Hero's Revenge (Keepers of Justice, Book 2) (19 page)

Sunlight beats down on my face. When I open my eyes, I see the sky. I’m lying on my back. Outdoors. Glancing around, I take in the greenery, the smell of fresh summer air.

I’m on a mountain. There is no snow.

A shadow passes above me. I squint up and see Stealth standing there. She’s not in a Blade uniform, but a T-shirt and jeans. Her hair is white now—identical to Vlayne’s. She must have had it dyed as a disguise. Biting her lip and furrowing her eyebrows, she gives me an unsure smile.

I know this isn’t a dream. I would never dream
of her as a villain.

Backing
away, I scout the area for Vlayne and the ShadowBlades. No one else seems to be here, but I know Vlayne may be playing tricks on my mind.

Stealth reaches to touch my shoulder, but I shove her hand off. “Don’t.” I give her a hard glare.

“No one else is here. I misted us to this mountain so we can be alone and talk.”

I turn away from her. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”

She drops to her knees beside me. “Then hear me out. Trust me. I didn’t bring you here to capture or kill you.”

Turning around, I give her another glare. “Take me back.”

She doesn’t say anything as she stares at me. I face my back to her once more.

“Did he make it back okay?” she asks. “Stretch?”

What was that?

I spin around and our eyes meet. “You’re res
ponsible for his resurrection?”

Nodding, she scoots closer to me and lifts her hand to my cheek. I slap it away. “I told you not to touch me.”

“Jericho—”

“Don’t call me that
! You of all people…damn.” I shove my hands in my hair and tug. “It was all a game to you.”

“No, Jericho.”

I clench my teeth.

“It wasn’t,” she continues, her voice desperate. “At first it was. My mother ordered me to get close to you so you’d develop feelings—”

“I don’t want to hear this.”

She grabs my shirt. “Please. I love you.”

I scoff and push her hands off.

“I didn’t know why I had to get close to you. She didn’t tell me details. All I needed to do was get
you to fall in love with me.
That’s why I agreed to go undercover and join the Nightmares. My mom created a whole past to me. Being locked up and forced to steal. Running away from home. All of it was fake. Except for my feelings for you. Those were—still are—real.”

I look at her. “It’s no longer in my brain.” Samson and Cindy
hid the formula somewhere Vlayne can’t get her hands on. I don’t know where. “Not in the League, either,” I continue, narrowing my eyes. “If your mom wants to start up with us, give her a message: I’m ready.”

She
doesn’t say anything for a few seconds. “I don’t know what my mom has planned. I don’t know if she’s coming after the Keepers.”

I
’m quiet for a bit before I say, “You could have killed Samson or Cindy any time. Why didn’t you?”

“
For years my mother kept me a secret. She didn’t want anyone to know about me. I was her secret weapon. But she was so desperate for the cure she was willing to risk exposing me to the League. She didn’t tell me to kill anyone because that wasn’t her goal.”

That might be her new goal, now that the
formula is hidden.

“I came here to explain
everything to you,” she says. “I want you to know the truth of how I’ve felt. Of how I still feel.” She pushes her hair behind her ear. “The more time I spent with you, the closer I felt to you. I felt these things I shouldn’t have. I dreamed about you, thought about you all the time.” She laughs a little. “Really awkward when you have your mother constantly in your head. She hid my thoughts so the telepaths in the League wouldn’t discover who I really was.”

Vlayne had been spying on us the entire time. Spying on me. The League.

“She didn’t care about any of that,” Stealth says, as if she’s reading my mind. “I didn’t know it then, but all she wanted was the formula. Her plan was to get us very close, have her people kidnap me, and you rescue me. I didn’t know why. I didn’t know you had something in your head that she wanted. I was just following orders.”

I don’t say anything. Don’t want to listen to this anymore.

She rests her hand on my arm and squeezes. “My mother realized my feelings for you were real. But she didn’t care. All she wanted was that cure.” She slowly looks up at me. “It’s for my dad.”

I stare at her. Vlayne’s
boyfriend is Stealth’s father? Something shifts inside me, but I shake it off. Why should I care about her father?

“I never met him,” Stealth says. “I’m not sure he knows about me.”

Again, I don’t say anything. If she’s after pity, she’s not getting it from me.

“I’m in love with you
. That’s why I freed you from my mom and told you to go somewhere safe. My mother wasn’t exactly happy about that.”

She’s gazing at me, waiting for my reaction. I focus on the grass.

“Jericho, please.”

