Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
which one of these things is not like the other?
Traipsing through the woods in Florida, surrounded by lycan, feels like something from a book. A month ago, I had no idea werewolves were real. Now, I’m being escorted into one of their homes. I know Simon won’t hurt me, but I don’t trust the rest of them.
The angled roof of a large home comes into view.
I don’t know what I expected, but a two-story pillar home is not it.
Four large columns line the brick front porch, which is the host of several oversized rocking chairs.
Tall windows are standing open, allowing the breeze to flow inside.
Ivy grows around the columns, giving the home a lived-in look.
“Come in,” Gideon says, opening the door wide. The twins and Simon grab a set of neatly folded clothes stacked next to the front door. They’re dressed and presentable seconds later.
I follow the man inside with Simon on my heels. I haven’t craved human food since becoming a vampire, but the overwhelming smell of something simmering takes control of my senses and makes my stomach grumble slightly.
“Mary!” Gideon shouts through the house.
“I’m cooking, Gideon. What?” a loud voice shouts back.
“Can you come here, please?”
She sighs too softly for lycan ears but not mine. Seconds later, a woman makes her way into the foyer. She’s a few inches shorter and many pounds heavier than me. “What do you…” She stops, making eye contact with my friend. “Simon?” Her voice cracks with her words.
“Hi, Mom,” he says with a smile.
The small woman rushes toward Simon, pulling him into a strong hug. “Oh, my boy. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too,” Simon responds after several minutes. Watching them brings tears to my eyes as thoughts of my mother and family come to mind. I miss them more than I want to admit.
Mary pulls back, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. “You’ve come home?”
“He came back for help,” one of the twins answers.
“Stephen,” Gideon interrupts.
“What? The prodigal son has returned, and he’s welcomed back with hugs and tears? That’s fucked up.”
“That’s enough,” Mary answers. “Simon needs our help, and that’s exactly what we’re going to give him.” She turns back to my friend. “What do you need?”
“We need to get to Savannah,” he answers.
“Of course.” Mary turns toward me with a warm smile. “I’m Mary Ward. I don’t know what would provoke Simon to bring a vampire into our home, but I trust him, which means you are more than welcome.”
“Thank you.” I reach my hand toward hers. “Violet Du Four,” I introduce myself.
“I’m guessing whatever the rush to get to Savanah has to do with vampire politics.”
I look at Simon, not sure how much to divulge. “Yes, ma’am,” he answers. “We need Lucien.”
“Lucien Creed?” Gideon asks. “I haven’t heard that name in a while.”
“Simon?” a woman’s voice asks from the second-floor landing.
Simon turns toward the voice. “It’s me.” Seconds later, a woman equal to him in height is in front of him with her arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a strong hug.
“Oh, my God. I’ve missed you.” She pulls back, putting her hands on his shoulders. “You look rough, big brother.”
“It’s been a rough day,” he laughs.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” she answers before turning toward me. “Why is there a vampire here?”
“I’m Violet,” I answer, holding my hand toward her. She looks at my hand, then at me, before turning her attention back to Simon.
“Why is there a vampire here?” she repeats.
“Violet is my friend.”
“Is that what we call it now?” she says, stepping away. She holds up quotation mark fingers. “Friends?”
Simon sighs. “I can assure you there’s nothing more than that happening. She belongs to Cyrus.” Internally, I want to scream that I’m no one’s property, but I resist the temptation.
“Where is he?” she asks, looking around the foyer.
“I don’t know. There was an…issue,” Simon answers.
“Of course there was,” one of the twins adds. Samuel or Stephen…I don’t know which. They’re identical, even down to the clothes they’ve barely covered themselves in after shifting.
“Enough,” Mary interrupts. “Violet is our guest, and we will treat her as so.”
“When did we start having vampires as guests?” the other twin asks.
“Enough!” Gideon’s deep voice booms through the foyer. The energy shifts immediately, and all three children focus on the marble tiles beneath their feet.
“Where’s Sydney?” Simon asks. His parents share a look.
“He’s not here,” the Alpha answers without answering. He turns toward the young woman. “Stella, you will go with them.”
“What?” she asks. “Go where?”
“Savannah,” Simon answers. “It’s okay. We don’t need Stella.”
“If you’re taking my truck, you will take your sister with you.”
Stella moves in front of her father. “I don’t want to go.”
“I’m not asking,” he answers.
She sighs, turning toward her mother. “Mama?”
“If your father wants you to go, then you go.”
Stella crosses her arms across her chest. “I have things to do.”
“George has other women to keep him company,” one of the twins answers.
“You bastard,” she answers her brother. I stare at the family drama unfolding before me. Like human families, paranormal families have the same struggles.
“When do you need to leave?” Mary asks Simon.
“The sooner the better.”
“Off you go, then,” Mary says, wrapping her arms around Simon once more. “I’ve missed you, son.”
“I missed you, too, Mom.” He holds her tight, kissing the top of her head gently. “I’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll take that as a promise,” she answers.
“Come,” Gideon says, motioning toward our trio.
We follow him back outside to a lean-to shed.
Parked underneath is something I’ve only seen pictures of in magazines.
Seeing it in person is surprising. The Alpha rips a heavy cover off the vehicle, and underneath is just what I thought, a model TT truck.
“We can take the car,” Simon announces.
“Nonsense. The truck is faster and easier to start.” He unlocks the vehicle, which is the host of one bench seat.
“I won’t sit next to a vampire,” Stella announces.
“It’s fine. I’ll sit in the back,” I answer, hoping to ease her tension.
