“Ow,” I squeak, making Orion chuckle. Ryland steps away, and I pout until Orion kisses me gently. I feel his fangs graze my lip, making me pull back.
“I’m fine, Evelyn; I have more control than Thaddeus,” he says, kissing me again, but I shake my head, pulling away and moving my hair. “Are you sure?” he asks, gripping my chin, making me look at him. I kiss him, sucking his bottom lip into my mouth, and he groans right when I pull away. Ryland watches us with hungry eyes.
“I’m sure,” I tell him, offering him my neck. I feel his fangs sink into me, making me loudly moan the very moment Ryland kisses me, swallowing my moans. Orion only feeds for a few seconds, and I actually miss the feeling of his teeth on my neck.
“We should hurry, or we may not leave,” Orion tells me, and I grab the soap.
Ryland doesn’t look like he wants to leave at all, quite content remaining in the shower. Once we are dressed, Ryland tells Imogen we are leaving but will be back. As I walk outside, I notice Ryland’s car and realize he and Thaddeus must have driven here.
Hopping in, I sit in the front with Ryland. We drive to a vast city that is in perfect condition; not like Parse, which is half destroyed.
“Thaddeus hasn’t been here?” I ask.
“No, this is the first time he has been back here in decades,” Ryland answers.
Driving down the main street, I look out the windows, wondering where they are taking me, when I see her. I haven’t seen her in four years, but I instantly recognize her. I can’t believe that she is still with April, my old foster mother.
“Stop! Stop the car!” I yell to Ryland, and he pulls the car over. Hopping out, I call out to her. “Lana!”
She turns around, and I know I am right, that it is indeed her. I feel tears brim in my eyes when I see her. She drops her bags and runs to me, and I grab her, hugging her close.
“Evelyn!” she cries. I kiss her now-straight blonde hair. She must be fourteen now. April walks over warily, watching our exchange. A moment later, she recognizes me.
“Evelyn?” she says, looking a little taken aback. I hear car doors, making me look over my shoulder. Orion and Ryland hop out of the car, but they stay back, just watching instead of approaching.
April’s eyes dart to them nervously, making me wonder if she recognizes them. If she does, she says nothing. I chat with her and Lana for a bit until April says they need to leave, and I have a feeling it is because of Ryland and Orion.
Lana gives me her phone number, which I put in Ryland’s phone. Ryland and Orion hop back in the car while I say goodbye and hug Lana. April comes over and wraps her arms around me, shocking me.
I never told her what her husband did, or even Lana. I only asked Lana if Derrick ever hurt her, which she denied. After that, I left and never looked back. I left before the police arrived, so I never heard of them again. I knew with him gone; she was safe.
April grips me tightly, a little too tight. Her words, however, make my blood run cold. “I know what you did, whore. You will pay for what you did to my husband,” she whispers, let’s go of me, and steps back. My heart rate rises, and I feel a little sick as I swallow back the bile rising in my throat. I feel Orion behind me when I stumble back. April grabs Lana’s hand, tugging her away.
“Call me, Evie,” Lana sings out, using her nickname for me, and I nod.
“You okay? What did she say to you?”
“Nothing, it doesn’t matter,” I say, turning back around and getting in the car. I can feel Orion’s eyes on me, watching me carefully. I know they must be able to feel my emotions through the bond.
Evelyn
I can feel Orion watching me as we pull up. April’s words replay in my head. How does she know? Did she know what he did? Did she know all that time and never bothered to help?
“Evelyn, what did April say to you?” Orion asks, leaning between the seats.
“It doesn’t matter, Orion. I just want to go home,” I tell him. Ryland looks over at me. At this point, I can feel both of their worries through the bond.
“Evelyn,” Ryland says, but I cut him off.
“Please, can we just go home? I want to go back,” I tell him.
Ryland turns the car around, going back the way we came. I lean against the window, wondering what April meant. It scares me knowing she knows what I did. Ryland suddenly pulls over, making me look up at him.
“What are you doing?” I ask, but he says nothing, just hops out and walks into a store and a moment later, comes out with a bag. He dumps it on my lap, and I place it on the floor between my feet. Ryland starts the car and drives back to Thaddeus’ parents’ house. I get out of the car and walk toward the front door as another car pulls up in front of me. I can see Bianca and Thaddeus sitting in the silver BMW. Thaddeus looks up at his parents’ house, shaking his head, and he doesn’t look like he wants to get out.
Walking over, I open his door. Ryland and Orion get out and close their car doors, making me look back. Thaddeus still sits in the car.
“Come on, are you going to sit in there all day?” I ask, holding out my hand.
He grabs my hand, hopping out. As soon as he’s at his full height, he scratches the back of his neck. I can feel his nervousness through the bond, but before I can question him, the front door opens. Imogen walks out, her face lighting up when she sees him. She runs down the steps and hugs him, relieved he has come back. Theo and Tobias walk out, and I suddenly feel nervous. The feelings through the bond hits me hard as I am consumed with Thaddeus’ guilt.