Page 103 of Inception

“And the Amulet? Who’d you have to kill to get that one?” The second the words left my mouth, I wished I could rewind time and stop them from ever seeing the light of day. Her expression alone was enough to make me want to throw myself to the gallows.

“How easy it is for you to judge me from your sheltered existence,” spat Tessa. “I could fill a stadium with the amount of blood I’ve had to spill, and you know what, little sis? Soon your hands are going to be just as bloodied as mine.”

“Tessa.” Gabriel reached out to calm her, but she smacked his hand away. “Don’t do this.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she warned, her eyes a deadly shade of gray. “I’ve spent the last three months on the run trying to keep this Amulet safe, and I risked it all to come here, for Jemma—”

“Three months?” Gabriel stood up suddenly. “You’ve had the Amulet in your possession forthreemonths?”

“More or less,” she said, dusting her hands across her jeans. “Does it really matter how long I’ve had it?” There was a slight edge to her voice now. It was clear his question was making her defensive.

“Why didn’t you come to me?”

“Why do you think? Jesus, Gabriel. I had men coming at me from every direction—men who would happily slaughter their entire family to get their hands on the Amulet. I couldn’t take the risk. You would have done the same thing.”

Gabriel sharpened his stare. “Whose men?”

“That doesn’t matter right now—”

“WHOSE MEN?” he boomed.

I straightened my back as though standing at attention. I never heard his voice sound so vociferous, so commanding. I didn’t know how else to react to it.

Tessa speared him with contempt. “Engel.”

“Dammit.” Gabriel pinched his eyes shut and stalked off towards the kitchen.

“Who’s Engel?” I asked, my throat drier than a bag of cotton balls.

“Engel is my problem, I’m taking care of him.” Tessa stood up and took a few steps towards Gabriel. “Look, I have a plan. He’s been on my tail for weeks now and he hasn’t caught me yet. I have him exactly where I want him. If you just—”

“And where is that?” interrupted Gabriel. He stood in the kitchen with his hands flat against the counter. “We’re talking aboutEngel, Tessa. Four generations of Slayers have tried and failed to vanquish him. Does that even register with you?”

“Tried andfailed?” I recoiled, trepidation filling every cell in my body. My sister was going up against a vampire that four generations of Slayers have tried and failed to vanquish and she thought I was the one that needed the protective hedge?

What in the actual hell! I reached up and pulled the Amulet off from around my neck.

“What the hell are you doing?” snapped Tessa, spotting me from the corner of her eye. “Didn’t I just tell you not to take that necklace off until I tell you to? What part of that didn’t you understand?”

I shook my head. “There’s no way I’m wearing this whenEngle the Slayer killeris after you!” I waved the necklace in her direction. “You need this more than I do. I can handle Dominic.”

“You couldn’t handle a goddamn handlebar let alone Dominic Huntington.” There wasn’t a thread of humor in her words. “I have enough going on without the added distraction of having to worry about whether you’re safe, too.”

I hadn’t considered that. But still—

“Put the necklace back onnow. I’m not going to ask you again, so help me God.” The homicidal twitch in her left eye really drove home the point.

I slipped the necklace back on and cowered into my seat before she could say another word to me.

She turned her attention back to Gabriel, cornering him in the kitchen. “I need you in on this with me.” Her voice was low, stringently even. “This is our chance, Gabriel. Our one shot.”

He shook his head. “It’ssuicide.”

“Not if we go in it together,” she insisted.

He still looked unsure.

“We’re holding all the cards right now. He’s been tracking me for weeks for a reason. He’s scared to make a move. All we have to do is make it first.”

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