"No." Darren shook his head. "But, I believe a call to forewarn him will do."
I swallowed and shook my head from side to side. "No. I can't do that. The hunters will know I tipped them off if the club is empty when we arrive."
Darren met me at the door. "Morpheus understands the rules. We have to warn him, but he cannot warn the others. He doesn't want to out you anymore than we do."
"Why?"
"And lose his advantage? He might need you again in the future. Morpheus knows what's at stake." Darren opened the door for me and gestured me out. "Go. I'll let Antoine know what is happening. We wouldn't want you to be late."
I followed him out into the hallway and down the carpet. I paused outside Jack's door. "Crap. What do we do about him?" I pointed at the closed door.
"Hopefully, you will return before we have to tell him anything." Darren placed a hand on my arm and kissed my cheek. "Be careful."
I frowned harder. I didn't like this. There were too many variables that could go wrong. Warning Morpheus seemed like a bad idea. I'd much rather have shoved a stake through his heart myself than let him getaway. Oh well, perhaps I would be able to do it another day.
With that happy thought in my head, I marched down the stairs and to the cars. It was too late to get the car service, and Antoine wouldn't be able to insist on it if I was already gone. I jumped into my little POS car and cranked the engine. It sputtered to life from disuse, and I smiled. It was nice to be back in something of my own.
I loved the Durands. They had given so much to me, but sometimes I missed my old life. It was certainly less exciting. Less life or death. Except it also didn't have them in it. I could admit that I would miss them if they were gone. I didn't know what I would do with myself if I lost them.
I sniffed and wiped at my eyes. No time to get emotional, I had a two-hour drive ahead of me.
Setting my phone's GPS to Club Dead, I cranked up the music and sang my heart out while I sped away from the house. Unfortunately, it only took about ten minutes before my phone was ringing with Antoine's number.
"Ugh," I groaned, clicking the button to answer the phone. My car didn't have any of that nifty built-in Bluetooth capabilities, so Antoine's voice came out crackling over the speakerphone.
"Where are you?"
I winced at the bite in his words. "I'm driving."
"Why did you leave without your driver?" There was arguing in the background, but I could only make out Rayne's voice.
"There wasn't time," I explained, keeping my eyes on the road. "Look, I really need to use my phone for directions. Last time I didn't exactly drive myself."
"Piper," Antoine growled my name through the phone. "This isn't the time to play the independence card. You will turn around and wait for us to decide the best course of action."
"I will do no such thing," I snapped in return. "Look, you want to be safe? This is the price you pay. I'm the one in harm’s way instead of you. You can't keep me from doing my job."
"Yes, I can. I ca-"
I interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. "You what? You'll use your powers on me? Then what? We'll be right back to where we were a few weeks ago. Let me do this, Antoine. You just focus on making sure the Council you never told me about stays off my ass. Got it?"
"Piper, there are things we need to talk about."
"Sorry, can't hear you!" I raised my voice as if I was losing the signal. "I'm going...tunnel...call..." I hung up the phone and put it on Do Not Disturb mode.
Antoine would be pissed, of course. He was such a control freak he could hardly stand anyone telling him no, let alone the shit I made him put up with. I hadn't been lying, though. This was my fight, not his. He couldn't step in every time I did something he disagreed with. Vampire master or not, I had to do what I agreed to do. I'd keep them safe. No matter what.
When I finally arrived in front of Club Dead, I had more than a dozen missed calls and a massive amount of texts and phone messages. I ignored them all. Shoving my phone into my pocket for safekeeping, I climbed out of the car and grabbed my extra ammo from the passenger seat. I made sure my guns were secure, and the ammo was attached to the belt on my jeans before making my way over to Mizuki.
The neon light from Club Dead filled the sky, leaving bits of shadows in their wake. Ironically, it wasn't the vampires hiding in them but the vampire hunters. Mizuki stood with a dozen more hunters at her back, waiting for me.
"Isn't this a little overkill?" I asked, glancing at all the muscles she'd brought with her. Even Tristan had joined the fight, and he usually stayed away from me at all costs. Something about broken trust and all that. Couldn't say I blamed him.
"We're going into a club for vampires. Who knows how many are in there?" Bishop scowled, his arms flexing through his shirt angrily.
"Woah, hold your biceps." I held my hands up between us. "Have you even checked out the place yet? Had anyone go in?"
"No," Mizuki answered with a scowl. "Unfortunately, the proprietor of this place has kept the blueprints and other information out of public consumption."