The Order: Hit and Run by Emma Cole Page 0,42

fuck wasn’t coming back without the package, not after Drake took off and the meeting with the dean the other day. The one where you thought someone was hiding in the office?” Jag nods again, and even Blaise is more worried than pissed now.

“Well, if we were being watched, and Drake didn’t show, I couldn’t take the chance that whoever was taking pictures wasn’t going to try to fuck us over with them. I get around the side, and no one is there. No vehicle, nothing but a dumpster corral and an employee entrance that’s locked. Figuring the guy will be inside, I double back only to have two others catch me as I come around the corner on the side. There wasn't a chance to do anything— one of them had what looked like red ink, and he swiped my face twice with it. I hit the ground in seconds, unable to move, and they curb stomped my ass. One of the guys was pissed Drake wasn't the one that had shown up, so it was definitely planned."

Jaeger interrupts me, instantly spitting out his denial. "Drake didn't set you up! He wouldn't do that."

I hold my hands up to stop him, not wanting. "Not what I meant. Think about it. How many people know what happened to us when Damien died? What if they know about Cora? Do we even know what would happen to the rest of us if the link with Drake is broken?"

Blaise pales, sitting down hard on the other end of the couch. "We have to bind her to us. As soon as possible. They can't have her."

"No, they can't." Ash's arrival startles us all. We'd been waiting on Cora's door to open, the one nearest us, not Ash emerging from the other direction. "Fill me in on the rest later, after we don't have to worry about scaring her off. Her being willing is the key, remember? The Axiom failsafe, thank-fucking-Christ." He must have flown through a shower as his hair is still sopping in places and wet patches show through his white shirt. "Get cleaned up and dressed, we can't go see Damien Sr. looking less than proper. And I have the note that was left on you— they definitely know what Cora is."

Jaeger and Blaise start cursing, but a quick point at Cora's door reminds them to keep it down.

"We'll deal with it later; they can't get to her on campus." I get to my feet, still marveling at the lack of pain after the beating my body took. I had been sure I was going to die after the assholes explained they'd bound my ability to siphon. Tony and Todd had tried to help, but siphoning isn't very effective between males of the Order unless a coterie bond is shared. Making a mental note to tell the others about the block, I head for my room.

The snick of the lock disengaging halts my steps. I’m instantly on the defensive because it’s not housekeeping day, and no one else should have access. Not unless an administrator approved it. When I recognize Drake coming in, worry plastered all over his face, I’m first relieved and then pissed.

“Do you know what the fuck you left me to walk in on?” I don’t leave him or the others a chance to speak, jabbing my finger at him. “You have some serious explaining to do, and so you know...Cora saved my ass. She knows, and she wants answers.”

Drake pales slightly but stands his ground. “I got back here as soon as I could. The message didn’t come in until I was already on my way back.” He looks me up and down, taking stock of the mostly healed injuries. “Is she okay? I’m assuming those aren’t all of them? Ash’s message said you were bad off and unable to siphon.”

“It’s kind of a long story, and Cora is going to be out any second. We were about to head out to find you and go talk to your uncle before the Ts get to him first. What was so damned important anyway that you had to take off?”

Drake lowers his voice, eyeing Cora’s door as he explains his behavior. “You guys aren’t going to believe me, but I think I found Mikhail.” The name doesn’t mean anything to me, and I turn to the others. Ash shrugs, just as baffled as I am, and Blaise is much the same-- but Jaeger seems to know exactly who