“No, you won’t,” Simon interrupts. “There is room for all three of us in front. It’s safer that way.”
“I don’t want…”
“Stella!” Gideon warns. “This is not about you.” He leans in front of the truck, turning the large crank as the motor roars to life. “You will do as your brother asks.”
“Father, I am a grown woman. I do not have to listen to Simon.”
“No,” he retorts. “But you do have to listen to me. As your Alpha, I command you to follow your brother’s instructions and do as he asks. Do I make myself clear?”
Stella doesn’t answer. Instead, she climbs into the cab of the truck, sliding to the middle. I slide into the seat next to her, being careful not to let any part of my body touch hers. The energy coming from her is heavy and thick with anger.
“If possible, get word to me when you arrive,” Gideon says, patting his son on the shoulder.
“I will. Thank you,” Simon answers before climbing into the driver’s seat.
Driving back the way we came, the truck barely passes through the dense forest before coming to a larger road.
He turns north, heading toward Georgia. The roads are mostly dirt, making the trip seem longer than the silence already does.
I don’t know how much time has passed as we continue along the coastline, heading north.
“Are you going to sulk the entire way?” Simon asks, breaking the silence.
“I’m not sulking,” Stella replies.
“You could’ve fooled me.”
She turns her body slightly, pushing her hips into mine. “I don’t want anything to do with this trip. I don’t want anything to do with her, and I don’t want anything to do with lycan politics.”
Simon laughs. “I can assure you this has nothing to do with lycan politics. As far as Violet, she’s not going…”
“I don’t care what she is or isn’t going to do. I don’t want anything to do with her,” she interrupts. My stomach rumbles at the perfect time. “See, she’s going to eat me.”
“Violet’s not going to eat you. She’s cut way back on her lycan intake. She sticks mostly to humans at the moment.” Amusement sounds through Simon’s voice. “Isn’t that right, Violet?”
“Mostly,” I answer. “I can’t remember if it was this morning or last night that I ate my last human.” I can’t help but smile as I speak.
“Both of you can kiss my ass,” Stella answers, making Simon laugh even harder. She turns her body back to its original position, crosses her arms, and stares at the road in front of us.
“Are we the only vehicle traveling?” I ask, breaking the silence once more.
“Seems that way. We haven’t seen anyone for a few hours,” Simon answers.
A feeling I have no description for hits me all at once. It feels familiar, yet different at the same time. Stella uncrosses her arms and looks around the truck, telling me she’s feeling it too.
“Simon?” I ask.
“Yeah. I feel it.”
“What…” My words are cut short by a loud crash behind us, and the back of the truck lowers to the dirt below.
I recognize the energy instantly. “Cyrus,” I say out loud.
Simon slams on the brakes, bringing us to a stop in the middle of the narrow road. I’m outside before the truck comes to a complete stop. My heart stops the moment I see my buyer. His face is covered in blood, his clothes are nearly ripped to shreds, and dark bruises cover his body.
“Cyrus?” I whisper.
“I’m okay,” he answers.
“Yeah, you look great,” Simon says, moving to the opposite side of the truck bed.
“You should’ve seen me earlier,” Cyrus answers with a smirk. “I’m healing. It’s just taking a bit longer than usual.”
“How did you find us?” I ask.
“Your blood.” His words are interrupted by a deep cough. “The goat’s blood you’ve been eating is laced with a hint of my own.”
“Eww,” Stella says, moving to Simon’s side. “Am I the only one who thinks that’s disgusting?”
“Yes,” Simon answers. “Lacing her food with his blood allows him to locate her at all times.”
I turn toward my buyer. “You put a tracker in my body?”
“Of sorts,” he answers, sitting up from his position. The bruises are slowly fading, making me curious what he looked like earlier.
“Did Callum do this to you?” I ask.
“I’ve missed your questioning,” he teases, lightening the mood slightly. “Yes.” He motions to his face. “This is courtesy of Callum.”
“We’re going to find Lucien Creed,” I announce.
Cyrus looks at Simon. “I figured as much.” He turns toward Simon’s sister. “Who might this lovely specimen be?”
Stella sighs. “Stella Ward. Simon is my brother.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Stella.” She doesn’t respond.
“How did you get here?” I ask, looking around for his mode of transportation.
Cyrus smiles, wincing with the pain. “I have my means.” He turns toward Simon. “Staying in one place too long is asking for trouble. Callum is injured, but he won’t take long to heal. Killing me and taking Violet will be the first on his list.”
“Understood,” Simon says, climbing back behind the wheel.
Stella sighs loudly. “Are you coming?” she asks me.
“No. I’ll ride in the back with Cyrus.”
For the first time since meeting her, she smiles. “Good.”
I climb into the back of the truck, pulling my knees close to my chest. Seconds later, the truck resumes our trip north.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to Cyrus.
He wrinkles his forehead. “Why?”
“For this.” I motion to his face and body. “Callum could’ve killed you.”
“But he didn’t.” He stops me. “Protecting you is my priority at the moment.” His words make my stomach do strange things. Pale-blue eyes look into mine. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
I smile. “I’m good, and I’m glad you’re okay,” I copy his words.
“I’m good,” he says, making me smile.
I scoot closer to my buyer, resting my back on the high boards of the truck. Cyrus does the same, moving close enough our bodies touch. Neither of us makes an effort to move. His touch brings the comfort that I didn’t realize I needed.
“Thank you,” I whisper, resting my head on his shoulder.
A soft kiss touches the top of my head, making my stomach flutter once more. What the hell are you doing, Violet? This man paid cash for you. Don’t be dumb.
We ride the rest of the way in silence.