Page 10 of Fangs with Benefits
"We can't involve anyone else yet," Sybil reiterates. "I know you don't want to keep this from Lucian, and I don't want to keep it from the Fae either, but if we tell them, we'll be putting more lives at risk."
Elspeth sighs in frustration but nods. No one wants to risk the others.
I stare up at the clock and glance out the coven building's window, realizing that daylight is closing in on us.
"You can go back to your apartment and check on your pet vampire," Elspeth says. "The three of us will stay here and read up on the incantation until first light."
"He'snotmy pet." I scowl. My defenses go up because the truth is that I don't really knowwhatTreyton is to me.
"Whatever," she says as she tosses her hair over her shoulder. "You never did explain to us what yoursecret vampire informantwas doing at your apartment to begin with."
"We have better things to worry about right now," I scold. "Besides, Treyton was only coming to give me a warning—to giveusa warning—when he got tangled up in my banishment spell. It's entirely my fault. I was careless."
I can't help but notice the small smirk that Isla is giving me.
"What?" I snap.
"Nothing. It's just nice of him to come and warn you of a threat made by his own people, that's all. Sounds like more than just a business relationship to me."
She's right, but I'm not ready to admit that yet. And since time is of the essence, I don't have to explain why I hurry out of the room and back to my apartment. I want to tell Treyton about our plan before the spell breaks and the clan comes after us. He might be unable to answer me in his current state, but he can still hear me. He'll be able to decide what he's going to do.
I haven't been very considerate about his position in the matter. On the one hand, he cared enough to come and warn me, to keep me from harm's way. But on the other hand, he's a vampire and part of Arman's clan. I wonder what he'll do—will he stand with the coven or go back to his own people? If he chooses the first, he'll endanger us all. But I can't bear to see him side with Arman.
There is still an hour before dawn, and I expect that at daybreak the spell will begin to fade for at least some of the vampires. By midday, almost all of them will probably have recovered from it, which spells disaster for the coven.
I take the stairs three at a time until I arrive at my front door. But before I've put the key in the lock, I can already tell that something is off. The door is still locked, and there is noreasonfor me to feel like something is about to jump out at me. Until I open the door and look inside. Treyton isgone.
"Impossible," I whisper as I step inside and close the door. I look around each room, hoping to find him. It's too early for the spell to break. He should still be frozen. But Treyton is nowhere to be found. That means that either he somehow broke my spell and escaped on his own, oranothervampire broke free from my magic, came here looking for me, and kidnapped Treyton instead.
6
TREYTON
When the apartment door opens, I expect to see Blair standing on the other side of it, ready to share the coven's plan. Instead, I'm shocked to seeArman. I still can't move, can't speak, can't even blink for fuck's sake.
He walks over and stands above me. How is he here? How has he already broken free of Blair's spell, while I am still left lying here unable to move? Unless he's suddenly able to read minds, the look of confusion frozen in my eyes must give away my questions because he answers them.
"Don't feel bad that you're still lying there sprawled out on the floor." He grins as he points to himself. "Clan leader, remember? That means I have a few special abilities, including an ability to weather magic cast against me better than a regular vampire like you."
I wish I could move the muscles in my face just so I could scowl at him and shoot him a dirty look.
"You, however, are still very much affected by the witch's magic. That's easy enough to see." He bends down and reaches for my arms , and then hoists me over his shoulder. I can feel my ribcage crunch against his shoulder bone, and for a moment, his knees shake under my weight.
"No matter," he grunts, readjusting me. "I'll carry you back to the den just the same. You and I can have a littlechatabout recent events."
A million questions fly through my head. Did he come here to attack Blair? Or did he already know I would be here, under the influence of the magic that rendered me unable to stand against him? Does he know I've thought about betraying his leadership? It's probably a good thing I can't speak right now, because if I could, I'd probably say something I shouldn't.
By the time we get back to the den, the magic has begun to wear off and I can move my fingers and relax my jaw. I blink a few times to relieve the dryness in my eyes and remember how good it feels to be able to swallow.
Arman sets me down in a chair and crouches down on his calves to stare at me at eye-level. It looks like he's assessing how many of my motor skills have returned, and how fast.
"So, care to tell me what exactly you were doing at the witch's place?" he asks as he straightens into a standing position.
I can move my mouth now, and Arman can see that, so there isn't much I can do to get out of answering him without looking like I'm intentionally avoiding his question. Since silence will raise even more suspicion, I decide to bite the bullet and answer him. The question iswhatanswer to give.
For a second, I consider lying—making up some story about how I was there spying on Blair and the other witches to provide valuable intel to the clan that would aid the assassination plans. But I know Arman can see right through me. I could tell, during his private meeting with Blair. Lying at this point would only give him the satisfaction of seeing me squirm.
"I've already told you that I think annihilating the coven witches is a bad idea. You're going to cause all sorts of irreversible turmoil that will lead to consequences down the road that you won't be ready to handle."