Episode Nineteen – Shotgun

     Sterling lingered at the bottom of the stairs.

     “We were delayed,” he said, his eyes resting directly on mine. “A young girl in Candy’s charge has recently changed, and there were some… difficulties.”

     “Candy has already brought me up to speed,” Raven said without turning to look at him. “I just felt it was in The Collective’s best interest that I meet you halfway. Make sure nothing unfortunate happens to you along the way home.”

     “Thank you,” Sterling said, his eyes still holding mine.

     Did I sense regret?

     I dismissed the idea from my mind. It wouldn’t do for me to start trusting him now, not when I was so thoroughly convinced that he was the enemy.

     Only, what if he wasn’t?

     “Do you plan on traveling with us then?” I asked, my mind doing mental gymnastics to find a way out of our current mess.

     “That’s the idea,” Raven said.

     “Do you know my friend, Camilla Thornton?” I suddenly asked.

     It was without thinking, without any other reason other than to hear her lies.

     Raven settled in her seat. Her eyes that were only seconds earlier lingering over Kendrick as I would over a triple-layer tort, were suddenly cunning and dark.

     “Camilla,” the name lingered on her full lips.

     “Sterling was kind enough to bring me a letter from her, requesting that I agree to meet with The Collective, that what is desired is a reunion of clans, and that she was eager to see me,” I said.

     “Yes, Camilla, I’ve heard of her, of course, but in all honesty, I can’t say I can put a face to the name. Even so, you would be wise to listen to your friend,” Raven said.

     “I worry for her safety,” I said. “So many things can happen, unpleasant things, when clan leadership is upset.”

     Raven watched me intently.

     “You think The Collective has other ideas?” she asked.

     “I’ve heard whispers,” I said. “That The Collective has a much more sinister desire for my presence.”

     “You assume then that Merrick’s intent is to kill you? To punish you?”

     “Am I mistaken?” I asked.

     Just then, Patience burst out of the hallway and stepped onto the balcony, looking down at us.

     “Oh my gosh!” she nearly yelled. “What a night! Sorry, I mean day. I didn’t think I’d ever fall asleep. I guess sleeping all day takes some getting used to. That, and the fact that Candy takes up so much of the bed. It’s like sleeping with the entire football team, not that I’ve ever done that or anything.”

     I felt my eyes roll back in my head.

     Patience hurried down the stairs and pushed past Sterling, tousling his hair with her hand like a sister stirring a pot, then slid to a stop in front of Twitch and Gandara.

     “Good evening, Gandara. Good evening, Twitch,” she said, scratching the bird under his chin, not even flinching when he tried to bite her.

     “Good evening,” Gandara said, her brows furrowed. “Twitch doesn’t really like…”

     “Do you happen to have a TV around here?” Patience continued. “I realize this is supposed to be cloak-and-dagger stuff, but I have a bit of an addiction to my shows, and I have no idea how long we plan on staying here.”

     She turned and saw Raven Kemble for the first time.

     “Are you a vampire too?” she asked. “Gosh, you look amazing. I bet you have a hard time finding clothes that just scream out ‘Vampire’, but you’ve nailed it. We used to have a Torrid at our local mall, but I haven’t been there in ages. Looks like you shop there a lot.”

     Raven looked at me.

     “Forgive me, Raven,” I said, standing and pulling Patience away from Twitch before he removed two of her fingers. “This is my new friend that I was telling you about, Patience Stevens. She’ll be joining us on our way to The Collective.”

     Patience waved at her and smiled.

     “So, you know about The Collective?” Patience asked.

     “She’s part of them,” I said, giving her arm a little squeeze, but she didn’t seem to get the warning.

     Patience frowned.

     “You know, I think it’s pretty shitty, you guys coming after Candy, blaming her for everything that went down like forever ago.”

     She squirmed in my hand, and I considered letting Twitch take her out.

     “The Collective merely wants to mend fences,” Raven said.

     She smiled at Patience, but I saw anger flare in her cheeks. Before I could say anything, Sterling was pulling her by the arm away from Raven, away from the looming danger.

     He muttered something to her, just under my radar, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Sterling Pool, muscle for The Collective and an all-around bad apple, had a soft spot developing in his empty heart for little Patience.

     “All right, all right,” Patience said, pulling from his grip.

     “Apologies,” Sterling said. “She has a great many lessons to learn.”

     “Apparently,” Raven said. “But I’m sure you’re the man to handle her.”

     I could see Patience bite her lip.      

     “Does this mean she’s coming with us?” Patience asked.

     “It does,” I said. “We have her assurance that The Collective only wishes to speak to me, nothing more.

     Kendrick slid his arm around my waist, and I let him.  

     “I guess that’s okay,” Patience said. “At least now we’ll outnumber the guys; they take everything so seriously. I call shotgun!”

     “It’s all settled then,” Raven said, her gaze shifting to where Gandara stood, trying to settle Twitch. “Any chance of a refill?”

     Gandara nodded and refilled her glass.

     “Is that what I think it is?” Patience asked, sniffing the air.

     “Fresh this evening,” Gandara said. “Only don’t ask where I got it. Best not to know.”

     Twitch screamed loudly.

     “You know, I can really smell it. I’ve never been able to smell blood before,” Patience said. “Did Candy tell you that I puked the first time I drank some? And then again, when I bit someone for the first time. Not that he was moving or anything; Candy already took care of him. You should have seen her, but it was so gross, biting someone—I mean, not what Candy did, although it was pretty crazy, she moves like a ninja. I guess that’s just something I’ll have to get used to, the blood I mean.”

     Patience looked around the room brightly.

     “We will, of course, travel in separate cars,” Raven said, and she downed her drink in one.  

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