Page 5 of Deadfall

“What do you want to do?” Rune asked.

Before I had a chance to answer, Kyllion appeared in the doorway. He took one look at the three of us and frowned.

“What’s wrong?” He asked warily.

I couldn’t tell him the truth. As much as it hurt me to lie, there was too much at stake. I wasn’t going to lose Emersyn, and I was going to do whatever it took—even if it meant I had to hide information from my team. My mind raced ahead and quickly formulated a plan. I’d redirect and tell the team one thing, then plan the real op on the side with Seven and Rune.

I gestured to the photo of Emersyn on the screen behind me and Kyllion’s eyes grew hard. While my anger and frustration at a possible betrayal hurt, and despite the unease I had about lying to my team, I couldn’t deny the truth of what that email unveiled.

“Call the team in,” I ordered. “We found her.”

3

EMERSYN

I never should have left the library that night. It was where I felt the safest in this strange house, in the middle of the woods that I’d found myself living in for the last two years. I shouldn’t have ventured out of the safety of those stacks. I should have stayed hidden. Instead, my curiosity got the best of me when one night, I heard voices down the hall and ventured out to investigate.

I never should have left the library.

The hallway was pitch black except for a sliver of light from a cracked doorway. I pressed my cheek up against the frame and saw a roaring fire and Vetticus’ back as he poured two glasses of amber liquid into glasses.

“Well now, who are you?”

Fear gripped me. I whirled around, intent on running, but a firm hand landed on my shoulder. The man pushed open the door and led me inside.

“You’ve been holding out on me, Vetticus,” the man said.

Vetticus’ lips thinned. “I need her still, Octavius.”

“Why haven’t you included her in the meetings?”

“Too risky.”

The man, Octavius, smoothed my hair off my cheek and tilted my chin up to look at him. I didn’t like how sinister his eyes looked even though he tried to hide it with a smile.

“What’s your name, sweetie?”

“Octavius—” Vetticus interrupted.

The men shared a look that made my skin crawl, and Vetticus sighed. I rarely saw him around the house, and when I did he never spoke to me. Most of my human interaction was through Maria, the mute housekeeper.

“Just be careful,” Vetticus said.

He poured whiskey into a third glass and dropped a clear liquid into it. He handed the glass to Octavius who turned to me.

“Do you want to play a game, doll?”

I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing.

“It’ll be fun,” Octavius insisted. “But first, you need to drink this.”

That was the first night. There were many nights after that. I don’t know if it was the drugs or my mind that blocked out the memories, but all I remembered was the voices.

“She needs to stay a virgin.”

“I need her as leverage.”

“When can I take her home?”