Free The Undoer by Melissa J. Cunningham Page B

leads us for that matter. I want someone in charge who is fair and will let us help.”
    “Well,” Dean interjects. “To be fair, Jag does a really great job and he has kept us safe.”
    We all just stand there, waiting to see who will be brave enough to speak next.

Chapter Ten
    Heidi
     
    From the moment I walk into the chapel, I can feel a bizarre change floating in the air. First, there’s this new guy. There hasn’t been a new Cazador for ages, and Bret seems to have appeared out of nowhere.
    I watch him for a minute, a crazy twist in my stomach. There’s something about him and the way he keeps looking at me. No, the way he keeps staring at me. Like stalker staring. Something isn’t right, but I can’t put my finger on it.
    Jag stands before me, furious. More angry than I’ve ever seen him. His eyes are narrow and ice cold. I glance over at the new guy to see his expression. He has moved away to stand by the windows, one beam of light shining through the boards into his bright blue eyes, which are wide and worried. For someone who wants to join the Cazadors, that doesn’t bode well.
    Jag stands with his hand thrust out, waiting for his dagger. Please let the floor open up to swallow me. If I admit I took it, I’m a thief. If I lie to cover it up, I’m a liar. They all stare, knowing. I have insidious written all over my face, and I hate that feeling.
    I almost bow in defeat, but something sparks inside my chest. Indignation. I stole from Jag, true, but he is denying me my God-given right to battle evil. The heat of righteous anger fills my heart and a boost of awesome shoots through my veins, overpowering my mortification.
    I stand up straight and shove Jag back with the confidence of a glamazon—something my brother used to call me. A powerful woman with a dash of panache. I’m not afraid of Jag, and it isn’t an act. He always bulldozes over me. He does it with pretty much everyone. To his cronies, he’s a god. To me… I’m not sure what he is.
    Doug puts his two cents in. “Dude,” he says to Jag. “Just let it go. We all have a runed dagger. You weren’t even using that one.”
    Slowly, Jag turns until he faces Doug fully. “This is not a discussion. You don’t get to say anything about it. You don’t have a vote. If you don’t like it, get out.”
    Doug wilts, and I feel terrible for him. Today, it changes. Today, I’m different. Today, I’m strong. My new tattoo still burns like a son-of-a-bitch, reminding me of that fact.
    “The answer is no,” I say. “I need a weapon. I can see the demons the same as any of you. I’ve trained to kill them, same as you. You are keeping the dagger from me, and I’m done being shut out.”
    Incredulity settles on his face, and his eyes grow wide and round. Nobody talks back to Jag. Ever. For a moment, he’s frozen, and then his expression thaws. “How about we fight for it?”
    “What?” He would enjoy that. But he’s stronger than I am, faster too. My heart sinks at what I know is coming. I don’t want my time in the Cazadors to start out like this. Do I want to be one of them so badly that I’ll subject myself to this kind of ridicule and humiliation?
    “No, I don’t want to fight you. For once, I just want you to act like a normal human being. Would that really be so hard? Would it really be so terrible to have a girl in the gang?”
    Miracle of miracles, Jag has nothing to say. I can see it in his eyes. He expected me to fight fire with fire, and instead, I turned it around, making him look mean and heartless. Most of the time, he wouldn’t care, but today, we have an audience, including a new recruit. Jag won’t want to seem weak, but he also won’t want to seem cruel. I know he has a heart in there somewhere… buried deep.
    “Fine. Keep it. It’s old and dull anyway.” He turns away and walks out onto the front porch.
    I just stand there, frozen in the weighty silence that follows, everyone’s eyes on me. Jag gave in. Somehow,