Page 32 of Havenfall Harbor
“We call it blood sung.” Griffin adjusts his hand, so his mouth is fully covered. I’ve noticed him doing this every so often. “Every species has a way to ensure its survival. Blood sung is just that. A biological response to another person that ensures the continuation of the species.”
He sounds so clinical, and a tad cynical, which is a strange combination. It could just be that he doesn’t really want to talk about this with me. I feel a pang of guilt about prying into their worlds.
“Do you think Jacob will resist coming to Havenfall? I can’t imagine he thinks much of it, since that’s where they sent his sister after she committed a crime. A stupid crime to be prosecuted for, but a crime nonetheless,” I remark, changing the topic back to why we’re here in the first place.
“He’ll probably just be happy to be back with his sister,” Evan answers.
Chapter 11
Quinn
“We’re starting our descent.Willow Run has cleared us for a landing,” the pilot announces. I instinctively tighten my lap belt as a wave of relief falls over me. That’s the best news I’ve heard.
I still haven’t gotten a call from the doctor, so I’m just pretending I won’t have to get right back on this thing after we find Jacob.
I spend the last ten minutes of the flight repeating a prayer over and over in my head. The words almost lose meaning as I use the repetition to calm my nerves. The hum of the landing gear fills the cabin, and I know I’m that much closer to getting off this thing. Damn, I didn’t realize how reliant I’d become on pills to fly.
If I knew it was going to be this bad, I might have backed out of coming. Maybe I could rent a car and drive back? “Doing okay, Quinn?” Evan brushes a piece of my hair away from my face and leans in to get a better look at me.
I fake a smile. “Better when we land.” I shift to the left as the aircraft turns.
“If we don’t hear from the doctor by the time we leave, I could always get you some booze,” Griffin offers.
The thought of alcohol sloshing around in my belly while flying thirty thousand feet in the air makes me feel a little queasy. “Let’s just hope she calls.” The wheels touch the ground smoothly, but the roughness of the pavement makes the plane vibrate as we speed to a stop.
Every muscle in my body goes slack and I feel like I need a nap. “You did great, Quinn.” Evan lays his hand on my shoulder and gives me a slight squeeze. It sure doesn’t feel like it. But I thank him anyway.
Griffin rises, but doesn’t rush to disembark. Instead, he lifts his hand and motions for me to get up. Hastily, I unbuckle and stand, Evan is right behind me.
The sun is almost behind the horizon when the stairs fold down. Griffin and Evan are probably used to being up late, but I’m not. No wonder I’m sleepy, not to mention the adrenaline surge is over now that we’ve landed.
I eye the small airport, if you can call it that. I don’t even see a terminal. I do notice all the weeds sprouting up from the cracks in the cement though, and the high, chain-link fence surrounding the area.
Griffin looks down at his phone. “There should be a car waiting,” he mumbles, then puts it to his ear. “Find us some place to stay for the night, close. Four rooms. Text me and Max with the info. We’ll head back tomorrow.” He ends the call immediately after and pockets the phone.
My mood soars. That’s all I needed to hear. I can call the doctor again in the morning to get the pills.
The glare of headlights flash as an SUV comes around an old metal building with a car following right behind it. A man hops out as soon as the truck stops rolling and rushes over. “Mister—”
Griffin cuts him off. “You’re late.”
“Sorry, sir, we had an issue getting—”
“Keys,” Griffin demands, cutting the man off again.
“Come on, Quinn,” Evan says softly, encouraging me to follow him to the back passenger door of the SUV, which he opens for me before moving around to the driver’s seat. Griffin plops the key fob into the center console after getting into the passenger seat. “Can you give me the uncle’s address again?” Evan hits the navigation icon on the dash, and a map of the area pops up quickly.
He types it in as I’m reciting it. In seconds the route is highlighted. The drive should only take us a little over thirty minutes from the airport. By the time we reach the highway, the sun has fallen. I lean forward a little. “Do you think we should have waited until tomorrow? It’s already pretty late.”
“No, these smaller packs are most active at night when the humans are sleeping.” Evan catches my eye in the rearview mirror. “Make sure you stay close to us, it’s not only humans that hold onto prejudices.”
I wasn’t too nervous about making the move to Havenfall. I was hired to work there, after all, and knew I might face challenges, but walking into pack territory feels different. I haven’t given myself much time to actually think about what we’re trying to accomplish other than bringing Jacob back.
“No worries there, I’ll stick to you like rhythm and blues,” I vow.
Griffin turns and looks over his shoulder. “What does that even mean?”
“Like we go together, hammer and a nail, socks and shoes…rhythm and blues. You’ve never heard that?”
