Uniquely Unwelcome (The Shadow World, #1)

by Brandy Nacole

  I turn back to the small window, watching the Chimera slink around, searching.

  “How do they keep finding us? Everywhere we have gone, they have been there, without warning, always catching us off guard.” I’m hoping Eldrida can answer the question we’ve been asking ourselves from the start of this whole search.

  Eldrida turns once the Chimera have passed. “I’m not sure. Cerelia could be watching over you and your group, but she would need a personal item. Had she come near the three of you,” she says, pointing at Ethan, Danika, and me, “we would have felt her power. The Coven in your hometown would also have felt her power and reported it. Danika has been staying with us, and we know she didn’t show up there. We didn’t know Coy would be joining the group, so surely they didn’t either.” She turns her attention to Jared. “What about you? Are you in ranks with Cerelia?”

  Jared looks furious. “Helping Cerelia? I was fighting right along with everyone else in London. Why would I put myself in harm’s way like that?”

  If Jared is lying, he’s good at it. There’s no hesitation in his response to the accusations.

  Ethan is quick to come back. “So you could gain power with Cerelia. How do we know you don’t have some kind of protection on you? As powerful as Cerelia sounds, she could have given you something to keep you alive.”

  An all-out fight is about to start between them two. Jared steps closer to Ethan but I quickly interject.

  “I don’t think it’s Jared.”

  Ethan turns, looking at me as if I’m a traitor. I’m quick to defend myself. “Think about it. We were first attacked outside the lair, long before Jared ever showed up. However they are tracking us, it’s not through him.”

  Danika turns from the window and faces Ethan. “She’s right. He wasn’t with us. And he did fight alongside us in London.”

  Ethan hangs his head, backing down. “So how then?” he asks, softly.

  I think that was the first time Danika has spoken to him since we exited our plane. Defending Jared was probably not the conversation he wanted them to have. If anything, he wants anything but to defend Jared. Dumb Lycans and Vampires and their stupid feud.

  “Let’s not argue over the ‘how’ right now. Let’s just deal with the situation as it stands and we can figure out the rest later.” Hanalei seems all too eager to move on and away from the subject. My feelings of doubt in her rise with each interaction.

  “If there are Chimera here it may be a good sign. They know we’re looking for them and that we are close, maybe a little too close.” Coy has been silent most of the day. I’ve been worried that I might have taken too much blood, leaving him weak, but he might just be a little overwhelmed by the imposing Coven Elders.

  Eldrida agrees with Coy, as does everyone else. We revise our plan, choosing to stay close to Nuuk until we have searched the city and the surrounding areas for anything unusual.

  Ethan and Jared make sure the coast is clear before we leave the room. As we exit the airport, we all keep our eyes and ears open. If I didn’t know it would be too suspicious, I would have been happy walking back-to-back.

  Instead of a luxurious limo waiting, the Elders have reserved two small cars that sit out front. This allows us to split up and cover Nuuk more thoroughly.

  The Elders and Danika take the first car, with the rest of us following in the second car. I opt out of driving, preferring to keep my eyes open to scan the area for Chimera or secret passages. Ethan and Jared seem to have the same thought, leaving Coy to drive.

  Although after Coy confesses that he has never driven before, I start reconsidering. After a few brake slams and near fender benders, he seems to get the hang of it.

  “So what do you guys think?” Ethan asks.

  There are so many responses that come to mind, but I opt out of being the usual smartass that I am with Ethan. Remembering the good old days when we would snarl and snip at each other. Now, with the situation coming to a head, I stay serious.

  “I’m not sure. Do you think we could be close?”

  “I don’t know what to think. Those creatures could have been sent to throw us off.”

  Jared pipes in. Given a chance to argue with Ethan he takes it. “That, or the vamp in charge is worried we are getting too close and wants to take us out before we discover him.”

  Both have valid points, but with no real certainty, we have to stick to the plan. The car falls silent. Ethan’s probably stewing over Jared having a valid point. Jared is probably basking in victory. Coy looks too strung out from driving to say a word. The poor boy has his hand on the steering wheel so tight his knuckles are white.

