Darkness (Alisa Rose #2)

-Thirteen-

Alisa POV

Bryce was upstairs with Jordan, probably talking—or kissing, because, duh, it was Bryce. I tried not to think too much about that, though. Instead, I kept my focus on what was ahead: Emmett, Rebecca, and the fact that they were out there, somewhere in the city, planning God knows what.

The door creaked open, and I spun around, already knowing who it was. Jace stepped inside, looking a little worse for wear but still exuding that calm, unbothered demeanor that made me want to punch him sometimes. His shirt was wrinkled and a bit bloody—not his blood, obviously—but he didn't seem fazed by it.

"Good news or bad news?" I asked, stopping my pacing as he walked in.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're always straight to the point, aren't you?"

I gave him a dry look. "Buffy, remember? I'm all about slaying the bad guys, not waiting for some long-winded speech."

Jace smirked, but his eyes were serious. "Emmett and Rebecca were spotted."

I felt my stomach drop, and for a moment, I couldn't tell if it was from fear or excitement. Maybe both. "Spotted where?"

Jace walked further in, brushing a hand through his dark hair. "Downtown. A couple of Tikbalanugo vampires were stupid enough to cross my path, so I made sure to ask the right questions."

I snorted. "And by 'ask,' I assume you mean you broke a few bones and then killed them?"

He shrugged, completely unbothered. "They weren't going to give us anything useful by being alive. They've spotted Emmett and Rebecca lurking in the shadows."

"So, what's the plan?" Jordan's voice cut in from behind me. I hadn't noticed him come down the stairs, his expression a mix of concern and curiosity.

I glanced at Jace, waiting for his answer, even though I could already guess what it was. This was what we did—chased down vampires, took them out before they could cause more damage. But this time, it felt different. Emmett wasn't just any vampire. He had Bryce's life in his hands, and now, he was a threat to everything we'd worked for.

"The Feast of San Vicente is next week," Jace said slowly, his gaze shifting between me and Jordan. "It's one of the biggest events in Colegio De San Vicente, and the perfect opportunity for Emmett and Rebecca to make a move. The Tikbalanugo hinted they're planning something, but we don't know what."

I frowned, leaning against the back of the couch. "You think they'll use the Feast as cover for whatever they're up to?"

"It makes sense," Jace replied. "The whole school will be there, along with a bunch of civilians. If Emmett's looking to create chaos or worse, turn more people into newborn vampires, he couldn't ask for a better stage."

Jordan crossed his arms, looking thoughtful. "So, what do we do? Hunt them down before they can strike or wait for them to come to us?"

That was the million-peso question, wasn't it? Hunting them would be dangerous, but waiting for them to make the first move could be even worse. My mind was already racing, trying to weigh the risks.

"We could set a trap," I offered, my voice firmer than I felt. "Lure them into the school during the Feast. We'll be ready for them. They won't see it coming."

Jace's eyes narrowed. "You want to use the school as bait?"

I held up a hand. "Not the school. Just... the event. We'll make it look like everything's going according to plan, like we don't know they're coming. And when they show up, we hit them with everything we've got."

Jordan was quiet for a moment, but then he nodded. "It could work. If we prepare well enough, we can trap them without putting too many people in danger."

Jace's face was unreadable for a few seconds. He was always the tactical one, the guy who played everything by the book, but I could see the gears turning in his head. "It's risky."

"Of course it's risky," I shot back. "But if we just sit here and wait for them to make the first move, it's going to be worse. At least this way, we control the battlefield."

Jace exhaled slowly, his gaze locking with mine. "Alright. We'll do it your way. But if anything goes sideways, we pull out. No heroics."

I gave him a half-smile. "Wouldn't dream of it, Captain Safety."

Jordan chuckled, and the tension in the room eased a little. But I could still feel it, that looming sense of danger, like a storm that hadn't quite hit yet.

I glanced toward the stairs, thinking of Bryce. We hadn't even scratched the surface of what Emmett had done to him, and now, we had to worry about Rebecca and whatever twisted game they were playing. But this? This was our world now. A constant battle, a fight we couldn't walk away from, no matter how much we wanted to.

"We'll need to prepare," Jace said, pulling me back to the moment. "Weapons, everything we've got."

I nodded, already thinking about what we'd need. "Leave that to me. I'll make sure we're locked and loaded."

Jordan glanced between us, his face a little paler than before. "And what about Bryce? He's still adjusting to everything. Do we involve him?"

My heart twisted at the thought of Bryce being thrown into the middle of this. But we couldn't keep him on the sidelines forever. He was part of this world now, whether any of us liked it or not.

"We'll protect him," I said softly. "But he's stronger than he thinks. We'll just have to hope he's ready to kick some vampire ass."