Breaking Fate

Chapter 5

Saving Her

The hunter still struggled against my hold as the realization dawned on me that I firmly believed her. With great reluctance and a soft noise of resignation, I released my hold on her, enabling her to fall to the floor of the clearing. When I saw the bruising on her neck, highlighted by the shadows formed by the moon, I winced. Leaving a mark hadn't been my intention. But, when she rolled towards the tall weeds nearby, I wasn't surprised by her quickness as she retrieved her weapon then held it out, pointing it towards me as if she were ready to attack.

Her stance didn't worry me. If she did attack, I'd easily disarm her, though her expert pose had me wondering how skilled she could be if she worked with Timothy. Or, even better, if I worked with her, trained her, got drenched in sweat with her on the mats...she might even become good enough to beat Tim, who was the best in the American Order. Besides me.

For several moments, we stared at each other, though I felt no fear, either in myself or in the woman. I only grew worried when I suddenly heard footsteps in the distance. I recognized the light tread of Liza and Ryker and others walking who I knew from their footfalls did not belong to one of my trusted American Order supernaturals.

Any moment, they'd be upon us. The people I didn't know would see the hunter, and there wouldn't be much I could do to prevent her from being detained. And once she was detained, the entire party would know a hunter had infiltrated the ranks. The Head Order would demand I remand her to their custody, and I'd have to because I was sworn to obey their orders.

Then they'd kill her.

And I wouldn't allow that, although why I wouldn't allow it, I didn't know.

She needed to get out of here, so I turned to her and whispered. "Run."

"Don't tell me what to do, King Vampire."

Her words had my eyebrows raised in surprise as I watched her tear her gaze away from me and lift her dress, giving me a generous view of her body as she returned her weapon to its holster. She seemed so calm, so recklessly unaware of the danger she was in.

I sighed as I grabbed her bracelet from the ground and tossed it to her. "It's too late to run now. At least put that on."

"Screw you."

I snapped then, hearing my old accent seeping into my words, my lilted tone that I thought I'd lost centuries ago. "Now who's the dumb one? What do you think they'll do when they find dead vampires and a hunter? If I pinned this on you, it would be far less complicated than admitting I killed delegates from another Order. Do as I say, and you may make it out of this alive. Put on the bracelet to hide your tattoo."

She huffed melodramatically as she snapped her bracelet into place before reluctantly agreeing. "Fine. But when we're done here, you're gonna at least buy me a new pair of shoes. Mine are ruined."

A quick glance told me ‌she was correct, although her shoes were made of cheap vinyl anyway. Feet like that deserved real leather, at least. But I didn't tell her this as I murmured. "Play along."

"With what?"

I didn't bother explaining as I grabbed her wrist, telling myself I didn't enjoy the feeling of her skin against my fingertips. "Just act like you're terrified, and...try not to stab anyone. They need to believe you're a random, helpless human."

She struggled against my hold, and I knew she was contemplating whether she should attack me again or play along with whatever scheme I had going on in my head. "What are you doing?"

"I'm returning the favor. You saved my life. I'm saving yours. Then we'll be even." Once my words were finished, the supernaturals finally reached us and entered the clearing. Eliza was in the lead, moonlight glinting beautifully off her iridescent suit. Ryker and a few others were there, too. And a smattering of security team leads from the other orders. The others took in the macabre scene in the clearing with dark, skeptical gazes, although nobody appeared to be particularly alarmed. That was good.