  I look out over the harbor of Nuuk. Fishing boats stream up and down the calm water. A beautiful, snow-peaked mountain towers over Nuuk, framing it in beauty. The beautiful places we’ve been in a matter of days is amazing. If only we could have enjoyed them.

  We soon arrive at a little café next to the Marina. The guys waste no time jumping out of the vehicle and making a mad dash to the café, ready for some grub. We eat quickly so as not to waste daylight.

  Once we are done and back outside, everyone splits up. Danika and Eldrida head north of town while Ethan and his group go south.

  Eldrida offers me a ride out of town but I refuse. I’m ready to get in the sky as soon as possible. I walk a block down the road to a tall building I had spotted earlier. It’s high enough that no one will see me from the ground, or from any other buildings.

  A fire escape leads up to the top, but it has seen better years. Using as little body weight as possible, I jump from one ring to the other until I reach the top, making sure I jump as fast as possible so I don’t put much weight on the decaying metal.

  After I reach the top, I strip down and take flight.

  Once I’m in the air, a sense of freedom hits me. How easy it would be to just fly away, leaving all this hatred behind. Simple, yes. Going to happen, no. What good would it do anyone if I turn into a coward now?

  I search over the landscape below me, most of which is covered in snow and ice. I wonder who decided on the name Greenland. I would think more along the line of Whiteland before I thought of Greenland. Another history lesson I will have to look into one day.

  I fly far north of Nuuk, over the city of Maniitsoq, then circle over the ice back to Nuuk, not sensing anything unusual or hidden behind a glamour.

  As I’m entering back into Nuuk, disappointment hits. I thought for sure that this would all end today. But we’re still searching and here I am coming back empty-handed. My only hope is that the others have found something.

  I land, quickly snatching up my clothes and getting dressed in a matter of seconds. My poor jacket is cold and wet from some snow that melted on to it. I check my phone before descending from the building. Thirty missed calls from Danika. I’m not even going to lie and say my heart-beat didn’t jump a notch while my hope rocketed into space.

  After only one ring she picks up. “Where are you?”

  “Just landed a block down from the café we were at earlier. Did you find something?”

  “Nothing. You?”

  My shoulders slump as I silently curse karma. “Nothing on my side either. Where are you?”

  “Back at the café.”

  “I’ll meet you there.”

  I hang up and put the phone in my pocket. Coming out of the alleyway, I start toward the café but stop when I see Chimera surrounding our cars parked out front. One is sniffing the exterior of the Elders’ car, while another one looks into the café, gesturing to the rest.

  Grabbing my phone in a panic, I call Danika back. The phone connects, and before she can say hello, I rush out a warning. “Get out of the café now. Go out the back.”

  “Why?” Her voice is panicky, but I can hear her stand as the sound of chairs scraping across the floor echoes in the background.

  “Chimera.”

  Hanging up the phone, I duck behind a trash can next to a clothing store. I watch as the Chimera enter
the café. I hope that my warning was in time. I run down the alley next to the little café, hoping I will meet up with everyone out back. Relief floods over me as everyone exits just as I reach the back of the building. I urge them to follow me, knowing we don’t have much time.

  Before emerging into the open, I peek around to make sure the coast is clear. The Chimera are nowhere in sight. The only person walking near the café is a young man, who is quickly walking toward the door to get out of the cold. They must be inside the café looking for us. I motion for everyone to run to the cars. I hurry around the car, jumping in the driver seat, and before the doors are closed my foot hits the gas.

  “What the crap? How do they know where we are all the time?” I slam my hand down on the steering wheel, pissed. “How?” I scream. Eldrida said Cerelia would need something personal for that kind of spell but I’m beginning to doubt that. There must be another way, a centuries-old kind of way that only the evil ones know about.

  “I don’t know. Danika wondered that herself but couldn’t come up with any viable information,” Ethan says, his focus on the back glass. He’s turned completely around in the passenger seat, keeping an eye out behind us for any creepy crawlers that might be following.

