Renegade: Volume 2 (5 page)

I
slowly opened my eyes. I was laying on a cool floor. My memory came rushing
back, and I scrambled to my feet and looked around. I was in some kind of cell.
I yelled in anger and hit the door, but it didn’t budge. I couldn’t believe
this was happening. I looked at my watch. It was a little after eleven. I still
had time if I could get out of wherever I was. I kept trying the door, but it
was useless. The room was a barren room with stone walls and a stone floor.
Aubrey made sure nothing was left in the room that could be used as a tool. The
exterior door opened and a blinding light filled the room. I walked to the door
of the cell and looked up toward the light. I was hoping it would be someone I
could reason with.

The
female vampire from Aubrey’s club came into view, and I scowled. This was going
to be nearly impossible.

“He
said to give you some water,” she said as she offered me a glass.

“You
have to let me out. The marshal is going to kill him,” I pleaded hoping she
would listen.

She
bit her lip and looked away. “I know, but he told me you had to stay here.”

“Don’t
be a fool! I can save him!” I yelled furious with the girl.

She
looked away nervously. “He said…” she said softly.

“Fuck
what he said. If you don’t let me out you will never see him again. Don’t you
care?” I was trying not to yell, but it was impossible. I had to get free
before the marshal arrived at midnight.

She
scowled. “Of course I care. I do what he says all the time so he knows I care.
If he wants to die that is his choice. Just be happy he cares about you enough
to keep you safe,” she said huffily then marched out.

I
groaned and sat on the floor against the wall. This was a horrible feeling. I
was useless. Aubrey would die and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The
door opened again and I scrambled to my feet. I was hoping the girl changed her
mind.

Relief
washed over me when Colin came in the room followed by Drake. “Thank god, get
me the hell out of here,” I said hoping Colin was still on my side.

Colin
smiled as he produced a key. “Aubrey isn’t going to be very happy about this,”
he said amused as he unlocked the door.

“At
least he will be alive so he has a chance to be mad,” I countered as I hurried
past him.

They
stayed close on my heels as I hurried up the stairs. We were in the club. I
only had twenty minutes to get home and get the guns. “My car is outside,”
Colin said as if he was reading my mind.

I
nodded and followed him out to his car. I only had a few minutes to prepare for
my next move.

Colin
parked down the street from the house. I didn’t want him to park anywhere
obvious. I needed to be able to sneak in.

“How
are you going to do this?” Colin asked softly.

“I
wanted to catch him before he got into the house, but I think that plan is out
the window. I am just going to take the shot as soon as I get the chance,” I
said quietly.

He
nodded. “I will be around in case you need back up. Drake and a couple of his
wolves are surrounding the place as well. Call on them if you need them.”

“Ok,”
I said softly then hesitated as I went to get out. “Thank you Colin,” I said
quietly.

He
smiled tightly then nodded. I climbed out and made my way toward the house.

I
scaled the house near my window. I had done it so many times before. My window
was unlocked which was a relief. I climbed in and immediately went for the gun
case in the closet. I checked the guns to make sure they were loaded. I stuck
them in my waistband then grabbed one of my hoodies and slid it on.

I
was so nervous I was shaking. I took a deep breath trying to relax. I had to get
through this or people I loved would end up dead. I peeked out my bedroom door.
The hall was clear so I hurried toward the stairs. I could hear the clamor of
people downstairs. I checked my watch, it was almost midnight. Hopefully there
would be enough people for me to move among unnoticed. I made it to the main
room, and like I thought it was filled with people. Aubrey, Kai, Luca, and my
uncle stood near the center. I moved up toward the front of the crowd careful
not to catch anyone’s attention. I took my position and waited. I was so
nervous. I brushed my fingers over the gun. The feeling of cold steel reassured
me. I felt a little more confident.

The
room quieted and my eyes darted to the figure that caught everyone’s attention.
The marshal had arrived. He walked toward Aubrey with a smile on his face that
suggested he was satisfied. My hand gripped the gun as I moved forward to find
a better position.

“I
am actually surprised you showed up. I thought I would have another young male
hunter to add to my collection,” the marshal said amused as he stopped a few
feet from Aubrey.

“Release
you hold on the boy. I am willing to go with you without a fight,” Aubrey said
firmly.

“I’m
not worried about that. You don’t have to go anywhere. I have been authorized
to kill you on the spot,” the marshal said amused. I saw him move to attack and
I didn’t hesitate.

I
drew the gun and emptied the clip into him. People were screaming and running.
He turned to ash in front of me. I was relieved as soon as he turned to ash, the
marshal was dead. I looked over at Aubrey and the others. They were watching me
like I grew another head. Maybe I had, but I felt a lot better. I didn’t know
what to say as they watched me.

“What
did you do?” Aubrey yelled angrily as he stormed over to me.

“What
I had to,” I said defiantly.

“You
killed a marshal! You signed your death warrant!” he was yelling which
surprised me. He never yelled. If anything he was always too calm and collected.

I
didn’t know why, but I smiled. I was now on the opposite side of the argument.
It wasn’t but a couple days ago that I was saying the same thing to him.

