I jumped to the ground and headed out to the street. Luckily, I managed to flag down a taxi. I needed to pack as quickly as I could and get the hell away from Finn Roe. Whatever reason he had for being here, it couldn’t be good, and I didn’t plan on sticking around to find out what he wanted.
When I arrived at my building, I rushed to my bedroom to grab the few things I needed. I’d sold my dad’s old Volkswagen when I got here and hadn’t replaced it yet, so it looked like my options were either the bus or the train. Neither was preferable, but they’d do until I got somewhere I could buy a cheap car.
It was only as I emerged from my bedroom that I realised somebody was sitting at the kitchen table. Finn grinned like he’d gotten one over on me. “Fancy meeting you here?”
I turned around and kicked the wall in frustration, which only succeeded in hurting my foot. Ouch! How could I have been so stupid to think Finn wouldn’t see right through my escape plan?
A wave of déjà vu hit me because this was almost exactly like the night he’d broken into my apartment to thank me for saving his life.
“You really have to learn that it’s not polite to break into people’s homes,” I snapped. Also, how had he known where I lived? He must’ve been watching me for a while. The fact I hadn’t noticed was cause for concern. I needed to up my vigilance game.
“And you have to learn that it’s rude to ditch people by climbing out bathroom windows. My feelings are hurt.” Finn placed a hand over his chest like he was personally affronted.
I rolled my eyes. “You’ll get over it.”
Finn gestured to the seat across from him, his expression sobering. “Sit down. I need to talk to you.”
Reluctantly, I sat. I mean, what other choice did I have? I might as well hear him out. Besides, it would provide me with enough time to formulate another escape plan. I grabbed a coaster and fiddled with it nervously.
Finn surprised me when he placed his hand over mine. “Stop fidgeting.” His skin was warm and his palm slightly callused. I glanced up, and his eyes were intense. An odd moment passed between us before I pulled my hand away from his.
“Go on then,” I urged. “Talk.”
Finn’s gaze travelled over me, and a flash of exhaustion entered his expression. “You have no clue how bad things got after the night Theodore was killed.”
“He wasn’t killed,” I corrected. “He was banished to a hell dimension. There’s a difference.”
“Well, whatever happened to him, he might as well be dead. That hole in the sky didn’t look like it was taking him for a nice holiday in the sun.”
“What happened in Tribane after I left?” I asked, anxious to know, especially since there were people I still cared about there. Ethan was surprisingly the first one who sprung to mind.
Finn blew out a breath and sat back like he didn’t know where to start. “Small fights at first, mostly between the magical families and the vampires. The vamps were pissed that those on the north of the Hawthorn had decided to align themselves with Theodore, so once he was gone, they wanted to teach us a lesson. What started as a few small scale attacks turned into a full-blown war. We weren’t prepared for it, and the vampires wiped the floor with us. There were lots of casualties, mostly slayers, since we’re human and the easiest to kill.”
I stared at him, eyes wide. I couldn’t have imagined that what happened with Theodore would lead to such devastation. “Finn, my God, I’m so sorry.”
His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and I could see he was still mourning the loss of his comrades. “About two days after we attacked Ridley Island, Antonia Herrington committed suicide.”
At this, my stomach dropped. She … killed herself? So, Rita’s guilt curse had actually worked. Perhaps a little too well. Had Antonia been so overcome with guilt that she couldn’t stand to live anymore? An uncomfortable mixture of vindication and remorse swarmed inside me, but vindication won out. This was an eye for an eye. Matthew had taken his life, so it was only fair that she should take hers.
“Antonia’s death on top of Howard’s added to the vampires’ rage. One of the oldest vamps in the city, you probably don’t know him, goes by the name of Jeremy Whitfield, was voted in as the new governor, and he was determined to kill as many of us as he could as a tribute to his predecessors.”
“So, this Jeremy Whitfield declared war on North Tribane?” I asked.
“Not in so many words. He first set out to get revenge, but the battles became bigger and bigger until we were fighting for our very survival. Half our people were dead within the space of a few weeks. Six months on and we’re still being attacked by the vampires. They aren’t going to be happy until they’ve wiped us out completely.”
“What about your governor, Siegfried Pamphrock. Is he still alive?”
Finn looked away for a moment, then drew his eyes back to mine. “That’s sort of the reason why I’m here.” He fell silent.
“Because of Pamphrock?”
Finn nodded. “Jeremy Whitfield has kidnapped Pamphrock’s ten-year-old daughter, Rebecca. He’s holding her captive until Pamphrock stands down and allows him to take control of the entire city, north and south.”
“I don’t understand what that’s got to do with me.”
“We need someone who can get to Whitfield,” Finn replied.
“And that’s me? I’ve never even met him before.”
Finn grew silent, seeming to weigh his words before he spoke again. “No, you’ve not met Whitfield, but you are very well acquainted with his second in command.”
A clammy sweat slicked itself over the palms of my hands. “And that would be who exactly?” I asked.
Finn almost looked apologetic. “Ethan Cristescu.”
At this, I pushed up from the table. “This is ridiculous, Finn. I feel bad for your governor. Believe me, I do. I wouldn’t wish for anyone to have their child taken away from them. But I’m not the solution to this. I can’t go back there. Too many people know what I am.”
Finn’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about? Nobody knows what you are. Almost everyone who was on Ridley Island that night is dead with a few exceptions. There’s only Ethan, Delilah and Lucas left, along with that other vamp, Dru. She works for Ethan now, and Cristescu would never have allowed any of them to reveal your secret. He’s far too infatuated with you.”
A shiver danced along my spine at that last bit. “What about Rita and Gabriel?”
“Rita and Gabriel are fine. I know for a fact that neither of them has told a soul about what you are.”
“What about you, Finn. Have you told anyone?”
Now he frowned. “Of course not. Do you think I want vampires knowing there’s a woman out there whose blood can make them nearly indestructible?”
“And you don’t want me dead because of that?”
“Jesus Christ, no. Why would you think that?”
“Because of what you just said. I can make your enemies stronger. Isn’t that the kind of threat you’d want to eliminate?”
He gaped at me, shaking his head. “Is this why you ditched me back at the art gallery? You think I’m here to kill you?”