Lucas reached out and touched my face in a tender way. Kyle cleared his throat.
“You need to leave the Hive. Now,” Lucas said to me, and judging by the look on his face he was sporting a major Nutella-flavored unicorn crush.
I shook my head. “Not without Ryder.” I felt sick at the thought of him in that dingy room, without light, or food, enduring God knows what. Damn! We had to get him out.
“Yes, Ryder. Her boyfriend,” Kyle snapped out.
Lucas smiled. “Yes, I’m aware she’s taken. Still, Charlie needs to leave now and he can follow later.”
Sam shook his head. “No, we have a code. We do not leave a man behind. Ever.”
Lucas turned his angry, swirly eyes on the two enforcers. “Do you have any idea how powerful Charlie is? In a world torn apart by a virus that kills a high percentage of those infected and changes the other percentage to bloodsucking monsters, she’s the way out. They will either kill her, experiment on her, or torture her by repeatedly draining her blood.”
Sam stood to his full height now, looking absolutely deadly. “Yes, we know all of this. Give me one reason why I should let you live now that you have knowledge of her abilities.”
Holy shit. I knew Sam had my back, but wow. Threatening to kill a vampire—one strong enough to be a Quorum member—took huge, platinum covered balls.
Lucas only grinned, looking completely unworried. He turned back to me. “You’re in good hands. I’ll help you get Ryder out of the pit and then you must run. I only ask one thing in return.”
Please don’t say kiss me or some weird shit like that.
“Anything,” I replied, because if it was for Ryder, I truly would do anything.
Lucas’ entire face changed then, desperation in his eyes. “Cure me,” he said.
My mouth dropped open.
“No,” Kyle said.
“I’ll do it,” I said. Sam let out a very animal like growl. “But not today. We’re going to need someone on the inside, especially with Tess here. Are you okay with staying vamp for a little while longer? Until this war plays itself out?”
He sucked in a few deep breaths, and finally nodded. “Yes, you’re going to need my help. I’ll figure out a way to communicate with you once you’re gone. We can do much together.”
He was right, but now wasn’t the time to make those plans. We had to deal with the immediate threats. Moving as close as he could get, Sam and Kyle leaning their bulk into the shower with us, the vampire began laying out the plan for getting Ryder out of the pit and us out of the Hive’s prison gates.
All of us listened intently, throwing forward arguments on the logistics of his plan. Finally, we were all in agreement. It was a good plan, and I really hoped it was going to work.
Lucas brushed a hand across my cheek. “You have a responsibility now, Charlie, to make a change. There is so much you don’t know. I wish there was time to show you.”
I was confused. “Show me what?”
Lucas’ eyes glittered at me. “Ash aren’t privy to the inner world of our kind. Tessa will soon find out the vampires have built their kingdom on a bed of deceit, blackmail, and murder.”
Goosebumps broke out on my arms, and I swallowed. He was a hell of a scary storyteller, and I was thinking of those files in the room. How much more ugliness could there be?
Lucas waved his hand at Sam. “With your computer skills, you could find out what I’m talking about. You just have to search in the right places.”
Sam and I exchanged a look, and I knew he was thinking about that information he found on that message board, about Sanctum. I could practically see the thoughts churning through his mind. No doubt, next chance he was at a secure computer, he was going to have another attempt at finding the dirt on the Hive, following these bread trails from Lucas.
Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, I fought off the shakes, which were partly to do with the freezing water and partly with fear. My world was about to be turned on its head, and no way was I ready for it to happen.
Leaning forward, Lucas kissed my cheek. “Be safe, Charlie. I couldn’t save my wife but … I will save you.”
My eyes felt hot and damp. But before I could say anything or thank him, he was already out of the shower and gone from the room, leaving the three of us in a heavy, and uneasy silence. I wasn’t sure about the boys, but my thoughts were nothing short of tumultuous. I was not ready for this. No way at all.
Chapter 12
After Lucas left, the boys and I got to work on our new plan. Kyle lifted his walkie-talkie. “Shift change. Oliver, Jared, and Markus to Charlie’s apartment.”