Zone Zero: Redemption (Book 2 of 3)

Chapter 2

The sound of waves crashing against the side of the boat as we skim across the water brings a sense of peace to my mind.

A sense of peace that I desperately need right now.

Leaving my brother in the middle of the night with only a note explaining why I have gone, but not where, has certainly been the most upsetting thing I have ever had to do.

I think about how he will react when he reads it but I know that I shouldn't picture such things as it will only bring me to tears once more. I finally managed to stop crying long enough to enjoy the sounds of the water and don't really want my tears to surface again.

Alex looks over to me as I gaze across the water watching the moonlight ripple against the tide that our boat makes. I know he is worried for me.

He knows just by being this close to me, how I am feeling but knows that I don't want to talk about it right now. He respects my feelings and we spend the trip in silence.

We finally arrive at the dock and as Alex brings the boat to a halt, I step out and head for the red sports car that sits eloquently by its self. I know straight away that it is Alex's ride. He seems to have a thing for speed.

We drive in silence for at least an hour before Alex finally speaks out.

"You could have said goodbye." He says, barely a whisper. "If you wanted to."

I look over to him with morose eyes and give off a half smile. The kind of smile that never really touches your eyes or heart but is used to throw off the scent of people that you don't want asking questions.

"It's fine. I promise."

A shift happens in Alex's mood as he lets out an exasperated sigh.

"You're hiding something from me."

I laugh at the concept of being able to hide something from the person I share a connection with but all Alex does in reply is scoff.

"Why don't you just read my mind and find out?" I say half sarcastic at the thought of Alex getting snarky at me after I left my home and the last of my family to help him find his sister. What more does he want from me right now?

"I want you to tell me. I don't think that I should have to dig through your mind for information from you." His voice is stale as he chooses to look at the road and not even glance my direction.

"Fine. What place do you hold in the vampire world? I know you're high up somehow, but just where do you fit in?"

I decide that now is a good a time as any to broch the subject.

"What's that got to with anything?" He is caught off guard by my question which means he is purposely trying not to delve into my mind. Thank god.

"Everything."

He lets off a sigh and looks at me sideways, as if he doesn't want to answer but decides to gulp down a large breath of air and tries to reply.

"I'm pretty high up. I guess if you have to put a ranking on it, I'd say second in charge. Or at least I was."

"And exactly what were your duties as second in charge?"

He is silent for the briefest of moments but continues on.

"Ever since the humans retreated behind their walls, I pretty much move from place to place checking in on the rest of the vampires and preside as judge where need be. Whatever my King needs, I do it." He is disconnected as though I were trying to steer the conversation away from what he wanted to talk about.