“Though her actions were honorable, it alerted the werewolves to our presence, giving us no other option than to detain them. We discovered they are part of a small but powerful pack here in the city that deals exclusively with the drug. Apparently, their Alpha struck a deal with a chapter of dark mages that have recently moved into the city. They mentioned they are still searching for the beings responsible for taking down the lab at Nova but admitted that facility was not the only producer of Dreamscape, which your intel has already confirmed since the drug is still being distributed in the city.”
Kallan picked up the thread. “We might be able to find their drop-off sites, but one of the werewolves got away before we could detain them all. We were so focused on the two involved in the drug deal; we overlooked the third one sneaking around until it was too late. Ana works at one of the most frequently visited para bars in the city. Others will have taken notice of a human hanging around there lately and put the pieces together.”
I nodded as I listened. They were worried about me. I couldn’t fault them for their reasoning for wanting me to leave the city, but I was convinced I could still help. If I hacked into the right frequencies, I could probably narrow down their searches.
Even so, a chill went through me when I met Ana’s gaze. Werewolves. I knew I couldn’t blame an entire race of paras on past experiences, no matter how terrifying mine were. I found it hard to bury my fear, especially with my most recent encounter with them that only reinforced it.
“Maybe you should visit your parents,” Ana suggested gently. She was the only one at the table who understood my strange relationship with my parents. I had given Olezka a brief look into it when we went on our first official date, but if Ana was suggesting it, she honestly thought I should get out of the city for a bit.
“Well, before you guys start shipping me off, do you have a timeframe? Absolute knowledge that the werewolf who got away actually knows who I am?”
“Mоя жизнь, I will not guess when it comes to your safety. You are my priority. I will not take the chance.”
“He’s right, Sixx. We don’t want to play around with your safety. On this, I agree with your man here.”
I nodded, agreeing with her on that one. Ana wasn’t against my relationship with Olezka, but she warned me repeatedly that I needed to be safe around him. That I needed to go in with both eyes open because paras played a very different game with higher stakes.
“Okay, well, again, do we have a time frame?”
“The wolves we interrogated said there might be a shipment coming in within the next week, but the date may fluctuate since they know they’re being watched. The location will definitely change. We need Olezka to scent out another one in the pack to see if we can get a more accurate location and time,” Kallan explained.
I sort of wished I hadn’t eaten that delicious hash because my stomach twisted, and my palms began to sweat. Logically, I knew Olezka could take care of himself. He was a powerful para, but I didn’t want him to get hurt. Or Ana, for that matter.
“But…”
“Nyet. You will not argue, Sixx. You will return to your home. To your sem'ya.” Olezka had a cold glint in his eyes. His strong jaw was tight and stubborn. Yup, there would be no budging him on this one. Truthfully, I didn’t want to argue with them because, to an extent, I agreed.
It was still hard, knowing they would put themselves in danger and there was nothing I could do to help.
****
Breakfast came to an awkwardly quiet halt after that, which was fine with me because I couldn’t stomach anything else. I didn’t mind heeding their warning. I knew it was the smart thing to do. What worried me was the uncertainty of their information.
Olezka and Ana seemed in a hurry to get this party moving quickly. Ana, Z, and I headed back to our apartment in two separate cars. Ana wanted to grab some of her stuff since we agreed it would be safest if she stayed with Kallan until things calmed down.
Surprisingly, Kallan headed in the other direction to try and take some heat off us. Everyone but me seemed to think we were in the clear for now, but they assured me they were only taking these precautions because they didn’t want to take any chances. Ana walked to her room, and I headed to mine to pack. Olezka hovered.
I moved around my room, stuffing clothes into my suitcase. Yes, I was a little flustered that they were sending me away. I got it, I did. Hell, I even understood it. It didn’t make it an easier pill to swallow. Olezka’s phone rang, and his lips tightened into a thin line. I waved my hand at him, dismissing him. Here, I felt as safe as I could be.
Ana walked into my room as I tucked more essentials into my bag. She came over and sat on the bed while I continued to pack for a week. Because honestly, it would be pushing it if I made it that long in the same house with my parents.
“Thanks, Sixx.”
“Hmm? For what?” I asked as I held up one of my dresses. I liked to dress up every once in a blue moon. I didn’t think there would be any reason to at my parents’ house but just in case.
“For not fighting us on this. I told Olezka you wouldn’t. He didn’t believe me, but you’re the more level-headed one in our relationship.”
I snorted. “Well, that is true. And I understand. I’m sure you having insider information helped,” I said, walking back to the bed. Ana wore her long blonde hair down, and her utterly stunning baby blues peeked up at me behind impossibly long lashes. “You’re just much braver than me.”
I bumped her shoulder with my hip. She laughed, pushing my butt away.
“No, Sixx, you’re brave, too. And quite frankly, I don’t trust you not to do something stupid if you were in the city.”
“Like what happened at Nova?”
“Well, yeah. But mostly because I know you, Sixx. I know if you think someone you love is in danger, you’ll go to the end of the world for them without any care for your wellbeing.”
“What was your take on last night’s activities?” I asked, hedging her comment.
