Chapter 31
“So let me get this straight,” I said as Addy, Lachlan, Liam and I sat around the common room of the shelter. The vampires, who had returned with Jaeden, had been settling into another level of the shelter. “You don’t agree with what the rogues are doing, and you came here when you heard they were headed here?”
Lachlan nodded. “My Da went missing a while back, heard aboot this place and that he’d come here tae talk to a man, and then his trail went cold.”
“And these wolves,” I started, but he interrupted me.
“We deal with our own messes. These wolves are breaking a very serious code we live by. An occasional slip up, bite, or attack is normal. We can look past it, but this? This is something that we need tae stop.”
“So how did you know to come here?”
“Shamus and the pack, we go back a long time. Looking fer information on my Da, we connected and shared information aboot what was happening with the rogue wolves and he told me aboot some of the elders that went missing, and we devised a plan tae find them together. His and Jaeden’s maker is among the missing, and they’d be bound by blood tae find him.”
Jaeden walked in and I turned in my seat to look at him as he smiled. “And why are you involved in this besides your sire being missing?”
“I’ll answer questions!” Cayla chirped as she walked in with her long hair now a bright sea green with bright blue tips. The strange boy followed her with his eyes on me; it was unnerving. “What am I answering?” she asked as she took a seat beside me on the sofa. She’d made us all pause at her entrance.
I started to move over but her hand landed on mine and she smiled showing off the twin tips of her fangs. “Don’t even think about it, Emmy; we’re going to be great friends! I just know it, and even though you’re squeamish around blood, I feel we can totally get past that! Nery says so as well.”
“Uh, Cayla, I’m not squeamish around blood,” I told her quietly and she shook it off like she hadn’t heard me.
“Is Nery here, Cayla?” Shamus asked good-naturedly as he walked in and started to take a seat. I screamed a warning, but as I watched, Shamus sat right through Nery.
Cayla smiled at me. “Ask Emmy,” she said as she patted my shoulder comfortingly.
I narrowed my eyes on Cayla and then Shamus; couldn’t they see him? “You guys can’t see him?” I asked when everyone settled in.
“No, he’s her imaginary friend, Emma,” Jaeden said in a matter-of-fact voice.
“Ghost?” I asked Cayla who narrowed her eyes on me. Nery reappeared, sitting next to Cayla on the other side.
“He’s not a ghost! Don’t say such a thing to us!” she cried as Nery rolled his eyes.
“Then how did Shamus sit in him,” I asked ignoring the eyes watching me.
“He’s special,” she huffed defensively.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Nery,” I said realizing he was watching me expectantly.
“And you, Guardian,” he smiled to show off perfect white teeth. “Cayla has been excited about meeting you.”
I nodded and turned to find Jaeden looking at me with wide eyes. “Don’t encourage her, because it will get a lot worse.”
“What will?” I asked innocently.
“Nery’s opinion,” he whispered with a small smile.
“Oh,” I said and then narrowed my eyes on him. “You can’t see him?”
“No,” he and Shamus said together. “He’s been with her since Shamus changed her over. It’s the result of a head wound that happened just before he changed her.”
“I’m sorry but I fail to see where having a…boy follow you around is from a head wound.”
“You can see him,” Shamus said with narrowed eyes that seemed to miss nothing.
“Yes,” I agreed. “I can.”
“Magnificent,” he said as he watched me. “So he’s real. But then, you also suffered a head wound.”
“Why is she here?” Astrid asked with a pout on her lips as she sat down beside Shamus. “She’s not a part of this, and I want her gone, baby,” she batted her lashes and continued to pout as she draped herself around Shamus.
“Don’t test my patience, Astrid. She’s a big part of this, and with her help, we might be able to find the other elders and we may even be able to gain the upper hand here,” Shamus snapped.
“Use the whore as bait,” she said with a haughty look. “She’s why that woman came here,” Astrid whined. She continued to smile knowingly. “What? You thought he actually wanted to come to this little shithole? Or did you actually think his meeting you was by chance? I’m not sure which one makes you more pathetic.” I felt as if I’d been kicked in the stomach.
“Astrid,” Jaeden warned.
“It’s the truth, Jaeden. You came here to gain a foothold, but you were also told to get into the Ark by any means necessary; job well done.”
I felt nauseated, but I refused to show it. I folded my hands between my legs and gave Jaeden with a cold look. “So, are we going to actually plan the assault on the rogues you guys say are coming or just sit here and bullshit all day? If that’s the plan, then I have other shit that actually needs to get done.”
“Hurts, don’t it?” she sniped.
“Astrid, go to the room and don’t leave it until I summon you. Pack your shit while you are there, you’re being sent to the elders,” Shamus ordered, and I watched as her eyes grew sharp with hatred. “I’m sorry about that, Emma, Astrid lacks manners,” Shamus sighed apologetically.
She didn’t want to be with Shamus, and anyone with eyeballs could see it. She stood up abruptly and slammed her palms down on the table with a bone jarring boom. “He’s mine! He’s always been mine, and I’ll be damned if this little whore takes my place! I won’t go the elders, that’s not fair. You know how horrible they are!”
“I was yours, Astrid, right up to the point you killed our unborn child. I could have lived with your whoring, I would have gotten over it eventually, but not what you did so you could continue to whore around,” he said quietly.
“Tell her the truth, Jaeden! Tell her how you fed off of whores while we were gone!”
I stood to leave the room abruptly but stopped and turned to Lachlan. “Let me know what the plan is. I don’t do drama,” I gave Jaeden and Astrid a withering look. “Not over something as stupid as that, not when so much is riding on this.”
“Emma,” Jaeden growled.
“I’ll be ready with the silver when the time comes. Let me know what the plan is; I have to get my people ready.”