by Jade Frances
Before I could ask him how he knew, Pearce strolled around the corner. He froze and looked between me and Quinn. It was clear that he hadn’t sensed him either. I saw the moment he went into guardian mode, his shoulders went rigid, and he widened his stance. His grey eyes homed in on Quinn, full of distrust. I felt his surge of energy as he called to his element. I don’t know what possessed me, but I threw myself in front of Quinn.
“No,” I screamed and frantically waved my arms in the air. “It’s ok Pearce, he is ok.” He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at me, but I could still feel his energy pulsing through the air. “Beast... come and talk to him. He means no harm.”
“Beast, how endearing,” Quinn whispered to himself and let out a half chuckle, half cough. I jabbed an elbow behind me and into his ribs, which only sent him into another coughing fit.
“You don’t know that Evangeline, you need to stop blindly trusting. Get away from the nomad,” he shouted back.
“Pearce, he had me alone, if he wanted to hurt me, he would have. Wait... nomad?” I turned to look at Quinn behind me. He cocked an eyebrow and grinned at me.
“I prefer the term lone wolf, however many people would refer to me as a nomad,” he said.
I backed away from him, each step taking me closer to Pearce. I had never heard anything good when it came to nomads. Not one thing. Now I felt ridiculous for falling for his act. But still, he didn’t hurt me and made no move to do so.
“Evangeline... you will need me to see Miles, he won’t allow you entry without me,” he held out his hand to me.
“Why? Why should I trust you?” I was halfway between both of the men now and surprised that Pearce hadn’t closed the distance between us already.
“He is my uncle...” Quinn raised the level of his voice, but it wasn’t quite to a shout. I stopped moving and studied his face, looking for any sign of a lie. Was it possible he was telling the truth? I looked behind me at Pearce who was still stood rigid and subtly shaking his head. His grey eyes were pleading with me to go to him. As much as I wanted to stand by his side, a part of me was curious to hear what Quinn had to say.
“Round up the others Pearce in the centre of town, I’ll bring Quinn to you.” I shouted and followed it with a sigh. I didn’t have to look at Pearce to know my decision had hurt him. I just had to hope that I’d made the right choice. There was something oddly familiar about Quinn that I couldn’t place. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to attack us all, in the condition he was in he would be lucky to go up against a child.
“Talk and walk,” I shouted to Quinn, who now had an enigmatic smile on his face. “This doesn’t mean we need you,” I added, his smugness irritated me. Pearce stomped off with not even a glance in my direction. It surprised me that he had left at all. I waited with my hands clasped until he reached my side. We fell into step, side by side. I didn’t want him out of my sight.
“My uncle doesn’t appreciate people just dropping by. They call him Mad Miles for a reason, he has killed many who dared to try...” he looked up into the mountains as he spoke. “Can I ask why you are seeking him?”
“No,” I replied bluntly.
“Fair enough. There are a lot of whispers about you in the communities. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he bowed his head. I detected a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but still, I would hear him out.
“You didn’t think to approach me like a normal person, instead you snuck up on me...” I raised my eyebrows at him.
“They say you are a formidable force, especially when under threat. I didn’t want to take the chance that you would attack me at first sight,” he replied.
“Right... you put me under threat when you grabbed me. Well, you can explain to everyone how you want to help, and we will go from there. Have you been following us?” I quickened my pace, eager to get to everyone.
“I didn’t know where I was headed until we ended up here and I saw your group arrive.”
Well, that made no sense, as far as I was aware Nomads moved with purpose, a goal in mind, and always a selfish one at that.
By the time we had arrived at the centre of town, they had a fire going and were all sitting huddled around it. Pearce glared at me through the flames and made no move to approach me. I’d have to face him later. Quinn took a few cautious steps toward them. Their chatting stopped and one by one they looked at the stranger walking into their midst. Rose gave a slight smile, Sandra glared like Pearce and the others simply looked away disinterested. But no one was jumping down my throat, or attacking Quinn, which I supposed was a start. I cleared my throat, nervous of what response we would get.
