They both walk back to the car, and I turn around, heading for the door when I feel something smooth slide into my hand. I feel the paper in my palm, and I turn around, searching for who it was, but no one is looking my way. Feeling like I should keep this a secret until I’ve read it, I pop the note into my jean pocket and get into the car. Reign is putting the seat belt on the kid in the back seat, and the kid stares at me.
“I want to go home,” he tells me. Not in a pleading kid way, but like an adult telling me they want a coffee or something similar. I open and close my mouth once, unsure what to say, feeling Reign’s eyes on me.
“Where is your home?” I eventually ask. He cocks his head to the side and then points at the ground.
“Underground?” I ask, and he nods, turning his head away, clearly done with talking to me. Reign slams the back door shut and climbs into the driver’s seat, pulling the car away through the streets as I clip my seat belt on. I lower my voice. “What do you think he meant by underground? Is there much under this island?”
“The tunnels and room you saw is the lowest I am aware of, but witches built this island. They might know more than we do,” he replies. “I will contact Maddox to speak to his witch friend.”
“Which one?” I ask, and Reign looks sharply towards me for a second, confusion in his eyes.
“Only one witch clan leader speaks to us, her people are not allowed on this island. Who else did my brother see?” he demands.
Feeling like I’ve just said something I shouldn’t have, I sink back in my seat. Too late to go back now. “A witch called Gillian. She was here to make a trade with Maddox for this ring. He wanted to know where the third orb is and why the children keep appearing.”
Reign doesn’t speak for a long time, not until we are out of the city and driving through the forest. “We do not deal with that clan.”
“I understand why,” I reply.
Reign frowns. “So my brother does talk to you a lot. I hope you are not changing your mind about our deal. I have noticed how you smell like Maddox much more today than ever before.”
My cheeks burn as I look away. “I have not changed my mind.”
“Good, because once you live with me, I will not let you see Maddox. It is for your own good as much as it is his,” he tells me, and something in my chest hurts at the idea of not seeing Maddox ever again and living in Reign’s house for the rest of my life. But somewhere along the way, this island has made me forget my true plan.
To escape.
Vampires and whatever I am feeling for Maddox be damned.
“I understand,” I reply.
His voice goes sharp. “No, you do not or you wouldn’t wear that goddamn ring! You wouldn’t fuck Maddox!”
My voice raises a little. “There is a kid in the car, watch what you say!”
“He is a murderer. I’m sure a swear word won’t hurt him,” Reign snaps back.
“God, you and Maddox are alike in some ways. You both know how to be a total ass,” I growl.
“Ass is a swear word,” Reign cockily points out.
I smirk. “Technically, it’s a donkey.”
His laugh fills the car, and I find myself laughing with him, shaking my head at all of this. We both drift into silence, and I look back at the kid, finding him staring at me like I’m his long-lost mother or something. It’s creepy, and I awkwardly smile back at him before turning away. The car journey seems long, and the paper in my pocket feels like it’s burning as Reign pulls up at the house and stops outside.
“I will take the kid to the others. I don’t think it’s a good idea you go there,” Reign remarks. “Plus, I don’t want the hassle from Maddox if he found out.”
“Gotcha,” I reply, opening my door. I actually don’t want to be around the kids right now; I’ve had enough for today with Mr Redhead back there. I climb out, and as I’m about to shut the door, Reign speaks.
“That ring was my mother’s and the only thing my father ever gave Maddox from her. Do you understand why I am bothered that he gave you it?”
“Yes,” I whisper and close the door before he can hear the catch in my throat. Reign speeds backwards and spins the car around before driving off, leaving me with my own treacherous thoughts about Maddox, the curse and this damn ring I still can’t force myself to take off. When I can’t hear the car anymore, I quickly glance around me, not seeing Arlo or Katy anywhere in sight. Pulling the paper out, I unfold it to find a note.
Riona Dark,
At midnight this night, walk outside to the cliff if you want to escape this island alive.
Your friend and watcher.
I read the note a few times before slipping it back in my pocket, making a mental note to flush it down the toilet later on tonight. The last time I snuck out of this place, I was nearly killed by vamps, and I don’t have a good feeling about doing it again.
But this offer might not come twice, and I need to get off this island, or I’m going to be stuck here for the rest of my life.
And on The Onyx, I think that life will be short.
Especially when Maddox finds out about the deal I made with his brother.
“You’re back,” Arlo calls out, and I jolt, looking up at the door. Arlo jogs over, leaving the door open and pulls me into a hug. “You look in one piece. I’m guessing being in the vamp castle wasn’t too bad.”
Something like that. Definitely something like that.
“I need a favour.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“For the record, I don’t believe this is a good idea,” Arlo whispers to me, wrapping his hand around my upper arm as I walk away. “But...look, just be careful.”
I turn around and wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly. “I will do. We both need to get off this island.”
“I’m glad you still feel that way,” he whispers to me, rubbing the top of my back. “Austin and Sophie are out there waiting for us. Your mum and dad must be going out of their minds. We need to get back.”
“Why would you think I’d want to stay?” I ask, even as a single name pops into my head, followed by so many feelings I am ignoring that threaten to swallow me whole. Pulling away from Arlo, I clear my throat and force myself not to think about Maddox. I can’t tonight. I have to do this for me and Arlo, for the future. And being real with myself, I doubt Maddox wants a future with me anyway. He kicked me out of his bed, and for him, that was just sex. He had been drinking and murdering, and that seems to make him happy. I was just another notch on his bedpost. Nothing more. But something in my chest doesn’t believe it, the betrayer. “I want to get back to uni and my life. I need to.”
“Good,” he softly says and crosses his arms. “I best go and distract the psychotic vamp babysitter while you escape through the garage.”
I chuckle and wave him to the door. He straightens his back and walks to the stairs, looking back at me once with a strange expression before he jogs down the steps. Knowing there is a second staircase at the back of the house, I jog down the corridor, past Reign’s room and Katy’s, even though they are both not in there. Reign hasn’t come back from the children, and I bet he is still with them now. Part of me suspects it’s because he has a kind heart and he doesn’t want to leave them alone, even though I don’t think he would admit to that.