Chapter 42 The Turncoat

Chapter 42 The Turncoat
Jonathan closes the door behind him and turns the lock.
The click echoes through the small room like a gunshot. Rosalie and I exchange a glance, and I can see my own fear reflected in her eyes.
“I have to admit, I’m impressed,” Jonathan comments as he saunters closer to us. “I didn’t expect anyone to figure it out so quickly. I figured it would be Gabriel in the end. But not you two. That possibility never even crossed my mind.”
“Jonathan.” Rosalie holds up her hands in a placating gesture. “Whatever this is, we can talk about it. Just let us—”
“Let you what? Run to Thad and tell him what you found?” He shakes his head and chuckles. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a knife. The blade is long and thin, with a faint silvery sheen that makes my stomach drop. Silver. The one thing that can hurt a vampire without giving them time to heal.
“Against the wall,” he orders. “Both of you.”
We don’t have a choice. Rosalie backs up first, and I follow, flattening myself against the cold stone beside her. Jonathan keeps the knife raised as he moves to stand between us and the door.
“You don’t have to do this,” I try. “Whatever they’re paying you, Thad can match it. He can—”
“This isn’t about money.” Jonathan’s lip curls in disgust. “You think I’ve spent a century serving this clan for money? I did it because I believed in what we were building. I believed Thad was leading us toward something greater.”
“Then why betray him?”
“Because he betrayed us first.” Jonathan’s eyes lock onto mine, and the hatred in them makes me flinch. “The moment he chose you over the clan, he sealed his own fate.”
“Chose me? He didn’t choose me. Fate chose me.”
“Fate.” Jonathan spits the word like a curse. “Is that what he told you? That some mystical force bound you together and he had no say in the matter? Thad has always had a choice. He could have ignored the bond. He could have let Menlow finish what he started and put an end to it. Instead, he tore apart his own brother and plunged us into a war we can’t win.”
Rosalie goes stiff as a board beside me. “What war?”
“The one that’s coming.” Jonathan takes a step closer, and the knife glints in the low light. “The Primigenii have been planning this for decades. They’ve been watching, waiting, gathering allies. And now they have the Obsidian Court on their side.”
My mind races. The Primigenii and the Obsidian Court. Two of the most powerful vampire factions in existence, working together. Against us.
“Viktor,” I breathe. “He’s part of this.”
“Viktor is a pawn. Useful, but expendable.” Jonathan tilts his head. “Just like Menlow was.”
“Menlow was following orders?”
“Of course he was. Did you really think he came up with that plan on his own? Seduce the clan leader’s mate, turn her against him, destroy their bond from the inside?” Jonathan snorts. “Menlow was many things, but creative wasn’t one of them. He was given a mission, and he failed. So the Primigenii moved to plan B.”
“Which is?”
“You, Thelma.” Jonathan’s smile sends ice down my spine. “You’re plan B. You’ve always been plan B.”
I don’t understand. None of this makes sense. “What do you mean? What do they want with me?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it? You’re more important than anyone realizes. More important than Thad, more important than this clan, and more important than any of us.”
I knit my eyebrows together and ask, “Why? What’s so special about me?”
“I don’t know the details. They don’t tell foot soldiers like me the whole picture.” His expression sours. “But I know enough. Enough to understand that delivering you to them will earn me a place at their table when they finally take control.”
“You’re insane,” Rosalie hisses. “Thad will kill you for this.”
“Thad won’t get the chance.” Jonathan waves the knife toward us, making me gasp. “By the time he realizes what’s happening, you’ll both be gone, and I’ll be long out of his reach.”
“You can’t seriously think you’ll get away with this. The mansion is on lockdown. Guards are everywhere.”
“Guards who answer to me when Gabriel isn’t looking.” Jonathan’s smile widens. “You’d be amazed how many people in this house are tired of Thad’s leadership. Tired of watching him prioritize his mate over the clan’s survival.”
I feel Rosalie tense beside me, like she’s preparing to make a move. I grab her wrist and squeeze, hoping she understands. Not yet. We need more information first.
“If the Primigenii wanted me so badly, why didn’t they just take me themselves? Why use Menlow? Why use you?”
“Because they’re patient. They’ve been alive for millennia. They understand that the best victories are the ones your enemy doesn’t see coming.” Jonathan’s eyes bore into mine. “Thad thinks he’s protecting you. He thinks keeping you locked in this mansion will keep you safe. But all he’s done is made you easier to find.”
“And easier to take.”
“Now you’re catching on.”
The room feels smaller than it did before. The walls are pressing in, and the air is thick with the smell of old books and betrayal. I’ve been hunted since before I even knew vampires existed. First by Menlow. Then by Viktor. And now by an entire ancient clan who apparently thinks I’m the key to something I don’t understand.
“What happens now?” I ask, surprised by how steady my voice sounds.
Jonathan considers the question. “Now, we wait. My contact will be here within the hour to collect you. Rosalie, unfortunately, is a loose end that will need to be dealt with.”
“Like hell,” Rosalie snarls.
“You can fight if you want. It won’t change the outcome.” He raises the knife higher. “Silver to the heart kills even the oldest of us. And you, my dear, are far from old.”
I feel Rosalie’s muscles coil beside me. She’s going to do something. Something reckless and brave and probably suicidal.
I just hope it’s enough.