I pull my arm away. “Yeah, I know. That’s the problem.”
Magnus cocks his head in question. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, do you really think it’s a good idea to take out Slayer Inc.?” I ask, searching his face for answers. “After all, they’ve been policing vampires for centuries. Keeping all the checks and balances. To remove that removes all the security measures that have been put in place. And then there’s nothing to stop, say, an evil dictator who wants to destroy the human race.” I take in a breath, daring to continue. “Look, Magnus, I know Pyrus is your head honcho and all. But have you taken a close look at his politics? Do you really think he’s the leader that the Consortium needs to take the vampires through the millennium?”
Magnus grits his teeth. “Rayne, you’re new to all of this. And I appreciate the fact that you’re interested in the politics. But dearest, you don’t know what you’re talking about when it comes to Pyrus.”
“I know more than you. You don’t even know what Project Z is!” I blurt out before I can stop myself. But I need him to take me seriously.
He lifts an eyebrow. “And I suppose you do.”
“Yes. Actually I know a lot of things,” I say. “And you need to listen to me. If you don’t get involved with what’s going down, there are going to be huge consequences.”
Magnus rises from the bed, stepping over to the window. He stares out onto the Vegas strip, shimmering and shining in its multicolored brilliance. I wonder, wildly, when vampires rule the world and zombies roam the streets, if they’ll bother to keep the lights on.
“You need to be careful what you say,” he says at last, still staring into the night. “Especially about Pyrus. It could be seen as treasonous if someone were to hear you. They could revoke your membership, meaning we could never be joined…” He trails off, then turns to face me, his eyes drilling into my soul. “But maybe that’s your plan,” he realizes aloud. “Maybe that’s why you’ve been so hesitant about joining me. You’re only here as a spy. Drawing me in, making me care about you, allowing you into my world…”
My heart breaks at the hurt in his voice. “Magnus…”
“That’s it, isn’t it?” he demands. “You’re a spy. For Slayer Inc. or someone else. You never wanted to be with me. This is all just subterfuge.”
“It’s not like that,” I reply flatly. “You don’t understand.”
“Then make me!” he cries, his voice anguished. “Make me understand why you’re so hot and cold. Why you melt against me one moment, then pull away the next.” He rushes to me, grabbing my hands, a desperate look in his eyes. “Please,” he begs, dropping to his knees. “What aren’t you telling me?”
And so I tell him. Everything. About the time travel. Our previous relationship. What Rayne and I have been trying to do this time around. As I speak, his hands clench mine so tightly, I wonder if he’ll break my bones. But I can’t stop the truth spilling from my lips.
“Project Z stands for zombies,” I finish at last. “And if Lucifent is allowed to present them to Pyrus, we may as well kiss the human race good-bye.”
Magnus rises to his feet, staring down at me as if I’m insane. “Time travel?” he repeats. “Zombies? You are seriously out of your mind.”
“But I’m telling the truth!” I insist, wishing so badly I had started telling the truth from the start. Then maybe, just maybe, I wouldn’t be in this mess. “The zombies are on their way. We don’t have any time to waste. We have to stop Lucifent from presenting them to Pyrus…by any means necessary.”
Magnus stops in his tracks. “What are you saying?” he demands in a cold voice. “You want me to kill my own sire?”
I draw in a breath, forcing the hysteria from my voice, knowing it’ll only hurt my case. “Yes,” I say slowly. “If he won’t listen to reason.”
“Then you’re as bad as Slayer Inc.”
“But Slayer Inc. was right!” I protest, feeling like I’m losing the battle. What can I say to make him believe me? “I didn’t know it at the time—I thought he was innocent, just like you. But now I see he’s not. And he must be stopped. The fate of the world depends on it, don’t you see?”
“All I see is a liar and an enemy to the coven,” the vampire growls. “A snake who has slithered into our midst in a pathetic attempt to destroy us from the inside out.” He glares at me with hatred in his eyes. “You know nothing about Lucifent or Pyrus or any of the other vampires. And if you think I would ever believe your wild tales—well, you know nothing about me either!” He grabs the bottle of champagne and throws it against the wall. It shatters into a thousand pieces, alcohol spraying everywhere.
“Magnus!” I beg, tears gushing down my cheeks. “Please. Just listen to me! I swear I’m telling the truth! Just ask them! Just ask them about Project Z!”
But he’s already on his phone, calling the guards to take me away.
22
Rayne
The gig, as they say, is up. I’ve got puke on my shirt and a plane full of zombies staring at me with eager eyes. And one zombie queen, storming up the aisle in my direction. My only weapon—a semiautomatic pistol, stashed under my seat, isn’t going to be all that useful in a crowd, even if I did manage to avoid shooing out a window and depressurizing the cabin.