‘I’d like them a lot better on the floor of our bedroom,’he replied through our bond.
My face heated, which was saying a lot for a vampire, and then we stepped out of the room and made our way to the city gates.
* * *
We greetedthe House of Rose hunters. Over thirty of them. They seemed weary and down but excited to see us. When we told them they couldn’t stay in Vampire City and would have to go to Werewolf City, a few of them bailed and said they were leaving. The others pushed the issue, asking why they couldn’t stay with us, and I wondered if Luka was right and they were sent as spies. Eventually they relented and agreed to stay in Werewolf City while we made more permanent accommodations for them.
We followed them over to Werewolf City in Demi’s car, and when we stepped out at Sterling Hill Academy, the House of Rose hunters gathered round, full of questions. They clung to their backpacks, looking around the academy as if expecting an attack at any moment.
Holly seemed to be the leader of the group. She barely let Demi get in a word of greeting before she rattled off her questions: “How did you get those papers you emailed and how long did Sterling know about it?” Holly glared at me.
“You expect us to believe Maz is some … evil cult leader and we aren’t even human?” Anthony asked.
I never liked Holly. She was two years older than me and a know-it-all.
I shrugged. “Maz is more than that. She’s a Munai. A really dark fey.”
All thirty pairs of eyes bulged. I knew I would get nowhere with them. They would have to see it firsthand.
“It was Sterling’s handwriting!” Valerie stated. “I compared it to his Christmas card last year. It’s all true.”
They started to argue between themselves and rattle off more questions, then Liv cleared her throat beside me. “Aspen found her mom!” she screamed boldly, and the chatter died down as every mouth dropped open.
“What?” Holly glared at Liv like she had just said something unforgivable.
Liv nodded. “Some of your moms might still be alive. Here in Werewolf City or in Vampire City. We split the task of taking the refugees that we freed from the breeder camp.”
The hunters started to squirm, as if this idea hadn’t crossed their minds yet. The idea that their own mothers might still be alive…
“That’s right, so if you would stop accusing us of lying, you can meet my mom and start to look for your own,” I snapped, a little annoyed at the accusations flying around. I knew hearing the truth was rough. I’d had to go through my own little mini breakdown. But I had no reason to make this stuff up.
“I’m here,” my mom’s voice called from behind me, and I stiffened.
Every single gaze locked on to my mom, and then danced from her to me. Other than my dyed red hair, it was obvious we were related. I smiled at Sage, who stood just behind my mother. She’d foreseen this proof and had brought her here.
A younger hunter whose name I couldn’t remember stumbled forward. “Do you know my mom?” Her bottom lip quivered.
My mom’s eyes glistened with tears. “What’s your name, honey? They let us name you. It’s the only thing we can remember you by.”
“Harlow,” she croaked.
Yes, Harlow. She was a junior hunter, barely seventeen. Sterling trained her.
A light dawned upon my mother’s face. “Harlow and Holly are Althea’s girls. She’s in Vampire City right now.”
Holly went stiff as a board, looking at Harlow with a keen eye. They both had the same mousy brown hair and hazel eyes.Holy crap.
“Sisters?” Holly asked my mom.
“Are you Holly? How old are you?” my mother asked. “We know all of our children’s birthdates and names. I can get you all sorted. Don’t worry.”
A male hunter stepped forward. “What about me? I’m Noah.”
“I’m Riv.” Another pushed to the front.
A female sidestepped Noah to get closer to my mom. “Penelope? Born in August? Do you know my mother?”
My heart shattered in that moment. Whatever biases they had come in with were gone. They all just wanted to find their birth mother, to have a family outside of the one Maz had created from lies.
