Chapter 4

THE FAE

“What are we going to do with them?” Enzo glared at Elliot as he waved his hand toward the three children devouring the complementary loaf of bread. He’d been pissed off since the kitsune he contacted to teleport us away from here hadn’t answered his call. I’d been banking on a quick ride also, so I understood the disappointment.

“Kindness goes a long way,” the vampire retorted dryly.

I couldn’t help but smile. That sounded like something Maya would say.

“What would you like to eat?” I asked the kids. The three of them huddled close together, eyes widening on mine.

“You’re scaring them, imbécile ,” Elliot snapped. “Worry, not, petites enfants .” He opened a menu in front of them. The plastic settled on the surface, and he pointed to the children’s selection. “You may point if it is easier for you.”

The boy closest to him, blinked and leaned over to peruse the images. I wasn’t sure which of their stomachs growled, but it rumbled loudly. Finally, the stiff blond one near Beckett jabbed a finger at the chicken fingers.

“Good choice,” Elliot hummed.

I observed the vampire and the ease with which he spoke to them. Nothing specific stood out other than he kept an affable low voice. Either way, he calmed them.

Enzo drummed his fingers on the table while Beckett eyeballed a meal to his left. I . . . could not do what Elliot did with ease. He offered Maya the soft touch she’d been missing that the three of us struggled with.

I rubbed my thumb and pointer finger together while the noise of the restaurant faded into the background. We were all away from that poisonous school and finding Maya was the next step.

She undoubtedly went after Osmodus, but where could that have led? And if she hadn’t found him, where had she gone? My bet was Moretti Academy. She would want to return to familiarity. Other than us, her friends were a source of comfort. At the moment, she wouldn’t be able to face us if she believed she’d killed Beckett.

“Tanner.” I refocused on the here and now. How long had I spaced out? Turning to Enzo, I lifted my eyebrow at him. Tar coated my thoughts, and the hollowness in my chest worsened. I missed Maya. The thought caused a shudder to strike through my limbs.

Beckett rubbed his chest, and a sallow yellow color washed over his complexion.

“Being away from Maya is affecting us,” I commented grimly. Before we could discuss anything else, the waitress approached. She stuttered and closed her mouth, staring.

“Hello?” I waved my hand to get her attention.

“Ah, yes, I will take your order.” She cleared her throat, and I rattled it off. Her gaze seemed unable to focus on one of us. She walked off in a daze, and I rubbed my temples.

I smoothed down the too small shirt. The others’ clothes verged on bursting too. We looked silly in this shit, but we’d had few options to steal from in the closet at the hotel.

“Where’s somewhere Maya could be?” Elliot asked, tapping the tabletop.

“Moretti Academy,” Enzo said.

“I thought that also.” But the more I thought about it, it felt off. Could she have gone to Helen’s location?

“We need to try Lucian’s house.” Everyone turned their heads toward Beckett. “Even if she thinks he’s part of all of this, she will go to him.”

“Are you sure?” I doubted that outcome, but I never witnessed their interactions.

“Yes.”

Enzo scratched at his neck, discomfort marring his features. “I can’t just sit here. I’ll go get a car for us.” His gruff tone held a stiffness I’d never heard before. “Give me an hour.”

When Enzo rose from the table, Beckett stopped him with a palm to the shoulder. “I’ll go,” he said. Enzo’s jaw feathered, but after a moment, he thumped back on the seat. Beckett left without another word. He’d been behaving oddly.

We settled into silence, deep in our thoughts. I couldn’t help but think of all the ways I could have prevented our separation from Maya. I should have figured out a way to keep her chained up somewhere, or to even have her phone messages monitored. I’d never done that, but I was positive there was a way.

Food arrived, and an hour passed within the blink of an eye. On the exact second, Enzo stood.

The three boys had a simultaneous wide-eyed stare. Elliot gathered them while I went to pay the bill and retrieve the to-go order. A seamless transition of working together.

The waitress finished processing the payment and handed me the bill. She’d scrawled a number on the receipt. I balled the paper and dropped it in the trash next to the exit. The attention had always been tiring, and I’d believed my cold demeanor would stave off admiration, but somehow it did the opposite. I would never understand the mind of women.

The door jingled, and I stepped out. The warm breeze touched the exposed sliver of my abs. Getting out of these clothing would be nice. I tugged at the bottom of the small t-shirt. Where had Enzo and Beckett gone?

“Did they leave?” Elliot met my gaze.

“This way,” Beckett growled, exiting the thin corridor splitting the restaurant building from the laundry mat on the other side.

Elliot and the children screamed. The high-pitched noise grated against my eardrums. Elliot pressed his lips into a thin line.

Enzo leaned against the stony wall and stared at Elliot with a ‘what the fuck’ expression.

“Uh.” The vampire scratched his chin. “Can we act like that didn’t happen?”

“No,” Enzo responded, still side-eyeing him. He inhaled another puff from the cigarette hanging from his lips.

I cleared my throat.

“I’ll drive.” Enzo smiled toothily and flicked the cigarette to the ground.

Although a frightening driver, he would get us to Maya fast. Besides, a car crash wouldn’t kill me unless something decapitated me.

“You’ve been staring at my neck for the past half hour.” Enzo settled his gaze on Elliot, the threat clear as day. The vampire made his hunger obvious.

“He needs to feed,” I said, raising my eyebrow.

“Fuck that,” Enzo spat.

“Well, I can’t feed him.” As always, my deadly skin came in handy.

“I’m driving,” Enzo snapped and stormed down the passage.

I followed on his heels until it spat us out on the other side of the building where an old van idled. Enzo hustled to the driver side.

Beckett growled. I tossed the wrapped burger at him, and he deftly caught it.

“In, children.” They climbed in without complaint. I turned to face Elliot and Beckett.

“I can hold off,” Elliot said, expression strained.

Beckett worked his jaw. “Fine, let’s get this fucking over with.” He held out his arm, the veins in his muscle popping out from the underside of his elbow. “But I’m not having you sink your fangs in me.”

Beckett’s claw slashed into his arm, and blood bubbled to the surface. Elliot’s pupils dilated and he lunged, gripping Beckett’s arm with both hands.

The vampire’s mouth wrapped around the leaking wound, and he drank.

Beckett’s jaw bunched, but he remained silent while Elliot fed. After a few more mouthfuls, he backed away, licking his lips with his retreat.

“Now let’s go find our girl,” I said and climbed into the passenger side. I caught sight of the kids in the rearview mirror. They didn’t seem fazed by the sight of feeding. They must have seen some fucked up things where they’d been held.