“Why
are you smiling?” he growled as he watched me confused.

I
shrugged. “No reason.” I looked over at my uncle. I could tell by the look in
his eyes that he was furious. I had broken one of our most important laws. He
would disown me for this and I knew it. I looked back at Aubrey. “I should go,”
I said softly. He didn’t speak, he looked like he didn’t know what to say. I
turned and walked toward the exit. I needed to get away from the place before
my uncle went off. I wasn’t sure if I was strong enough to hear what he had to
say.

Colin
was waiting for me at the road. I was relieved that he hadn’t left. I needed a
ride. I didn’t dare ask my uncle if I could stay. He straightened when he saw
me. “I am assuming he is dead,” he said sounding hopeful.

“A
pile of dust,” I said quietly as I climbed into the passenger seat.

He
got in the car and immediately set off toward the warehouse. “Is everything
ok?” he asked softly like he sensed there was something wrong.

I
shook my head. I didn’t speak. I wasn’t sure if I could without crying. The
memory of my family’s expression made my chest hurt. In their minds I had
betrayed them, and the thought hurt me.

He
reached over and touched my hand. I froze and looked over at him. I wasn’t sure
if I was comfortable with him touching me. I knew he was trying to comfort me.
He obviously sensed my discomfort because he immediately removed his hand from
mine. “It will all work out,” he said softly as he looked straight ahead.

I
wished I could believe him, but I was beginning to think my trouble was just
beginning. The thought continued to haunt me as Colin parked the car in front
of the warehouse. I immediately got out and walked to the office. I needed
sleep. I didn’t want to talk to anyone or make any more decisions. Colin went
off to speak with Drake so I was alone. I laid down on the couch and placed my
arm over my eyes. I knew I wasn’t going to sleep very easily, but I was going
to try.

The
commotion just outside the office startled me awake. I rolled to my feet and
gripped the handle of one of the guns. I could hear Colin and Drake’s voice.
They were yelling at someone. I stepped out of the office and almost ran into
Aubrey.

“We
need to talk,” he growled as he grabbed my arm and pushed me back into the
office. He slammed the door in Colin’s face as Colin attempted to come in the
office as well.

“How
did you find me?” I asked as I watched him pace in front of me. I was a little
surprised a vampire could find the renegades. I was assuming the renegades were
careful with the location of the warehouse.

“Let’s
just say your little group is not as secretive or as hard to infiltrate as you
think. What were you thinking when you killed that death marshal?” he asked
changing the subject. He was glaring at me and the intensity of his gaze was
hard to handle.

“I
did what I had to. They have no right to push us around,” I said standing my
ground. I wasn’t going to waiver because of his hostile expression. He did the
same thing I did by agreeing to the truce in the first place.

He
scoffed. “I don’t think they care about what is right and what is wrong. You
are going to end up on a high priority execution list for this. These people
aren’t like the dumb overzealous vampires you are used too hunting.”

“Everyone
has to die. I may not survive the night. Isn’t that what you told me?” I asked
matching his tone.

He
watched me with a look of disbelief. “Is it your mission to die then?”

“Is
it yours?” I countered. He was the one who started the whole thing by
attempting to sacrifice himself. Then he had the nerve to drug me because he
thought I would screw up his self-righteous plan.

“Damn
it Lillian, this isn’t about me! This is about you!” he growled as he began to
pace again. It was like he was trying to figure out a way to fix things. I knew
there was no fixing this. I had come to terms with that when I decided to use
the gun.

“You
should go. I am sure Colin and the others are getting antsy with a master
vampire in the building,” I said softly as I walked toward the door.

He
caught my wrist as I passed him. He pulled me into him so my body was pressed
against his. I felt my chest tighten as the breath left my body in surprise at
his sudden closeness. He was so close to me his lips were almost touching mine.
I looked into his turquoise eyes, and I felt like I was falling into them.
“This is not over Lillian. I will not allow you to kill yourself because you
are on some mission to rid the world of vampires,” he said softly.

“There
is nothing you can do to stop this now. Just stay out of my way,” I said trying
to regain my composure.

He
watched me for a minute longer then he pressed his lips to mine. His tongue
touched mine and I felt my body heat up. I tangled my fingers in his hair
returning his desperate kiss. There was something about him that made it
impossible for me to pull away even though the rational part of my brain was
screaming at me and calling me an idiot.

He
suddenly broke the kiss and I sagged in his arms. My eyes drifted from his soft
lips to his brilliant turquoise eyes. His expression was hard to read, but it
was caught somewhere between anger, confusion, and something else. It was
something I couldn’t figure out. As quickly as I saw it his expression went
blank. He was back to being the cold hearted vampire. “You should go,” I said
again as I stepped away from him.

“You
should quit pretending you feel nothing for me,” he said softly.

“Caring
about people only gets me hurt,” I countered as I turned to walk away. I didn’t
like how intense the situation had gotten. I needed to escape like I always did
when things got too serious.

He
caught my wrist again and I hesitated, but didn’t turn to look back at him.
“There are some things you cannot control Lillian. Love is one of those things.
It doesn’t matter how hard you try to fight you will always love and you will
always get hurt.”

