“Spill,” she demanded, resting her head against the seat. “I don’t get it. Not that I am not eternally grateful, but why would you help me?” she asked, sincere puzzlement in her darkened eyes.
I shrugged, not wanting to admit that Travis had anything to do with my sudden desire to not chop her head off. “My plans differ from my father’s,” I answered nonchalantly. “And your boyfriend is really freaking scary,” I added as an afterthought, figuring she could understand that Chase instilled the fear of God in people, her being the only exception.
“Chase?” she said his name as if she doubted we were talking about the same half-demon.
I snorted. “Obviously. Unless you are dating more than one half-breed?” It felt more normal taking digs at each other, and dare I say that without the bounty on her head, I actually liked Angel.
Her lips tipped at the corners. “I don’t think Chase will let him live.”
I returned with a small smirk of mine own. “That we can agree on. He is a force to be reckoned with and he knows it. When he figured out where you were stashed, he—”
“Chase found me?” she asked as if he might have forgotten her. Was she crazy? That damn hybrid was like a one-track Tasmanian devil.
Her grin widened, reaching her sunken blues. Angel had seen better days, and I wanted to give her reassurance, though I didn’t know why. “You bet your ass. That man is like a machine. He has been looking non-stop since you disappeared five days ago. And by non-stop, I mean all day, everyday. I don’t think he has slept.”
“It’s only been five days?” Her voice was laced with disbelief.
I knew all too well how screwed up time was when you did nothing but stare a four white walls. Time became non-existent, blurring days and nights. My eyes softened with sympathy and understanding. Angel and I shared more than just razor tongues and our love for badass demons. “Once he narrowed your location last night, he went ballistic—ape-shit crazy. He wanted to storm the building and go all demon nuts. Basically get us all killed, including you. It took Travis, Sierra, Craig, and Hayden to hold him back. I didn’t think they were going to be able to do it. If he hadn’t been playing with all of our lives, I would have been impressed. Never have I seen anyone with so much…power. It was frightening. Thank God I brought a tranq.”
“Wait. What?” she asked. “You tranquilized him?”
It was clear she thought I had a death wish. Maybe I did.
Oh yeah. Lover boy was going to be livid.
“You don’t have to tell me. I know he is going to chop me to pieces the first chance he gets. I’m hoping that breaking you out will earn me some brownie points, or at least save my hide.”
And keep him from going all ninja on my ass.
She angled her head, studying me. “Why did you help me? Besides to save your own neck?”
I shifted in my seat, thinking about how to answer the question. Why had I put my neck on the line for Angel? “Because I know what it is like to be locked up against your will. Let’s just say I’ve been in your shoes, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worse enemy, not even a mutant like you.”
A flash of anger jumped in her blue eyes.
I jumped in before she could slice me with some jibe. “I also know what it is like to be separated from someone you love. It sucks.”
How was that for a heart-to-heart?
And I wasn’t done yet. It must have been sharing time in class today. Who knew I could be such a sentimental sap? It even shocked me. “Seeing Chase so distraught struck a cord in me that I’ve buried deep, deep inside. So Travis and I—”
“Travis and you?” she cut in.
I glared at her for interrupting and spoiling the mood. “So as I was saying, Travis and I devised our own plan, and we knew it had to be done in secret because there was no way Chase was going to agree. That would involve trusting me, which would only happen if hell froze over.” I cranked the wheel, busting a left as we approached Spring Valley. “We knew we had to get to you first. Chase might be a badass, but he is in no shape to fight. Being away from you has taken a toll on him. We figured this was going to be our only chance while the drugs were still in effect. I have no idea how long they last on someone like him, so here we are.”
I left out all the kissing and stuff Travis snuck in every chance he got.
She played with the silver charm bracelet on her wrist, looking millions of miles away. I was startled when she thanked me. My eyes widened as I glanced at her, hardly believing what I had just heard. “See, that wasn’t so hard. The earth is still standing,” I said with a grin.
She answered my grin with one of her own. Angel and I friends? Stranger shit had happened.
She dozed off during the remaining ride home, more tired than I think even she realized. More than once she mumbled Chase’s name, shifting restlessly. I assumed part of her edginess was due to the way her bond strengthened, as we got closer to Chase.