Oaklie shuddered at the thought of the ordeal her mother had gone through.She’d glossed over the details, but it had obviously been a traumatic experience.“I wonder why I didn’t turn out evil like the rest of my kind,” she mused softly.
“Fate may have interfered,” Arkas said as if he’d just had an epiphany.“It’s possible that Anarchy broke the rules by letting your sire out early.Fate may have taken steps to make sure you can’t be used as a weapon against us.”
“By making me good instead of bad?”she asked skeptically.“If so, I owe her big time.I grew up with an evil little brother.I’d hate to think of the horrible things I would have done to my adopted siblings if I was even worse than Eli was.”
Arkas regarded her and seemed to come to a decision.“I believe you, female,” he said, sitting forward to stare at her earnestly.“Fate has seen fit to ensure we would meet.My commander will know why.We just have to find Amaros and all will become clear.”
“Great,” Oaklie said.“Where is he?”
His shoulders sagged and he sank back against the couch again.“I have no idea,” he confessed.“I’ve never had to wait this long for him to find me before.I have a feeling we’re going to have to locate my brothers rather than waiting for them to find us.”
Oaklie had been worried he was going to say that.She’d rarely left her small town in Tennessee before.She had the distinct feeling they would soon be going on an epic journey that would take them far away from her home.
Chapter Seventeen
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GG PEERED OUT THROUGHa window of Pastor Hogan’s brownstone townhouse.“We’re about to get visitors again,” she warned the two men.Dalt shot to his feet, preparing to go through their usual drill.They’d been staying at the preacher’s home for the past three days.This was the fifth time Mayor Giamano’s law enforcement officers had come knocking.
“I’ll try to stall them,” Larry said, rising from the couch he never would have been able to afford in his former life.He’d had to call off all church sermons after GG and the other women had fled from Rahab and his soldiers.His parishioners were all hunkering down, waiting for the search to end.
“Quick, GG!”Dalton said as he climbed up to the top floor.He tugged on the rope that pulled the steep stairs to a tiny attic down.“Up you go, darlin’,” the cowboy said when she hurried after him.They both had their rifles slung over their shoulders.
GG smirked at him, then climbed the staircase.It was cold and cramped in the space that was filled with junk.They’d uncovered a couple of old wooden chairs so they had something to sit on.
Dalt climbed up after his ex and pulled the stairs back up.He’d installed a couple of bolts on the inside that he’d stripped from a neighboring apartment door.“I hope they’ll hold if the cops try to break in,” he murmured, sliding the bolts home.So far, no one had thought to look up here.Different groups had knocked each time.
“Fate’s looking after us,” GG said, mentally crossing her fingers that the entity had their backs.Dalton had to duck as he crossed to her and sat on the vacant seat.A grimy window allowed them to peer outside, but they couldn’t see the street from way up here.
“So,” Dalt drawled.“Do you come here often?”
GG snickered quietly.He’d always had an amusing sense of humor.“Too often for my liking,” she replied.“Rahab still hasn’t given up on finding me.He’s obsessed.”
“I can’t say I blame him,” her ex murmured almost too quietly for her to hear him.
Looking down at her oversized men’s sweater and jeans, GG looked nothing like the polished, sophisticated woman she’d once been.She’d raided one of the bedrooms to find a few changes of clothes.They were clean and better than wearing her reversible gold and dark blue ski jacket and pants constantly.