“Love
only causes pain,” I said softly then I pulled my hand free and walked out
leaving him there.

“What
the hell is going on?” Colin asked as I pushed past him and Drake.

“Nothing,”
I muttered as I continued on my way. I didn’t feel like explaining it to them.
I wasn’t even sure there was anything to explain. I was lost and confused. My
mother’s guidance would have come in handy at this point, but she was gone. It
was so much simpler for me to pretend I didn’t feel.

I
drove to my favorite beach. I parked in a public parking spot then walked to a
bench that was facing the water. I sat down and looked out over the water as
the sun started to peek above the horizon. It was a beautiful view. I loved
this place. It was the last place I had gone with my parents before their
death. After they died Luca always brought me here because he claimed it was my
happy place. I wasn’t feeling very happy at the moment, but I did love this
spot.

“How
did I know you would be here?” Luca asked amused as he walked toward me.

I
stiffened at first, but relaxed when I realized he was alone. I wasn’t ready to
face my uncle. I couldn’t explain to him why I killed the marshal. I wasn’t
sure if he would really even understand. I wasn’t sure I even understood. “What
are you doing here?” I asked quietly as I looked back out over the water.

He
took a seat next to me. “Looking for you of course. I was worried about you
after everything that happened.”

“I’m
fine,” I muttered. “I am sure my uncle wouldn’t approve of you talking to me.”

“Well
it is a good thing I don’t care what your uncle thinks,” he said as he nudged
me playfully.

I
smiled slightly. “How mad is he?”

He
shrugged as he picked up a small shell out of the sand. “I think he is more
worried than anything. You are following in your parents footsteps and as you
can see it didn’t end well for them.”

I
looked down at my hands. I wasn’t sure what to say. I decided to be honest with
Luca and hope he would offer some advice. “I couldn’t let him die,” I said
softly.

“I
am assuming you are talking about Aubrey,” he said sounding slightly annoyed. I
could tell he was trying hard to mask his feelings. He just wasn’t very good at
it.

“Yes.
I can’t get him out of my head. It is infuriating sometimes. I think about him
dying and it feels like a knife is being driven through my chest,” I said
quietly. I shivered at just the thought of the feeling. I couldn’t imagine how
it would feel if he really died.

“Do
you love him?” he asked as he watched me.

I
thought about it for a minute. The truth was I really didn’t know. I didn’t
know him well enough to say I loved him. I couldn’t let myself get that close
to him. “I can’t love him,” I said softly.

He
nodded like he understood. “I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but I
am going to say it anyway. I don’t like the guy; then again I don’t like any
guy that you date, but you are being unfair to Aubrey.”

I
looked at him a little startled. I never thought in a million years he would
defend Aubrey. “What do you mean?”

He
shrugged and looked back at the little shell he was playing with. “I mean he
didn’t kill your parents so why are you treating him like he did?”

I
scowled. “I know he didn’t kill my parents, but he is a vampire and…”

“And
vampires are all murderers because one vampire killed your parents,” he said
cutting me off.

I
looked at him for a minute then looked away. He was right. My uncle had said
something similar to me before. I was just too stubborn to listen. If I
couldn’t blame every vampire I saw; then I wouldn’t have anyone to blame. “How
do I get past this? How do I even attempt to give him a chance?”

“I
don’t know. That is between you and him, but he wouldn’t have done all he has
if he didn’t have a reason, and as good looking and cool as I am; I just don’t
think I am his reason,” he teased as he nudged me again.

I
laughed and shook my head. I knew he was right. Everything Aubrey had done was
for me, and in a way everything I had done was for him. The old me would have
never thought twice about letting a vampire sacrifice himself for Tanner. I
wasn’t too sure if I liked this new me. She was emotional and annoying. “What
do I do now?” I asked hoping he would have an answer.

“Whatever
you have too to survive,” he said like it was simple.

“Colin
thinks we can stand against the vampire council and the death marshals. What do
you think?” I was only asking because I was hoping he would say something
positive and comforting like he always seemed to do.

“I
think it is going to be difficult, but if anyone can do it, you can,” he said
softly.

I
smiled at him as I leaned into him. “Thank you.”

He
laughed softly. “For what?”

I
sighed. “For making me feel a little less like a monster.”

“You
aren’t a monster. You are just young and maybe a little excitable,” he said
amused.

I
shoved him. “I am good at what I do,” I countered.

He
laughed as he stood. “You are right. If I ever become a vampire I will not be
sticking around.”

I
grinned. “I wouldn’t hurt you.”

He
looked at me like he didn’t believe me. “I think that would depend on your
mood.”

I
rolled my eyes and stood as well. “I should get back. I need to get some sleep.
I feel like I haven’t slept in days.”

He
nodded. “I should go to. Stay out of trouble and call me if you need me,” he
said then pulled me into a hug.

I
closed my eyes as I relaxed against him. “I will, I promise,” I said softly. I
hated that we had to go our separate ways. I liked having Luca around when I
was having a bad day. Normally I would be sleeping in his bed tonight, but
things weren’t normal anymore.