Page 10 of Visionary

“Ew, don’t say it like that.” Aiden made a face at Milo, who just shrugged. “We will fend them off. However, we need to. Once we are off the property, it should be easy from there. Our car is near the exit, so leaving won’t be a problem.”

“Let’s do this.” Milo pushed the door open, and we walked into the night sky.

11

AIDEN

We followed Milo out into the crisp night air. Silence surrounded us as we searched for any werewolves that may be lingering nearby. I stepped in front and opened my senses to search for any auras that may be pulsing nearby. We moved forward slowly, making our way to the parking lot. To the right, two pulsing blue auras surrounded a male and female werewolf at the edge of the parking lot. I motioned for Milo and the Senketsu to crouch down by the bushes with me.

“Two over at the edge of the lot,” I whispered to Milo. He nodded in understanding as I leaned around him to look at the Senketsu. Each time I took in his features, something else stood out and made him look so unique. His eyes were cat-like but warm. It was a contrast I had never seen before. I noticed his aura pulsed a rainbow of colors. He was not sure what to feel about anything right now. I didn’t really blame him. “Are you okay?” He never looked away from my eyes and nodded. “Stay here, out of sight.” I placed my hand on his knee for reassurance and began walking off silently with Milo.

The werewolves stood talking quietly as they monitored this side of the parking lot. I didn’t pay attention to what they were saying as we got closer, but it was clear that it was related to the job they were doing.

Milo and I had been working together on jobs like this for years for Vea. Our routine was down to a science. Milo nodded, his silver hair falling into his face slightly, and we split, each coming up on either side of the werewolves. Milo took the male down in a headlock, preferring hand-to-hand combat, while I had my blade at the female’s neck just as quickly.

“You’re making some really fucking stupid decisions,” the female said as I pushed the blade against her neck. She growled low as I squeezed tighter, making sure she knew my threat was serious. “Oh, you two work for Vea. Interesting. Myq will love to know you’re out here threatening us for no reason.” When I squeezed her again, she huffed out a breath, turned her head slightly, and chuckled. An instant later her eyes went wide, and she stopped fighting my grip. Leaning into my neck, she licked me and hummed in satisfaction.

I shoved her off of me and to the ground. Milo had continued his fight with the male and had nearly taken him out. Stepping on the female’s neck, she smiled wide and looked up at me. “Perfection. Truly.” Frantically nodding her head, she reached for my pant leg, and I kicked her off.

She stood quickly, facing me, and walked slowly toward me. “You don’t know,” she said with a crazed look in her eyes. “Even better.” When she began charging toward me, I pulled the blade from out of my pocket and hit her in the stomach. She dropped to her knees, clutching the wound. Moving to stand behind her, I gripped her long, thick auburn braid and pulled her head back. “Please go tell Myq.” When I ended my sentence, I slit her throat. Blood spewed across the white gravel parking lot.

When I turned around, Milo and the Senketsu stood at the bushes waiting for me to give them the signal. I waved them over, and we moved behind and between cars until we reached Milo’s SUV.

The Senketsu sat in the middle of the backseat. Once we all buckled in, I turned around and looked at the stunning being while Milo sent a text to Mitz that he could boot the system back up. “Are you able to lie down back there? Just in case.” He nodded and lay down on his side while we drove out of the lot and down the road outside of downtown Noirhaven.

Traffic on the road back to the city wasn’t too bad. We had made good time, and so far it seemed like we weren’t being followed. The Senketsu lay silent and still in the back seat. He was tall, but lean. He made the back seat look so small. I tried to recall what Vea had told me she could remember about her son. Blonde hair and sweet brown eyes. That description matched this being. But where were his wings? I had no doubt in my mind this was the Senketsu she was looking for, but something was off. The Senketsu shifted and looked up at me. Averting my eyes quickly, I focused on the road in front of us.

Milo’s phone started ringing over the car speakers, and Des’s name with a red heart next to it popped up on the screen. I gave Milo a sideways glare. “Oh, shut the fuck up.” He slapped my shoulder before answering the call.

“I’m assuming you’re out since you answered. Why haven’t you called?” Des sounded pissed, but she had a point. We should have called.

“Sorry, Des. We are out.” I saw Milo turn to look at me, but my gaze had shifted back to the Senketsu in the back seat. Milo slapped my shoulder again and directed his eyes to the screen, encouraging me to talk to her.

“Yeah, sorry. We are on the way back. We have him.” Turning around on the last word, I looked at the blonde in the backseat who had fully directed his attention to me, and a wave of fear washed over his face. Trying my best to reassure him that he was safe, my lips lifted into a small smile. While it seemed to kind of help, it wasn’t until I saw his shoulders settle a bit that I knew he had actually relaxed.

“I have a safe house ready. It’s the Pulse Den.” Jerking my head to Milo, I saw his eyes were wide. “I know you’re both thinking I’m crazy, but you haven’t been there in months. Just trust me.”

Des filled us in with what we needed to do regarding switching cars and getting the rest of the supplies. Each time I turned around, the Senketsu looked more relaxed until he eventually closed his eyes. I knew he wasn’t sleeping, but I was glad to see he was comfortable.

12

SEVERN

Afemale named Des had explained that we were to take Milo to where she was and get Aiden’s car. Then Aiden and I would be going to the Pulse Den. Whatever the hell that was. I knew the Mortis family ran the drug market in Noirhaven and Pulse was the most popular drug in the city. But judging by the reaction of the two vampires I was with, the Pulse Den had a reputation.

Pulling into a dark garage, Aiden turned around and placed a cool hand on the seat in front of me. Instinctively, I pulled back a little, unsure if I could bear his touch again. Each time they were so caring and genuine, like nothing I had ever experienced before. My breath hitched when I saw his eyes open wider at my movement.

“I’m sorry.” Aiden pulled his hand back and set it on the center console. “You can sit up. We are going to switch cars here.” He held out his hand in a polite gesture as I sat upright in the backseat. We maintained eye contact until I was sitting more comfortably. “I’m Aiden, by the way. Through all of that, I realized we never introduced ourselves. His name is Milo.” Milo held two fingers up as he maneuvered through the parking garage, going up a few more levels. “Thank you for coming with us. We are complete strangers, but we do want to help. Vea wants to help you.” He said those last words with sincerity, and I could tell he meant them.

My initial thought was nothing could be worse than what my father did to me. If my mother also hates me, then at least I know I was never wanted by anyone. But the way these two vampires were treating me and how Aiden just spoke to me sent a wave of hope through me. That this may actually be the end of my torture. “Thank you for helping me. My name is Severn.”

We pulled up next to another black SUV, similar to the one we were in, but it was smaller and sportier.

“Go ahead and get in the passenger seat, Severn.” Aiden smiled as I climbed out of one car and into the other.

Buckling my seatbelt, I waited for Aiden to join me. He and Milo spoke for a few minutes, then went their separate ways. When Aiden got in the car, he opened the center console. “It’s very likely that Ceril knows you’re gone by now. Do you have a cell phone or anything else he uses to track your location?”

I shook my head. I had no technology on me. “I’ve never used anything. Like I know of it and how it works, but I’ve never had one.” Aiden gave me a questioning look. “I never left Ceril’s side. I’m shocked he shut me in that closet tonight.”