“Guys, this is Quinn. I believe he has some information for us, but we will see...” I sat down next to Rose and gestured for Quinn to join us. He took the lone log between me and Pearce, his eyes darting between the two of us.
“Pleasure,” he said and nodded to the group.
“Get to it, Nomad,” Pearce snapped. Quinn showed no reaction to his hostility, instead he lifted his chin and looked boldly around the group.
“I believe you are in search of my uncle, as I have told Evangeline here... he will not take lightly to you dropping by uninvited.”
“How do you know who or what we are in search of?” Dakota squinted her eyes at Quinn and seemed to sniff the air. “What pack are you from?”
Quinn’s eyes lit up when he took in Dakota. I rolled my own, of course another guy to appreciate her beauty.
“A female Alpha... interesting. I do not and have not had a pack in a very long time. However, I descend from the Blue Moon Pack.”
Adam straightened up and glanced sideways at Quinn, then to Dakota.
“They disappeared a long time ago, half perished when the Veil tried to recruit them,” he muttered to the group.
“You are correct, Alpha... can I ask why you travel with a female Alpha, yet you aren’t mated?”
“No. You can’t. Where are the rest of the Blue Moon Pack?” Adam grunted. It was clear here that Quinn was no match for neither Dakota nor Adam, and he knew it. I sat with my gaze fixed on the three of them. In the few minutes that Quinn had spoken, I had learned more about the wolves than Adam had ever cared to share. Like the fact Dakota was an Alpha.
“You’re looking at it,” Quinn raised his arms and twisted his body left to right, but his shoulders drooped, and his movement was hesitant. Adam bowed his head and resumed throwing sticks into the fire.
“Is your Uncle from the same line?” Dakota wasn’t finished interrogating him.
“No, my Uncle is... different,” Quinn again looked up to the mountains.
“Different... how so?” Dakota said.
“You will see tomorrow morning,” Quinn replied. It was clear elaborating wasn’t his forte.
I glanced over at Pearce and was surprised to catch him staring back at me. I bit my lip and saw his eyes dart to the slight movement. Sorry, I mouthed. The creases on his forehead smoothed out, and he ran a hand over his face. When he looked at me again, his expression had softened. I gave him a slight smile and returned my attention to Quinn, who was asking if we had any food.
“How do you plan to help us?” Egan was staring at Quinn with as much distrust as Pearce had.
“However, you may wish...” Quinn was chomping loudly on a granola bar that Rose had been nice enough to throw him. “I will get you to my Uncle, through the pass. Then if you will allow, I would like to accompany you on your journey.”
“Why? Why would you do that? Only a fool would join a suicide mission,” Sandra spoke up for the first time. There was a double edge to her words, and I knew she was thinking about Taylor again. As did Rose, who I noticed had taken Sandra’s hand and was squeezing gently.
“It is not a suicide mission if you are successful. There are many ways to look at it, I am more of a cup half full kind of guy...”
I remained silent. As much as Quinn may have thought, I was not the leader of this group. Everyone was here by choice a
nd not to follow me, but support. If he wanted my trust, he would have to convince the others first. I locked eyes with Cole through the fire. They seemed cold and distant, but there was a flame alive in them. He, if any of them, was the only one that might not want to be here but had nowhere else to go. I gave him a subtle nod, which he returned before looking away.
“Can you at least wash and sort yourself out?” Sandra looked Quinn up and down. He laughed, spluttered, and then nodded.
“If I may, could I have a moment with your guardians to speak of a plan,” his voice was growing hoarser, and I wondered what was wrong with him and why he wasn’t healing. I would ask tomorrow, Dakota and Adam had already risen to leave and the girls were doing the same. I walked over and gave Pearce’s shoulder a squeeze. He gripped my hand and told me which house we were holed up in and where to find my stuff. After I had given him a haste peck, I stretched and yawned, then headed in the same direction the girls had gone in. I needed a shower, then bed. Fatigue had set in, yet I felt slightly euphoric that it had gone ok.
