Page 63 of Fang Fiction

The orchard was lovely and sprawling, with uneven paths wending through trees from all different places and seasons—olives and almonds, pears and peaches, all growing in haphazard harmony. Tess found the apples first, threw a few into a basket for Artie and ate one herself—it was crisp and tart, and it made Tess wish Sylvie were around to glamour up a strudel. But another crack of thunder (this one sounding much closer) kept Tess moving. Sylvie had told her the clove tree would be one of the tallest in the orchard, bearing red fruit—after a few moments, Tess spotted it and hurried in that direction. She was almost there when someone stepped from behind a tree and startled her—

She stopped cold.

What the hell was Felix Hawthorn doing at Nantale’s compound?

Chapter 15

Felix rushed toward Tess but stopped short of hugging her; Tess felt a sudden wave of gratitude that her large basket of apples stayed between them. She was wearing her musk oil as always, but she was sure that if Felix felt the warmth of her skin, she was done for. He was as handsome as she remembered, full-tilt Mr. Darcy in loose brown trousers tucked into tall boots, a white shirt unbuttoned over his broad chest, and a long dark overcoat. His golden-brown hair was disheveled from his run through the forest, and he was looking at Tess with deep concern.

“What are you doing here?” Tess rasped, gesturing for him to follow her behind a thick group of trees. “If anyone from the clan sees you—”

“I know, but I was so worried after what happened in the moonflower meadow—”

“You know about that?” Tess gawked.

“Know about it? It was all my fault.” Felix looked stricken. “I asked Thomas and Althea to stop by the meadow if they were in the area—in case you showed up, just to make sure you were doing okay.”

Tess was stunned. “I thought those vampires were going to kidnap me. Or possibly kill me.”

“What?” Felix’s face fell. “God, I should have known. You saw two strangers get in a violent fight, what else would you think? I thought you’d be on your own, and they’d be able to explain.”

“I was alone. But then Callum came…” To rescue me, Tess thought. Except he just told her that wasn’t true—he showed up to stop her from telling Felix what she knows.

“Of course he came,” Felix fumed. “He wanted to make sure you couldn’t leave his clan. And then he killed Thomas, all because I wasn’t there myself. Tess, I never meant for them to frighten you—that’s the last thing I wanted.”

“So then, what did you want?” Tess pressed. “I was on my own when we met in the forest, wasn’t I? Why would you need to send some minions to keep tabs on me when you know I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself?”

“You remind me so much of her.” Felix smiled sadly.

“Who?” Tess frowned.

“Isobel.” Felix sighed. “My lover, who died five years ago. You would have no way of knowing this, but…Callum’s the one who killed her.”

Actually, millions of people know that, Tess thought, but she didn’t think it would be wise to say so.

“He did?”

“Yes.” Felix took a step toward her. “She was like you, always wanting to see the good in people. I think that’s why she underestimated how violent Callum is. But I never have, because I know Callum better than almost anyone alive. We worked for the same vampire back on Earth, and Callum was always sent to do his most violent, dangerous bidding. Torture, murder, stuff that would turn your stomach. And he loved it. He can be charming when he wants to be, but Tess, I swear to you, if you should be afraid of anyone, it’s him.”

Tess bit her lip. Callum had seemed so genuine with her up in Octavia’s rooms—but what if he was simply ensuring Tess’s loyalty, to stop her from running away to join Felix’s clan instead?

“Look,” Felix went on, “I’m sorry for sending Thomas and Althea to check on you. But Isobel died because I wasn’t there to save her, and when I thought about the same thing happening to you…I couldn’t stand it. I needed to know you were safe. I needed to keep you safe.”

Tess felt dazed. “This is a lot for me to take in.”

“I know, I come on too strong.” Felix smiled sheepishly. “Isobel always said so. Her first birthday we were together, I got her this red diamond ring—rarest stone in the world because she was the rarest woman I’d ever met. She loved me for being so over the top, and I loved her for letting me. Now that ring is just sitting in her empty room, with all the other things that used to be hers.”

“It must be terrible for you,” Tess said. “Stuck on this island with all your memories of her.”

“It is,” Felix agreed. “But that’s true for all of us, isn’t it? I mean, we’ve all had terrible things happen to us here, and none of us can escape them. Not yet, anyway.”

Tess narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean, ‘not yet’? Are you working on a way off this island?”

“I can’t tell you that,” Felix said earnestly. “I’m sworn to tell only members of my own clan. But if you join us…Tess, I can show you.”

Tess’s heart sped up—was it really possible that this man she’d dreamed of, this gentle hero, was here to offer her a way home?

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly.