We both sit on the swings, and April sits over at the table and chairs, reading a book while keeping a close eye on us. We speak about her new school, her grades; Lana has even got an after-school job at the local deli for a few hours a day.
Around lunchtime, I am about to suggest we go to a cafe I drove past on the way to the park when April tells me she has made a picnic basket. We sit on the grass on a rug and eat.
“So, where are you living now, Evelyn?” asks April.
“Not far from here; I don’t know the suburb’s name,” I answer vaguely, remembering what Ryland said about not telling anyone.
April nods, realizing I’m not going to answer. To distract her, I ask a question of my own. “How is work? Obviously, you’re not working at Parse hospital anymore?”
“Yeah, we moved for work. I work at a doctor’s surgical office now,” she answers. “You will have to visit the new house; you will love it. Right near a reserve, so peaceful out there,” she states, giving me a warm smile.
“So those men you were with, who are they? They look familiar,” Lana suddenly asks.
To be honest, I don’t like this line of questioning, but I don’t get a chance to answer when their eyes dart behind me.
“Her mates,” his deep voice sounds directly behind me, and I feel the blood drain from my face. His words sound normal, yet I can hear the anger they are laced with, having grown accustomed to their different tones. “Hi, I am Ryland,” he says, holding his hand for April to shake.
She nervously shakes his hand, and I can see the terror in her eyes. Ryland is a very intimidating man. Even if they weren’t my mates, I would run at the first sight of them. April looks at Lana and smiles, but I notice the tremble of her bottom lip.
“Well, we better be off; you will have to come to visit soon, Evelyn. I have an early shift, and need to get back before dark,” she says.
I help her pack everything up, delaying when I have to deal with Ryland’s wrath that I can feel festering through the bond. Walking Lana to the car, I can feel Ryland’s eyes, watching my every move. Dread fills me. How did they know where I went, and why are they home early?
“Oh, Evelyn, I tried calling you earlier. Is something wrong with your phone?” Lana asks when she winds the window down.
“Sometimes I don’t get reception,” I tell her.
April leans across Lana to speak to me. “We can come to see you next Friday if you like. We can meet here again. I have next Friday off,” she tells me, and I nod.
“Okay, sounds good.”
“I will call you,” Lana states as she eyes Ryland behind me.
“Nice to meet you,” he says, waving to her, and she smiles nervously and waves back.
I watch as they pull out and drive off. Nausea rolls over me as I turn to face Ryland. His expression alone makes me want to run. “You’re back early?” I announce.
He glares at me, taking a step forward, and I take two back, about to run, but he pounces on me as soon as I turn to run. His arms wrap around my waist, and he rips me toward him. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in when we get home?” he growls; his voice sends goosebumps all over me.
Ryland reaches into my back pocket, pulls out Thaddeus’ keys and lets me go. “Get in the fucking car, Evelyn!” he yells at me, making me flinch.
“No. I am not going anywhere with you when you are this angry,” I stutter out, stepping away from him.
His eyes turn pitch black as he steps forward and grabs my arm roughly, walking me to the passenger side. He rips the door open and pushes me in, slamming the door. Then, he walks around to the driver’s side. Ryland starts the car and tears out of the parking spot, driving alarmingly fast; so fast he is passing other cars like they are standing still.
“I can’t believe you would be so stupid to leave without telling us. And you thought you would get away with it?” he says, taking his eyes off the road and looking at me.
“I didn’t tell them where you lived, okay? Geez, I don’t see the big deal, and April is nice,” I tell him.
He growls loudly, and I can feel it vibrate through every cell in my body. “You are lucky I was able to talk Thaddeus out of coming to get you; this would have ended badly if he came,” Ryland says, speeding up even more.
“Please, slow down,” I tell him when he hits a bump, and I nearly smack my head on the roof.
Ryland chuckles darkly and does the complete opposite by going faster.
“Please, Ryland, you’re scaring me!” I tell him, gripping the seat, petrified as he zips between cars on the highway.
“Scaring you? I am scaring you? Now you know how we felt when we returned to find you gone!” he says, not even bothering to slow down.
With Ryland driving, the trip takes less than half the time. I am getting car sick when I notice the hidden turn-off. Ryland, not even slowing down as he turns the car sharply, makes it skid along the driveway and makes me slam into the door. His hand reaches over, grips the front of my shirt, and pulls me back onto the seat. He slams the brakes as he pulls up, and I put my hands out to avoid hitting the dash, jarring my hands before being thrown backwards in the seat, my hands tingling painfully. I manage to get my seatbelt off, my hands shaking violently as I open the car door before I puke everywhere, narrowly missing the side of the car.
When I hear the front door slam open against the outside of the house, I look up and see Thaddeus. His glare sends shivers up my spine and chills my blood. I panic and head toward the forest surrounding the property.
I know they warned me about running from him, warned me so many times, but I’m not thinking straight. Fear makes adrenaline pump through me, and flight or fight takes over. I know I can never fight them off, and I also know I will never be able to outrun them, but that doesn’t stop my body from acting as any sane person would, by running for their life.
I hear a feral growl rip through the air, birds take off from the trees as it echoes and bounces off them. I don’t even get ten meters before I feel my feet leave the ground and I’m being slammed onto the grass, knocking the air out of my lungs. Thaddeus’ black eyes stare down at me as he pins me down. I hear Orion scream out to him, when suddenly, the grass catches on fire, forming a circle around us. I watch the flames get closer and move in around us.
His entire body is shaking in rage; I feel it through the bond. His anger makes my blood run cold as ice. Thaddeus rips my arms above my head and leans down. His nose goes to the crook of my neck as he inhales my scent. “You’re scared,” he states. His words are cold, and I feel tears start to brim. “You should be,” he says, and I struggle against his grip, feel the flames move in closer, licking at my fingers, and cry out in pain.
The next second, I feel his fangs sink into my neck, making me scream. Pain radiates everywhere before I finally pass out.