“Everyone has their own preferences,” Griffin replies easily.
“So if it’s just a matter of taste, then why do they need your blood for the transition?” A phone rings before Griffin can answer. Evan pats his hip, but there’s no phone. Griffin ends up pulling his from his inner jacket pocket.
“Yes?” he answers, and his eyes go to Evan.
“I still don’t have a fucking phone,” Evan mutters under his breath, as if he can’t believe he’s forgotten again.
“Where?” A small shift of Griffin’s features makes me think he’s surprised by the response he gets. “Keep them there, we’ll be down.” He ends the call without a goodbye.
“Did they find them?” I ask.
“Letty did,” Evan says, proving he must have been able to hear Griffin’s call.
“Didn’t you send her and those other two to check the student housing?” Griffin pockets his phone again.
“Yes, the first floor,” I answer before Evan does.
Evan crosses his arms over his chest. “So how the hell did she happen to find the kids in the hangar?”
Chapter 9
Evan
Letty’s standing outside the entrance when we pull up in an SUV. Griff outright refused to ride in the side-by-side. I cut the engine off and climb out of the driver’s seat. Quinn opens the rear door and exits just after I do, joining me. She probably shouldn’t be here for this, but there was no way I was leaving her alone at the school while Griffin and I tried to figure out this clusterfuck.
Letty’s eyes pop wide for just a fraction of a second when she sees Quinn. As we approach, Letty shakes her head and gives me a tight smile. “Looks like they came out here to party and lost track of time.” She glances over her shoulder, and I see seven kids all looking worse for wear and lined up just inside the building.
After sparing them a quick glance and noting none of them will even lift their heads to look in our direction, I turn my attention back to Letty. “Partying, huh?” Just like I told Quinn weeks ago, it happens. Kids do sneak out, whether it’s to party or hook up, it’s reality. Half of these kids came from rogue clans or packs, the others came from places like Griff and me, where the rules had to be followed or you were literally risking your life. We try not to be too hard on them, especially the older ones, but the rules are in place for a reason. We need to make sure they’re being safe, that no one gets taken advantage of. We can’t have them turning this school into one of the places we saved them from. But something about this feels off. We’ve never had a group risk expulsion for something this stupid.
“I guess.” Letty half rolls her eyes at my question about partying, then shows her disappointment by adding, “I suppose they don’t know how good they’ve got it here.” One of the girls steps a little closer to the boy on her left.
“How’d you manage to get out of the building after lockdown?” It’s clear I’m asking the kids, but Letty pipes up.
“I asked that too. I guess one of the back doors in the student wing doesn’t lock. I’ll make sure it’s taken care of.”
Griff is a silent presence at my side along with Quinn. I doubt he’s buying this shit Letty is feeding us either, but I’m not ready to let her know she’s firmly on my fucking radar. “Good job finding them, Letty.” I give her shoulder a hard pat as I walk past her to approach the kids.
“Just doing my job,” she utters and hustles to follow me over to the kids.
“Eyes up,” I bark, and every head lifts. I take my time scanning them, letting them sweat. Anticipation of what’s to come can be more frightening than living through the punishment. Even if I think Letty has something to do with where these kids were and what they were up to, none of them are off the hook with me. I need information from one or all of them, I’m just trying to gauge who will crack first.
“I can get them all back to the school,” Letty offers, breaking the silence.
“Back to the school? Who said they would be going back?” I hear a sniffle. Another one lets out a shaky breath. I cross my arms over my chest and glare down at them. The scent of their fear is heavy in the air, but I know something, or should I say someone, who these baby vamps would really fear. I glance over my shoulder and send Griff a look.
He lifts Quinn’s fingers to his lips and delivers a kiss to her knuckles as if she’s the royalty here. Truth is, she pretty much is, considering she’s blood sung to Griff, but it speaks more to the way he sees her than it does about his own lineage.
After releasing her hand, he strolls over to my side. These kids are used to supernaturals moving fast and they probably equate that to a threat, but his slow, methodical movements can be even more frightening. It shows his patience, his confidence in his abilities, and his willingness to allow you a chance, even though everyone knows it wouldn’t matter either way. If Griffin Stone wants you dead, you’re dead. There’s no escaping him. He proved that when he killed his father and cemented his place in the vampire hierarchy.
“Would anyone care to explain why you abused my hospitality?” Most of these kids have probably never even heard him speak. He rarely ventures to the second and third floors where classes are held, and the only time I’ve seen him in the student housing wing was when we collected Michelle to question her about what happened to Quinn. The gym would most likely be the only time they’ve interacted with him, if you can even call it that. Mostly, they just watch us spar.
None of the kids speak up for themselves, which doesn’t really surprise me. I’m standing far enough back that I’m able to observe Letty’s reactions as well as the kids’. She relaxes her shoulders just enough to show the infinitesimal loss of tension.
“No onehas anything to say?” Griffin turns his watchful gaze so he’s focused solely on Letty, putting his back to the children and proving what little threat they pose to him. She blinks several times, caught off guard by his attention.
“This shouldn’t have been able to happen,” she placates. “Ultimately, it’s security’s fault they were even able to get out of the school and cause such a disruption. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure nothing like this can occur again.” She quickly darts her eyes in my direction. I wonder if she’s including me in that assessment. “Sorry I let you down,” she adds, seemingly regretful.
I can’t tell if she’s trying to deflect Griff’s attention from the kids or just kissing his ass and saying what she thinks he wants to hear.
