51

E
velyn
“What did you do?” I ask, wondering if he has destroyed another city or hurt someone. I know the possibilities of what he could have done are endless, and the suspense is worse than if he would just spit it out.
“I am the reason you ended up in the foster care system,” he says, making me confused.
How can he possibly be the reason I ended up in the foster care system? He didn’t abandon me there. Oh, that would be so gross and nasty if he turned out to be my father; well, technically, he is old enough to be my great grandfather, I think. I will have to remember to ask how old they are.
“What do you mean? You’re not my father, are you? Because that would be just plain nasty,” I ask.
Thaddeus chuckles. “Definitely not any relation, but I am the reason you ended up in the church.”
“How so?”
“Well, remember how my aunty said you smelled familiar?” he starts, and I nod, remembering his aunty and father stating the same thing.
“My aunt and father were following me and stumbled across you just outside of Parse; your parents were killed when I destroyed the town they were living in. So, my father and aunty heard you crying and dug you out of the rubble. They didn’t know what to do with you, so they dropped you off at the old convent,” he says, watching me carefully.
I sit up, trying to make sense of his words. “What are their names? Do you know?”
Thaddeus nods his head, running his hands up my thighs, making me look down at him. I don’t know how I feel; shocked if anything.
“Yes, Michael and Sara Carter,” he tells me, which means my parents were married. I nod.
“Anything else about them?”
“Just that by the autopsy reports, your mother has recently given birth and that they both had drug and petty crime charges on their records.”
Evelyn Carter, I think to myself. Hmm, I think I prefer my made-up last name – Harper.
“I like Harper better,” I tell him. He looks confused, and I can feel confusion through the bond.
“You’re not mad?”
I shake my head; how can I be mad at something he did before he met me? Not only that, if my parents were drug addicts and criminals, chances are, I would have ended up in foster care anyway.
“No, chances are I still would have ended up in foster care anyway,” I tell him.
“You’re not mad at all?” he asks again, shocked by my reaction.
“No. I’m a little shocked, but I didn’t know them to miss them. And besides, I have been on my own all my life. I have no family, never had one, so it’s a bit hard to miss something I never had, right?” I tell him.
“We are your family, and you can share mine if you want them,” Thaddeus chuckles, pulling me back down on him and kissing the top of my head.
“Dinner is ready,” Orion sings out from downstairs.
I sit up again. “Good, I am starving,” I tell Thaddeus, peck his lips and hop off of him.
Thaddeus and I walk downstairs and discover Orion and Ryland have made tacos. Sitting at the table, I help myself, and Orion hands me a glass of Coke. As I bite into the taco, my belly starts rumbling embarrassingly loud.
“Good?” Ryland asks, and I nod.
“You need to remind us if you’re hungry, Evelyn. Thaddeus, and I don’t eat as much as you do. And Ryland hunts when he shifts, so forgets to eat real food.” Orion explains, but I just nod again, enjoying my food.
Thaddeus is still watching me when I remember I wanted to ask how old they are. I quickly take a sip of my drink to drown the bite of food and ask. “How old are you?”
Orion chuckles, “I am surprised you haven’t asked already. Honestly, I wonder if it will weird you out,” he says, biting into his taco. I shake my head, not really caring, but also curious.
“I am a hundred and one, but I stopped aging at thirty,” Thaddeus answers, which isn’t as old as I thought he would say.
Then, I look at Ryland and he answers without me asking. “A hundred and seventy-two.”
I snicker; that is old, considering he looks older than Thaddeus.
“What age did you stop aging?”
“Thirty-five,” he answers, and I nod.
As I look at Orion, he snickers and shakes his head. “What?” I ask.
“Nothing. I can’t remember exactly; I only know the century.”
“Century?” I squeak. Exactly how old is he if he can’t remember?
“Time wasn’t as easy to mark back then. I was born in the fourteen hundreds and changed when I was… I think, twenty-seven.”
I choke on my taco at his answer. “So, you’re like 700 years old?” My eyes widen as the words leave me.
“I think so; maybe a little less,” he says, and I sip my Coke, trying to wash down the taco that nearly choked me to death.
“What was that like?”
Orion chuckles. “Definitely different than now: no electricity, everything by horse and carriage, kings and queens.” I nod, trying to imagine what it would have been like back then to live. “Do our ages bother you?”
“No, but it would have been handy to know you in school. I sucked at history and geography; you would have been handy back then.” I laugh, and Orion nods.
“That’s one way to look at it,” he states.
I finish my taco when Thaddeus passes me one of his. “Does food taste the same to you guys?”
“Yes and no. Some things taste the same, but everything tastes bland to me except blood,” Orion responds.
“Tastes the same to me, but I was born, not changed, and same for Ryland, so I can’t really compare,” Thaddeus answers.
When we finish eating, we end up watching TV. Everything is fine until Ryland suddenly gets up. “Where are you going?” I ask, as he walks past the couch where I am lying with Orion.
“To go for a run,” he says, bending over and kissing me. When I instantly hop up, he raises a suspicious eyebrow at me. “What are you doing? It’s a little chilly outside.”
“I want to see you turn into a fluffy poodle.”
My answer makes Ryland huff. “I am no poodle,” he states, but holds his hand out for me and I grab it. Thaddeus and Orion follow behind us. We walk out back, and I sit on the step. Ryland starts removing his clothes and dumps them on my lap.
“Does it hurt?” I ask as he stretches, wearing nothing but his briefs.
He shakes his head. “Not anymore; used to, but now I can shift fast. It doesn’t hurt, just a strange sensation.”
“Do you have to worry about fleas?” I ask, curious exactly how much like a dog werewolves are. Orion laughs and snorts at my question. “What? I actually want to know,” I tell him.
“No, Evelyn, I don’t get fleas,” Ryland states dryly.
“What about…”
“Do you want to watch me shift or ask a million questions?” he asks, cutting me off.
“Both,” I state. The silly grin on my face fades as a breeze picks up and makes me shiver. Thaddeus grabs me, pulling me onto his lap and wrapping his arms around me, trying to keep me warm from the breeze. It is chilly here tonight. Kind of odd, considering it is usually warm even at night.