That gives me some leverage.”

“It also makes you a target.”

“True, but I have you and Boss on my side. If something happened to me, she would have to know one of you would seek retribution.”

“She managed to kill thirty people at one meeting, some of them high ranking officials. Do you honestly think she is intimidated by us?”

“We can bluff our way. We can say I made a recording and hid it. In the event of my or your untimely demise, someone in the council will receive the recording.”

I disliked the idea of putting Boss, Jonas, and Tabby in harm’s way again. To make my idea work, I would have to emphasize to the Senator if anything happened to them, I would seek personal revenge.

Jonas considered. “It's risky, but it might work.”

“She wanted me to remain a secret, what better way than to work for her? I think she’ll buy into the idea. And if I’m closer to her, I may be able to gain access to files or information to use as evidence.”

“Keep your friends close and enemies closer.”

“That’s a good way to put it.”

Jonas picked up his drink and sipped as he stared at me. He set the plastic cup on the table. “It’s not a bad idea. But it is incredibly dangerous.”

“She knows powerful people and apparently I do too. I just don’t remember any of them. As long as she believes I have my memories, I doubt she will try anything.”

“It might work.”

My confidence grew, and I smiled. I had faith my plan would work.