Chapter 26
Sam woke slowly. Experience taught her to ignore the discomfort that plagued her. Hell, she didn’t even swallow to relieve the sandpapery feel in her throat. No, she kept her breathing steady as she listened and took stock of her body. Where was she? What had happened?
StoneCrow. She remembered she’d been speaking with Monroe, and Bellis was there. Bellis had shot down her plan, and then…
Sam’s eyes flew open. Darkness met her, but that wasn’t her concern. Her hand flew to her throat and there, beneath the smooth fabric of her suit, she felt a hard object circling her throat. No! Sitting up, she swayed and had to plant a hand at her hip while the other pulled on the halo. It didn’t budge and panic seized her. She pulled harder.
“It doesn’t come off, Princess.”
Her head jerked up to where Bellis’ deep voice spoke from the corner.
“Not unless I want it to.”
“I didn’t mean for you to put it on me!” she forced out. The words sounded pained, and they were. She needed a drink of water something fierce.
The shadow in the corner moved, and it never ceased to amaze her how terrifyingly beautiful Bellis was. He melted out of the darkness, the neon-blue pinpoints of his eyes visible first before she saw the flash of his sharp white teeth as he directed, “Drink this.”
She didn’t even see the glass he held until he was mere steps in front of her.
Typically, she’d fight him, but right now she was so damn thirsty she didn’t care what it was he was offering her. She took the glass with shaky hands and drank most of it down before stopping to cough.
“Easy, Angel.”
Sam’s head snapped up. “Don’t call me that! Don’t ever fucking call me that!”
He flashed a grin. “Seems my little Devil doesn’t like endearments.”
“I’m not your anything, Demon. Remember that!” She turned and dropped her feet off the bed, but they didn’t reach the floor and she realized it was a med bed. She knew she had to be in StoneCrow’s infirmary. “And take this halo off me, now!”
Bellis shrugged, but otherwise didn’t move. “It was your idea.”
“I said it needed to come off! I didn’t say it needed to go on me! Put it in Monroe’s safe, put it back on, or shove it up your ass, I don’t care, but it is coming off me!”
Crossing his arms, Bellis watched her with clear amusement etched in his features. “A Walker’s halo is either on him or a female. If it sits on a shelf, or in a safe, then the Walker will become diminished. We can’t risk that, not where we’re going.”
“Fine!” Sam snapped. “Find another female!”
He shook his head. “It’s not coming off, Samantha. Not until I want it off.”
“And if Odium sees it?” She struggled to her feet where she swayed. When Bellis dropped his arms, and crossed to steady her, she shoved his hands aside. “What then?”
Expression gone hard, Bellis fisted his hands. “I’m sure you know what happens then, which is why I’m certain you’ll keep it covered and keep that prick from seeing it.”
Sam turned, wanting to get away from him, but didn’t know where to go. “Why am I here?” she gritted out.
He shrugged. “Jenny needed more blood.”
Incredulity flooded her voice. “You let that bitch poke and prod me while I was unconscious?”
His expression darkened. “Don’t call names, and yes. I let her take a blood sample, but I was right here, watching over you.”
“Why?” Sam’s anger was boiling now. “What is she looking for?”
“Since you won’t tell her, she’s trying to find out what you are.”
“I don’t know what the fuck I am! The scientists called me in for my periodic examination. They were just supposed to check my health, ensure I was still viable for when they were ready to attempt with me what failed on Odium and the others. They lied! They put me out, and when I woke up I felt different. They’d done something and wouldn’t tell me what. They still haven’t told me. It’s one of the reasons they want me back so badly. I’m one of their pet projects. A success with whatever in the hell it is they’d tried to do.”
“You couldn’t ask your brother?”
Sam shot him a look. “Don’t call him that. He’s Odium. My brother’s dead! And no. I never told him what they did to me. He doesn’t know I’m different.”
“So, let Jenny help you. She’s excellent at what she does, and…”
“And maybe I fucking would if someone would give me a choice in it instead of always just taking, taking, taking! She couldn’t wait until I woke up to ask?” Sam was overreacting, maybe, but it seemed that even now with Monroe’s backing, Bellis and the rest of the Skin Walkers were still treating her like an outsider, a traitor. The way Bellis had scoffed at her plan had been, well, hurtful. She’d devised a plan to get him inside. Something Monroe had been wanting for years was for Sam to get one of his Walker males into the Hive, and the second she offered it, Bellis had accused her of laying a trap. So the fact that he’d collared her with his halo was not only confusing, but infuriating, and just another thing done without her permission.
Bellis stilled. “You’re right. We should have waited. Should have asked.”
