He stuck the candy in his mouth and sucked on it for a bit before finally speaking, “Sometimes, we don’t have choices.”
“Ididhave a choice,” Elyse said.
“You were held captive and tortured,” Saxon said. “That’snota choice.”
“I’d like to say that if I’d known they were turning the vamps I found into Savages, I would have let them kill my dad and me, but I can’t. I don’t know how long I could have taken seeing the pieces of my dad coming in, or watched them murder those people, before I broke and did what they commanded anyway.”
“Pieces of your dad?” Declan asked.
“When she refused to do as they asked, or if she didn’t do it fast enough for their liking, the Savages would cut off parts of her father’s fingers and toes or they would rip out his teeth and put them in jars to give to her,” Saxon said. “Sometimes they did it for fun. They also brought humans in and made her watch as they tortured and killed them. When they finished, they left the bodies in the yard for her to see. The next day they would bring more people in and do it all over again.”
“That’s fucked up even for them. It also severely limits a person’s choices,” Declan said to Elyse.
“Maybe, but I knew they were evil, and I knew they weren’t using me for anything good, yet I still let them use me,” Elyse said. “If you all decide to kill me after this, fine, but please help me save my dad first. He’s innocent in all of this and doesn’t deserve what they’ve done to him.”
“Nooneis going to hurt you,” Saxon said and stared pointedly at Declan while he twirled the lollipop between his fingers. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“I’m just here for the ride and the mayhem,” Declan said. “You know how much I enjoy a good rescue. I’m like Prince Charming riding in to save the day, but I’m a lot better looking.”
He smiled at Elyse and, for the first time, some of her anger diminished as she gave him a small smile in return. When Saxon glowered at Declan, his amusement vanished as he slid the lollipop into his mouth and straightened away from the wall.
“Have you told Ronan yet?” Declan asked him.
“Not yet. I was hoping to use your phone for the call.”
“Of course.” Declan pulled out his phone and handed it over to Saxon who pocketed it. “Asher and I looked at the store, but they didn’t have any burners where we got the supplies.”
“What did you tell him about the maps?”
“The same thing you told me.”
“Nothing.”
“Bingo and, much like myself, Asher doesn’t have to know every detail.”
“You know far more than you ever let on.”
Declan shrugged. “It’s not my fault. I have a trustworthy face, and others tell me things.”
Saxon gave a small snort of laughter. Only Declan could make him want to strangle him one minute and laugh in the next. He also knew it was more than anyone telling him things; Declan sensed things Saxon could never understand.
“It’s so trustworthy that you get punched in it often,” Saxon said.
“That’s because others are jealous of my good looks and they’re trying to ruin them.”
Saxon snorted as he strode across the room to his jacket. “I took the phones from the Savages I killed at the cabin. They all only called the same number; I didn’t know if you could do something with them.”
“Let me see them.”
Saxon retrieved the phones and handed them over to Declan who slid them into the pockets of his bomber jacket. Beneath his jacket, Saxon made out the outline of the two swords Declan sometimes wore strapped to his back.
“Can I talk to you outside before you call Ronan?” Declan asked.
Saxon glanced at Elyse. “She can hear whatever you have to say.”
“I think you would prefer this particular conversation to be in private; you can tell her afterward if you like,” Declan replied.
“Go,” Elyse said. “I’d like to eat and take another shower anyway.”
