Frozen Desires (Asylums for Magical Threats 2)
She selected the best method to get Richard talking and cleared her throat. “So, this thing you want me to do, will it help to free your sister?”
Richard voice was flat. “Daniela’s dead.”
Cam’s surprise was genuine. “What?”
“Two years ago, the AMT researchers finally tortured her to death.”
Oh, shit. She needed to tread carefully. Daniela had been Richard’s only living family, and after Cam had left, his only lifeline to sanity.
His change in behavior now made sense.
“Then if she’s dead, what are you planning?”
“Didn’t I tell you to sit there and shut up?”
She did a quick study and decided that since Richard needed her alive, he probably wouldn’t hurt her if she pushed.
The old Cam-the-girlfriend wouldn’t have been afraid of the threat, so she decided to go with that. “Listen, asshole, my sister is still being tortured by those AMT bastards. So, if you’re planning on blowing up an AMT, or some such bullshit, then I need to know, because I’ll kill myself before I’ll kill thousands of innocent first-born prisoners.”
Richard finally glanced her way. “So leaving the Fed League to work for the squeaky clean DEFEND organization didn’t help you to free your sister?”
She needed to be careful not to reveal too much. Cam shrugged a shoulder. “The Fed League had failed me, so I tried something different. But I’m seriously considering a new path.”
“How do I know that you’re not just bullshitting me?”
“Would I ever do something to put my sister in danger?”
She waited one second, then another. She was almost afraid she had made a mistake, but then Richard gave her a sinister smile. “Well, we’ll see if you’re telling the truth or not tomorrow, when you’ll have the chance to try something new.”
“And do what?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
When Aislinn finally hung up, Marco went over to the window. He checked outside and said, “We need to get to Campeche. I’m assuming you have a car?”
“Yes, but it’s parked across town.”
Perfect. “Then get it and meet me across from the second-class bus station. Oh, and leave me your phone.”
“Look, just because I said I’d help you doesn’t give you the right to order me around.”
He moved his gaze to Jorge. “Maybe so, but there are other reasons you should listen to me.”
Jorge put a hand out. “Such as what? Are you going to try and charm me to death?”
He resisted tossing the shifter across the room with his powers. “Let’s just say that if Camilla Melini ends up dead—or even damaged—I’m going to take it out on you.”
“But I’m—What’re you going to do with that?”
Marco had made a sliver-like dagger of ice in his hands, one that just about any elemental water first-born could construct. “If you cooperate and give me your phone, then nothing.” He took a step closer. “You may be helping us in order to get your sister free, but until I have Camilla back, I’m holding you just as much responsible for her safety as Ekstrom.”
Jorge’s confidence flickered for a second, but as he took out his phone and offered it, his lapse faded. “Here, take it. But don’t take too long. I’ll be across the bus station in about thirty minutes. Look for a ten-year-old silver sedan.”
Marco took the phone. “Fine. I’ll meet you in half an hour.”
Jorge shook his head and left. It was a good thing the shadow-shifter could only shift once every twenty-four hours, or Marco might have had to deal with more than flippancy. He’d have to remember to be careful when the twenty-four hour mark came around tomorrow morning.