“This is, indeed, my friends, a suicide mission. My uncle I can handle, beyond that, well... I think you are all aware,” I heard Quinn muttering before I rounded the corner.
No one else is dying, I’ll make sure of it.
Chapter 11
I groaned at the light that filtered through the window. The curtains were that shabby and thin; I was surprised that I hadn’t woken before now. I could feel Pearce’s solid body at my back and huddled closer to the warmth of him. His breathing was still deep and there was a slight rumbling in his chest. It was moments like these that I often forgot about what was waiting for us outside. I placed my hand on his abs and my head on his shoulder. The steady rise and fall of his chest could lull me back to sleep, but I knew that soon he would wake, and we would head off on our journey again. I let out a deep sigh and buried myself in him.
“Little siren,” his voice was always deep and gravelly in the morning. His arms tightened around me and a wave of heat spread through me. I wrapped my legs around his, but still, I didn’t feel close enough.
“How did it go with Quinn? I fell asleep before you got back,” I said. He moaned and loosened his grip on me.
“We wake up together, and that’s the first thing you say,” there was light teasing in his tone but a seriousness to it as well.
“I’m sorry, he just makes me curious.”
“Well, I for one, am not happy that your curious about another guy when in bed with me,” he grumbled then tickled my sides. I laughed and writhed in the bed, throwing the covers off as I did.
“Ok, ok... I’m sorry. Let’s just have this moment,” I giggled and pushed his hair from his eyes. He pulled the quilt back over us and stroked his knuckles down the side of my face.
“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are...”
“I don’t think you have,” my voice came out raspy to my surprise. My pulse raced and my lips parted slightly. Pearce brought his face closer to mine and my eyes fluttered closed as I waited for our lips to touch.
He let out a guttural growl when the door below banged. With reluctance, he got up from the bed and left the room to see who it was. I threw myself back on the pillows and punched the mattress either side of me, kicking my legs out as I did. Back to reality. With the same reluctance that Pearce had, I left the comfort of the bed and got dressed. I heard Egan’s voice floating up the stairs as I descended.
“Can’t find him...” was all I caught. I paused at the middle of the staircase. They had to be talking about Quinn. Son of a... had done a runner. I flew down the rest of the stairs and into the kitchen. Pearce was brewing coffee, thank the Gods.
“Who can’t you find?” I asked, even if I did know.
“Good morning Evangeline, did you sleep well?” Egan wiggled his brows at Pearce, who narrowed his eyes in return.
“Very well thanks, who can’t you find?” I repeated.
Egan sighed and, like Pearce always did, ran a hand over his face. Their likeness was so uncanny, not just in their looks but small actions that I noticed here and there. I often wondered why I wasn’t as attracted to Egan and Barak as I was with Pearce.
“Quinn, he isn’t in any of the surrounding houses. I don’t want to waste energy looking before we venture into the mountains,” Egan looked at Pearce as if for affirmation.
“It’s fine, we don’t need him. He might have thought so, but we don’t,” I replied before Pearce could. “Is Sandra up?”
“Nope, and I’m not waking her. Have you seen her in the morning?” A smile tugged at Egan’s lips, but there was a sadness in his eyes. Sandra’s grief had made her push everyone away, Egan included, and it’d had an effect on him by the looks of it. I gave him a hard pat on the shoulder.
“Scaredy cat,” I whispered as I passed him. “I’ll go wake her, but coffee first,” I gave Pearce a kiss on the cheek and grabbed the fresh mug he had just poured. With a wink, I sauntered from the room and out the front door. The crisp morning air awoke all of my senses. I stood and looked around the small town, amazed at how solitary it was. A seed of doubt had sown its way deep in my mind. How can we fix this? We were just a band of misfits that had been thrown into something much bigger than us.
I shook my head and blocked out my inner voice. I didn’t bother with knocking when I reached the house that Sandra was in. Voices came from the kitchen, and I was surprised to see Sandra and Dakota chatting over their steaming mugs. I froze in the doorway and took in the sight. Sandra was actually smiling; her hair was getting some life back in it and the bags under her eyes were fading.
