Phoenix (4 page)

We all gather around the table as Day brings out a lopsided chocolate cake, which
is slathered in gloopy icing that’s already started to slide off. The large, wonky
piping on top reads
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NA
. She ran out of space for the
T.
I absolutely love it. It’s nice knowing Day isn’t perfect at everything.

“It’s a masterpiece,” I say.

Day rolls her brown eyes. “It’s the last time I’m ever baking, so you better enjoy
it.”

“Make a wish,” Harold says.

I blow out my candles, wishing for a positive outcome at tomorrow’s vote.

Day serves everyone a slice of cake while I sneak off to the restroom to get a moment
to myself. I splash some water over my face and check my reflection in the small mirror
above the sink. My cheeks are flushed, and my curly hair is a bit frizzy from being
spun around by Ash, but I look
happy.
I smile. I’m about to turn away when something makes me pause. The corner of my left
eye looks strange. Is it my imagination, or does it look a little yellow? It must
be a trick of the light.

When I join the party again, the mood has shifted, and I soon see why. Juno has arrived,
her long red hair a tangled mess, her cheeks pink, as if she ran all the way from
work.

“The network got the report an hour ago. The news is about to break on every station
across the country—” she says, then cuts herself short when she sees me.

“What is it?” I say.

Sumrina comes over to me and takes my hand.

“It’s your mother,” she says.

“Is she all right?” I ask, worried.

“Your mom broke out of prison two hours ago,” Juno says. “She’s on the run.”

ASH

JUNO FILLS US
in on everything she knows. There was an explosion at the prison, which killed six
guards and took down part of the building’s west wing. The bombing was just a distraction,
to keep the guards busy as Emissary Buchanan was extracted from her cell in the east
wing. It took the guards a few hours to notice she had even escaped, and by then,
it was too late.

Natalie tightens her shaking fingers around mine, her lips pale.

“Do they know who helped her escape?” she says.

“No, but it was a professional job,” Juno replies. “Probably ex-military.”

“Where do you think she’s gone?” Day says.

“Heavens, you don’t think she’d come back
here
?” Sumrina says, worry in her eyes.

“No, she wouldn’t do anything so risky,” Natalie answers.

“Is Mother going to be okay?” Polly says quietly.

“You know Mother, she’s a survivor,” Natalie says. “She’ll be fine. Just—” Her last
word gets caught in her throat. Tears spring to her eyes.

I glance at my dad. He nods, understanding.

“Perhaps it’s time to call it a night,” Dad says.

Michael and Sumrina take Polly to their house on Cinder Street, while Natalie comes
home with me to the Ivy Church. Dad kindly stays at the barge with Roach and Beetle,
to give us some time alone.

We climb up the twisting staircase leading to my bedroom in the church’s bell tower.
The moonlight shimmers off the brass bell hanging down the center of the hexagonal
room. Natalie sinks down on the bed while I move the wooden boards over the arched
windows to keep out some of the chilled night air. I freeze. Two Sentry guards are
sitting on the gravestones outside—they must’ve been following us. They catch my eye,
and one of them waves, a smirk on his lips. I quickly place the board over the window
and join Natalie on the bed. I don’t tell her about the guards, not wanting to worry
her.

“Your mom’s going to be all right,” I say.

Natalie nods, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“I just wish she’d contacted me.”

“It would’ve been too dangerous,” I say gently.

“I know, but it still hurts that Polly and I weren’t part of her plan.” She sighs,
playing with her engagement ring. “I’m sorry. This was supposed to be a special evening,
and I’m ruining it.”

I tilt her face up. “In good times and in bad, remember?”

She smiles. “I love you so much, Ash. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

My heart cramps as I think about tomorrow. What am I going to do? The right choice
would be to vote no, but then Natalie will be taken. I simply can’t let that happen.
So what do I do? With the guards outside, we can’t escape, so there’s no way I can
hide Natalie or get her out of the city tonight without them knowing. Plus, I doubt
they’re the only guards keeping tabs on us—Purian Rose would’ve made sure of that.
The men outside the church are a warning: he’s watching us. All I can do is keep her
close.

Natalie gives me a shy smile. “So . . . we’re all alone.”

I grin. “Yup.”

“With no one here to interrupt us.”

“Nope.”

