“Getting bold."
He hummed.He might be willing to allow them to run Last Hope as they saw fit, but he would not allow them to expand their area.“Be on alert.If you see someone, take them out.They're in our territory."
“Should we drag him back onto the paved road?"
Not onto.It might make some believe they'd been the aggressor, and Thano wanted everyone--Eli--to know it wasn't the case.“Grab him and dump him a few steps outside the border."
She grinned, and Thano allowed an inward sigh.
“I'll follow the car."
She nodded, then she was gone.
Tuur drove slowly, and Thano kept looking into the deserted gardens.There were a lot of houses here from the time when Last Hope had been named something else.It was more or less no man's land.It belonged to them, but those who weren't human-passing weren't allowed here, and the crows flew into the town to watch the humans, the vampires shadow walked past it to get to their prey.There might be things in these buildings people could use.Maybe something Eli would want.
He sighed and continued forward.
When Tuur slowed the car anew, Thano scanned the surroundings.He couldn't see anyone, and the edge of where the paved road became wider than a single lane was within sight, indicating they'd reached a human settlement.The passenger door opened, and Eli stepped out.He looked around, but he didn't see Thano.It was for the best.
He walked around the car to the trunk and grabbed two bags.The bags that had been in Thano's bedroom not too long ago.The bags he'd planned to unpack as soon as he'd made room for Eli's clothes in his closet.
Once Eli had closed the trunk, Tuur turned the car around and drove off in the direction of the ranch.Eli remained in the same spot, watching the car disappear.His shoulders slumped, then he grabbed the bags and started walking.
Thano followed, unseen and unheard.
The moment Eli put a foot over the town border, a man with a gun stepped forward.
“Where have you been?"He didn't aim at Eli, but he waved the gun in his direction.Thano curled his hands into fists in an attempt to stop himself from attacking the man.
“Eh...I was at a meeting with Romeo Gallo."
“The traitor?"
Thano moved closer until he was within touching distance of Eli.If the man moved wrong, he'd rip his throat out.
“Traitor?Romeo is human."
“But lays with animals," the man sneered.
Eli didn't reply, instead, he looked around, as if trying to determine how much danger he was in.He never should've come here.Thano should've barricaded him in his bedroom and tied him to his bed.Eli might have hated him for it, but at least he'd been safe.
“Can I go?"
The man shrugged.“I'm not sure.You're working with them, right?"
“No.It was what the meeting was about.Romeo terminated our deal, and said he can't deliver any meat to Last Hope now that others aren't allowed here."
The man frowned, then he shrugged.“I'll let the sheriff know."He waved for Eli to move, but he hesitated.
“The sheriff?"
“Yes, the sheriff is the one dealing with the others."
Eli nodded and moved down the street.Thano followed, noting how there were men with guns at every street corner near the border to the wild country, but they grew sparser the closer they came to the town core.Maybe Eli would be safe if he never went anywhere but between his house and the shop.
He lingered by the gatepost to Eli's house.Watched him walk up the stairs and unlock the front door.Before he opened it, he turned around and searched the air.Thano didn't move, didn't so much as breathe.
“Thano?"His whisper was barely audible.Thano didn't reply, didn't make himself known.Eli sighed and walked inside.Thano didn't move for several minutes, then he shadow walked to the border checkpoint.
