Chapter 131

I looked at my calendar and wondered if I’d make it to that day. I looked up at Candido and shook that thought away. Candido would protect me. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I’d turn twenty. We’d get married. These vampires would go away once Candido got through with them.

For now, we just had to get to Red Moon.

I got dressed in new gear. Candido got dressed in tactical gear too and the rest of Moon Shadow who could still fight loaded into the jeeps and headed to Red Moon on the quickest paths. The pathway into the caves didn’t even appear, but I felt the forest shifting around us as if someone was trying to get us there as quickly as possible.

“The forests are shifting,” Francium said. “Are you doing that?”

Candido remained silent for a moment. “Gilgamesh?”

“I feel it too,” he called back. “I don’t know.”

“Everyone keep on guard,” Candido called. “We might be heading into another trap.”

My heart lurched and drew closer to Candido. He took my hand.

“Whatever you do, stay with me,” he said softly, squeezing my hand.

I nodded and pressed closer to him.

The drive was silent even as everyone aimed their guns out into the rushing trees. I heard people, fights, and struggles beyond the rushing trees and the almost liquid mountains that we passed, but nothing came of it. We arrived in Red Moon’s capital faster than anyone could have imagined.

I realized that I had never truly seen Red Moon before. The capital was older-looking than the Full Moon capital. I didn’t know if that was because it was older or if it was just never updated, but it didn’t look bad.

As we kept driving through the city, the scent of burning wood and blood filled my nose. Then, I realized that these buildings didn’t just look old: they were charred. I pressed a hand to my mouth as we passed a burnt-out car and several bodies. The scent of smoke was heavy in the air. Ashes rose up as we streaked past.

“Team Delta and Team Sigma, spread out and search for survivors,” Candido called. “Team Beta and Team Iota will be back up. Everyone else keep track to the Red Moon Estate.”

I looked up at him. “You know where the estate is?”

“I lived there for a time,” he said. “Right after the attack.”

I grimaced, thinking about him sharing space with that evil woman.

“… did you ever… I mean, have you and Sibyl ever—”

“No.”

Relief filled me but then I looked up at him. “But… you have… before, I mean?”

“Yes.”

I huffed. “How many?”

“Is this really the time to be asking?” Artemis snapped from nearby.

I glared at her. “Stay out of it.”

Artemis stood up and looked at me. “We’re riding through enemy territory and you’re worried about if your boyfriend has fucked other women before? Are you sure you’re Pandora and not some imposter?”

I sneered at her. “Mind your own business. You wouldn’t understand.”

She scoffed. “I’m officially requesting a transfer. She’s going to get us all killed.”

That hit me harder than I expected. Candido growled. “You will not talk to her like that. Have some respect for your commanding officer.”

Artemis looked at him. “I thought you were my commanding officer.”

“Stand down, Artemis.”

“With all due respect, she’s only been one field assignment before now. It’s clear that she has no operational training. This is rid—”

“I said stand down,” he growled, shaking the air. “Or retreat.”

Artemis narrowed her eyes. “I’ll retreat.”

My eyes widened. I would have never expected that from Artemis of all people.

“Artemis,” Gilgamesh called. “Please—”

“You’re about to run into an ambush,” Artemis said as the jeep rolled to a stop. “And there’s nothing left of the Red Moon Estate.”

“How would you know that?” I asked.

Artemis ignored me and pointed north. “You’d be better off looking for the bunker. I’m sure you remember where that is assuming someone read the intelligence on this mission before we left?”

What intelligence? I didn’t even know what she was talking about. I looked up at Candido.

“Artemis, please,” Gilgamesh said, coming down from the jeep. “We could really use you.”

“I’m sure, but I’m not listening to anyone who won’t listen to me and who can’t put their private lives aside when thousands of people have died and we might be joining them!” She scoffed. “I’m not following a child into battle, and Armageddon might be a great leader, but his judgement is clouded. I’m not letting them get me killed tonight."

“Artemis!”

Then, she turned and walked away from the jeep.

“This is an order,” Candido growled. “Come back—"

She vanished. I gasped, staring where she had been once. Candido went still beside me. No one said anything and my heart raced.

Slowly, I turned to Francium who looked just as stunned. “How… did she do that?”

Was Artemis the one that had led the attack on headquarters? She was a New Moon werewolf, but maybe I had been reading it wrong?

Could we trust her about the ambush?

“Armageddon to base,” Candido said into his radio. “Revoke Artemis’ access and investigate her activities. Track her and apprehend her if possible. If she returns, detain her for questioning.”

“On what grounds?”

“Insubordination and we have reason to believe she may have been the mole in Moon Shadow.”

“… copy.”

My heart clenched as I heard Candido’s jaw creek and pop like he was grinding his teeth. It was obvious that he was trying to figure out what to do next. Do we keep going the way we were because the ambush was actually on the path that we would take to avoid it, or was she telling the truth?

“Dune, Apollo, scout ahead for this ambush she mentioned,” Candido said. “Gilgamesh, keep tabs on them. We stay here until the path ahead is clear. Keep your eyes open.”

He turned back to the radio. “Team Delta. Team Sigma, report.”

The radio crackled and for a moment I thought they had been ambushed.

“Nothing yet, sir,” someone said from Team Sigma.

“It’s… all ashes,” another said from Team Delta.

“Circle back, immediately. Keep your eyes open for an ambush.”

“Roger.”

Candido leaned forward, rubbing the spot between his eyes. The sounds of their jeeps came back. They all seemed unharmed, and Francium was staring ahead. Claire climbed on top of another jeep and seemed to be listening for something. She grew stiff. Then, Francium grew stiff.

Claire leaped and Gilgamesh started shouting. “At least sixty of them, coming back this way.”

“Provide cover to Dune and Apollo, get ready to punch through them,” Candido said. He looked at me. “Brace yourself.”

I grabbed onto him as the Jeep started rumbling. He pulled out a gun and loaded it. Then we heard the huffing and heavy breathing of Dune and Apollo running back towards us.

“Fuck!” Dune cried.

“Open fire!” Candido yelled. The bullets rang through the air, shooting the vampire heading towards us. The tires screeched and the jeep leaped forward. I held onto Candido tightly as the jeeps started rushing forward, pushing through the ambush that was about to descend.

How could Artemis have known? If she was on their side, why would she have warned us?

“When you hit the city limits, take the path to the right.”

I didn’t know where that would lead, but the jeeps pushed through and turned down the road. We hit a mountain side that looked out over the city and the surrounding area and Candido cursed.

“What is it?’

He pointed to the faint tower of smoke coming up from within the still burning forest.

“That’s where the estate was… she was telling the truth.”

I licked my lips. “How could she have known that?”

“I’ll have to ask her,” Candido said. “Base. Any word on Artemis?”

“She’s headed back to base. Do your orders still stand?”

He hesitated. “Yes.”

He turned off the radio. “If she is on our side, she’ll understand.”

I nodded, understanding. We drove further out until a house started to appear in the distance. Candido pulled me out of the jeep behind him as we approached the house. He took out one of the guards. I heard other taking out the others, but we didn’t need to get any closer for me to know who was inside.

Something crashed and shattered. It sounded like glass.

“I’m not just going to just take this!” Sibyl screeched from inside. “He’s going to pay for this! That bitch Hedy is going to pay for it too!”

I followed Candido closer to the house until we could see inside and saw Sibyl with a bottle of wine in her hand, stumbling around the living room completely naked. Her belly was slightly curved out.

She was drunk and pregnant.