She looks up at me expectantly, and all thoughts of tomorrow vanish from my mind.
It’s just her, me, in this moment. I cup a hand around her face and gently kiss her.
The echo of her heart tremors inside my chest, nervous and excited, as is mine.

We lie down, and her blond curls spill across the pillow. Anticipation hangs in the
air between us. The moment has finally come. My eyes drift over her face, her body,
my vision shimmering around the edges. The Sight. It’s a force Darklings use to mark
their prey, to ward off other Darklings. I envelop her in its enthralling darkness,
telling her one thing:
you belong to me.

My fingers glide over her flushed cheeks and lips, down her neck, stopping at the
gold pendant peeking out the top of her purple corset dress. A silk ribbon crisscrosses
up the lacy bodice, secured at the top with a simple bow. I playfully tug on the ribbon,
and the bodice unravels to reveal the creamy, rose-blushed flesh underneath, marked
only by a thin red scar from the heart transplant she had as a child. Fire blazes
through my veins, and I let out a ragged breath, barely able to control my thirst.

Natalie’s blue eyes simmer as she holds my gaze for a lingering heartbeat, knowing
the effect she’s having on me. Finally, she entwines her fingers in my hair and draws
me toward her. The kiss is like lightning, sending shock waves into my heart.
Ba-boom, ba-boom!
I hardly notice when she unbuttons my shirt. There’s none of the uncertainty of this
morning. Her fingers caress my back, my arms, my chest, sliding over my stomach muscles
toward my belt buckle. My poison sacs flood with venom.

She parts her mouth, deepening our kiss, and I let out a low groan. My whole body
trembles with pent-up tension; my skin is ablaze. My hands slide up her legs, lifting
her tulle skirt at the same time. I roll on top of her and force myself to hold back,
just for a moment, and drink her in. I want to savor this perfect moment, because
tomorrow everything is going to change. She won’t look at me like this ever again,
with pure love, trust, desire. One way or another, tomorrow I’ll reveal myself for
the man I truly am. A traitor.

“I love you,” I say, my voice hoarse.

“I love you too,” she replies. “With all my heart.”

I kiss her, unable to wait a second longer. She gasps, then a sigh, and it’s just
like I remembered.
Bliss.

* * *

A shaft of sunlight spills between the wooden boards in front of the windows, waking
me up. I rub an exhausted hand over my face, struggling to drag myself into the land
of the living. My left hand dangles over the edge of the bed, and my fingers brush
against the lacy material of Natalie’s torn, discarded dress. I grin. I’ll have to
buy her a new one.

The mattress dips slightly as Natalie rolls over to face me, the white sheet twisting
around her body. A tangle of curly blond hair surrounds her flushed face, her blue
eyes sparkling the same color as the engagement ring glistening on her finger.

I tuck a curl behind her ear. “Last night was . . .
wow.
”

She shyly bites her lip.

“Are you hungry?” I ask.

“Famished,” she replies. “What time is it, anyway?”

I check the clock on my nightstand and then leap out of bed, panicked.

“Grab some clothes—we’re late!”

Twenty minutes later, we’re pushing our way through the crowds in the town square
where one of the polling stations has been set up for the public vote today. I can’t
believe we’re late. Of all the days to sleep in! I snatch a look over my shoulder.
Two Sentry guards are walking a short distance behind us, guns slung over their shoulders.
They followed us here from the church. Natalie glances at them too, frowning.

“They’re not very subtle, are they?” she murmurs. “If they’re trying to intimidate
us, it’s not working.”

Yes it is.

I tighten my grip on her hand, my mind racing with ways to protect her, if it comes
down to it. I still haven’t decided which way I’m going to vote.
My guards will slice bits off her, piece by piece . . .
I look over my shoulder again. I can probably take on those two guards, but not the
hundred others patrolling the town square. What am I going to do? I’m running out
of time to make my decision.

“Phoenix!”

The three boys I saw playing in the street the other day run over to me, followed
by their mom, Sally. She looks anxious and fidgety. Little Phoenix tugs at my jacket
sleeve. I’m dressed in my Phoenix outfit today—LLF jacket, black pants and boots—as
Roach requested, although I drew the line at putting on the makeup. Natalie’s wearing
a pair of my pants and a shirt tied at the waist with a leather belt.

“Good luck today,” Little Phoenix says.

My stomach knots.

“Leave him alone, boys,” Sally says, ushering them away. She doesn’t wave good-bye
this time.