Dark Demon Motherfucker, she didn’t want him agreeing with her right now! It was easier to be angry when he was being stern, bossy, broody. “You don’t even trust me,” she snapped. “This can’t work. I can’t take you into the Hive and have you question my every move. You’re going to get me killed. I want this halo off, I’ll find someone else to work with.”
“Nah,” he shook his head with a knowing grin, crossing those thick-ass arms over his broad chest. “You’ve been planning this. You’ve thought it out, and when you devised this scheme, it was me you were hoping to work with.” He canted his head to study her. “When did you decide you could trust me, Sam?”
Rolling her eyes, she gave a feminine snort. “Listen to you. Hope? Trust! Who in the hell do you think you’re talking to? Christ, if your mistrust doesn’t get you killed, your naivety will.”
“Wait!” He uncrossed his arms. “Let me get this straight. I should trust you, but should do so knowing that you’re never going to trust me?”
Sam’s eyes thinned to slits as her temper flared. “Why do you have to be so damn difficult all the time? I’m just looking for someone to charge headlong into battle with me. I’m not looking for promises, or pretty words. I’m never going to vow my allegiance to you, but I will try my best to keep you alive. That is all I’m asking for in return.”
“And why me, Princess?” His smile was mocking. “Of all the Walkers, and all the Keepers, you formulated this plan with me in mind. Why is that?”
Sam felt heat singe high on her cheekbones, and she hated it. She hated any visible flare of emotion that wasn’t anger or hate. For a moment she considered taunting him, tossing the implication back in his face, because it was obvious he believed she’d chosen him because she favored him. That belief needed to be dispelled now. “For some reason, you’re the only one I can drink from. I’m blaming that on you until Jenny tells me otherwise.”
“So, you chose me because I’m your lunch?”
“He’s going to hurt me, Demon.” And there it was, the truth, and that nickname he despised so much. Time for her to give him one huge shove. “I’ll be punished for being caught.”
Bellis’ arms uncrossed and the amused expression slipped from his face to be replaced by dark fury.
“You said there’d be a reckoning, and you’re right, but it won’t be from Fatal. Odium is going to make an example of me.” Her lips sealed closed, jaw ticking a second as she struggled to keep any trace of emotion from peeking through. “I’m going to need help recovering, and I won’t be able to seduce one of the other monsters into allowing me to drink from them while they take what they want from me, because now their blood can’t sate me.”
She watched as Bellis’ expression darkened further, but it couldn’t be helped. So what if the truth stung.
“No one is going to lay a fucking finger on yo…”
“YES!” Sam yelled. “He is! And you’re going to have to keep your damn mouth shut and watch!”
He was in her face in two long strides, hands gripping her arms as he pulled her hard into him. “THE HELL I WILL!”
“If you want in, you will!” She blinked up at him, her eyes gone hard. “He can’t kill me. He won’t. But he’ll bleed me, and you need to act like it’s a normal fucking Tuesday. You can’t react, can’t interfere. Hell, it’d be best if you laughed or made a joke or,” she swallowed hard. “Joined in.”
His voice was fraught with refusal as he shook his head for emphasis. “Samantha...”
She shrugged and stepped back out of his hold, giving him her back as she turned away. She considered telling him about Odium’s psyblade, but that could wait. It’d be easier for him to see it in action than for her to try and explain it. “It won’t be the first time. I’ve survived this before.” Behind her she heard a hiss, and when she looked over her shoulder, Bellis head was bent back, his eyes closed as his hands fisted his hair.
“I don’t want to hear this.”
“Better you hear it now so you know what to expect.”
Slowly, he lowered his head, sad eyes locked on hers. “I don’t…I don’t think I can do this.”
A humorless laugh chuffed from her as she lifted a hand to the halo around her throat. “Then take this off so I can find someone who can.”
For long minutes they stood staring at each other, Sam wishing she had Skin Walker or Keeper senses. Right now, she’d give anything to scent the emotions she knew were filling the room as Bellis expression morphed from sad to imploring to angry.
Sam’s voice was soft when she prodded, “Take the halo off.”
At her words, his lips thinned into a determined line. She knew this Bellis. This was the stubborn as hell, get his way, won’t back down an inch Skin Walker assassin.
“I’m in.”
“No complaints,” she commanded. “You can’t attempt to save me from him.”
Bellis looked toward the wall and chuckled, a humorless sound. “Yeah. I’m just gonna watch him hurt you.”
“You have to. It’s that, or get us both killed.”
Suddenly, his eyes went soft and he begged, “Fuuuck, Samantha?”
“Huh-uh.” She shook her head. “From this moment on, until we’re back out, no more emotion. None! And you call me human, and you say it like it’s a curse.”
Hands fisting, eyes going hard, jaw flexing, and nostrils flaring, Sam couldn’t tell if Bellis was taking her direction or contemplating killing her.