The Illusion (Book Two in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Chess Game

My eyes popped open. I was being restrained in a chair, leaning back slightly. A man stood above me, his hands placed on either side of my head. I pulled at my hands, gritting my teeth against the pain it was causing. When my hands broke free of their restraints I reached up and grabbed one of his hands in both of mine and pulled with all my strength. The man flipped over me and landed where my legs had been restrained. I got up quickly, ignoring the faint touch of dizziness. I pulled him off the chair with the arm I was gripping and flung him across the room. He smacked into the wall hard and crumpled to the floor with a soft thump. I crossed the space in four strides as the man began to get up. I kicked him in the head causing him to fall back to the floor. I reached down and grabbed one of his hands and pulled up. I put a foot on his neck, making sure he wouldn’t try to move again.

“If you wanted my memory of that day all you had to do was ask.”

I pulled on his arm and heard it separate from his shoulder. I dropped it to the ground and looked up. I found several pairs of eyes staring down at me.

“Enjoy the show?” I sneered.

“You are very capable it seems,” someone said. “Perhaps more than what we saw.”

“Stay out of my head,” I said very carefully.

 “We like to use the element of surprise when it comes to viewing people’s memories. We couldn’t just trust that you would tell the truth. After all you are a Slayer.”

Michael’s uncle stepped out of the shadows in the corner on the other side of the room. He approached me slowly, his eyes looking me up and down.

“And you are a Vampire. My instincts tell me not to trust you either. And after your statement, I’m starting to think that my instincts may be right.”

I felt my bond tingle and I looked around for Michael. He was near. I could feel it. I was very angry at that moment. I was angry at him, I was angry at Luke. Why hadn’t they tried to stop it? Then memories from that morning came to mind. Michael told me this would happen. I could feel through the bond that he wasn’t supposed to. But he knew the pain that memory caused and he wanted me to be prepared for it. He wasn’t even prepared for the pain it had caused me and in turn caused him.

I’d been stabbed and he felt like he was the one who was stabbed.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I had to disentangle myself from his mind and emotions.

I looked up at his uncle. “The next time you want to know something, just ask. You pull something like this again you will be the one on the floor wondering why you can’t feel your hand.”

He laughed. I heard a door open behind me and I whirled around. Relief flooded through me when I saw Luke and Michael’s faces. I ran over and Michael cradled me in his arms.

“There is something you might want to know about my nephew, Ms. Vertigo.”

I turned my head and looked in his general direction. Michael’s arms instinctively wrapped tighter around me.

“And what’s that?” I said softly but strongly.

“He is his mother’s son. You shouldn’t trust what he says, no matter how honest he looks when he says it.”

I turned around in Michael’s arms and looked at his uncle. He had a satisfied look on his face.

“I know quite well who and what Michael is. You are her brother. But I’m sure there is only one difference between you and her. You are alive, she is not. I’m sure both you and her would like you to remain that way.”