I didn’t even know what time it was, but it didn’t matter. I knew she’d be happy to hear from me, even if I woke her. And when she answered and breathed out my name, relief in her voice, I felt myself tear up.
“Oh God, Evelyn.”
“Hey,” I said softly and closed my eyes, resting my head back on the headboard, staring at the ceiling. Her voice was a rush of words, asking me how I was, what was going on, saying Cian had called Banner, who I found out was the Scottish Lycan king and her mate's father, and told them everything he knew. I didn’t even know everything.
“You’re okay though?”
I exhaled. “I’m okay.” I rubbed my eyes as I thought of all the things that had happened so far. Being attacked, almost being abducted, strange tattoos… not to mention all the mate and Otherworld stuff. “I’m okay,” I said again.
“Physically. Mentally and emotionally, you’re okay there too?”
I smiled even though she couldn’t see me. “Yes, all my T’s are crossed and my I’s dotted. I’m good.” I swung my legs over and let my toes dangle off the edge, barely reaching the cold floor. “I’m a little banged up, but other than that, I’m whole. I can’t complain, all things considered.” I didn’t move for a moment, just to make sure I wasn’t too dizzy, but the bathroom was calling my name. My mouth tasted sour from throwing up earlier, and what I could really use was a bath.
“I miss you so much. I told Caelan we need to fly out there to be by your side, because things are going upside down, and nobody knows what the hell is going on.”
I shook my head. “No, stay there where you’re safe. Until anything is figured out, I’d much rather you be protected somewhere. I don’t want to worry about these assholes getting you too.”
“Yeah, that’s what Caelan said, even though I ranted and raved at him.”
I chuckled softly, loving that she had spit fire in my defense.
“But you’re staying at Adryan’s house? Or at least one of his?”
“I guess. Cian didn’t tell me whose house this was, and I’ve never met the owner. But it sounds like you know him?”
I could hear her softly speaking to someone and used that moment to push myself to a standing position. I had one hand braced on the mattress to steady myself, but I felt good. My head hurt a little bit, but whatever pain medicine he’d given me helped immensely. I started making my way toward the bathroom and braced myself for the harsh light that kicked on.
“I don’t know-know him. He’s Caelan’s uncle, but Caelan has been pretty vocal about how Adryan is batshit crazy.”
Great. She stopped speaking, and even though I couldn’t see her, I could picture her biting her bottom lip, knowing there was more she wanted to say. But her anxiousness had her stalling. “What? Darragh, just say it, because at this point, there’s nothing you can really say that’s going to shock me,” I teased, or at least tried to. “He’s a batshit crazy Lycan uncle—”
“Yeah, so he’s a vampire, not a Lycan. Caelan’s mother is a vampire.”
“Of course they are.” I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror, grimacing at the hot mess I was. Dark hair a tangled around my head, and a square bandage on my temple that was seeping pink in the center. Dark circles under my eyes, and my skin pasty white. I look down at the T-shirt I wore, the material even more oversize than the one I’d put on before at the motel. I picked at the fabric in the center of my chest and brought it to my nose, closing my eyes as I inhaled. It smelled just like Cian, that dark and spicy aroma that did wicked things to my body.
“Did you hear me?”
I shut the door and lifted my head to look at my reflection. “Yeah.”
Darragh started laughing. “I don’t even have to be right in front of you to know you’re lying.”
I couldn’t help but smile and was thankful I had someone in my life who could make things seem a little bit brighter when they all seemed fucked-up.
16
Evelyn
Half an hour later and I was freshly washed, my hair finger combed, my teeth cleaned with the new toothbrush and mouthwash I found in the bathroom—thank God—and the new oversize clothes on.
I tightened the drawstring of the sweatpants, smoothed my hands down the T-shirt that hung limply on my smaller form, and left the bedroom. I was nervous, not sure what exactly I was jumping into right now but knowing if danger was at the forefront, there was no better place for me to be than with Cian.
I heard the deep voices coming from down the hall and followed, rounding the corner and seeing Cian and an unfamiliar man—just as large and clearly a Lycan, given his similar build as my mate—standing in the center of the living room. From where I stood, I could see the man had a nasty-looking scar that started on the top of one side of his face and cut a line all the way down. He looked younger, late twenties, but after knowing about Lycans and their ages, I knew the male was far older. His hair was a lighter blond that was shorter in the back and sides and longer in the front, the strands hanging over his forehead and long enough to fall into his eyes.