Ana sighed. “Kallan was a dick about it, but that’s to be expected. He’s been proving to be aggressively pro-para, but that’s the worst I can say about him. I can’t complain too much because he’s been helping me get a handle on my powers. I know I talk a big talk and act like our time with the werewolves didn’t affect me, but…”
“I get it.”
Ana shrugged.
“Sixx…” Ana glanced at the open doorway before looking back at me. “We all agreed not to go into specifics with you, but I don’t want to keep this from you. Olezka went kinda crazy on the werewolf we were trying to get information out of.” She shuddered. “He was so cold and detached. His eyes… Well, you need to keep in mind that we don’t really know these guys. Not yet. I’ll keep my eyes wide open while you’re gone. I need you to know that.” Ana stood. She was taller than me, but I gave her my best we-are-on-the-same-side look.
“I trust you. You’re family, Ana.”
“Oh, I know. ’Cause I also know you wouldn’t be willing to do this without a fight for any other reason.” Ana tried to joke, but I could see the worry in the creases of her smile.
“It’ll be fine. We visit them during the holidays all the time.”
“Yeah, then you cocoon in your room for a week after with either video games or books.”
I lifted one shoulder. “So cut my trip short, and find those drug dealers.”
“Will do, boss lady,” Ana said with a smile.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head when Olezka stepped back into my room. “Between the two of you coming in here and distracting me, I don’t think I’ll ever finish getting packed.”
“You need to hurry, Sixx. I want you out of the city limits before they get tipped off to your whereabouts and follow you out of town,” Z chided.
“I know.” I moved around the maze of people in my room to grab another pair of pants.
“I’ll give you two a few minutes alone. Let me know when you’re ready to h
ead out, Sixx.” Ana waved at me and eyed Olezka before walking out. Her comment about how Z had lost control with the werewolf bothered me because I knew she wouldn’t have told me unless she was honestly worried about him. I barely knew him, yet when he stepped closer to me, I didn’t feel fear. I felt undeniably safe.
“Will you promise me something?” I asked, pressing my hand against his chest. He grumbled as if he approved of the light contact. I peeked up at him.
He reached up, brushing his finger along my jaw. “Da. Anything.”
“That seems like a dangerous thing to offer.” My heart pounded when he smiled, lighting up all of his features.
He leaned down a little closer. “I have a feeling I could offer you the world, and you would only take a coffee.”
“And a donut.” I smiled. When his breath brushed against my cheeks, a warmth stirred inside of me.
“This is why I have no fear of you asking me for something unachievable or against my morals.”
I grabbed onto his shirt, soaking up his heart beating gently against my palm as I pressed my forehead against his chest. “It’s stupid; I know it is, but…” I took a deep breath, “stay safe. And keep Ana out of too much trouble.”
“Sixx, I will always do these things for you. You never have to ask.”
Olezka brushed his hand through my hair and kissed the top of my head as I wrapped my arms around his torso. My mind told me it was madness to feel this close to someone so quickly, but my heart didn’t care.
“My priyatel.”
Chapter 6
Driving home, I listened to my current obsession: a true murder podcast that was more about humor than murder, an odd combination that worked remarkably well together. I believed it had to do with the hosts, who were engaging and funnier than hell. In any event, it made the four-hour drive back to my hometown bearable. Not to mention, it helped keep my mind off the dangers back in the city. I tried to convince myself Ana and Olezka could handle themselves, but there was always the risk they would get in over their heads.
I called my parents before I left, informing them that I’d gotten a week off from work. I did not tell them it was due to a little trick taught to Ana by Kallan. Ana used her Lure on my boss, who practically fell over himself, suggesting I take a week off to rest and recharge. At Ana’s suggestion.
I turned down the street that led to the subdivision where I grew up, the houses separated by no more than eighteen inches on all sides. Each one had a short, paved driveway that connected to a one or two-car garage, all with the same white doors and half-moon faux windows. The houses all looked the same, in variations of three colors and styles throughout the entire neighborhood of over one hundred houses. They were cookie-cutter versions made by one construction company that obviously bought all of their materials in bulk.
It was early afternoon when I left my apartment, and I’d only stopped once to get gas when I was halfway there. As I turned into the driveway I knew so well, I glanced at the clock to see it was a little past six. I was starving and hadn’t eaten anything since our awkward breakfast, which I barely touched. I parked in front of the garage door on the side where my mom always parked and grabbed my bag from the back seat. Taking a deep breath, I climbed out of my car and walked up the pathway that led to the front door. My hand hovered over the door to knock, but bitterness hit me in waves, and I hesitated.
This was my home, but it had never felt that way.
Deciding to forego the knock, I reached for the knob, but it didn’t budge. My forehead fell against the door, and I groaned.
“Locked. Of course, it’s locked.” I rapped a sharp knock and waited, but when no one came to the door, I peeked over at the large bay window and noticed the lights were off, which wasn’t unusual since that room received plenty of natural light and they normally didn’t turn on the lights until nighttime.
A headache started to brew as I waited and knocked a couple more times, exacerbated by the silence that reigned. I eventually gave up and sat down in front of the door. I clutched my head, willing the pain to go away, but it progressively got worse. Probably from lack of food, I thought grumpily.
