Page 93 of Raze
“I don’t need all of that. Just some lights and the tree will be great, Kell. We’re still fighting in a war, and I’m not trying to take away from that.”
“Too bad. We’re also still living our lives here. There’s no reason to put the holidays on hold for GE. If anything, we’re showing them we’ll continue to live our very best lives despite them being around. I’ve already missed the last five years of holidays without you; we’re not skipping it this year.” He crosses his arms and pinches his chin in thought while he nods to himself. “Christmas Day will be for us, but we’ll need to take you to the Guild for all the shows and events the members put on for Christmas Eve.”
“Shows?” I’m partly excited but mostly concerned with how much work and time this seems to be turning into. Shouldn’t we still be hunting down GE? And would Aiden really approve of us wasting our time on this?
Well, it’s not like we’ve been doing much else the past six weeks anyway for him to suddenly give a damn.
“Some of the members perform. There’s a talent show where most of them use their gifts in some way, followed by anyone who can sing. Then a Secret Santa and some games, unless you want to just relax with a drink and listen to the music.”
Oh. Wow. That all sounds incredible. “Are you a member of the Guild?”
Kell shrugs. “Technically, yes.”
“Does that mean you’ll be performing?”
He throws his head back into a raucous laugh. “You want to hear me sing, beautiful?”
I imagine his deep timbre singing “Blue Christmas” and, uh, yeah. I really fucking do. “Maybe.”
He chuckles and tosses my water bottle back to me. “I’ll start working on a song for you, then.”
I smile and nod, trying to picture the moment in the bunker surrounded by all that greenery and the people there. I wish I could bring Portia with me to see it.
The thought sucks the brief happiness from my soul.
Has Elias found her yet? Will she be celebrating Christmas with him, at least? What if I could take down GE before Christmas so she could comehome?
My face is turned upward, and I see blue-green eyes staring down at me. “Now, where did you go?”
I try to smile at him, but it’s small and melancholy. “Do you think Elias found Portia yet? I don’t want her to be alone for Christmas. She should be here, coming to see the shows with me.”
His lips turn down, but I don’t expect him to know anything. Elias hasn’t contacted me, and I’m sure he’d have found a way if he had her. At least to tell me she’s safe. Which means he’s still out looking for her.
“I’ll talk to Aiden. But enough of that. I think it’s time we tested the results of your training so far. And have a bit of fun. We’ve been cooped up in these walls for too long.”
“What do you mean, test the results of my training?”
Kellan’s grin turns feral. “I’m taking you to the Pits.”
Chapter twenty-four
Raegan
He drives us intothe heart of downtown and parks on the street. The car doors slam on either side as we get out, then Kellan guides me to a set of stairs directed downward from the sidewalk. There’s an old neon sign hanging above it that says Cactus Jacks.
I give Kell a look over my shoulder. “A dive bar?”
“Not what you expected?”
I shrug. I’m not sure what I’m expecting from this trip. Does he want me to get into a bar fight to check my progress?
His long arm appears from behind me to shove the door open and let us inside. The constant hum of the city disappears instantly beneath rowdy voices and rock music. My minimalist life over the last five years makes me cringe at the clutter and disorganization of the bar.
The walls are covered in newspaper articles, pictures, license plates, and string lights dangling in front of them. The booths are worn and cracked leather along one side, a few high tables and chairs down the middle, and then the bar itself takes up three quarters ofthe room.
Kellan’s hand on my hip encourages me forward, and I realize I’d frozen in the doorway to take it all in. I can feel the rumble in his chest when he chuckles since I can’t hear him unless he yells at me, and I don’t swat away the possessive arm around my back to my hip because I’m a tad overwhelmed.
He waves at some people at the bar, who look so relaxed and comfortable that I’m guessing they’re regulars. The entire bar looks filled with regulars, though, if I’m going by those two requirements.
