Illusion: Volume 3 by Ella Price Page A

him. “Rayne…” he started, but trailed off.
    “What
is it?” I asked as I watched him. He looked like he was trying to decide
whether he should speak. He obviously wanted to say something.
    He
dropped his hand and shook his head. “Just don’t trust anyone,” he said softly.
    Before
I could ask him what he meant he turned and hurried toward the alley opening. I
tried to figure out what he meant. I turned to look back at the club. Before I
completely turned I was being thrown against the wall. The impact knocked the
air from my lungs. I slid to the ground disoriented. A figure appeared in front
of me, and I knew it was the marshal. He had the same necklace as the last
marshal. He was also handsome just like every other male vampire I met. His
hair was dark brown and curly. It was shorter, and it went well with his green
eyes. He was wearing a black leather trench coat and black leather pants. Like
most vampires his clothing was expensive.
    “Well
this is disappointing. I thought you would put up more of a fight,” he said
amused.
    I
smiled as I climbed slowly to my feet. “You know what the difference between a
hunter and a vampire is?”
    He
looked slightly intrigued by my sudden question. “Do tell.”
    I
brushed myself off and looked at him. “A hunter wouldn’t take a cheap shot when
a vampire’s back was turned.”
    His
smile widened. “That rule doesn’t apply to all hunters. I did however hear that
you are one of the more honorable ones, as some would call it.”
    “What
would you call it?” I asked trying to distract him with conversation. I slowly
moved my hand behind my back and grasped the wooden stake I had hidden there.
    “I
call it gullible and weak. You are going to end up dead because of your so
called honor,” he growled.
    I
looked at him confused. I didn’t understand why he was talking to me like he
was warning me. I was under the impression he was here to kill me. “Try; you
will find I am not as gullible and weak as you think.”
    “I’m
not here to kill you Lillian. If I were you would be dead,” he said amused.
    I
scoffed. “Well I will kill you regardless. You are a marshal and you are in my
territory.”
    He
tilted his head and watched me like he was contemplating something. He was
extremely odd for a marshal. “Your father wasn’t so quick to kill, maybe you
are not as honorable as you think.”
    “You
attacked my friend,” I countered as I stepped forward.
    He
looked a little confused. “I just got here. I didn’t harm anyone.”
    “What
the hell do you want?” I asked brushing him off. It wasn’t like I could prove
he did it. Normally if he did he would have been gloating not denying it.
    “I
want an agreement between us,” he said watching me.
    I
scowled. “I will never agree with anything the vampire council or the marshals
have to say.”
    He
crossed his arms like he was getting annoyed with me. “I want a truce between you
and the marshals. The marshals are working on revolting against the council.
You are stirring things up and causing chaos. The marshals cannot focus on
fighting the council if we are worried about being taken out by an over eager
hunter.”
    I
laughed. “The marshals are suddenly worried about the council? Why? The council
gives you free reign.”
    His
expression darkened. “It is vampire business, not hunter business. All I need
from you is to lay low. Let me make the council think you died. If they think
you died the alert will go down, and we can get back to our plans.”
    “Why
would I want the marshals in charge? The council keeps you in line even though
it isn’t much, it is still something,” I said refusing to help him gain power.
    He
stepped forward and I could see the annoyance glint in his eyes like he trying
to decide whether he wanted to kill me or not. “Like you I am sworn to a higher
power. My higher power has lost its way as yours has as of late. I refuse to
ignore it. The council will fall whether you cooperate