Me and Raven celebrating over a good fight.
Me and Raven collecting our earnings together.
Me and Raven drinking together.
Me and Raven entwined in bed.
I couldn’t let her down. Raven would never be honest. She wouldn’t back down. She wanted to save me from whatever this woman was going to do to me, but I wouldn’t let Raven face the punishment alone. She was a good person. She was the best person. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her.
“I followed Raven,” I whispered. “I thought she would lead me to someone I’ve been searching for.”
The woman stared at me, and then looked over at Raven, who nodded slightly.
“How very interesting,” the woman said. “And who is it that you’re looking for?”
“The Vampire of Garnetia,” I said. “I have a bone to pick with the asshole.” I lifted my chin, sticking it out in a show of defiance. I hoped that I looked braver than I felt. What I felt was silly. I was going for fierce.
The woman before me tilted her head slightly, and I got the feeling that she was surprised by what I said. If Raven was shocked that I blurted out everything, she was clever enough not to show it. She didn’t tense or jolt or act uncomfortable with what I’d shared.
“Is that so?” She said.
“That’s so.”
“And why are you looking for him?”
“That’s between me and him,” I said.
“Oh, darling,” the woman said. “I’m afraid you don’t know who I am.”
I was silent, waiting. She’d tell me soon enough. The woman stared, looking at me, and suddenly, I felt...naked. Despite the fact that I was wearing both a dress and my hoodie, I suddenly felt like I was standing in front of this lady completely nude. How the hell did she make me feel that way? It was chaotic and horrible, and I didn’t like that at all.
“Who are you?” I finally whispered.
Ignoring my question, she turned to Raven and shook her head.
“He’s not going to believe this,” the woman said.
Raven was silent.
“All right, girls. Come on,” the woman turned and started walking. She gestured for us to follow, and somehow, I knew I didn’t have a choice. Raven reached for my hand and squeezed, and she held it as we walked down the road and toward a particularly large house I’d never seen before. Somehow, I had a feeling that when we walked into that house, everything was going to change.
Forever.
4.
Liam
I WAS STANDING AT THE window when they approached the mansion. Helena stopped outside of the mansion and looked up. She stared directly at me, and then she jerked her head toward the two women behind her. It was Raven and...
It couldn’t be.
I stilled, but quickly moved closer to the window. It was her. It was Kimberly. She was here.
Why the fuck was she here?
Helena stared for a long minute before walking into the first floor of the mansion, and I actually scurried out of my office and down the hall. I made my way to the banister at the top of the double staircase that led down to the open entryway. Helena was standing there with Raven, whose head was down, and Kimberly, whose eyes had never looked wider.
“What is this place?” She whispered. Her words were loud, though, and they seemed to ring loudly throughout the mansion.