She didn’t like that they were on rocky ground. Especially because it made no sense. She didn’t want Graves. She wanted Becks. But she felt like a rubber band had been pulled so tight it had snapped.
She needed him here. She was rallying the troops, but the news from Graves was dire. And the fact that she was now useless against Harrington’s weakness and that Graves knew about her and Beckham’s blood match put her on edge. Graves dealt in information. Everything could be bought at a price. He held no loyalties. He was just as likely to tell Harrington about them as he was to help them. Which meant that surprise was shot.
They got as many consequences out of the conversation as they got information. She actually thought they got the shit end of the stick.
“He’s going to come back, Rey,” Jodie said as they walked the grounds.
The snow was melting, making the ground sloshy and uncomfortable. But it was better than being stuck in the house while Washington worked on replicating the antidote or hearing Brian’s screams from upstairs or feeling the emptiness of Beckham’s absence.
“I know. I don’t worry about that. He’s sending the circle back to take care of Brian. It’s just me he doesn’t want to see.”
“Well, y’all went through some serious shit. That contact dude is scary as shit,” Jodie said. “I mean…you still can’t say his name, right?”
“No. Well, I can say it to myself when no one else is around. I suspect I could say it to Beckham.”
“Yeah…don’t do that.”
Reyna managed a smile. “Not high on the priority list.”
“He’s just feeling the shit that you felt when he was into Penny.”
“But he was with Penny even if it was a charade. The contact did this to me. I’m not into him. Becks’ anger is entirely misplaced. I don’t get it at all.”
“But the guy’s hot, right?”
Reyna’s eyes widened. She couldn’t confirm or deny the fact, but it was enough. Jodie snorted.
“So super fucking hot and he had power over you. Beckham has to come to terms with that. Especially because y’all have all the feeling mojo and he healed you! Washington went apeshit over that. I mean, fuck, girl, healing is a big deal.”
“It is. I know. Beckham is feeling things for the first time. I know that must be intense for him. I just wish he’d share it with me instead of running away.”
“If that’s even what he’s doing,” Jodie said.
Reyna shot her a look full of exasperation. “Anyway, I love him. He’ll come back. It’ll be fine. What’s not fine is that there’s a fucking blood antidote out there and Harrington is using it to feed his vampire army.”
“Well, that takes me out of the hot seat. Washington was getting nowhere with my blood. So, it’s on the back burner while he works through that vial you gave him.”
“That’s something at least.”
“I just wish we were having some luck with June. We’ve hit a dead end,” Jodie said with a sigh. “It’s so dire that Zoya and I have even been checking morgue registries. We haven’t found anything there either. It looks like she’s another missing person in Harrington’s war.”
“Ugh. I’m sorry, Jodie.”
She frowned. “I didn’t have much hope but…I just wish I knew either way.”
“Me too.”
“Reyna!” Tye called from the back door of the house. He called a second time before she and Jodie made it to him.
“What’s up? Did something happen?”
“It’s your brother.”
“Brian? Is he okay?”
“Sorry. Drew. It’s your other brother, on the phone.”
“Oh.” She deflated slightly. “Okay. Yeah. I’ll take it.” She took the phone from Tye. “Hey, Drew. How is everything?”
“Everett left.”
“Left?”
“Yeah,” Drew said with a sigh. “He goes out sometimes to check on stuff and bring in supplies. But he’s been gone for over twenty-four hours and when we searched his room, we found his gun missing, a bunch of tech—microphones, cameras, that sort of thing—had been scattered all over, and he left a note.”
Reyna gritted her teeth. “What does it say?”
“He said to tell you that he was going to prove you wrong.”
“Oh Jesus,” she whispered. She’d goaded him the last time they were together, when she had been grieving about what had happened to Brian. She hadn’t actually believed he would do something about it.
“I sent some people out to look for him, but everything comes up empty. I’m not too prone to risk perfectly good people on someone like him.”
Reyna closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. What would Everett do? If she were in his shoes, where would she go with a gun and some tech? Her eyes snapped open.
“He’s gone to do something really stupid,” she whispered. “I told him to prove that I could trust him. I have a feeling it has something to do with underground Visage or with the feeding camps. Something to prove that he’s on our side.”