CHAPTER 13
Piper
THE SUN HAD BARELYtouched the horizon when I pulled the car into the garage. Thankfully, the closed garage was connected to the house and Allister was able to get inside without being torched.
We were laughing at the close call, our hands already finding ways to touch one another in the excitement of what was to come as we walked into the kitchen. Darren sat at the table with a cup of coffee and my weapons on the table in front of him. Mizuki sat across from him at the table, a cup in front of her as well, but it hadn't been touched.
I stepped away from Allister, a frown on my lips. "Mizuki, what are you doing here?"
Mizuki's gaze wasn't on me but Allister. "I was bringing your weapons back. You left in such a hurry, you forgot them."
"Oh." I moved forward to the table. "Thank you. You didn't have to come all the way out here. I could have gotten them from you later."
"Yes, but I wanted to see if what Tristan had seen was true for myself." She glanced between Allister and me. "And now, I have."
I kept myself between Allister and Mizuki as if I could hide him from her hateful gaze. "What are you talking about?"
Mizuki finally locked those dark penetrating eyes with mine. "Did you or did you not warn Morpheus of our coming?"
This, at least, I could answer truthfully. "No. Of course not."
"Then you admit you lied to me when you said you didn't know who the owner of Club Dead was?"
I paused and made sure to word it very carefully. "I have met Morpheus before. But I'd hardly say I know him. And nor are we on good terms. I want him dead as much as you do."
"Do you?" Mizuki arched a brow. "Because if you were willing to risk our operation to save your master," she gestured to Allister, "what is to say you didn't try to save others?"
Allister stepped around me, and I tried to stop him. "Don't."
He shrugged me off. "I can speak for myself."
"Then speak, vampire." Mizuki stood, using that towering figure of hers to her full advantage. Though, on someone like Allister, who was about the same height, it didn't have as much of an effect.
"Piper did not know I was there tonight, or I would have stayed home."
"Would you have?" Mizuki asked tauntingly. "Because my intel tells me you have been to the club every night since you came back from hiding. Or am I wrong?"
I looked to Allister, willing myself not to overreact. "Is this true?"
Allister turned his head toward me but didn't lose sight of the hunter before him. "I told you why."
"But you didn't tell me it was every night." I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself. "How did I not know this? Did you know?" I shot a look at Darren, who only stared at Mizuki in response. "Was I the only one who didn't know?"
Mizuki sniffed a laugh. "What did you expect when you are dealing with monsters? You can never trust them." She took a step toward Allister, a mean gleam in her eyes. "The only good vampire is a dead one."
Allister tensed as if to attack.
I scrambled for something to say. Something to ease the tension. "Is that all you came for? To return my weapons and interrogate me? If so, you're done. I haven't broken any of my part. I protected Allister, but no one else."
Mizuki’s glare didn't waver from Allister. "Haven't you wondered why we were at the club at all? Who tipped us off?"
I didn’t answer. She knew I had.
She stepped closer to Allister, so they were barely a breath away from each other. "Someone has been very sloppy with their victims."
"They aren't victims if they're willing," Allister replied, the tension in his body rising.
"Anyone you sink your fangs into is a victim. Whether they see it that way or not."