Hunting Human - Amanda E. Alvarez [44]
“Every couple of years, we get two full moons in a single month. The second one is tonight.”
A bubble of laughter surprised her. “Sorry, sorry.” She waved off Allison’s startled expression. “Come on, you have to admit that the fact that there’s a rare full moon tonight adds a certain cliché air to the whole thing.”
Allison laughed. “You have a point.”
Both girls turned when they heard Rachel let out a long string of curses. She’d slipped and landed flat on her butt in the same place both Liz and Allison had. “I swear those rocks are out to get us.”
Allison sparkled with the last of the laughter, then turned serious. “She came down on her own though. That’s good.”
“And I guess that means it’s time.” Every fiber in her body screamed at Liz to beg Allison to stay with them. It would be so much easier with her steady, calming influence.
“Yeah.” Allison shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, then pulled Liz into a brief one armed hug. “You can do this.”
Liz hugged her back. “We can all do this.”
“Hey, Liz?”
“Yeah?”
“When you get home, look me up. I’m in the Denver area.” Allison smiled. “We’ll form a group, or have a drink.” She shrugged. “You know, whatever.”
“Yeah. I’ll do that.” Liz forced herself to turn and walk back to Rachel, blocking out the sound of her strongest ally heading the opposite direction.
“Where’s she going?” Rachel asked, watching Allison’s retreat.
“The same place we are, Rach.” Liz slipped her arm through Rachel’s and pulled her to her feet. “Home.”
Chapter Eleven
“Jesus, Chase,” Braden snarled, frustrated hands gripping the wheel as he merged onto the highway. “Was the Taser necessary?”
“You know it’s the only way to interrupt a shift that far gone,” Chase answered. “There is no telling what she might have done once shifted. Bad enough Markko slipped away, we needed to secure her. Get some answers.”
“Who knows if he’ll be back?” Anger boiling under the surface, Braden forced his foot to let up on the accelerator.
The last thing you need right now is to get pulled over.
“Are we taking her out to your parents?” Chase asked.
“Our parents,” Braden barked out, anger and adrenaline shortening his temper to the length of a match. “Our parents, dammit. And yes. Dad can deal with her.”
I’m done.
Chase blew out a frustrated sigh and then pitched his voice as though speaking to a young child. “We can’t be sure of anything yet.”
“You saw her!” Braden’s head jerked to the side, then back to the road, his brother’s calm facade infuriating. “She was more than midshift—don’t tell me you didn’t see it. She bears the Prime Mantle, Chase. By bite or by blood, she’s related to those bastards.”
“The same could be said for me,” Chase stated quietly, turning to stare out the window.
Several long minutes passed, the still quiet of the car a direct contrast to the turmoil raging in Braden’s head. He thumbed the radio controls on his steering wheel and adjusted the volume to screaming. But even Zeppelin couldn’t silence the storm in his mind.
Idiot.
Chase had tried to warn him something wasn’t right. That the coincidence was too great.
But did I listen? No.
He’d never seriously thought Beth was anything other than what she presented herself to be. A cute, sweet, waitress who worked at Angie’s. He’d pursued her. Allowed himself to become involved with her.
Hell, he cared about her.
Even now, a part of him wondered if she was okay. Could she breathe in the trunk? Was she seriously hurt? Conscious?
Disgust wiped away the thoughts. He should have known better, been more careful. He had no right to feel so hurt, so betrayed.
And that’s the real problem, isn’t it? The real reason fury raged through him. Anger he could have dealt with, gotten over and brushed aside. But betrayal? It only turned the anger inward, set him raging against himself for being so ensnared by Beth that he couldn’t pull free and walk away.
When did I grant her that much power?
Enough was enough. Whatever he felt for Beth he’d manage. He’d get her to his parents’ house. Let