VEE

After spending more time than I anticipated in the shower, I return downstairs to catch up on what’s happening. Xander and Ewan are still in the kitchen, Xander standing behind Ewan, watching him work.

Xander looks around as I walk in, his face brighter than when I left the room. Some of his tension has washed from his face, but the tiredness remains.

"Seth came through. He’s set up a meeting with Syv and Abel.

"You look surprised,” I reply.

"They must be short of cash since they’re happy to meet at short notice.”

"Whereabouts?"

Xander looks back over Ewan’s shoulder. "The Warehouse, 10:00 p.m."

My stomach lurches at his words, and I can't help but glance at Ewan. His brow furrows, and he nods at me. I shake away the human reaction. No way can anything like that happen to me again; I’m a million miles from who I was that night.

"Where is Seth?” I ask.

Xander points at the lounge without looking around. Of course he is.

Seth sits in the same spot on the sofa every time I see him in the lounge, lost in his own world, as if sitting there keeps him grounded. Joss must sense Seth’s unhappiness and worry, but does nothing to help him. Joss who still hasn't emerged to help. I asked Heath if Joss was okay, and he brushed me off in the same way Joss did. Following our sexual connection, I pick up Joss’s emotions more readily, and I’m concerned how that’s faded today.

"Are you ready for an exciting night out?” I ask.

"Oh yeah, meeting assassins, that’s just awesome.” He adds to his sarcasm with a thumbs up.

"At least you found some different clothes in your backpack.”

He’s changed into black jeans and a T-shirt with a symbol the same as the one he said was John’s. It’s unfamiliar to me—a semi-circle in a grunge pattern with a cross in the middle, red on a black background. I’m sure the guys will notice and, like me, wonder about the significance.

He brushes at his tee. "Yeah. A bit creased.”

"I’m sure the guys will lend you an iron.”

"You think?”

Omigod, that was a joke. He doesn’t think the Horsemen possess an iron, surely? And why would anybody want to iron a T-shirt?

"They’d probably just hit me with it.” Seth points at his cheek. "I have enough bruises.”

"Seth, I don’t think they’ll hurt you.”

"I know, Vee," he says. "I do feel better when you're with me, but, man, those guys scare me."

My heart goes out to him. I have some idea how he feels, but the guys told me the bizarre truth from day one. My idiosyncrasy meant I accepted what they told me, and Seth's gradually forced to do the same, confronted with a reality he cannot deny.

"They don't usually allow people into their lives," I say. "They’re suspicious of everybody.”

"But they allowed you."

"I'm connected to them."

"How?"

"It's a long story."

"The best stories always are. But I know you're safe now, and that matters to me, especially after what happened to the others in the group." He rubs his hands on his knees and studies me. His pale blue eyes distract me because they're an unusual contrast to his pale face and dark hair, and often filled with an uncertainty he tries to mask.

"I'm sorry about Casey," I whisper. "That must've been hard."

He looks away, at a spot on the wall above the TV. "I try not to think about it. Part of me hopes she might still be alive, but that's not likely, is it?"

"Never say never in this world."

We lapse into silence, and Seth fidgets with his jacket zip. "I wish Ewan would return my laptop. Or phone. Or anything really."

"Finding it hard to be unplugged, huh?"

"Yeah. There're people I want to contact, you know? I think the guys are trying to stop me."

"You're welcome to borrow mine any time."

"I will. Thanks." He pauses. "Mr Friendly says he'll take me to my place to pick up some gear so I can stay here. Do you think I should?"

"You know that’s a good idea,” I say softly.

Ewan wanders in, and Seth tenses. He's wary around Xander, but seems genuinely scared of Ewan. Considering his size, tattoos, and general taciturn nature, I don’t blame him.

"I hear you wanted your laptop?" Ewan half drops the silver laptop onto Seth’s lap. "Some interesting info you had on that hard drive."

"Yes, it's good we found some connections, isn't it?" I ask in an attempt to diffuse. "Very helpful."

Ewan chews his lip and drops the hard drive on Seth too. "I'm glad I had a chance to look at your research. Do you have backup files?"

Seth smoothes his hair and flips open the lid. "Those were the backup files."

"Cool." He digs his hands into his back pockets as he watches Seth plug the hard drive into the laptop. Seth's key tapping becomes more insistent, and he mutters under his breath as he rapidly moves through files and screens.

"What the fuck?" He glances up at Ewan. "What did you do?"

"Removed some information."

I look over to Seth's screen. "What information?"

"Removed? You've corrupted the fucking files!" growls Seth.

Whoa. I tense expecting an aggressive response from Ewan; I bet he's waiting for the opportunity to attack. Instead, Ewan regards him, and his mouth hardens. "You had a lot of shit about me and the guys on there. I don't want that spread amongst your conspiracy buddies."

"But how did you manage? These files were protected..." Seth pushes both hands through his hair. "Months of research gone! Not just our investigations into you."

"Oh, don't stress, I have the important parts on my laptop now. You don't anymore, that's all."

Seth holds his temples with his forefingers and chants under his breath, "Do not react.”

"Ewan," I say. "Was that necessary?"

He looks at me and runs his tongue along his teeth. "He tried to fuck with the Horsemen, and Pestilence has special skills, remember?"

Seth drops his laptop on the table and shoves it away from himself before sinking back and staring at the ceiling. I glare at Ewan and his smug smile turns into a frown. "What?” he mouths at me.

"He hasn’t crossed you! He bloody helped, Ewan.”

"Yeah? Then why store files about us on there? Hardly a friendly move.”

"We didn’t know who you were,” protests Seth. "We log anybody who’s suspicious.”

Ewan narrows his eyes. "We? Who’s the ‘we’ digging info on us?”

"My dead friends!” I blink at Seth’s loud, harder tone, praying this won’t spiral into an argument. "So don’t worry. Nobody else has information about the people you murder.”

Ewan takes a step forward and looks down at him. "Don't cross me, or you'll come across worse viruses than the ones on your laptop, mate."

Does Ewan hear Seth mutter "fuck you” under his breath?

I pull a disparaging face. With a shrug, Ewan heads out of the room followed by a glare from Seth.

"Well that doesn't help our trust issues, does it?" he snaps.

"The guys are very protective of their lives; you should understand that, Seth."

"Hmm." He flicks his fingernails as he stares ahead.

My curiosity gets the better of me. "What information exactly did you have on them?"

"Like I said, murder victims. Their movements over the last few months. Their background."

"Background? How far back?" I glance at the door in case Ewan is still around.

"Not far enough. I think they changed their identities a few years ago, and I'm sure they'll do it again."

"Ten years?"

"Something like that. But we—I—will find out who they really are." He side glances me. "Sorry, Vee. I know they're your friends, but I trust them about as much as they trust me."

"Maybe that will change." I force a bright smile.

Maybe, but not any time soon.