  My phone rings, making me jump.

  I look down at the caller ID, it’s Danika. “Hello?”

  “We need to find a hotel that is low on the radar. Nothing fancy. Did you see anything while you were out?”

  “I didn’t exactly take notes on possible ‘off-the-grid’ hotels. I was hoping to be raiding a secret lair tonight.”

  “Well, keep your eyes open. I’ll look up some places on my phone.”

  Ethan turns in his seat, satisfied that we’re not being followed. Even if we were, what would he do? Stick his head out the window and bark? Now there’s something I would love to see. I can just picture Ethan hanging his head out the window, tongue flopping in the wind as he barked at stray cats passing by.

  “What did she want?”

  Popping my funny doggy bubble, I start looking around for dumpy hotels. “Danika said we need to find a low quality hotel to stay at.”

  “Why low quality?” Jared sounds irritated. Probably worried about his shoes getting infested with bugs and dirt while his hair becomes a nice nest for a family of lice. Jeez, he’s such a pansy sometimes.

  “We need to stay off the radar. Staying somewhere popular not only puts innocents in danger but is probably expected. If we go somewhere off the grid our chances of Chimera run-ins will be lower.” At least I hope it is.

  “Doubtful,” Coy mumbles to himself as he looks at the map of Nuuk sitting in his lap. He grabbed it before we left the airport. I wonder if he kept the ones from London. Maybe he could make a scrapbook once this was all over.

  “What’s doubtful?” I ask, peering at him in the rearview mirror.

  “It’s like you said. They always seem to know where we are. What difference does it make? Why don’t we just let them catch us already and take us to their deep, dark dungeon or whatever? Then we wouldn’t have to search anymore.”

  Ethan swivels around, giving Coy a sharp look. “That’s stupid. Then we wouldn’t have any plan, and we would be trapped in chains or worse, killed on the spot. Attacking them by surprise is the only way.”

  And so the debate begins. I listen to Coy and Ethan argue back and forth on the best plan of action, with Jared butting in every once in a while, usually to agree with Coy, which pisses Ethan off even more. Is that all these guys do, argue? I’m riding with the Witches next time.

  We drive all over the city, searching for a good low-key hideaway, the argument finally coming to an unresolved halt as we pull into a back alley. We parallel park at the side of a kind of strip mall. One shop sign flashes a figure of a woman in a bright neon pink. I can only guess this is the warm, welcoming side of town.

  At the end of the alley is a sign that reads, “If you need a place to stay, we may or may not have a bed.” There’s an interesting way to put it. Take your chances but you may be disappointed. What happened to a simple vacancy sign?

  The name of the little wannabe hotel is Alleyway Bed. How nice. I feel safe and secluded already. Danika goes inside while the rest of us stand outside next to the naked flashing girl. Jared keeps trying to peek through the windows, even though they have been completely blacked out. Ugh. Guys.

  Danika emerges from the hotel carrying three keys. “They only have three rooms available.” Everyone glances at one another, looking to see who they want to get stuck with. I was looking forward to some time alone. As much as I appreciate everyone’s help, I’m used to being alone, and am beginning to feel crowded.

  “We will take one room.” Eldrida gestures to herself and the other two Elders. “Then the boys can have the second room and the girls the third.”

  “What are we, eight? Splitting up boy/girl fashion?” I’m not surprised to hear Ethan say this. I guess he wants some time alone with Danika. But his scowl is aimed at Jared.

  “Don’t worry about me, man. I won’t be around anyway,” Jared says in response to Ethan’s glare.

  “Why is that?” Eldrida asks, all motherly. How funny. Even though Jared’s around a hundred years old, he’s still being treated like a child by the Elders.

  “In case everyone has forgotten, I’m a Vampire, predator of the night, who consumes blood. This predator is starving and in need of a drink.” Jared gestures to the bar in the alley. A few girls walk in wrapped in long trench coats. Their high heels clack against the concrete. I guess their shifts are coming up. Jared watches as they go past. “That is where I’ll be.”

