“They locked us in,”Brandon repeated, leaning close because two people were hanging around another cabin, watching us. “Why are they watching us?” Brandon asked.
“Maybe because of our band?” I said. Truthfully, I was used to people watching me. I tended to draw people’s attention—an annoyance I learned to ignore a long time ago. It was very likely they were looking at me, drawn in. Brandon frowned and looked over his shoulder at Ava. She blinked up at both of us, quietly listening in.
“What do you think?” He asked her. Quickly, I pulled her in my side, pressing her between Brandon and me. My hand rested on the back of her neck and my thumb caressed the crescent-shaped mark I’d left her with.
“Um,” she said, distracted by what I was doing. I leaned in close, so my lips were right next to her face.
“What’s wrong, step-sis, cat got your tongue?” I asked.
“Stop it,” she mumbled, her face looking flushed.
“Fuck, don’t remind me of tongues. I’m still recovering from the living room,” Brandon grumbled. He swept the green hair that had fallen in his face and frowned.
“It’s odd they still haven’t given us a working phone and that we were locked inside last night,” Brandon reiterated.
“It is suspicious,” Ava said warily. We walked into the building labeled dining hall. Its walls were screened on the top half and inside were picnic benches in lines. In the back, tables were set up with buffet dishes set on hot pads. Crumpled aluminum foil was partially peeled up on the corners.
“Be vigilant, boys,” Ava said with a huff of amusement, her voice a deep purr. I looked down and saw a smirk on her face.
“Ava?” I asked. She looked up at me quickly, the edges of her eyes going from gray to white. Her eyes had gone dark again. I made a frustrated noise when we were immediately crowded by Veronica, the woman from yesterday.
“Good morning!” She greeted us with a big smile. Immediately, I spread my face into a matching smile. It was what I trained myself to do. “You all must be starving! I heard no one brought you anything last night. I’m so sorry about that.”
“We need a phone,” Brandon said. Veronica turned and blinked at him, as if just now noticing he was there. “Do you have a cell?”
“Oh, cell phones don’t work here,” she said dismissively before insisting we follow her to the tables of food. “Eat up first and then we’ll get it all figured out, okay?” She picked up a plate and began piling it with eggs, toast, sausage, and biscuits until it looked like the floppy paper plate would bend in half and spill everything on the ground.
“This one's for you, precious,” she said with a smile towards Ava. It was odd. Ava gave a little nod and an uncomfortable smile before noticing the cut fruit. She grabbed a bowl and began heaping large quantities into it.
“Wow, look at you. Do you like fruit? Oh wait, where’s your other friend?” Veronica asked, watching Ava with a big smile.
“He’s sleeping in,” she lied easily. Ava had never been the best at lying but she’d just done it like a pro.
“Ben said he had a phone we could use,” Brandon said and Veronica looked irritated he kept bringing it up.
“Yes,” she said with a strained smile. “He’ll be here in a minute. You should sit down and eat as you wait.” Brandon made a frustrated noise but we all did as she asked because wewerestarving.
“Caspian,” Ava whispered, leaning towards me and talking as low as she could. She looked down at her plate and speared scrambled eggs on a spork.
“Yes?”
“You meant what you said yesterday in the bathroom?” She asked.
“Of course. I love you, Ava.”
“Yes, yes but about the other thing. Doing anything for your mate. Killing?” She asked, pushing the eggs from the side of her plate so that they landed on the picnic table in a mess.
My tongue darted out over my lips as I thought about it. The answer was yes, of course. I would do anything for her. I’d always known that. Actually, I was getting excited just thinking she had a request for me. That I had an opportunity to help her or protect her or whatever it was she needed.
I leaned into her, turning my body towards her.
“What do you need me to do, Ava?” I asked, pressing my mouth to her hair. My hand slid up her thigh and I gripped it. She squirmed a little and frowned.
“Here, really?” She mumbled in agitation. I huffed out a laugh. Surely she noticed I had no issues with PDA. God, she needed me to do something for her and it was making me want to fuck her because I was so happy. I slid my hand a little higher on her leg.
“Okay, okay. I get it but Caspian I’m trying to ask you something,” she said. Her voice was low and deep. Was she getting sick from the splinter again?
“Ask me anything, Ava. Please,” I begged, moving my hand behind her back and tugging her harder against me. She made a little noise of surprise and squirmed away.
