is going to end?” Tyler still had his gun pointed, as did Alec and everyone else in the room. You could cut the tension with a hacksaw. But why was Tyler pushing him? To break the stalemate?
Davis spread his arms wide. “You summoned me here. What is it you want?”
“I want you to die,” I declared without even thinking.
Davis chuckled. “So dramatic. But since we’re on the topic, here’s how this is going to go. You summoned me here, dear daughter, and here I am to collect you. You will come with me, you will cooperate, and you will help me complete my machine. In exchange, I’ll let your Variants live.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Well, then everyone dies.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, we have just as many guns pointed at you as you have at us. What makes you think you’d be able to walk out unscathed?”
“I think I can help with that.” Dana sauntered in from around the corner. She was in jeans and a skin-tight tank top, all her curves accentuated, her silky blonde hair tamed in a braid.
Walking in step with her, their hands clasped, was Zara.
I took an involuntary step back. It felt as if someone had stabbed me just under the ribs and twisted the knife. I could understand Dana not wanting to be involved in this fight, wanting to steer clear of trouble, but to go out of her way to thwart us? To work with Davis? To break Zara out and bring her here to betray me again? It was just so cruel.
Davis gave her a wide smile and waited patiently until they were standing next to him.
“Fucking bitch,” Alec growled, tightening his grip on his gun. I knew he wanted to shoot her in the face, but he was smart enough to resist the impulse. If he started firing, everyone would start firing.
“Why?” I hated how hurt I sounded.
“Aww, poor naive little Eve,” Dana cooed, a cruel tilt to her mouth. “Haven’t you learned by now not to trust everyone who says they’re your friend? I thought you were supposed to be smart.”
Zara snorted and picked at her nails.
“I’m gonna kill you both!” Dot launched forward, but she’d barely taken a step before Charlie wrapped his arms around her middle and picked her clean off the floor, her feet kicking. Kyo and Marcus stepped in, placing themselves between her and Davis.
Everyone tensed, but thankfully, no one fired. With Dana neutralizing everyone’s abilities, we were all equally vulnerable. Josh wouldn’t be stopping any bullets, let alone all of them.
“Thank you for bringing her back to us, Dana.” Davis lifted his hand and caressed Zara’s cheek with the backs of his fingers.
“Yes, I’m so glad you’re OK, darling,” Zara’s mom rushed out. Apparently now that Davis had welcomed her daughter back into the fold, it was OK for her to do the same. Twisted bitch.
For the first time since they walked in, I saw a crack in Zara’s sarcastic mask. She covered it quickly, but her free hand started to twitch—little, jerky movements, just like when I was in a cage begging her to help me save Josh’s life. When had she slipped back into her delusions? Had she ever truly turned against Davis, or was it all an elaborate lie?
Zara ignored her mom, practically speaking over her. “I’m sorry I ran away. I was . . . confused.”
“Water under the bridge.” Davis’s focus was still on her. “You were my first creation. You’re more of a daughter to me than Evelyn ever was.”
I rolled my eyes. Was that supposed to make me feel jealous?
“You’re about to make up for it, aren’t you?” The smile Davis gave her then was nothing short of deranged, and the one she gave him back was just as unhinged. “But first things first. Dana.”
“Right.” Dana dropped Zara’s hand. “I’ll wait in the car or something,” she deadpanned, then walked off at a leisurely pace.
The exact moment Dana was far enough away to no longer be blocking anyone’s ability, electricity started to flitter along Zara’s skin, every twitch of her hand eliciting a little spark. Everyone took a collective breath. Her ability was volatile, and she’d had little to no training with it. Josh’s telekinesis wouldn’t do shit to stop Zara’s electricity. If she could focus enough to direct it at any of us, we were fucked.
Davis had the upper hand. Again. Because despite my impressive IQ, I’d done something colossally stupid. Again.