“What are you staring at me like that for?”
“You.. you’re just, erm, looking well,” I fumbled over my words. She frowned at me but continued her conversation with Dakota. I stood rooted to the spot, unsure how I could fit into this situation.
“Was the thought of my coffee that bad? Come sit down,” Sandra paused to speak to me again.
“What...” I remembered the mug I was death gripping in my hands, “oh, Egan said you weren’t up yet.”
“Well, here I am,” she replied.
Rose came barrelling through the door then, much to my relief.
“Evvy, Quinn’s back. You should come see,” she said hurriedly. I shrugged at Sandra and followed Rose back out the door.
“When did those two get so friendly?”
“Dakota has helped with her grieving, she’s achieved something we never could...” Rose’s head dropped, “Barak said it’s because we are too close to her.” I took her hand in mine and let out a breath.
“Don’t take it to heart, it makes sense. At least she’s improving right?”
Rose nodded and squeezed my hand. We were headed to the centre of town, again. The fire had sizzled out from last night, but the smell of smoke still lingered in the air. I could see two figures approaching us from the other side. One was Quinn, the other... must be his uncle. Pearce and Barak joined us from the right and flagged us from behind. There was a tension in the air. Quinn paused and stared. The action made me giggle, it was an awkward one, I felt like I was in a western stand-off. Rose gave me a side eye and my smile dropped.
“Evangeline, Miles will only speak with you and you alone,” Quinn shouted from his position.
“Not happening,” Pearce bellowed back before I could answer. Here we go again.
“You said we needed you to get through the pass in the mountains... what was that bull—”
“Sandra!” Rose scolded her before she could finish. I hadn’t even noticed Sandra and Dakota join us. My eyes were fixated on Miles. He was nothing like Quinn, he was old, really old.
“You said he wouldn’t see us, that he had killed people who tried,” Sandra continued, her voice growing more shrill by the minute.
“I am aware of what I said, but here we are,” Quinn was calm and collected, and noticeably not coughing his guts up. I fixed my gaze back on Miles, he was standing slightly behind Quinn.
I watched as he took in each of us. His expression had been passive until his eyes locked with mine. I watched as he grimaced and then collected himself. I frowned and inched backward, closer to Pearce. A breeze picked up around me, yet no one else seemed to notice it. My teeth began to chatter, and I rubbed my arms. Sandra and Quinn were still arguing, but I couldn’t focus on their voices. All of my attention was drawn to Miles. I tried to look around to see if the others had picked up on the odd weather change yet, but my head wouldn’t move. My feet, unwillingly, started carrying me closer to where Miles was standing.
The more that I tried to resist, the stronger the breeze became. I could vaguely hear Pearce shouting my name but couldn’t respond. Once I was only a few feet away from Quinn and Miles, the breeze dropped. My feet stopped moving and I could hear the commotion behind me as clear as day. That also meant that I had regained control over my own movements again. I gave Miles a quick glance, but he was occupied and staring intensely at the others, beads of sweat dropped down his forehead. Perfect. I turned and ran but stopped as quick as I had started. The others were trying to get to me, an invisible barrier was blocking their efforts. I ran up to it and pounded my fists against whatever it was that was holding them. I even tried to hit it with a ball of fire. I let out a primal scream and tried again when the first failed to make a difference.
“It is of no use. Do not waste your energy. Come now...” Miles’s voice carried on a breeze to my ears. I watched him turn and walk back in the direction they had come from. Quinn gave me a subtle smile and followed him. My shoulders sagged and I turned slowly to face Pearce. I couldn’t hear what he was shouting, but I could see the pleading in his eyes and the shaking of his head. I didn’t need to hear the words. But as per usual, it didn’t look like I had a choice. I held one hand up to the barrier and waited for him to mirror me. He knew that I was going to go, it would just take him a second to come to terms with the fact it was out of his control. But that moment didn’t come, instead he started slamming his shoulder into it. I glanced at the others and mouthed a sorry to the girls. Hang on.