Cloak of Deceit: An Alex Moore Novel by Gwen Mitchell Page B

been contacted by any members of the Grigori? Even telepathically?”
    I shook my head and squirmed as he scribbled away. They could do that? After a long pause, I looked up to find Derek staring at me with the creepy dead eyes. I gulped, but didn’t cower as he probably expected me to.
    “Miss Moore, I’d like you to come with me now.” He flipped his notebook closed and tucked it away.
    “What?” I caught Julian moving in my peripheral vision, but Derek demanded all of my attention. He gripped my upper arm and yanked me to my feet. “But I didn’t do anything!”
    He lowered his rough-hewn face until it hovered only a few inches away from mine. His breath smelled like a slaughterhouse floor and it was hard not to cringe away. “Don’t even think about trying anything with me. I won’t be charmed out of killing you if it comes to that.”
    I opened my mouth to say something, but Julian was suddenly at my side, staring daggers at Derek. “This wasn’t part of the plan.”
    Derek sneered. He took a step toward the door, pulling me with him. “My orders were to assess if she was an immediate threat, and if so, to eliminate her. If not, to detain her and take her back to base.”
    Julian’s arm shot forward, lighting fast, and grabbed Derek’s wrist. Our arms crossed in a three-way stalemate. Both of their auras came roiling to the surface, a clash of crimson and black so vivid I couldn’t make out their faces. I had to shut my eyes until it passed.
    “You’re not taking her anywhere.” Julian said that in the same tone of voice you would tell someone the sky is blue — plain, simple fact.
    “You know the punishment for disobeying orders. I have to follow mine. Yours are to stay out of the way. She’s a spy, and she’s already compromised your judgment.”
    “I am not a spy!” I tried to yank my arm away. Derek’s fingers dug into my flesh like the jaws of a bear-trap. Struggling only made it more painful. I turned to Julian, my eyes pleading. He believed me. Right?
    Julian met my gaze for a fraction of a second, but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He spoke to Derek, not to me. “If they want her brought in, I’ll do it myself.”
    Just great. It didn’t matter who did it, I was pretty sure I didn’t want to go back to their base. From the sounds of it, the Cloak would question me, maybe torture me for information I didn’t have, and eventually kill me. They didn’t care if Derek killed me now. If Julian would still hand me over to them, it meant he didn’t either. My heart dissolved and sank to my toes with that thought.
    Unwelcome everywhere, safe nowhere .
    “Your orders are to stay here.” Derek stared at Julian, squeezing my arm harder.
    My whimper of pain went ignored. Normally, I hate it when people talk about me like I’m not there, but just then, I was hoping they would both forget about me and I could sneak out the back while they settled their disagreement. Invisible sounded good.
    A gun appeared in front of me, pointed at Derek’s face.
    “You think that’s going to stop me?”
    “Let go of her,” Julian said through gritted teeth. A menacing click came from the gun.
    Derek’s grip on my arm slipped away.
    “Alex, get back. Whatever happens, stay out of this.”
    More than happy to follow Julian’s instructions, I backpedaled onto and over the sofa and crouched behind it as I watched the two of them locked in a silent staring competition. Derek’s fingers twitched, but Julian’s arm stayed stock-still.
    “You know I won’t leave her without a fight.” Derek straightened his shoulders so he took up even more space.
    Julian’s smile was grim. He didn’t move a muscle. “I’d be happy to oblige.”
    “Why are you willing to risk everything for a stinking psychic?” Derek spat, looking at Julian like he was completely out of his mind.
    I happened to be wondering the same thing just then.
    “She’s an Undead under my protection.”
    “You can’t sponsor