Deciding to catch up on my reading as I waited, I pulled out my phone and opened my reading app. Almost an hour passed before my parents drove up, parking their car next to mine.
My mother, who was short and petite, got out first. She blinked a couple of times behind her new, invisible, plastic, fashion-forward glasses frames.
“Hi, Sixx. You’re here early!” she said. “You haven’t been waiting too long, have you?”
“Of course she hasn’t, Adele. She would have called us if she had. Hiya, darling,” my father said, coming around from the driver’s side. He was a robust man with the same color eyes and hair as me, down to the soft curls. I was an equal mixture of both my parents. Well, almost. My mother wished I’d inherited her straight shape versus my paternal grandmother’s genes. To her, my thick curves were unappealing.
“Hi, where were you guys?”
“We went out for dinner,” my mom answered breezily, waving me away as she unlocked the front door.
I picked up my bag and followed them inside. “I thought we talked about getting dinner when I got here?”
“Tsk, you know we like to eat early, Sixx. Your dad has an early class to teach tomorrow, and I have a brunch date with the girls. We didn’t want to be up too late.”
“It’s fine,” I mumbled, though it wasn’t fine at all. “I can go pick something up or dig around here and cook something.”
“That sounds good. Where’s Ana?” my dad asked, looking over my shoulder for his favorite chess player. Over the years, Ana had spent a lot of time over here. She even lived with us for a couple of months after her aunt passed. During that time, she and my father played seemingly endless games of chess. It helped her get through the initial stages of grief.
“She had to stay behind. I told you that, Dad. She’s still got work.”
“Right. And why are you off this week, honey?” my mom asked as she fiddled with her phone, not looking at me.
“Just needed to use my vacation days before they expired.”
“Hmm. Well, you can stay in your old room while you’re here. We’re kind of busy, though, and won’t have a lot of time to spend with you. You didn’t give us a lot of notice,” she sniffed.
I tried not to let her comment hurt my feelings. “It’s okay; I won’t be in your hair. Just figured since Ana’s got a new guy in her life, maybe they could use a bit of privacy. Plus, I haven’t seen you guys since Christmas.”
“Yes, yes,” my dad replied with the strained smile he usually reserved for the college student who had been barely passing all year coming to his office to ask for extra credit.
“Why don’t we talk more over dinner a little later in the week?” my mom suggested as she unhooked her earrings, which meant she was planning to shower and then go to bed. She pulled her hair down from its updo, her light brown hair that almost looked blonde falling to frame her thin face and sharp features.
“Sounds good.”
“Okay, goodnight, Sixx.” Without offering a hug, my mother headed into her room to complete her nightly routine.
“Would you like to watch a couple of episodes of Planet with me?” my dad asked distractedly, already turning on the TV in the living room. I knew he wasn’t expecting an answer. He’d probably already forgotten he asked. By the time his show started, his attention was gone to the wind.
They hadn’t changed much since the day I moved out. My parents had the same routines, mannerisms, and personalities. There was the same pristine, white leather couch in the living room that my mother didn’t allow people to drink or eat on. The floors were dark hardwood offset by a white rug, white chair, and white walls. Even with a few odd pieces that my dad picked out, the room felt sterile and unwelcoming, much like my parents.
My headache was getting worse by the minute, and the nausea that accompanied the pain made me f
eel like I didn’t even want to eat, even though I knew I had to get something on my stomach. I stumbled into the kitchen and saw that at least that room had gotten a face lift, due to my mom’s newfound love for the home improvement channel. The gleaming, whitewashed oak cabinets looked fresh and airy, anchored by the new stone countertop. The rest of the house featured an open concept space that connected the living room and kitchen with a dining area in between.
I put together a weak sandwich that hopefully would abate my headache for a little longer, then grabbed my suitcase and trudged up the stairs to the second level, which held three bedrooms and another full bathroom. My parents had always used one of the upstairs bedrooms as an office; my bedroom was right next door. The week after I moved out, they converted my old bedroom into a white, personality-free guest room.
There was a Murphy bed in the office, which they used as a second guestroom when I still lived there. That was usually where I slept when Ana came with me, and she got my old room.
All my childhood memorabilia had been removed and boxed up, discarded in the storage shed behind the house in the postage-stamp-sized back yard. Since I had nothing else better to do while I was here, maybe I would go through and see if there was anything I wanted to bring back to my apartment when I returned. As I set myself up in the room that used to be my sanctuary, I thought about calling Olezka or Ana but decided against it, not wanting to appear too needy. I hadn’t been gone a day yet. Surely, they wouldn’t have found anything yet.
****
The next couple of days dragged on, each day feeling like a year. My parents went about their business as they always did. My mom went to her work, my father, to his. They did offer to have dinner with me each night, which was a constant staple in my life when I still lived at home. Each night I received a call from either Ana or Olezka with an update, and I looked forward to hearing their voices and breaking the monotony of my forced exile. They both seemed to be doing okay but were getting frustrated because every lead they chased was old and resulted in a dead-end.
The Sidekick Chronicles: Sixx and the Fae Page 4