I didn’t see my aunt again after that day.
I’ve buried that vision in the deepest recesses of my mind, and my body wracks with pain. The pressure in my head grows greater until I see the darkness that almost took me the day Jamie saved me. "You're killing me!" I rasp out as the shadows beckon. "Stop."
"Dig deeper, Maeve," comes Gabriella’s voice from the edge of the world.
"I'm dying!"
The frightening void retreats and I'm aware of my heart thundering in my ears and the pain dropping. Was I dying? Or shouting out in desperation against the pain? I’m lying on the Persian rug close to the chair I sat in moments earlier—moments that stretched towards a dark eternity.
Groaning, I turn onto my back and wipe at the tears on my face. My hands shake as I stare at the blood smearing my fingers. Somebody clears their throat, and I blink the world into focus.
Gabriella looks down at me with disdain. “Honestly, Maeve, you could at least try to fight back.”
“You’re strong,” I say hoarsely, throat sore from screaming. “And you took me by surprise.”
She tucks a strand of her long black hair behind an ear. "I apologise again. I shouldn't have stayed in your mind as long, but your life over the last few months is fascinating. I'm rather curious about your past, though. Next time, I'll find my way there."
"Fascinating isn't the word I'd use to describe my life," I mutter. Gingerly, I push myself to sit, tense in case she attacks me again.
"Your relationship with my son and his guardian is particularly fascinating, although things could end badly between you," she replies, and there's intrigue behind her words. "Intriguing and useful. I must talk to Anastasia."
Andrei would hate Gabriella calling him her son. I wipe blood from my cheeks with my bare arm, ignoring the sickening pain gripping my face still. What else did she see? More than I remember?
"Oh, most I already know, Maeve. Confirmation is good and of course everybody has their secrets." She looks to the closed door. "Including our dear Tobias."
Shit.
The kiss?
"I'm not telling Anastasia about your little tryst in the guest room." Gabriella presses her index finger to her lips. "I don't want to interfere with his training." She cocks her head. "Although I do worry that you saw how your relationship ends."
I rest against the chair, one arm on the seat, and the defeat weighs me down. This woman can hear every one of my thoughts and knows all my secrets. The way she stands over me adds to my vulnerability in the situation, as does the fact I don't know what she's seen or heard. I pull on my weak magic energy to wrap my thoughts inside but the barrier is a thin gauze between us.
Now I know why she leads the Dominion.
"I do need to speak to Anastasia about the two things we most desire right now." She waves a hand at me "Apart from you, of course."
I place my head on the red velvet chair cushion, eyes closed, and take steady breaths. How will I ever get out of this situation? If Gabriella heard that thought, she doesn't respond.
"One last thing, Maeve."
Lifting my pounding head, I look back to Gabriella, who holds a phone in my direction. "Smile."
Stunned, I don't do as she asks. Tutting, she examines the screen. "I guess that will suffice. Thank you."
Gabriella slips the phone back into the small clutch bag resting on the table and flashes me one last view of her teeth. "A holiday snap for your dear friends."
I don't watch her walk through the door, instead I listen to my panicked breathing, relieved I'm too exhausted to cry.
Where was Tobias when I needed him?
Chapter Nine
ANDREI
I've cursed my nightwalker status over the years, but today is the worst. As I sit in my room, Ash and Jamie work towards our next move and all I can do is wait for text message updates from Ash. Unsurprisingly, Jamie hasn't contacted me. Last night, I lost my shit, but wouldn't have seriously hurt him. Yeah, physically, but not as a vampire hurts a witch. That behaviour in the school is what brought us to this place.
According to Ash, they've spoken to Theodora again and she's settled on a story that Maeve is taking time out, and Tobias has been called away. She now agrees not to tell the story that they're together. Is there any point? Even the simplest people will put two and two together. For Vincent, she'll tell the truth: Theodora hasn't heard from him and has no idea where he might be. Will this help Gilgamesh settle or has he already caused too much damage?
The sun finally drops below the horizon and I'm out of my room in seconds. We've an hour before class and a lot to talk about—like how the hell we get Maeve out of the Blackwoods' clutches. A day alone with my thoughts and fears for Maeve has wound me tight again; I barge my way into the cafeteria to meet Jamie and Ash and the room quiets. Not an unusual situation—students still point the 'murderer' finger in my direction. Maeve's disappearance will ramp up the prejudice.
They can think what the fuck they like. I'll be out of this place looking for Maeve as soon as I figure out how we reach her.
Jamie looks at me through narrowed eyes as I stand over the table, where he sits with Ash, who's shovelling chips into his mouth. "What's happening?" I ask.
Ash chews as he looks at me. "Nothing."
I suck air between my teeth and lean forward with my palms on the cool table top. "Where is she?"
"Do you think we've discovered that in twelve hours?" asks Jamie.
"Doesn't Theodora have any clue? You must've spoken to her." I drag a chair out and sit beside Ash. "Anything?"
Ash shakes his head and his mouth turns down. His dull eyes are shadowed by tiredness, and Jamie doesn't look much better. They won't last the night.
"If Anastasia Blackwood took her and Tobias, they must be at the Blackwood estate. It's a no-brainer," I say in exasperation. "We need to go there."
Jamie prepares to answer but something behind me catches his eye and he stops. Someone shoves me in the shoulder and I'm out of my seat in seconds, ready to face whoever touched me.
Yvette's hard eyes meet mine and I groan inwardly. "Where's your girlfriend, Andrei?" Before I can reply, she cranes her head to look at Jamie. "Or is she your girlfriend? Or yours, Ash?"
"None of your business," replies Ash gruffly.
"I haven't seen her since yesterday evening and she's usually glued to at least one of you." She jerks her chin at me. "I hope she's alright, Andrei."
I clench my jaw to avoid responding.
"She's taking a couple of days away from the academy. The last couple of weeks have affected her badly," says Jamie.
A curly-haired girl with Yvette makes a derisive noise. "Another cover-up?"
Ash's chair scrapes loudly across the tiled floor as he stands. "Think what you like, Yvette."
"I will. I'm watching you all." Yvette and Ash look at each other in challenge, which ends in an exasperated sigh from Ash.
"Come on," he says to me and Jamie and walks away without waiting for an answer.