Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
ARABELLA
“I am not staying on the plane for this.”
It was completely non-negotiable. I would be there to help retrieve the sis meta, and while I understood my mates were worried, I knew the girl wouldn’t leave with anyone else.
So I would go, and while they were distressed—like would not let it go upset—I wasn’t going to argue about it.
Instead, I stood in the jet’s bathroom, smoothing my hair back into a neat ponytail that kept it out of my eyes.
“There has to be another—”
“She’s not going to be convinced,” Razar grunted to Blackwell.
The man was a bit out of sorts considering Damian’s state and now my plan.
I really did sympathize with him, but this would be completely useless if they got there and the girl was terrified of them.
I didn’t know how to nicely tell them that they would scare the hell out of her…
Then again, if, like me, she couldn’t feel fear, maybe not.
I tilted my head at that thought but kept it to myself.
I didn’t want to risk it. Plus, the institute we were headed to was extremely low-threat with almost no security, so I wasn’t very concerned about staying safe during this mission.
Although, I was glad that Damian was staying here with Zain and Saint.
Neither of whom wanted to stay back, for the record. But Cy and Amun had said they were going this time, Blackwell wasn’t even worth arguing with, Razar was obviously going to go because he was bad with not being in control when it came to my safety, and then there was Ashur.
Ashur, who felt guilt over Damian being hurt, saying he should have stayed with them.
I had assured him a million times it wasn’t his fault, but I could see the doubt in his eyes, so when he said he would like to come, no one argued.
Somehow, I knew he would see it as a slight, or that he wasn’t trustworthy, or an indication that the blame he was placing on himself was valid, if we asked him to stay back after what happened with Damian.
It was ridiculous, of course, but he viewed things a bit differently.
“He’s right,” Damian pointed out.
Blackwell offered me a hard look. “Arabella, you’re not going in there.”
I walked up to him and went up on my toes, beckoning him forward.
He leaned down and I placed my palms on either side of his face, holding his gaze.
“Blackwell. I love you, and I love that you’re worried about my safety, but there is a young sis meta being held prisoner by humans, and she’s most likely undergone shit that would turn your stomach.
I am going in there, and I am getting her out.
If you want me by your side the entire time, fine, but I am going in there. ”
Blackwell examined my face before his gaze darted down my body, and he let out a low rumble. “But what if I’m worried I’m not just protecting one of you? What if I’m worried you’re in an extra delicate state?”
I blinked in confusion, then rolled down on my heels and pinned him with a look.
“That has to be the worst excuse yet. I am not freakin’ pregnant.
Especially not yet! You are not pulling that crap, and even if I am pregnant one day, you still won’t be able to pull this nonsense, Blackwell.
I am perfectly capable and competent of doing everything and anything I do normally. ”
“Except drink coffee,” Cy said.
“What?” I frowned, not liking the sound of what he was saying.
“Human women can’t drink coffee while pregnant. At least they aren’t supposed to… I think.” Zain looked confused for a moment before shrugging.
“Oh, well, that means she really won’t get anything done.” Damian chuckled.
“I like the sound of her lying in bed all day,” Saint agreed.
“You do look exhausted.” Amun tugged my hand from where he was sitting. “Maybe staying back…”
“Nope!” I huffed. “This is ridiculous. I am going. I am not pregnant. End of story.”
I think.
Ashur made a concerned noise in the back of his throat, and when I offered the large man an arched brow, he just grunted, not saying anything.
I shook my head, running my hands over my face.
I probably needed to go ahead and get used to this.
I had gotten used to their overprotectiveness, but if we were really going to do this entire family thing…
Well, it was going to get so much worse.
“Alright, let’s do this.” I put my hands on my hips, finding all of them staring at me with interest. “Come on.”
Before any of them could argue, I walked towards the door.
Predictably, Ashur was there to help me down the jet stairs.
When we’d checked out of the hotel, I wondered how the staff would react to finding the suite a bit…
messier than it had originally been. I had tried to get rid of as many of the blood stains as possible, but I had a feeling whatever card my father used would be charged for extra damages to the room.
