a threat, and that means he’ll have to give up being the Phantom.”
“So just tell him,” Delmare argued. “He’ll quit playing superhero if you ask.”
“I can’t do that either. If I do, Gabby can’t use me as her puppet anymore, and she’ll take him out anyway.” I sat on the bed in frustration. “She’s got me boxed in.”
I sighed. “Except I think Ethan’s figured it out. He knows I’m the White Rose. And if I don’t convince him otherwise, Gabby will know, then he’s done for.”
“Does anyone else know about this?” Delmare asked.
“Stefan does,” I said. Delmare’s eyes widened in disbelief. “He put it together. He’s only keeping quiet because I begged him to.”
Delmare raised an eyebrow. “So... how are you planning to fool Ethan into thinking you’re not the White Rose?” she asked.
I took a breath, and stood. I grabbed the dagger off my bedside and held it out to Delmare. “With an assassination attempt. Fake, of course. You’re going to dress up as the White Rose and pretend to kill me. You have to make it look real, otherwise, Ethan won’t fall for it.”
“Fucking hell, Emma!” Delmare said. “What do I look like, a sociopath?”
“You’re the only one of my friends who’s got the balls to stab me,” I said, and I closed her fingers over the dagger’s hilt. “Please do this. It’s to save Ethan’s life.”
She stared at me, as if contemplating if I really meant it. She caught onto my desperation, and Delmare took the dagger slowly. “Where?”
“Here.” I pointed to my right shoulder. “Make it look like you’re aiming for the heart. You don’t have to cut deep.”
“When should I do it?” Delmare asked, her hands skimming over the cloak.
“Tonight,” I said. “I’ll get Ethan and set it up. Just be ready.”
I waited until the sun had set to find Ethan. He was lounging in the Rec Room with his legs thrown up on a coffee table, reading some sort of book for class.
He felt me standing there before he saw me. Ethan put the book down and looked up. “Are you ready to talk now?”
I felt like a child owning up to something bad I had done. Was he mad at me? I didn’t have a clue.
His fingers drummed on the top of the book. I wondered if he was going to spank me with it. My panties immediately got wet. Gods, Emma, focus!
I swallowed down my nervousness and said, “Take a walk with me.”
We strolled outside together, to the main lawn in front of the school. A few students were out and about, but not many. Ethan held his hands behind his back while I hugged myself. The clock tower was on our right— it was the easiest place to jump down from, and the quickest way of escape. Gods, I hoped Delmare didn’t get caught.
“I wanted to say something,” I began.
Ethan glanced down at me, seemingly unsurprised. “Finally coming clean?”
I opened my mouth to answer. But I didn’t get a chance to respond, because there was a swooping sound overhead. A body came crashing down, landing on both Ethan and I. We crashed into the dirt.
It was Delmare, her face covered by the mask and hood, body shrouded in the cloak. She looked all the part of the White Rose. She raised a dagger in the moonlight— people screamed, and Ethan’s face turned white.
“No!” Ethan shouted.
Delmare plunged the dagger down. I cried out when it nicked my shoulder, cutting through my sweater and drawing blood. Fuck, that hurt!
Ethan pushed her off of me. Delmare went flying— he’d used his shifter strength, and it’d sent her sailing several feet. After a moment of recovery, Delmare staggered to her feet, and ran. Students pointed and yelled as she headed inside the clock tower and into the depths of the school.
Ethan started as if to go after her, but I let out a groan of pain and his attention diverted to me. “Emma!” he exclaimed. He put a hand on my shoulder to hold the blood in. “Did she get you anywhere else?”
“No,” I gasped. The pressure he put on the wound was excruciating. The tears rising to my eyes were no act. “What the hell was that?”
“Assassination attempt,” he breathed. He tore the edge of his shirt and pressed it onto my wound. He put my hand on top of it and said, “Hold it there.”
“Why would someone try to kill me?” I asked as Ethan slid his arms underneath me, and I cried