by Raven Monet
“Change our appearance?” I asked. I had to admit, it sounded like a good idea, but how in the world were we going to do that?
Elias was digging around in the bathroom until he found what he was looking for. He stepped out with a pair of scissors and a smile on his face.
“Hell no,” I said. “I'm not cutting my hair.”
“Not you,” he said. “Me.”
The idea of cutting those lovely locks from his head gutted me. But Elias cut off a chunk before I could stop him.
I flinched as the beautiful, caramel-colored hair fell to the floor.
“I do think we need to figure something out for you too, especially since he's seen you recently,” Elias said, taking another large chunk of hair off his head. He wasn't going too short, thankfully, but still – I wanted to cry. “Would you be up for getting your hair done?”
I shrugged. “What do you have in mind?”
“I dunno. Maybe some bleach, a – ”
“I'm not bleaching my hair,” I said, crossing my arms.
“Okay then, what else can we do?”
I tried to think about it. I could potentially get a wig, but that could come off my head pretty easily. A haircut might not be enough. My black hair was a signature look, especially with my pale skin. Besides adding fun colors in now and then, I'd never really had any other hair color.
“I think you'd look super hot as a blonde,” he said. “Just sayin'”
“What? You don't think I look hot now?”
“Of course, I do,” he said. “I wouldn't change a hair on your head if I didn't have to, but since we have to do something – ”
He was right. It would be a good idea to change my appearance a bit just in case.
Elias had cut the last bit of his hair short and was shaking off the excess. It was still messy and chunky as if someone had literally taken a pair of scissors to it and chopped it off. He'd need some help with that.
“Give me those,” I said, reaching for the scissors.
“What? You're going to go short too?” he asked, looking surprised.
“No,” I muttered, as I stepped around him, trimming his hair and evening it out. “But if you're going to go short, might as well make it look somewhat decent. Hey - I have an idea. Why don't you bleach your hair – ”
“Hell no,” he said, grabbing my hand as I stepped around to trim the front. He smiled at me as he held my wrist, stopping me in the middle of trimming the sides.
He stared at me, long and hard, before letting go of my hand again. I finished trimming up the hair, running my hands through what was left of his formerly gorgeous locks. No longer did it fall nearly to his shoulders, but was instead, cropped closer to his head. Until he was cleaned up, however, I hadn't noticed how good he looked with shorter hair.
“There. You could almost pass for a lawyer or something,” I said with a teasing smile.
“I'm not a damn lawyer,” he said with a laugh. He ran a hand through his shorter hair, shaking it and ruffling it up just a bit.
“No, you're not.” My voice caught in my throat as his green eyes bored into me, looking as if he could see right through me in that moment.
“So about that bleach?” he teased. “Will you do it yourself or would you like me to do it for you?”
“You're not going to quit with that, are you?” I smacked him playfully, and again, he grabbed my hand and pulled me to him. For a second, I couldn't breathe. My chest felt like it could no longer expand to take air as he held me against his body. I thought he might kiss me again – and maybe some part of me hoped he would.
“If it's going to keep you safe, Ava, then no – I won't quit.”
He let me go without a kiss.
I had to say, I was really disappointed.
Chapter Twelve
I went into the bathroom to put the scissors away, and I stared at myself in the mirror. My dark hair was the color of my father's – and Deacon's too. My mother had lighter hair, a natural blonde. But of course, genetics from my father's side overruled hers. My dark hair and eyes came from him, and my pale skin came from both of them.
My hair was all one length and down to the middle of my back. Years ago, I had tried a pixie cut but didn't like it on me. My hair was too thick and wavy. But there was one change I could do right then and there. I took the scissors to my hair and cut.
Elias came up behind me. “Ava – ” he choked.
“Just wait,” I said, trimming a little more. I kept an eye on my work in the mirror as I trimmed and cut the hair right above my eyes. I turned to him, showing off my new bangs. “It's not much, but it hides some of my face a bit more.”
“Very nice.”
“Wanna run me to the store?” I asked him, nibbling my lip.
“What for?”
“Do I need to ask?”
“Oh, Oh,” he said, eyes wide. “Umm sure, yes. I sometimes forget girls have to deal with stuff like – ”
I burst out laughing, nearly in tears, stopping him before he could continue. “Elias, calm the fuck down. No, it's nothing like that. I just figured if you're willing to cut off all your hair to blend in, maybe you're right about the bleach.”
“I was kidding about that, Ava,” he said, leaning against the doorframe.
“But maybe you're right. Maybe we need to do more to hide our identities.”
He didn't argue with me. We both knew I was right, even if it meant destroying my hair with chemicals and dyes. Maybe I wouldn't have to go full-out bleach. There had to be alternatives, right? Even for someone with hair as dark as mine?
“Who knows, maybe I could be a redhead,” I said, striking a playful, sexy pose and laughing.
“Okay, I'll admit – I wouldn't mind seeing that.”
We both fell silent as the sound of a door opening took us by surprise. We stared at each other, afraid to move a muscle, as we listened. The door we'd broken into had been secured after we came in, but it sounded like it wasn't anymore. Footsteps, a lone pair, echoed through the empty warehouse.