My eyes snap to hers. “Why should I believe you, Ella? If that’s even your name.”

“It is.” She bends closer and rests her hands on either side of my face. “I know you believe me. I can see it in your eyes.”

No. I pull my head back.
How could I believe her? She’s Vlayne’s daughter. Yet as I fixate my gaze on her, I can’t help but know in my heart that she’s telling the truth. Why else would she risk Vlayne’s wrath by saving my life?

“I resurrected him for you,” she whispers.
“For Kale, too, but mostly for you.” She looks at me. “Is Kale okay?”

“What are you talking about
that you resurrected him for me?”

“You were so sad and full of hatred and rage. You missed him so much. I asked my mother to
bring him back.”

“How?”

She swallows hard. “I can’t tell you.”

I get to my feet, turn my back to her, and shove my hands into my pockets. “I don’t need favors from Vlayne.”

I hear her step closer to me. Soon her hand is on my back. “It was a favor from me. Because I care about you. I knew how much you wanted him back. I—I want you to be happy.”

I clench my fists. Too many emotions run through my body. I want to yell, punch something,
take Stealth in my arms and kiss her. I want things to go back to the way they were, but that’s impossible.

“How,” I repeat.

“Jericho—”

I turn around. “I want to know.”

She bites her lip. “We know someone who can bring people back from the dead.”

“A Blade.”

She tilts her head to the left. “This person can’t use his powers often. My mother owns him and decides who to resurrect.”

“Why doesn’t she use him to resurrect your father
, once he dies? Why go through all this for the antidote?”

She shakes her head. “This guy resurrects people in the state they were when they died. My father would come back to life with the virus.” Her eyes meet mine. “
He needs the antidote.”

I look away from her. I don’t want to talk about
this. Don’t want it to remind me that we’re supposed to be enemies. But there’s one question swirling around in my head. “Why didn’t Vlayne kill me as a baby?”

“I
don’t know, but she had a reason. She always does.”

“Does she want something else from me?”

“I don’t think so. All she wanted was the formula.”

I’m relieved Vlayne’s not after me anymore, but am I supposed to be thankful that she spared my life? Hell no.

Stealth takes my hand. “Jericho. When I asked my mom to bring Stretch back, she refused. I begged and begged and begged. She allowed it on one condition.”

T
ears enter her eyes. Watching them drip down her face breaks my heart. I move closer and pull her into my arms.

“What’s the condition?” I say softly.

She pushes off and looks into my eyes. “I grew up with villains and I didn’t think much about it. Because that’s the life I was used to. But when I joined the Keepers, I saw a whole different way of life. No one was evil or wanted to hurt anyone. I had friends…something I never had before.” She stops talking for a bit, then continues. “I loved living with the Keepers and wanted to become one of you. I didn’t want to be a Blade anymore. I wanted to be with you, Jericho.”

This is news to me. Stealth was willing to give up villainy to be with the League? With me?

“My mother knew how I felt,” she continues. “That’s why she made a deal with me.”

I’m still staring at her. She takes a deep breath. “The only way she allowed
Stretch to be resurrected was if I agreed to stay with the ShadowBlades and take over as leader one day.”

I slide to the ground. Then I slowly look up at her. “You traded a life of honesty and
integrity to resurrect my best friend?”

She nods. “My mother can be evil, but she can’t force me to be a
ShadowBlade. She doesn’t want a puppet, but true loyalty. She knows this is the only way to keep me grounded. She let me talk to you for one last time.”

I don’t say anything. Learning that the girl I love, who actually love
s me in return, can no longer be with me sends a knife through my heart. I feel like I’ve been thrown off a cliff and smashed against the rocks below.

This is too much to bear. I stand up and pace around the mountain. I’ve gained Stretch, but I’ve lost Stealth. I can’t choose one over the other. I want them both. I need them both.

I won’t accept this. I
can’t
.

Stealth wraps her hands around my waist and buries her head in my chest. “This is goodbye,” she whispers. “Forever.”

I hold her tightly, never wanting to let go. “You can’t leave me,” I mutter.

“I’m sorry
. It was the only way.”

“Thank you.” My voice cracks. “For bringing him back.”

She squeezes me. “I know how much he means to you.”

She presses her lips against my temple, then gradually moves to my cheek. Then my mouth. I
hug her close, swallowing her lips. Heat radiates all over my body as my breathing grows rapid. I don’t want this to end.

“Jericho,” she says in a low voice when we pause to breathe. “I’ll miss you.”

“No,” I mumble. “You can’t leave.”