  “You most certainly will not.” Coy steps between Jared and the bar. He takes a defensive posture, ready to stop Jared if he tries moving pass him. I wonder if he realizes Jared could be around him and in the bar within a blink of an eye with nothing but a slight breeze left in his wake.

  “Oh, look at you, pretty boy. Ready to be all knight in shining armor, are we? So I’m guessing you’re opposed to Vampires now?”

  “I’ve always been against Vampires, especially after what they put my family through.”

  “Is that so? Well I’m not sure if you’ve realized it or not, but you’re dating a Vampire.”

  Coy’s face goes pale with rage. “She’s not a full Vampire. There’s still life running through her veins.”

  For a moment I’m honored, happy that Coy is sticking up for me. But I’m reminded that even though I have my own life running through my veins, at the moment I also have his.

  “Okay fine. I won’t go to the bar. But I’m going to need sustenance from somewhere.” Jared winks at Coy. “Care to donate?”

  Now Coy is starch white, his cold-kissed red cheeks the only color left. Flexing his jaw, he retorts through clenched teeth. “I can’t. I already donated today.”

  “Well now, isn’t that a surprise? And who, might I ask, did you donate to?” Jared’s reply is full of mockery. He smiles, knowing he has us pinned. Not that my blood drinking is a big secret, but there’s no need to make Coy’s involvement an issue.

  I step forward, ready to give Jared the clocking he needs when Laveda stops me. “That will be enough, Jared. Go on.”

  Smiling broadly, Jared side steps Coy and walks into the bar. He’s followed in by two older men with beards, wearing old sailor hats. I wonder if there’s some sort of theme tonight or if that’s just their every day wear?

  After Jared leaves, everyone else agrees to the boy/girl room pairing. Nothing else is said about what transpired between Jared and Coy. Nothing out loud anyway. The look Coy gives me before entering the shack of a motel leaves me clenching my coat tighter. It is the same look he gave Jared, a look of disgust yet with a mixture of pain. Then he turns and walks away from me, going in his room without a glance back.

  I trudge behind the others, perplexed with my feelings. That’s what I want right? For Coy to realize he is making a mistake with me. That would relieve me of having t
o break it off—because of my family line issues. So why do I feel so crushed? I’m really starting to miss my solo life. At least then I could make a coherent decision without involving anyone else.

  When Danika and I enter our room, I gasp with disgust. I try deciding if I would rather sleep standing up or risk catching some kind of funk from the bed.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Danika says, trying to be reassuring, “it’s only for one night.”

  “Yeah but on that thing,” I say gesturing to the bed, “it would only take one second to catch something.”

  Danika shakes her head chuckling. I mean seriously have these people ever heard of disinfectant spray? Better yet, how about soap and water? The floors are bare concrete, with enough dust, dirt, and grime on it you could consider the grime a sort of nasty carpeting. The beds have stains all over them from god knows what—or who. The only light in the room keeps flickering on and off. Think of the most disgusting, most grotesque room in the world that you would never stay at, and then imagine worse. Worse, is where we are.

  Taking in a deep breath—that gags me—I try remembering it’s only one night, like Danika said. It’s only one night…of completely nasty germs covering my body. No, no, no! One night of shelter then back to work tomorrow. I can do this!

  Yet even after the pep talk I’m still standing in the middle of the room, holding my two bags, refusing to put them down.

  “Come on Racquel, you need some rest. Here.” Danika hands me some Lysol wipes. “Just wipe everything down. I’m going down to talk with the Elders. I’ll be back soon.”

  I set my bag down on the dresser, hoping it doesn’t get infested with cockroaches. I go to the bathroom to clean up, wiping the sink down before washing my face. Walking out of the bathroom, I look at the bed and cringe. I’ve slept in some rough places but this is a little much. I’ve slept in hay barns that were nicer.

  Deciding I would rather sleep on newspaper, and certain the front desk more than likely doesn’t have spare sheets and if they did they probably won’t be any better, I grab my key to go buy some at a store. When I open my door, Coy’s standing there, his arm posed to knock.