Elias turned to walk out of the bathroom, motioning for me to stay behind. Hell no, I wouldn't let him face whatever was out there alone. But he blocked the doorway, standing there, tall and fierce as if to protect me.
“What are you doing here?” Elias asked.
“I could ask you the same question,” a familiar voice responded.
It was Deacon. My uncle. Elias kept me behind him, hiding me from view. Probably the smart thing to do to avoid any questions from Deacon.
“I wanted to get some more training in,” Elias said. “Work out a bit, clear my head while I'm at it.”
“Uh huh,” Deacon said. “I get it, Elias.”
Yet, something in his voice said he didn't get it.
“But can I ask you a question?”
I stayed back into the bathroom, almost afraid to breathe. I didn't want to get Elias in trouble, but mostly I didn't want my uncle asking me what I was doing here. I couldn't let him know I was looking for the man who killed my parents. He'd do everything in his power to stop me. Not that he could, not really. He'd just make things more difficult for me. And probably a hell of a lot more difficult for Elias.
“What's that Deacon?” Elias asked.
“Who's with you? I mean, I see two beer bottles on the table – and only one bike. So unless they left already, I'd venture to guess you have a girl here with you.”
Elias remained calm, not flinching in the least. “And is that a problem, man? I didn't know it was a crime to have ladies over to the warehouse. Just thought I'd show off a bit, that's all.”
“Show off, eh?” Deacon laughed, and it sounded sincere. But then he stopped. “So you're telling me this has nothing to do with Ava? You can see why it might look that way given the fact that she checked out of her hotel room early this morning and rode off with some biker? And now, I can't seem to find my niece anywhere, and I was really hoping you might know where she's at.”
The tension in the
room was so thick, you could cut it with the proverbial knife. With a sigh, I decided to admit defeat, to keep Elias from digging himself even deeper in a hole
“Look no further, uncle Deacon,” I called from behind Elias. “I'm right here.”
Elias stepped aside, throwing a look my way that said he had this. But I didn't want him to protect me. Especially if it risked getting him in trouble with Deacon.
“What in God's name are you doing here, Ava?” Deacon said, rushing past Elias and standing before me.
“What? You're going to be my father now and tell me who I can and can't date?” I stood my ground, hand on my hips. “I know you seem to have missed it, but I'm an adult now, Deacon.”
“So you two – ” Deacon said, looking between Elias and myself, “are interested in each other?”
“Maybe?” I said, giving Elias a little wink. “I mean, it's still too early to tell, but thanks for ruining our first date.”
Deacon looked to Elias who shrugged. “What can I say? Your niece is pretty badass.”
“Badass,” Deacon said with a laugh. Of course, he'd doubt me. He didn't really know me, not as the woman I'd grown into. He still thought of me as a little girl.
“I'm sorry, Deacon,” Elias said. “I promise to treat her with respect.”
“I know you will,” Deacon said quietly. He looked back and forth between us, almost as if he still couldn't believe it. “I mean, I really couldn't ask for a nicer guy for Ava and all – it's just, wow. I think I need to sit down.”
Deacon left the tiny little bathroom, and I followed him out, giving Elias a look of relief. Keep pretending we're into each other and that'll keep him from asking the hard questions. Yet even as I looked at Elias, I had to wonder – was this all an act? For me, I couldn't be sure. Maybe I was into the guy, but I knew Elias' type too well to feel comfortable putting my heart in his hands. He was a lot like my uncle, and trust me, I knew what sort of heartache he brought with him.
Deacon had sat down at the table and helped himself to a beer. I sat down across from him, and he took my hands into his.
“I'm sorry if I scared you, Deacon,” I said, giving him my best good girl smile. “I would have told you, but it just sort of happened, you know? After I saw him, I just couldn't stop thinking about him, and I hoped you would approve of him.”
Deacon looked at Elias. “Do you mind if we talk? Alone?”
Elias nodded and stepped outside. Deacon waited until the door shut behind him, leaving just him and me in the warehouse together before he let his guard down.
“Jesus Christ, Ava. When I went to your hotel, I feared the worst...”
Tears welled up in my uncle's eyes. Never before had I seen this man cry, and here he was – crying because he thought he lost me.
He gripped my hands tightly in his, holding them as if he was afraid to let go.
“I thought I lost you, just like I lost your mother.”
As soon as he said those words, though, he stopped and stared at me wide-eyed, looking as if he was waiting for the question to come. Yes, I noticed he didn't mention my father. I knew he missed his brother, that it killed him to have lost his twin. But it was different. Losing my mom was different for him. Because he loved her.
He started to speak again, trying to fix his mistake, but I stopped him.
“Deacon, I know about you and my mom.”
“How?” he asked me, his face contorted into a look of surprise. “How could you?”
“It was obvious,” I said quietly. “You came around, she'd spend a night away from home. The way you looked at her, the way you looked at me – and I know something else too.”
He didn't say anything. I think he knew what I was about to say.
“I know you might be my father too.”
