Cole was leading a group of anemic humans out into a snow storm during a palace siege. In the back of his mind, he knew it was crazy, but he didn't leave anyone behind. They followed close behind him, scurrying down the hallway like scared mice. Cassie was on his heels. "Cole, they're not used to this. You have to slow down," Cassie huffed, trying to keep up with him. His long legs made his stride longer than hers, and he was practically running.
"Can't. You know that. If they fall behind, they get left behind, and from what I heard in the control room, they don't want that."
"What do you mean?" she asked in hushed tones, as Cole's eyes darted up and down the corridor, expecting to see a vampire at any moment. He clutched a metal stake in his fist, his bicep bulging.
"I got hold of the Captain earlier and she told me something rather interesting. If the Queen is defeated tonight, we all get our heads lopped off. Every last one of us is to be executed. The Queen doesn't want to leave any loot for the new monarch." Cassie's mouth dropped open in horror. He glanced past her, watching the others hurry toward them, before asking her, "You still want me to show them mercy, Cass? They treat us like animals. Turns out the palace lifespan isn't as long as we thought." He waggled his eyebrows at her. It was Cole's way of gloating, of saying he was right.
Cassie felt weak. She didn't think of the vampires as oppressors. There were good and bad vampires, at least she thought there were, but this made her sick. After the forced Pairings and now this - they didn't care if their precious humans lived or died. Everything she thought about them shattered like cheap glass. Cassie shook her head like she was trying to dislodge old facts and let the new ones settle in place. When she looked up at him, her brows were pinched tightly. The voice he heard was laced with scorn and didn't sound like Cassie at all, "I'm sick of this. Kill them." The words felt like acid dripping from her tongue. The others heard her say it.
Chaucer was directly behind Cassie. His face pinched in surprise to hear something like that come from Cassie's mouth, but he didn't comment on it. "Cole, tell us what to do."
Cole jerked his head, indicating that Chaucer should walk next to him. As Cassie followed behind, she heard them talking about how to use the weapons. As they moved through the palace, Cole used what he found - wooden moldings, a sculpture with sharp metal tines, chair legs - anything that could be used to maim or kill. Cole showed Chaucer how to hold it, how to swing to get the best leverage. "You get one shot. If you blow it, you won't live to get another. Even in their diminished state, the vamps are still stronger than most of us."
Chaucer nodded, "So, how is it that you're stronger than the rest of us and no one noticed?"
Cole glanced at him as they walked swiftly through the palace. The Southern half of the palace was filled with rolling hills, iced gardens, and frozen trees. If they were going to escape, that was the exit they needed to use. Oddly, as they progressed through the palace, the hallways were empty. The Queen must have called the remaining guards to her side, because they didn't see any. Each step towards the South exit made Cole's heart pound harder and harder. This was like Deliverance Day. Determination shot through him, straightening his spine. This time Cole would save more than Cassie. Glancing back at her, Cole saw Cassie brandishing a stake and showing one of the girls how to use her height to her advantage. A trace of a smile lined his lips.
Chaucer's question didn't surprise him. Although Cole didn't feel compelled to answer, he told the guy, "It was intentional. Up until the Purging, no one knew. Kahli kind of blew my cover. The vamps noticed and started requesting my blood."
"Are you wild," Chaucer asked, dark brows pinching together, "like Kahli?"
Cole laughed, but it sounded hollow and bitter. "I'm nothing like Kahli."
"Could have fooled me. You both seem to think you're invincible, but Kahli acts like that because she doesn't have to worry about getting a scrape and bleeding to death. Come to think of it Cole, I've never seen you bleed, never noticed feeding marks on you... How'd you manage that?"
"You talk too much, Chaucer. Knowing less will keep you alive tonight. Besides," his dark eyes flashed, as he looked back at the guy, "paper cuts are the least of your worries tonight. You'll get your neck slit if you worry about something so minor."
Chaucer grumbled, nodding, and dropped the questions. Cole wasn't in the mood for explaining why he was different. It was a secret he managed to keep from Cassie all these years and he wasn't about to spill his guts to Chaucer. Cole held out his arm as they neared the end of the hall. The group behind him stopped. Complete silence filled the air. The hairs on Cole's neck prickled, standing up one at a time. He shook his head at the group and signaled for them to stay behind.
His eyes met Cassie's for a moment and held her gaze. One day he wouldn't be around to protect her. One day, he'd round a corner and his luck would run out. Then there'd be no one left to watch over Cassie. They nodded at each other. Cole looked away. He couldn't think like that, not now. Too much was at risk.
Gripping his weapon in his fist, Cole's heart pounded hard as he rounded the corner.