Page 44 of Born Wicked

“Do I really want to get bad news today?” I ask, defaulting to sarcasm. “It’s been a pretty shitty couple of days. Do you really want to be responsible for making it worse?”

“She is beautiful and deadly,” Jay flirts, crooking a smirk. “But, considering he did it for you, I thought you might want to know.”

“Oh no,” I automatically say, feeling instantly deflated.

Jay nods. “The blood they found in Roman’s apartment came back, matching Sebastian’s. They also found Roman’s blood. So, they know there was a serious altercation.”

I feel my entire face go cold. Only Roman, Sebastian, and I know what truly happened in Roman’s apartment that night. That Sebastian staked Roman, that he died. That for a few harrowing seconds, I thought Roman was gone forever. And then we discovered my gift when I touched him, died, and brought Roman back to life.

Roman had staked Sebastian as well, though he’d missed killing him by inches.

“Roman has officially been charged,” Jay continues to deliver the doomsday news. “He’s working with Sylvano. There will be a court hearing in four days.”

“But he just has to sit in jail until then?” I ask. Desperation starts climbing up my throat. And the reckless side of me, the wicked side of me, starts plotting. I could break Roman out of there. I’m a vampire, I have incredible strength and speed. Surely, I could break him out. I’m thinking of who I’d have to bribe, con, blackmail to get Roman out of a jail cell, locked up for a crime he didn’t commit.

Because Sebastian is a damn coward.

“Afraid so,” he says. “He’s… surprisingly calm about all of this. I’ve never seen him so resolved. It’s unnerving, considering this is Roman, the dark lord of Chicago’s streets.”

There’s a pit in my chest, and it’s filling up with confusion and anxiety.

Why?

Why is he doing this?

“He didn’t have to do what he did,” I say, my tone low and quiet. “I could have… Somehow, I would have handled it on my own.”

“Trust me, darling,” Jay says, looking up at me from beneath his light lashes. “If Roman hadn’t taken the fall for you, it would be you sitting behind bars. Superintendent Day is out for blood.”

“Dammit, Sebastian,” I curse as I toss my computer onto the bed. I shake my head as my eyes go to the window, though it’s covered by the blanket I pinned over it to keep out as much light as possible. “We need to find him. We need to make him clean this mess up.”

“Agreed,” Jay says with a nod. “And then we peel his flesh from his bones and feed it to him while he apologizes for every breath he’s taken in the past six months.”

“Too far, Jay,” I say with a scowl in his direction. Geesh. I thought Roman was bad.

No, Romanisstill way,wayscarier. Jay is… almost like a cartoon villain.

“Not far enough,” he says with a smirk. “Anyway,” he continues as he stands straighter. “Just thought I’d let you know. And I thought it might be wise to stick around, make sure the golden prince doesn’t go too wild when he wakes up.”

“Thanks,” I say, genuinely appreciating the extra help. I don’t know what to expect, but I remember my own absolute senselessness in getting blood when I first woke up. I really wasn’t looking forward to restraining Mason if it comes to that. Between me, Patrick, and Jay, I’m confident we can keep him from killing anyone right off the bat. “Should be any time now.”

Jay nods and steps back out into the hallway, speaking to Patrick in low voices about nothing that draws my attention.

I lean back in my seat, my eyes sliding closed. I tell myself not to, but I can’t help but picture Roman sitting in a jail cell. Actually, it’s kind of amusing. Roman is terrifying looking. His broody expressions, those blue eyes, and that black hair make him look a little like his name should be Hades. I bet all the other guys in there are staying far, far away from his corner of the room.

It’s the change of sound that draws my eyes back to Mason. I’ve been listening to the thundering of his heart for the past few hours. Fascinating, how his heart could stop completely, stay still and silent for days, and then suddenly it started beating again four hours ago. It’s been beating at over one-hundred-fifty beats per minute since it started back up.

But suddenly, it slows. One hundred beats, then eighty. And in a matter of one minute, it’s down to sixty beats per minute.

“I think it’s happening,” I call out, though I don’t really have to raise my voice. Patrick and Jay would have heard me if I’d nearly whispered.

I cross to the mini fridge and pull out three bags of blood, knowing it won’t be enough, but it’s a start. Patrick and Jay enter the room and stand right over Mason, one on either side of the bed. I settle at the foot of the bed, blood bags in hand.

I knew it was coming. I knew. But I still watched him die. Still heard it as his heart stopped. When a gasp rips from Mason’s lips, and he surges upright, it makes me jump, and the tiniest startled scream escapes my lips. My adrenaline surges as his eyes go straight to me, glowing brilliantly red for the first time in his now immortal life.

Something feral and guttural comes up his throat, and his eyes shift down to the bags in my hands.

“Welcome back,” I say and toss the bags to him. “Drink up.”