AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Of course, you won’t,” he deadpans, then chuckles. “My lips are sealed.”
“You guys need to stay out of sight,” I hear Steph say from out in the hall as Jesse opens the door.
“I will not be leaving your side.”
Erik sounds pissed, and I wonder if it’s because Steph’s being a pain in his ass, or if there’s something more. I think I heard a note of worry in his voice, but that could be wishful thinking on my part. I want my friends to be happy, and Steph isn’t going to be happy until she gets what she wants. And the Viking? Well, it’s looking more and more like he’s holding himself back for some reason he deems noble rather than just giving in to his desires.
“Eden. Thank God,” she says when she spots me walking toward them. “Can you please tell this hulk that if the women downstairs are witches––which I’m sure they totally are––they aren’t going to tell me anything if you guys are looming around?”
“No dice,” I say, offering her an apologetic smile. “Already tried that reasoning. Got shot down.” I nod my head toward Erik and waggle my eyebrows as I add, “For some reason, the big guy is terrified you might get hurt.”
I hear a chuckle behind me, and I turn to see Leif approaching. I shoot him a wink, and when I turn back to Steph and Erik, she’s beaming at him while he frowns in my direction. Erik spins and heads for the stairs, mumbling something unintelligible even to my vampire ears.
Steph follows, and Leif takes up the rear as Jesse and I start down the steps. When we reach the lobby, I watch as Erik takes up a protective stance in front of Steph, who’s trying like hell to shove him out of the way so she can see who’s waiting for her.
“That must be them,” I say, noting the only two people in the lobby who don’t work for the hotel.
They look like normal, everyday, average teenagers. They’re wearing jeans, sneakers, and t-shirts. The blonde is drinking a soda and staring at her phone while the redhead munches on some chips she’s pulling from the giant, family-sized bag in her hand.
The one eating looks up and notices us, and without taking her eyes off our group, juts out an elbow to get her blonde friend’s attention. She looks up, and her eyes widen before she schools her features and tucks her phone into her pocket. Then the two link arms and walk our way.
Steph grunts as she finally squeezes past Erik to stand in front of him. She eyes the two girls as they approach, and I wiggle my hand free from Jesse’s grip to move up beside her, presenting a united front.
“Stephanie Brummett?” the chip-eating one asks, her eyes darting from Steph to me and back again.
“You can call me Steph,” my best friend says, cocking her head. “And you are?”
“I’m Georgianna,” the blonde says, tossing her soda can into a nearby trash can. “This is my cousin, Heather.”
“Nice to meet you––”
“How do you know her name and where she’s staying?” Erik asks, interrupting the pleasantries.
Steph slams her elbow back into his gut with all her might, but it doesn’t affect him in the least. Shooting Erik a warning glower, I turn a smile on the girls.
“Sorry about him,” I say. “He needs a nap. I’m Eden, by the way.”
I stick out my hand to offer a handshake, but the girls just stare at it like it might bite them.
Or that I might bite them.
“Maybe we should go,” Heather whispers to her cousin. “Mom will kill us if she finds out we came here.”
“It’ll be fine, Heather,” Georgianna says from the corner of her mouth.
“Maybe just tell us why you came,” Steph suggests, her voice light and friendly.
“We’re from the Sabledown coven,” Georgianna says. “We heard some of the elders talking about you coming down here with a bunch of vamps, digging around for information about the Grundeliers.”
So, the witches do know we’re here. At least they’re from Sabledown and not the Windmere or Brimmwise covens. Bernadette warned us those two groups wouldn’t be inclined to help, and might even hinder our search.
“Do you have something you want to share?” I ask when they don’t elaborate.
Georgianna looks at me, her gaze narrowing. “Not with a vampire.”
Anger blooms in my chest at her bigotry, and I feel power pool in my palms, hovering just beneath the skin. Jesse’s palm lands on my shoulder, and I feel some of my anger slip away.
Heather stiffens, her greasy fingers reaching over to grip her cousin’s wrist. “She’s a witch, Georgie.”