Chapter Thirteen
ELIAS
Ava handled herself like a champ. Not just in the ring, but with Deacon as well. She was so smooth – I almost believed what she'd said about being on a date. I kicked the rocks in the parking lot, wondering what in the world those two might be going on about now. I had no idea how Deacon had managed to track us.
The door swung open and Ava peeked outside, smiling at me. “You're free to come back inside now,” she said with a wink. “It's all good.”
Yep. I'd meant it when I told Deacon his niece was a badass.
I followed Ava back inside, admiring the view of her in those tight jeans as she walked in front of me. Badass and hot as hell. Why did she have to be Deacon's niece again?
“What's the plan for the rest of the day?” Deacon asked us as we joined him at the table.
I looked at Ava and shrugged. “I figured we'd just play it by ear.”
“Same,” she said.
“So let me ask you this – it's just a coincidence that the two of you are hanging around outside of the last-known whereabouts of El Monstruo?” Deacon asked, giving me a stern look.
Dammit. I looked to Ava. Our gig was up, but she wasn't going down without a fight.
“Oh yeah? And how would you know something like that, uncle?” she asked, an innocent look on her face. “I thought you were heading for the mountains, leaving the hunting up to Elias.”
Deacon had the same sheepish look I'd had on my face a moment before. His gig was up too. Him finding us here wasn't a coincidence – he'd been on the same path.
“I told you, I went to your hotel and you were gone. I freaked out a bit.”
Ava raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.
“Dammit, Ava. Don't give me that look. You look just like your mother when you do that.”
Ava looked pleased with herself as she leaned in closer, smiling like she had Deacon right where she wanted him. “I knew it. I knew you wouldn't just run off and let Elias handle it.”
“And I knew you wouldn't either, so we're even, aren't we?”
“Well, you know what my daddy always said – I'm more like you than anyone else.”
There was an awkward moment of silence as the two of them stared at one another. The unspoken words were heavy in the air around us.
“I can't let you do that, Ava,” Deacon said, turning to look at me.
“Guess we're at a standstill then,” Ava said, leaning back in her chair. “Because I can't let you go either, Deacon. You're the only family I have left.”
“And you're the only family I have left, Ava,” Deacon said softly.
“I guess I'm back to going alone?” I said, butting in for the first time.
They both stared at me, almost like they were surprised I was there. And at the same time, they both said, “No” in perfect unison.
“No way, Elias. You're like a son to me,” Deacon said.
Ava had her own words to say, “Just no. I can't let you go alone.”
Both of their eyes looked at me with more than just as passing concern in them. Deacon I could understand, but now Ava looked at me like that too.
“I'm a big boy, you guys. I can take care of myself.”
Sometimes it felt like Deacon still treated me like a child, even though he was handing over the reins of the gang to me. And now I had Ava treating me like one too. Though honestly, it felt more like Ava doubting my abilities more than anything else.
Ava surprised me by reaching over the table and taking my hands in hers. I stared into those dark eyes, feeling dizzy and distant from the rest of the world for a moment. Her soft hands stroked mine, and it felt like we were alone. But Deacon cleared his throat, reminding us both of his presence.
“Get a room, you two,” he muttered.
I pulled my hands from Ava's, never hearing what she said to me in the first place. I'd been so distracted by her eyes, I don't know if she even said anything to me in the first place.
“We thought we had an entire warehouse, uncle,” Ava said sarcastically. “But someone had to show up – ”
Ava stopped. We'd all heard it at the same time. A sound outside. A vehicle was pulling into the driveway �
�� and it was moving slowly. As if they were trying to make as little noise as possible. But I heard them, plain as day.
I looked at Deacon as he stood up, grumbling to us, “Wait here.”
“Over my dead – ”
I put my hands over Ava's mouth to stop her from speaking. Whoever was out there was coming to the door, and they were moving fast. Even more alarming was the sound of multiple feet – there was more than one of them coming.
I pulled Ava down to the ground with me just as Deacon hit the floor too. Gunshots rang out from the doorway before it had even fully opened.
It was just Ava and me behind the bar and Deacon was in front of it. If he'd been hit, he made no sound as he went down. There was no way I could safely stand and look, not without risking a bullet to the brain. Us shifters didn't die easily, but a headshot would do it. No way of recovering from something like that.
Ava looked at me and there was fear in her eyes. “Deacon,” she mouthed to me.
“He's fine,” I mouthed back, not really knowing if he was or not. The last thing I saw, he hit the ground before the bullets went flying, but what happened after that – I couldn't see.
But I had to see. I couldn't stay hiding behind the bar forever. I had to see what was waiting for us, what was looking for us. Because whether I liked it or not, it would come inside and find us.
“Wait here,” I mouthed to Ava.
She started to stand up with me and I pushed her back down, giving her a look that told her to stay down and that I wasn't playing around. I wasn't just going to stand up and look, I was going to shift back into my true form. I wasn't going to stand, no. I was going to fly.
“Keep your head covered,” I whispered to her, kissing her forehead without even realizing what I was doing.
And before she could stop me, I took off, flying toward the roof of the building, my wings flapping wildly, sending the beer bottles, the table, the chairs – everything – flying around in a storm of wind and thunder.