It takes all night to get the plan in place, but when it’s done, we just have to wait. Then we start organising. Everything.
Just a few more weeks, and we’re coming home.
Bonnie
“Well, it’s been two months. I have to say, I’m impressed with their commitment.”
I cast Meg a black glare.
“You know, if you just do a mental mind jump and picture the future murder victim as a bouquet of flowers, this could be courting.”
Meg and I snap our heads to Desi; he’s leaning on the rail, chewing a long piece of grass. He’s even got a cowboy hat on.
Meg knocks it off his head. “Stop wearing that stupid thing.”
He turns a grin on her. “Feeling feisty, Omega?”
Meg scowls, her eyes glitter, and her cheeks turn ruddy. “I’m feeling killy.”
“So not a word.”
“Nah, it’s a whole state of being.”
Desi lets out a guttural groan. “You’re so damn sexy when you’re killing things, babe.”
Meg advances on Desi, who lets out a whoop and runs away. My best friend chases him, just like we all knew she would. Their mixed scents give me a slight headache, but it’s not too bad out here.
I didn’t kill their gift here. He’ll go home and get very, very sick suddenly from ingesting a plant that’s incredibly toxic and acts very fast after a delay of about twenty-four hours or longer.
Vale saunters over and leans against the rail next to me. He can’t hide the look of disappointment and confusion from his eyes. I want to laugh at him. Did he really think I would fall in a puddle of joy at the sight of them?
“How was your trip?” He asks, his eyes search mine. My heart flutters, but I don’t let anything show on my face. Not the nerves, not the happy bounce of my soul, not how hard the last two months have been.
“Uneventful,” I say dryly.
“Hmm.”
He peers at me, obviously trying to pry apart my brain and figure me out, but he’s not got a hope in hell. I am a vault.
“We’ve been trying to contact you, but you seem to have a steel fortitude around you. There’s no penetrating it.”
“My family loves me.”
Vale reaches out and touches my little finger, just one stroke of his skin on mine, and I’m almost lost. How is their touch so potent?
“Yeah, we can hear that loud and clear. But we still tried. Your dad has decided we don’t need to come out here anymore.”
“He’s probably right. We don’t really have anything else to say to each other.” There’s a tremor in my voice when I say that, and I know he catches it.
“Don’t we?”
I turn my head and stare at him. “Not really, no. I’m not sure why you four are back out here so far from your city home.”
“Don’t you?” he says again, and this time, he smiles like he knows something I don’t.
I let out a frustrated noise. “Don’t play these games with me, Vale. I’m tired, and I need to get home and unpack still.”
“Fine, let’s stop all the games. We want you.”
