The first read, Oh fuck! Just saw my neighbour get attacked right out on the street. WTF is happening? My parents went to visit my aunt’s farm in the country and I’m all on my own.
And the second, Jesus, Tegan. The city is swarming with vamps gone nuts. I need you to call me ASAP.
The final one said, I’m hiding in the basement. Please call. I’m scared.
Upon finishing the final message, I dialled her number immediately. It only rang once before she picked up.
“Tegan! Oh, thank God.”
“Amanda, where are you?”
“I’m still in my basement. There’s no food here, and I’m starving, but I can’t leave. It’s too crazy outside.”
“You can leave now. Things have settled down. Listen, I need you to come to this address.” I rattled off Ethan’s house number and street name before reassuring her again that she’d be okay, then I hung up. I seemed to be gathering strays at record-breaking speed today. Next, I pulled up Finn’s number, but the few bars of signal I had a moment ago flickered in and out before disappearing completely. Seemed like the reception was still patchy.
Setting the phone aside, I allowed my body to sink into the bubbles and closed my eyes. I got at least twenty minutes of uninterrupted relaxation before the door opened, and I sensed Ethan’s presence. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel his nearness. He knelt by the large tub and dipped his hand into the foamy water.
“That’s a good look for you,” he murmured.
“Why thanks,” I replied, a smile tugging at my lips. I reached up with my foot and turned the nob to let more hot water in. When I finally looked at Ethan, his fangs were fully descended and his eyes had grown dark.
“I told Amanda to come here. She’s frightened at what’s been happening and needs somewhere she’ll be safe.”
Ethan frowned. “I just sent Lucas out to gather food and clothing for you and Rebecca. He’s staying in one of the guest rooms, though, so I’m not sure how comfortable your friend will be.”
“Just tell him to keep away from her, and it should be okay. She’s sober now and seems determined not to fall back into old habits.”
“Okay.”
Ethan’s fingertips grazed my nipple, and I sucked in a harsh breath, opening my eyes. He shot me a wicked, lustful glance before standing to undress. My muscles clenched with anticipation as I waited for him to join me. His top fell to the floor, followed shortly by his trousers and boxers, and before I knew it, he was climbing into the tub.
His knee slid between my legs, nudging at my sex, and I moaned. Then he bent his head and took my breast into his mouth, his fangs grazing my skin with just the right amount of pressure to tantalize instead of cut. His arm came around my waist, lifting the lower half of my body out of the water before sliding his thick length into me, filling me up.
I moaned.
He lifted his head from my breast and stared intensely into my eyes. His expression was serious, his mouth hanging half-open as he thrusted in deliciously slow. Then, he smiled.
“I hope you don’t have any plans for tonight.”
“Oh, yeah, why’s that?”
“Because tonight, beautiful, you’re mine.”
For a moment, my chest seized with a pang of anxiety, my body’s instinctual response to possessive declarations from a dangerous creature. But a moment later Ethan sped up the pace of his thrusts, hammering into me with phenomenal speed, and I forgot all about my worries.
5.
Finn
It took half an hour for Alora to regain consciousness. When she did, she sat up and fixed her top into place as if nothing had happened. She ran her hands through her hair and asked very politely if she could have a glass of water.
I brought the others into the house after she’d started having her vision, so Alvie ran to get the water. I stared at her until he got back, trying to decide whether or not to ask her what she saw. She didn’t seem too keen on telling me this morning, and I didn’t think that was going to change any time soon.
Alvie returned and handed her the glass of water. She downed the whole thing in only a couple of swallows and set the glass on the floor by her feet. Alvie sat beside her and patted her on the back.
“You okay?” he asked.
Alora cleared her throat. “I’ll be fine. I just have this God-awful headache, and the past few times I’ve had a vision I’ve been seeing the same thing.”
“You don’t normally see the same thing?” I questioned.
She shook her head. “My visions are usually unique. No repetitions.”
“What did you see?” Delilah asked from where she stood by the door.
“I saw a little girl with blonde hair,” Alora answered unexpectedly. “I saw her being important in bringing peace among the city’s supernaturals for the first time ever. She’ll be a formidable ruler. I guess that since it’s all I’ve been seeing these days it’s pretty important.”
A little blonde girl? The person who most fit that description was Pamphrock’s kid, Rebecca, who, I remembered, was still being held captive by Emilia Petrovsky. I needed to do something to rectify that situation as soon as possible.
“Do you feel up to leaving with us?” I asked. “Your parents aren’t here, and it doesn’t look like they’re coming back any time soon.”
Her eyes grew misty, and her throat moved as she swallowed hard. Now I felt shitty for being so tactless.
“Yeah,” she finally whispered, getting up from the couch. Alvie helped her, but she seemed to be steady enough on her feet.
“Who do you think the girl in her vision is?” Gabriel asked me quietly as we returned to the van.
“Sounds a lot like Rebecca.”
He nodded in agreement. “That’s what I was thinking.”
“There’s no way to tell how far into the future Alora’s prediction is. Rebecca’s still too young to rule. It could be ten or twenty years from now before there’s peace.”
Gabriel grimaced. “Let’s hope that’s not true.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Let’s hope.”
A couple of minutes later we pulled up outside my house, and the street seemed quiet. Dead almost. A couple of houses had their windows smashed in, but thankfully all of mine were still intact. Alvie and Gabriel went to check out the RV Rita had been staying in, and I led the others into my place.
A soft hand gripped mine, and I glanced down to see Alora by my side.
“Sorry. You don’t mind guiding me, do you? I’m still not used to moving around on my own in unfamiliar spaces.”
“No, of course not,” I answered, my voice coming out unexpectedly tender. Again, I felt that tightening in my chest. I should’ve known she couldn’t just walk around unescorted.
Inside, we found my place the same as we left it. It was a stroke of luck that nobody decided to break in and steal stuff, because I had an extra storage space full of weapons under the stairs that was probably going to come in handy.
“You hungry?” I asked Alora as I led her into the kitchen. I pulled a packet of chocolate chip cookies from the cupboard and handed them to her. She ran her hand over the packet hesitantly.
“What is it?”