by Tanith Frost
“Now, I believe there are plans for one pack to move elsewhere,” he says. “Possibly Labrador. Still Maelstrom’s territory, technically speaking, and less risky if they’re seen there. But that won’t happen until things are settled and we know we can trust them to…”
He keeps talking, but I stop listening.
I’m not going back to St. John’s. I’m not going to be free from the ghosts of this place, from the guilt I feel over Silas’ death and the losses from Irene’s pack. None of them are directly my fault, but I should have been able to save all of them.
“Who will I feed on after you all leave?” I ask dully.
Chester seems pleased that he doesn’t actually have to break the bad news to me. “We’ve found a young couple willing to come out to live in Delvin’s house for the next year. We’ve worked things out with the people in town, they know the danger is gone, and—”
“Did you say year?”
Chester’s bloodless complexion goes even more pallid. “I did, yes.” Now he’s the one eyeing the scissors. I relax my hands. I didn’t realize they were gripping the edge of the desk so hard the wood feels ready to snap.
A face appears at the window behind Chester, blurred by the screen in the open window and the darkness outside. Violet. She motions for me to come out. I don’t respond. She shouldn’t be here.
She disappears.
A few minutes later, I’m free. Or at least, as free as I’ll be for the next year. Violet’s waiting for me outside the trailer.
“You heard all of that?” I ask.
“Yeah. How upset are you about staying?”
I’m silent until we reach the compound fence and step over a fallen section of chain link. I doubt anyone will bother to fix it now. “Not upset,” I say. “It’s not what I wanted to be doing, but your sort isn’t all that bad.”
I don’t force a smile. I can’t. With Silas that would have been a joke, an invitation to a little flirtatious sparring. It’s flat now, a half-assed compliment.
“I guess you’ve turned out okay, too,” Violet says. “Irene will be pleased. If someone has to stay, at least we get the cool babysitter.”
I snort, almost laughing for the first time in weeks. “Yeah, that’s me.”
She sighs and tucks her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “Miranda’s intense.”
“You have no idea.”
We don’t say anything for a few more minutes.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Violet says. “I don’t know what he was to you, and I’m not going to ask. But I know you were upset, and I’m sorry I had to be an asshole to you that night.”
I make an attempt at a smile. “It’s fine. I appreciate it. Things might have gone very differently if Miranda had walked in to find me sobbing over his body.”
She nods. “We weren’t allowed to come get you for the service, but I can take you out to his grave sometime. We buried him by the river.”
“We?” I ask, partly to avoid having to think of Silas’ warm body trapped in the cold, heavy earth.
She chuckles, like she can’t believe it herself. “Yep. Alvin presided. He’s going to be a good alpha, I think. He’s already taken charge of some of the more major dickheads from Joseph’s pack. We were all there, the whole female pack included. Silas did a lot to keep us all alive.”
“So did you and Irene.”
“And you,” she adds. “I’m glad you’re okay. We’ve been worried about you.” She gazes up at the moon. “I actually came with a mission other than offering condolences.”
“Oh?”
She smiles gently at me. “We sort of figured you’d be stuck here, and Irene and I have talked it over. We don’t want you to be alone, even if that’s what your people want. Even if you’re supposed to be in solitary confinement or something.”
I hadn’t thought about it that way, but it doesn’t seem far off.
Violet scuffs her hiking boot in the leaves at our feet. “Come down to see us. Any time.” She flashes a cheeky grin. “Run with the wolves.”
I suck in a hard breath. A simple offer, but something inside of me cracks, letting in a ray of light that slices through the fog.
I’m not alone.
It would be a mistake to accept, to join them by the fire, to become part of their community the way my new stock may become a part of Bloody Bight over the next year.
But as I consider the new thread of power in me, Silas’ last gift… as I look into Violet’s cautiously open expression and let myself truly hear her pack’s invitation… as I consider their freedom, and the beautiful consequences of my mistakes, I smile.
“Maybe I will.”
The End
Note from the author
Thank you, dear reader, for following Aviva’s adventures through this second story. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself. If you have, and if you have a few minutes to spare, reviews and recommendations are always appreciated. There’s always room for more readers in this little world of mine.
If you’d like to keep up with news about upcoming releases, giveaways, advance review copies, and more, don’t forget to sign up for my author newsletter. It’s the best place to get all relevant news (and I try really hard not to bug readers unless I’ve got something exciting to share).
Keep your eyes open for news about the continuation of the Immortal Soulless series. It only gets bigger and better from here on out.
-T.F.
Acknowledgments
Thank you once again to everyone who made this book possible. I’m fortunate to have such a wonderful, supportive team to help me get my ideas polished and ready to unleash on an unsuspecting world.
Thank you to Krista Walsh, Shannon Andrews, and Laura Fischer for taking a look at an early draft and letting me know what could be better.
Sue Archer, thank you for your edits and your encouragement.
Thanks to Kathy Dunlavey, Kristina Sprague, Shannon Martin, and K.L. Schwengel for your help with my post-editing slip-ups.
Jessica Allain, this cover art is once again to die for. Thank you.
To my family, thanks for keeping me going.
And to my readers, thank you for purchasing my books, for reading, and for your help in spreading the word about all the books you love (not just mine). Your enthusiasm is what brings more readers into this world and keeps the word machine working. You’re amazing.
About the Author
Tanith Frost lives in Newfoundland, where she spends a lot of time driving around looking for interesting settings for her books (and then fudging reality to keep things appropriately fictional). She vastly prefers imaginary worlds to the real one, but grudgingly emerges from the writing cave on occasion.
If you do see her, it’s best not to approach her before coffee. You’ve been warned.
www.tanithfrost.com
Also by Tanith Frost
The Immortal Soulless Series
Resurrection
Sanctuary
Atonement (coming Autumn 2017)
Further titles to be announced