Soul Bound

Chapter Thirteen

"We'll make this quick, Binder."

I snort. Like anything this guy does is quick.

Judge spins, slowly, to face me, his features already in that look of disgust again. I feel Dunn and Hicks step closer to me. Finn walks around to take up post next to me.  

"Where does your loyalty lie, Binder? That is the only question I will ask you today. Choose your answer carefully."

"With Finn," I answer.

"Mr. Byrom has neutrality in this fight. You do not. You must pledge your loyalty to the Order or I will be forced to take action."

Judge seems to hold his breath, waiting for my response. Finn nods his head. He wants me to lie. To tell them I'm on their side.

River gently squeezes my leg.

Speak, Wolf encourages.

And I know she's telling me to speak from my heart.

I take a deep breath and a step forward, putting myself as close to Judge as possible without touching him. "The Order has killed thousands of my kind for thousands of years. You've hunted them down with no mercy, slaughtering them because you're afraid. You should be afraid. Because we are not your prey." I can feel the fury coming off of Judge in hot waves that make beads of sweat surface on my forehead. I swallow, but continue. "I'm not on the Transmutes' side. And I'm sure as hell not on your side either. They come here, you come here, and you threaten me and my pa-family, and you expect me to take it sitting down? And then to take a side? Well you know what?"

Finn grabs my wrist and tugs me back, but the words leave my mouth before he can stop them.

"Screw. You."

My eyes are locked with Judge's. I don't blink, even when his pupils dilate to black out his eyes then slowly contract again. Everyone is holding their breath, but mine comes out calm and evenly. I'm not scared of him anymore. I'm not scared of any of them. They're used to soul binders cowering at their power. I'll be damned if I ever cower at a vampire again. 

Judge breaks eye contact first and nods at his manservants who walk out of the room. I can feel Dunn and Hicks tense behind me as they brush past us.

Judge glances at me briefly, his lips a thin line, and says, slowly walking around us, "Very well."

Nothing more.

When the door slams behind us, River slides out of my pant leg and shifts back. Dunn curses with surprise.

River and Finn exchange mismatched looks, River's proud and satisfied, Finn's worried and tense. Then River pulls me into a hug and I'm suddenly a thousand times more nervous than I was facing up to one of the deadliest vampires in the Order.

Dunn clears his throat and River backs away, trying hard not to smile, while Finn does nothing to hide his frown.

This is definitely going to come back to bite me in the ass.

Then I realize that Judge is going to be walking past the kids. The last thing I want is for him to see anyone important to me, especially human children.

Without a word, I rush out the door, Dunn calling after me, and down the stairs the stairs to the main area. Through the line of fridges I can see Blythe's desk. It's empty. No Blythe. No Niki or T.K.

It feels like my lungs have collapsed and my breath hitches in my throat. Wolf is a tornado of rage and worry in my head. There's a whoosh next to me and Finn appears.

"Finn, where are they? Oh my god, did Judge take them? What if something's happened?" I start rushing towards the main doors, planning to chase Judge to the ends of the Earth if I have to, but Finn catches my arm. River, Dunn and Hicks come rushing down the stairs and stand there confused and worried. 

I spin to face him and tell him to let go in less than nice words, but he's pointing at a door towards the other end of the Bank. It slowly opens and that's when their scents hit me. Simon, Niki, and T.K. emerge from behind the door and the kids come racing towards me, all smiles.

The sight of their happy faces restores me completely. I rush to them, scooping them both up in my arms. Blythe comes walking up behind them and I mouth "thank you" at her. She rolls her eyes and puts a hand on her hip.

"You guys okay, then?" I say, setting them down to look them over.

"Yes, of course," Simon says. "Don't think so little of me that I would let Mr. Byrom endanger my children."

"No, no, I just—I was just worried. I get it now. We're all safe here." I look at the team of vampires and other security around the building. All armed and deadly.

"Ms. Blythe played lava floor with us! She's really good!" Niki exclaims, looking back at Blythe.

I stare at her, unable to shut my gaping mouth.

"I'm really good at everything." Blythe shrugs and then walks away, high heels clicking with each step and a proud sway to her hips, back to her desk.

"Bye, Ms. Blythe," T.K. yells after her.

Niki leans in close to me, "I forgot she was a vampire. She's one of the nice ones, huh?"

I'm pretty sure I almost have a heart attack at his words.