Undercity: Manifest

Chapter Eighteen

Zach read the message from Dante explaining that the address the shifter had given them was

abandoned. There was no evidence left behind beyond the bolted down metal table the shifter had described during his interrogation. In the three days since he had been arrested, no more evidence had been found.

Besides the Vampire Dante killed, they hadn't found any other living Mystics who appeared to have been changed through dark magic. Everybody was working frantically to keep a lid on things whilst at the same time, pulling on every resource to uncover who was behind it. The shifter had been their only lead, but that was now also at a dead end. 

Sadie was already training with Dante as Zach prepared to finally tell her about their plan to save Emilie. Payden was making steady progress. She had memorised the spell needed to take Emilie's magic and transfer it to Sadie. The problem was, nobody knew what impact it would have on them if they went through with it. Time was running out. If they wanted to help Sadie's sister, they had less than two months to do it. And that meant they had to inform Sadie and prepare her for what was about to come. 

There was a light knock on his door before Payden entered and greeted him with a weary smile. 

All three of them would all be there to deliver the news. Dante was going to bring Sadie to the office at the end of their session where Payden and Zach would already be waiting. Marcus had approved them telling her and he had given them permission to move forward with the necessary arrangements. They didn't ask for Val's official authorisation, they knew they wouldn't get it, instead opted to take the fact that she provided the information as her unofficial approval.  

Sweat was still sitting across Sadie's forehead when she arrived at Zach's office, closely followed by Dante. She had been made aware of the meeting but knew nothing beyond that. 

Dante sat in the armchair opposite Payden as Sadie burrowed down on the office chair beside Zach's desk. She looked exhausted and not just from training. Zach had noticed her losing weight and the shadows forming under her eyes over the past couple of months. She clearly wasn't getting enough rest, and with everything going on, he understood. He handed her a bottle of water from his personal fridge before sitting in his own chair behind his desk. 

Sadie looked at them all in turn waiting to see who would speak first. 

It was Payden who broke the silence. 'Sadie, I think we have a way to help Emilie.' 

Sadie's face paled and Zach worried she was about to pass out. Dante was by her side before Zach had chance to move. He didn't like it. 

Sadie placed the unopened bottle of water on Zach's desk. 'What do I need to do?' There was no fear in her voice, just a steely determination that she would do whatever she needed to do to save Emilie. It was exactly what Zach was afraid of. 

Payden explained the details of the Spanish experiment and apologised for not telling her sooner, explaining that they wanted to be sure before they acted. She went on to share how the process worked and what the risks were. When she finished, everybody waited for Sadie's reaction.

'So, you can pass all of her magic on to me?' Payden nodded as Sadie continued. 'You just can't be certain about it due to the age difference, Emilie's pregnancy and the lack of research.' The last part was a statement. 'But if it works, Emilie will live.' 

'You don't have to go through with it. There are risks.' Zach interjected before Payden could respond. 

Sadie's eyes were burning. 'I told you that if it came down to it, this decision would be mine to make. As long as Emilie and the baby are okay, I don't care what happens to me.' Zach opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off. 'We wait until we're certain she won't make it through the birth. There must be signs for when it is going to happen.' 

'Yes, there are.' Payden began. 'We will be able to sense her unmanifested magic fading during the birth and when that happens, we will know.' 

Sadie nodded slowly taking in every word. 

'The plan is to have her sent to a birthing unit where only the Mystic staff are there to attend her. The staff will tell her she requires a caesarean and keep Chris out of the way while we perform the spell. She will need to remove her ring to go into the OR so we shouldn't raise any suspicions when she is asked to take if off. She won't notice it happening. The rest of the medical procedure will take place as normal, and she will give birth to her baby.' 

'And hopefully live to meet them.' Sadie added bitterly. 

Payden took hold of her hand. 'Yes, all being well they will both live. And so will you.' 

Zach didn't miss the way Sadie dropped her eyes when Payden mentioned her. He also noticed that she didn't ask a single question about how the process would affect her. She didn't care if she lived. The fire he admired so much was absent from her eyes to the point that he could barley bring himself to look at her. 

Payden rose to leave and Dante followed her to the door. An unwelcome feeling of jealousy crept into Zach's gut when Dante looked back over his shoulder to stare at Sadie who had remained unmoving since Payden told her the final details of their plan. 

'Are you okay?' Zack asked once they were alone. 

'I just want to go home.' 

...

Zach had been surprised when Sadie accepted his offer to drive her home. It was only the second time he had been to her flat in all the time he had known her. 

He parked the car on the side of the road in the nearest available space. Sadie was already out of the car by the time he made it to her side. She fumbled with her keys and swore when she dropped them onto the pavement. Exhaustion was written all over her face.

He bent down and picked up her keys without offering to give them back to her. He walked into the block of flats knowing she would follow him. Each step looked like it was taking every ounce of her will power as they climbed the three flights of stairs coming out at her front door. Zach let them both in and took himself into the kitchen area where he poured her a glass of orange juice from the fridge remembering where everything was from last time. 

She wordlessly accepted the drink and motioned for him to join her on the sofa. He thought about leaving, but reasoned that if she wanted him to, she would have asked. So, he sat. 

'I thought I would feel happier.' Not following what she meant, Zach tilted his head to the side. 'I thought when you came up with a plan, I would be happy, relieved even, that Emilie would be okay. But with everything I've seen and heard lately, I just feel drained.' 

He closed the distance between them and took her hand without thinking. She let him. 'You just need some rest. Payden wouldn't be suggesting we do anything if she wasn't sure it would work. She cares about you. We all do.' He let his comment hang in the air. 

Her eyes slowly rose to meet his. Her eyes flickered with a tiny spark. He was taken aback when she leaned in and pressed her lips into his. Allowing it to happen, he kissed her back increasing the pressure as their lips fought. He could feel the heat and desperation in every movement as she hungrily deepened the kiss. He continued to kiss her back and met her passion with a fire of his own.

He had thought about kissing her so many times when they shared glances at each other.  Letting it happen now felt right.

Until it didn't. 

He pulled away and captured her free hand as she moved it to lift his shirt clearly wanting to take things further.

He sobered and forced himself to keep his distance. She wasn't kissing him because she wanted him. Not in this moment. This was about replacing pain with a fleeting moment of pleasure. He couldn't let her do this to herself. 

A flash of confusion swept across her face quickly followed by hurt. They both waited for the other to make the next move. Both of their chests were heaving in an unsteady rhythm. Sadie pulled her arm free from his hold as she wordlessly stood and moved away from him before adjusting her t-shirt.

Just like the last time he was there; Sadie slammed her bedroom door closed leaving him in her living room.

He washed and tidied away her empty glass before he left.