26. Relative Rescue

26

Relative Rescue

" W here have you been?" The whole house rattles as the front door slams shut.

Someone's here. I'm unsure if I should be happy or terrified, but I jump from Cameron's bed, pressing my ear against the door to listen.

"Hey, wait…" Cameron yells to the unknown visitor.

"I've been blowing up your phone for the past two days. You can't pull that shit with the Blood Moon so soon."

I know that voice. I bang on Cameron's bedroom door. "Help!"

Silence.

"Cameron, what the fuck?"

Her footsteps pound before she stomps toward his room, fidgeting with the door lock and then swinging it open. "Red?" She gasps, confusion spread across his face.

"Carmen, you have to help me. He's kidnapped me."

Cameron steps in front of the front door, his hands over his chest. "I'm protecting you." He mumbles angrily.

"What's going on?" she asks, hands on her hips.

I shake my head, singling out a thought. "Wait, how do you two know each other?" The reality that maybe Carmen isn't my saving grace settles over me. Did she fuck Cameron too? Why does the thought make me angry? Maybe it's because he's obviously a psychopath.

"He's my idiot brother."

Brother? Then that means… "You're a werewolf?" I ask, finally paying close enough attention to notice the hair crawling down her neck and over her shoulders. Her eyes shine, and her glossy red nails are pointed into claws. I back away from her.

"Fuck, Cameron. You let the New York Times reporter know about us?" She rubs at her temples. "I need a drink." She walks over to the kitchen, pulling out his bottle of whiskey from the cabinet.

"The Council had her imprisoned. She's accused of murdering Leroy. She escaped, and I brought her here. "

Carmen puts down her glass. Her eyes darken as she stomps toward me. "You killed Leroy? I knew I shouldn't have trusted you when I saw you with Jack."

I back closer to the bedroom door. Maybe Carmen's the sibling I should be more frightened of. Cameron walks between us, outstretching his arms. "Calm down. She didn't kill Leroy. I just need to gather evidence. I figured I should wait before going to the Council until after the Blood Moon. As we know, it tends to make us… short-tempered. He eyes Carmen up and down.

She takes a breath and steps backward. "Sorry."

I march forward, pointing my finger at his chest and staring him in his eyes. "No, that's not how this is going. I escaped prison, and then your brother kidnapped me and locked me in his bedroom."

He stares down at me, his nostrils flaring as if soaking in my scent.

My breath catches, and I fall a step backward.

"Okay, I see what's going on here."

"What?" I whip my head to Carmen, watching with a smile, and her arms crossed over her chest.

I step toward her with pleading hands. "Carmen, you need to help me. Your brother is crazy."

She dodges me, throwing her hands up. "Nah, I'm staying out of this. I'll just be on my way. "

"What? I thought you were my friend. You're just going to let him do god-knows-what to me?"

She sticks her fingers in her ears. "Nope, I don't want to hear about what you two plan to do. I'll just be on my way. Bye, Doll. Love ya." She blows me a kiss before walking out his front door and slamming it behind her.

I stand stupefied.

Cameron chuckles next to me. "I see you're friends with my sister.

I glare at him. "So you're just from a whole family of crazy."

"Yep, I guess so."

"Ugh!" I screech, seething, before returning to Cameron's room and slamming the door. I don't miss the sound of the lock clicking into place behind me.

No one is going to help me get out of here. It's time I figure this out on my own.