Page 81 of Veil of Shadows

His face grew legitimately frustrated, which told me that he believed what he said. But the question was: was it the truth?

“Bex, I get it. You’ve seen a rougher side of Delilah?—”

“We caught a vampire.”

He paused. “What?”

I sighed heavily. If I was going to get answers, I had to try and re-establish a connection with this man. Whether or not this was the Jacob that I knew was still up for debate. But, he looked like Jacob, sort of. And he certainly sounded like Jacob. He smiled like Jacob and laughed like Jacob. He even had Jacob’s mannerisms. So, I took that for what it was worth, and I drew in a deep breath.

I did my best to leave the guys out of it while I explained. “There’s a vampire that’s been shackled to some chains in a cave somewhere far away from here.”

Recognition swept over his face before he waved his hand in the air dismissively. “Oh, that. You don’t have to worry about that. We don’t hold you responsible for that.”

I wanted to ask who hedidhold responsible, but I fought the urge. “That’s not the important part.”

“What’s the important part, then?”

I had to take a risk. It was the only way. It was a calculated risk. I still had no idea if the man sitting in front of me was someone who I could trust. It was clear that he was put in my path to manipulate me. Delilah wouldn’t have revealed him otherwise. I was fresh out of options, I had no idea where I was, and I didn’t have a fucking choice.

At least the guys are all right

I lowered my voice, not that I thought it would help in any way.“The vampire in the cave said that Delilah was building an army for battle, Jacob.”

He stared at me for a while before he snickered. “Bex. Don’t tell me you work for the CIA, but don’t realize that’s what we do day in, and day out.”

“We didn’t go into battle, Jacob. We?—”

“Fought our way out of the most ridiculous scenarios. I mean, come on, Bex. Did you not realize that every missionwe were sent on was a miniature war? Complete with illegal automatic weapons firing at us every now and then?”

It took me some time to wrap my mind around his words. “So, sheisgearing up for battle.”

He nodded. “To fight the fight we always do.”

“Against…?”

“The forces that want to do us wrong.”

“Which would be…?”

He paused. “You really don’t believe me, do you?”

I rolled my eyes. “If you’re preparing for battle, Jacob, then you’ve got a target. Who’s her target?”

He blinked. “Anyone that wants to do the U.S. wrong.”

I wanted to ask him how that justified slaughtering innocent shifters in the middle of the fucking woods. I wanted to ask him how the fuck that justified anything I witnessed while in those woods. I didn’t know if Jacob was brainwashed, or if he genuinely believed the bullshit pouring out of his mouth. But the evangelism of our love for our country did have a way with him sometimes. He was once a proud man with a proud badge and an even prouder disposition. Now, however, he just sounded like a walking propaganda poster.

But before I could find the words to respond, he nodded to my plate. “Eat up, Bex. You’re going to need your strength.”

His words sent a shiver down my spine as I reached for an apple. I didn’t know what the fuck to believe. I didn’t know where I was, what happened to Jacob, or even what time it was. But I knew one thing for certain. One thing, above all else.

I couldn’t trustanyoneuntil I could get back to the guys.

26

VOSS

I swept my night vision around the compound as everyone cheered my efforts. And I swear, every single part of me was on the lookout for her. I just knew that any second, she’d come swimming down that little makeshift river I dug out just so she could get to us. Yet, as the water flowed into the compound without impediment, I didn’t see her.

---