Expiration Date (Books 1 and 2)

9 An Act of Defiance

Iris~~

The Veil's hands fall off me, and I turn—slowly.

Only to lean over and throw up.

The bullet went through his head, leaving bits of bone, a lot of blood, and something else around his body. For how big a role death has played in my life, I've never actually seen it. It's horrifying. I tug my gaze from his face to his arm.

08-11-14

The other Veil stare, speechless. Was he their friend or only a colleague?

With his gun lowered, Erik runs up to me, and when he reaches the man, he doesn't hesitate to shove his hand in the man's pocket and pull out a small key. "What the hell did you do?" he asks gesturing to all the Veil lying on the ground before shoving the key into my handcuffs.

"What the hell did you do?" At least I didn't kill somebody.

"I saved your life. Again."

I bristle right before the handcuffs clatter to the ground.

"Come on." He turns, breaking into a run, and eager to get away from death and the pain I've caused, I follow him and push away the nagging feeling my conscience tries to create.

Erik slides inside a silver car, this one much nicer than the other one. The moment I'm inside, the car takes off down the road, Erik's grip on the wheel smothering.

"Why would he be out there on his Expiration Date?"

Erik only clucks his tongue. "Don't you know your history?" I don't answer, and he sighs. "It's how we took over. Soldiers who know they aren't going to die are braver than soldiers without Expiration Dates. Those who know they have no chance of escaping their death fight with a fury."

"Don't you feel . . . bad?"

"He would have either killed you or taken you to the Society where my family would have. When I fired, I didn't know it was his Expiration Date." That doesn't answer the question. "Don't give me that look. I saw what you did to everyone else."

"Please, don't remind me." My conscience nags at me again even if those I took down are alive.

"We did them a favor. When Colton finds out they let me escape . . ."

"I understand."

Erik ignores a stop sign. The streets are dead though.

"What I don't understand," he says, "is how you managed, well, that."

Erik cannot know about my orphanage, not until I know what his feelings are toward rebels. Even if he hates his family, he grew up at the Society's Estates, and rebels like to stage mini attacks on them often. He can't be fond of them if they've tried to hurt him.

"I told you I was decent with a gun." I angle my body toward him the best I can manage in the seat. "Also, this time doesn't count as saving my life, not when you threw me out there like bait just so you could escape. I took down five on my own until you showed up." I settle back in my seat. "If anything, I saved you."

"Not my life though."

I could punch him.

But I don't, only because he's driving—dangerously I might add—but driving all the same.

"Why are you running from your family?"

He sighs, his grip finally loosening on the steering wheel. "A few years ago, I began to realize I didn't agree with my family on a lot of things. My whole life I was raised to be Tresais, but I didn't know how I could ever be cruel enough to be able to sit on a throne in the Order. The rest of the eleven never seemed to have any problem being cruel. It seemed natural for them. I suppose I was when I was little, and I guess I still am in a way. Just not enough for the Society.

"I don't hate them. I love them, of course. Jonas gave me an opportunity to take a break, and I took advantage of it. I was supposed to be back by now. That's why they showed up."

I twist my hands together. So I definitely don't need to mention the rebel past or wanting to ruin his family.

We've reached a part of town where there are other cars on the road. Erik's slowed the car drastically, and my heart doesn't beat as hard as it did. Yesterday, I was walking to my death. Today, I'm in a car with the future Tresais, eavesdropped on Colton Blackwood, and fought the Society's Veil. Needless to say, I have a lot of questions for God and fate and maybe even death about what's going on with my life.

"I want to change them, you know." Erik's eyes are on the road. Changing them isn't the same as eradicating them.

"What do you mean by change?"

"Their heart. At least somewhat. If they knew they aren't always correct about everything then maybe they wouldn't feel the right to be cruel all the time."

"You want to expose my Mark . . ."

"Yes. You're going to be my act of defiance."