10
Halo
I needed to find Angel.
That was the only thought running through my mind. Henry could wait, especially since Kass was genuinely searching for him, I hoped. Finding some guy just to reassure his friends he was fine wasnotmy top priority right now.
It was easy enough to get Kass off my back. As soon as we entered one of our classic arguments, he would expect me to run off - and I used that expectation to my advantage. Now he wouldn’t be suspicious of why I was so eager to leave.
When Dr. Lyden pointed us in the direction Henry went, my heart skipped a beat. I was almost positive that was where I ended up the night I teleported into town, to leave Angel there. My chest squeezed at the thought of my daughter, alone in the middle of the night, completely helpless as I left her behind.
It was for her own safety,I reminded myself as the tears stung hot in my eyes.
But now that Silas and his scheme were out of sight, they were also out of mind. I didn’t feel the same dread I did while locked up in the old cabin, and that meant I could focus on finding my daughter and making sure she wasreallysafe. When Kass asked about her earlier, I could only guess.
Maybe I had been lying. But I really hoped not.
Nobody cast me a second glance as I maneuvered through the streets and people. It took some getting used to - no longer did everyone afford me a wide berth from fear. I was just another omega trying to get by.
It was refreshing, in a way. But I would have been lying if I said I didn’t enjoy some of the infamy and attention I’d had four hundred years ago. I felt like putting my hand to my chest and scoffing and saying,Don’t you even know who I am?
I didn’t, of course. But I kind of wanted to.
Finally I rounded the corner and met the familiar view from the night I left Angel behind. An old street dotted with restaurants, and with a strange bar built into the base of the cliffside. The Drunken Dragon.
There!
My heart raced as I ran to the front of the bar. I’d left Angel here on the front step.
Of course, she wasn’t there anymore.
A sigh of frustration left my lips, even though it was to be expected. Somebody would have picked her up by this point, obviously.
But who?I thought with a flicker of unease.
I heard a sigh behind me. “Bar’s closed. Sucks, I know.”
A man stood behind me, leaning against the wall like he was waiting for it to open.
“Oh. Er, I wasn’t…” I trailed off as it was clear the man was going to continue speaking anyway.
“Think the owner has a kid now or something, keeps bringing it into work for some reason. Kinda weird, but eh.” He shrugged. “Booze is good, though, so I’m hoping he doesn’t take leave off work or anything.”
“I see,” I said stiffly, not quite sure why this man was talking to me. Nobody in Cinderhollow four hundred years ago would ever engage me in such casual conversation. They were too afraid. This situation back then would have been the equivalent of a rabbit walking right up to a wolf and talking about the weather.
“You got a kid?” the man asked.
At first I narrowed my eyes, suspicious of his intent, but realized there was no malice in his eyes. Just a kind stranger trying to make conversation.
“Yes,” I replied.
He nodded. “Cool. Me, I don’t have one yet. Not even a mate.” He held up a hand briefly. “Not that I’m trying to hit on you or anything, just so you know.”
I smirked despite myself. “Not a problem.”
“Nah, I just keep thinking it’s not the right time. The barkeep, though, I never imagined him to be the type of guy to have a kid.” The man frowned in thought. “Come to think of it, I don’t think hehadthe kid, actually. Never saw him get bigger or anything, the kid just showed up to the bar one day.”
Every hair on my body stood on end. “What?” I said breathlessly.