Her sad eyes flick to mine. “I have no choice.”

She brings her hand to the side of my face and caresses my cheek. “I love you.” She backs away, dropping her hand. I reach to catch it, but she transforms into a cloud of mist and circles me.

I stare through the fog, feeling the smoke touch every inch of my body. I shut my eyes.

When I open them, she’s gone.

I collapse to the
ground. “Ella,” I whisper, feeling tears trickle down my cheeks. “This isn’t goodbye. I’ll free you from her.”

I stand up, walk over to the edge of the mountain, and look down. Vlayne has done too much. It’s time to
take her down once and for all.

Note: This excerpt contains profanity.

“Elvis, feet off the furniture.”

Mom barges into the room. Steps in front of the TV.

I munch on a potato chip. “Name’s Cruiser.”

She folds her arms over her chest. Stares me down. I clench my jaw.

“You’ve been back only a week and all you’ve been doing is stuffing your face with junk and watching even more junk on that damn TV. Why can’t you be more like your brother? Reagan spends his afternoons out with his friends, or playing the violin, or doing extracurricular activities—”

“I get it.”

She shuts her mouth. Lifts a finger. “Don’t interrupt me.”

I’m sixteen years old. Don’t go wagging your finger at me.

She steps closer to me. Hovers. “I don’t know what nonsense your grandfather put in your head, but in my house we do as I say. And right now, you’re getting up and cleaning this mess.” She gestures to the potato chip bags and empty soda cans cluttering the table and couch. “Do you understand me?”

“I get it. Can I watch my show now?”

She pushes my legs off the table. Stomps out of the room. I prop them back on and tune in to
Navy SEALS: Untold Stories
.

A soft voice floats in through the window. Plants itself in the depths of my soul. I grunt and stalk over, preparing my mind for the sight I know will hurt me. I push aside the curtain and peer out. Almost drag it back when I see her sitting on his lap.

Lex Woods.

She’s cuddling my brother as they sway back and forth on the swing my parents built when we were little. Her wavy black hair blows in the wind. My hands itch to run down her body, slide down her thigh. I imagine sneaking in kisses as the wind carries her hair off her neck. Wish I
could pluck her off the swing, into my arms.

I snap the shade shut. My twin never bothered to send me the memo that they got together. Six months ago. Not even an email.

I plop down on the couch.

The lovebirds appear ten minutes later, hand in hand. I yank my eyes away from their interlocked fingers, to the TV screen.

Rey drops himself on the adjacent recliner. “Pass the chips, Cruise.”

I grab the bag and hand it over. Keep my eyes on Rey. I don’t want to meet her gaze. Can’t. Haven’t seen her in
over a year. She’s so beautiful.

She sits on the recliner’s armrest
and twists her body away from me.

Rey chomps on some chips. Washes them down with my nearly-empty can of soda. Flicks it at my face. I catch it in my hand and hurl it back at him. Rey’s what you’d call physically uncoordinated, so it comes as no surprise that the can bounces off his shoulder and onto the floor.

My gaze creeps to Lex. Her eyes are on my face, for half a second. She jumps to her feet and says, “Let’s go.”

“Where are you two off to?” I ask.

“This new restaurant opened down by the beach.” Rey stands and puts an arm around his girl, pulling her close. “Derek told me they have these sweet baby ribs.” He grins down at her. “Perfect for our special night.”

“Special night?”

“Our six month anniversary.”

Fuck.

“Have fun.” I turn back to the military channel.

“Man, you need to find a chick and double date with us sometime.”

I emit a fake laugh. “I got enough girls lining up, Rey.”

Lex tugs on his arm. “I want to be back in an hour. Rosie’s coming home from
physical therapy.”

My eyes slowly trek to hers. “How is she?”

She presses her lips together before saying, “None of your business,” then grabs Rey’s arm and pulls him out of the living room. I mute the TV. Though they’re whispering, I hear every word perfectly. Must be twin telepathy or something.

“Hey, hey,” Rey says. “He was just asking.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, and I should stop blaming him for everything that happened. But I just feel like…never mind. Let’s go.”

“Sure you’re okay?”

A seven-second pause. Yeah, I counted.

“Let’s go,” she says again.

The door shuts.

I get to my feet and scan the room.
It’s not such a mess. I almost forgot how crazy Mom gets.

After cleaning up, I stretch my arms. Walk to the door. I feel like going for a ride.

Mom’s on the phone in the kitchen. Dad’s at work. Rey’s out with Lex.

No one will miss me.