Everyone’s tense, but I’m not surprised; this isn’t an ordinary day. On the rooftops
of the buildings around us, giant digital screens broadcast live footage of the voting
that’s happening in the other megastates across the United Sentry States. At the bottom
of each screen is a graphic letting us know the results so far.

It’s rare to have a vote done in public this way. Usually they’re secret ballots,
but Purian Rose insisted on it, claiming he didn’t want Humans for Unity to “try any
tricks” and fix the voting. That probably was
one
of his reasons. I’m guessing the other reason is he wants the whole nation to see
me vote in favor of his segregation law.

The polling station has been set up beside the three wooden crosses used to execute
traitors. The middle cross still bears the scars of my torture and failed execution,
the acacia wood blackened with soot, the cobbled ground forever stained with my blood.
I look away.

One of the benefits of the voting being done in public is that the Legion guards are
able to watch from the Boundary Wall and report back to the other Darklings. They’re
not allowed to vote themselves, nor are the Bastets or Lupines, as they’re not technically
citizens of the United Sentry States. I’m only allowed to vote because I’m half human,
and have a citizenship card. I can just picture them: whole families huddled together,
waiting to hear their fate, relying on me.
Trusting
me.

Also standing on the wall are Garrick and Sigur. A gold mask obscures Sigur’s scarred
face, protecting him from the worst of the misty sunlight. It reminds me of the first
time I saw him and Evangeline standing there, during his niece’s execution.
Evangeline.
Desire and grief jumble up inside me as I think about her, the girl who was meant
to be my Blood Mate. I haven’t heard from her since she left Black City, in search
of more twin-bloods. I have no idea if she’s still alive, although if anyone could
make it on her own, it would be Evangeline.

We finally reach the stage and find a frantic-looking Day waiting for us.

“I was just on my way to get you,” she says. “Why are you so late?”

“We slept in,” Natalie says.

“You might want to come up with a better excuse than that,” Day says. “Roach is out
for your blood. You were supposed to be meeting and greeting people hours ago.”

“I know,” I say. Roach wanted me to help Humans for Unity drum up some last-minute
support, before the voting started in Black City.

“Where’s Polly?” Natalie asks, looking about her.

“She’s babysitting MJ. His back was hurting him too much to come out,” Day explains.
“Besides, I don’t think she could face all these crowds. She’s having one of her bad
days . . .”

Natalie nods, understanding.

“There you are, bro!” Beetle says, pushing his way toward us, followed by a thunderous-looking
Roach.

“You were told to be here hours ago,” Roach says to me. “How do you think it looks
if Phoenix can’t even be bothered to show his fragging face?”

“I’m really sorry,” I say.

We’re soon met by my dad, Sumrina, Michael and Amy. Juno is on the stage with Stuart,
filming the public vote in Black City. She’s wearing her signature look—tight black
leather pants and corseted white blouse, with heavy Cinderstone eyeliner rimming her
pale blue eyes, while Stuart’s made less of an effort, wearing a faded patchwork tailcoat
and brown suede slacks, his brown hair spiked up in its usual style. TV crews have
been placed at all the polling stations across the city, but the one in the town square
is getting the most focus, because of me.

On top of the platform is a pair of large glass boxes, each two yards tall and wide,
with a metal slot in the front of both boxes for people to post their ballot papers
through. All the ballot slips have a microchip built into them, which contains your
citizenship identification number, to prevent fraud. A computer, which is hooked up
to the voting boxes, records this information as you drop your ballot slip into the
box, and your vote instantly appears on the screen behind the stage. A sign above
the box on the right says
YES
, and on the left, the sign reads
NO
.

“How’s it going?” I ask the group.

“Not too bad,” Amy says. “We lost the vote in the Plantation State, but it wasn’t
by much.”

The Plantation State was always going to be one of the hardest states to win over,
because they rely on government contracts to sell their crops, so the fact that the
vote was close is really encouraging.

“The real surprise is the Dominion State,” Amy continues, pointing to the digital
screen above Black City School.

Currently the people of Centrum, in the Dominion State, are voting, and the screen
is showing 8,476,802
YES
; 6,098,156
NO
. I do a double take, stunned by the numbers. I thought Centrum would vote almost
entirely yes, given it’s the capital city and Purian Rose’s home turf.