He wouldn’t mind, especially since we’d already called and told him not only about Damian’s injury but the weapons.
I wish I had been able to see his expression, because his silence regarding the news could have meant he wasn’t worried at all or he was actually very fucking concerned.
I wouldn’t lie, when it came to unknowns, his reactions and their severity affected mine to an extent.
Once we were back at the institute, I would be able to communicate with him better and get his true feelings on this situation.
Which was why I wasn’t going to spend more time arguing on the plane.
It was nearly evening here, which meant everyone would probably be gone from MHRI, the Monster-Human Relation Institute, except for the night guards.
“What car are we?” I called out. The private airstrip was relatively empty, except for the three black vans lined up outside in the parking lot.
It wasn’t an actual airport—in fact, it only had one small building, which was ideal because when we went to leave, we wouldn’t be attracting a lot of attention.
“He didn’t say. The contact left the key on top of one of the wheels,” Razar said as we headed that way.
I went to the middle of the line of black vans, noticing this one was a bit newer than the others. I crouched down, immediately grabbing the key and hopping into the driver’s seat. One of my mates made a concerned noise but I turned on the engine, ignoring it.
It only made sense that I drove; I knew these plans better than them since they had been focused on the MAM one.
As they all got in, I felt a surge of pride hit me, feeling confident in this mission, because for the first time ever, it felt like my mission.
Never before had I been involved in each and every step, from identifying a problem, to planning, to actually executing the plan.
Around five minutes later, after pulling onto a highway, I realized just how close my father had gotten us to the human institute.
My eyes widened on the building in question as we took the exit, my mates’ casual conversation in the back relaxing me more than any music could have.
I did find it a bit funny that Ashur was watching me from the passenger seat.
As much as I would have loved to think he was just watching me because he liked me, I think he was a bit fascinated by the vehicle.
Maybe he would be up for learning how to drive. I had a feeling he would enjoy it.
“That’s the building,” I said, pointing to the gray seven-story office building that looked nothing out of the ordinary. Just a simple human institution that was apparently harboring some dark secrets.
We drove into the parking lot across the street, and I immediately turned off the car, sitting there for a moment as I watched the building.
“Any security?” Razar asked, leaning forward.
“Just one guard.” I sighed. “I really think this is going to be pretty easy.”
It made me wonder how they kept nightmares here…but maybe that was the point. Maybe they only kept Class D nightmares. Maybe they could sense something different about Nia but assumed the sis meta was a very low-level nightmare since she hadn’t manifested any observable powers.
“Alright, let’s do it,” Blackwell said as he opened the door.
I slipped out of the van, Amun gently lifting me by the waist and placing me on my feet.
I offered him a goofy smile as we walked down the block a bit before crossing towards the office building from the side.
Outside of the noise of cars passing on the highway, the district of office buildings was absolutely silent.
Then again, it was a fairly quiet night in general, the soft drizzle of rain allowing for enough fog that it made it easy for us to reach the side door unseen. I didn’t need to hack into any system to get in, either, since Ashur was able to create a key.
“Basement,” I whispered as we walked the halls of the first floor, passing several rooms with lab tables that were currently empty.
When we hit door seven, I paused and opened it, revealing a stairwell with an emergency light.
I instantly felt a change of energy as a low sound came from Razar, his hands wrapping around me and placing me behind him.
The others began walking down the steps as I looked up at him in confusion.
“Nightmares, at least a few of them,” he grunted, a momentary expression of sadness crossing his gaze. “I think you were right about who they are keeping here.”
I had explained my theory to Razar, and it didn’t surprise me that it was being confirmed.
I was more worried about how old these nightmares were, especially if they were adolescent Class D nightmares…
That would be so screwed up. It also wouldn’t surprise me, though, because that was possibly the only class of nightmares that wouldn’t be able to actively fight against a fully grown human and their weapons.
At least not to the extent they would need to.