The Chase

37 Luca

Evie and I were listening as Josephine started to explain how Evie was the lynch pin to her plan. I could feel Evie, the storm was extra dark and conflicted inside her. Drawn to want to do the right thing, wanting to help Josephine. While also feeling the urge to run away, be small, hide away. “No.” My wolf taking over only enough to force the single word out of my mouth before he retreated back, leaving me to explain.

“No.” I said again, in my own voice. “She isn’t ready, she needs to recover, learn her magic.” I enveloped Evie in my arms. She was trembling as I held her. “Not right now, Josephine.” I watched the rail thin woman. She looked at Evie and something shifted. 

“No, of course.” She said, even though I could see her deflate. She would have dragged Evie to another battle to the death tonight if I didn't stop her from taking her plan any farther. “I only wanted to explain what I hoped some of her training could lead to.” A smooth lie to save face. Josephine arose from her perch. “I will leave you two to rest.” Her voice inflecting on the rest as though she had a feeling that wasn’t what we would be doing. 

After Josephine left, we took the time to change the sheets on the bed, gather up all the dirty laundry into a laundry bag and cleaned all the toys that had been used. Leaving them to decorate the bathroom as they dried. 

The afternoon sun was warm. We cracked a window to let some fresh air in, before deciding to finally walk to Melody's. The dragons were no longer guarding our door. I watched Evie as she shivered as we walked away from our temporary home, "I could feel the ward, it was like walking through a thin wall of ice cold jello." she offered as an explanation. 

It was strange and off-putting for my wolf and I to realize that we couldn't sense some magic in any way. The ward around our cabin was completely hidden from us. "Are you…" I paused, unsure if what I even wanted to ask, my thoughts suddenly all jumbled again. 

"It is still incredibly strange to have magic, to feel it around me," she turned her face, smiling up at me as our eyes met. "I'm glad I have you by my side to help navigate the shifty world." 

"Shifter" I corrected her with a smile as we walked hand on hand in the late afternoon sunshine. She smiled and waved her other hand at me uttering whatever under her breath. 

The rest of the walk to Melody's home was quiet, Evie rested her head against my arm. Brief moments like this, when we could just be a newly mated couple were a balm to my soul. I hoped she was finding our bond just as comforting. Especially knowing what she wanted to do next. 

We turned following a bend in the path. The clearing scented with lilacs and lavender in front of the old white home coming into view. Melody and Laurel were sitting on wicker chairs while children played nearby in the garden. 

Laurel turned, smiling as she waved us to come up to meet them. I watched as Evie took a deep breath, squared up her shoulders, ready to march forward like a solider to battle. 

Only for Ash to materialize not two steps in front of Evie. Evie failed her arms and screamed. Stumbling backwards. She would have landed on her behind in the road but I was there to catch her before she fell. 

"Oops, sorry." Ash said, sounding sincerely contrite. "Your magic and the protection from Jo make you hard to sense now. I didn't mean to pop in so close." Ash offered her hand, to help Evie stand again. I saw Evie freeze, looking towards her wrist. 

I watched Ash study Evie for a moment. Could see her eyes watch like she was an apex predator even my wolf was wary of. Only a second had passed, before Ash's gaze locked on a target. A moving one, that was circling up Evies arm, over her shoulders and neck to the other arm and round and round again. 

Evie was watching Ash now too, "You can see him?" she asked Ash no one had been able to see her familiar except me. My one view had been blurry and nearly transparent. Ash looked as though she could find the snake that guarded Evie easily and clearly. 

"I can now, tricky thing to find the right spell. Now Vi'Ja you are going to behave and leave my magic where it belongs right?" I saw Evie's eyes go impossibly wide before she took Ash's outstretched hand to get back to standing on her own feet. "Very well done, now come along I know we all have a lot to talk about."

I went to move to catch up to Evie and Ash, as Ash asked a million questions a minute. Linking her arm with Evie and dragging her along, when another hand reached from behind to rest on my shoulder. 

I turned and was face to face with Alexander. He immediately raised his hands up, showing he wasn't a threat. "Elijah shouldn't have turned on you, he's mated to my sister. I hope he would choose Lark over pack if he had to ever make that choice." I nodded unsure what else to do. 

I again turned to go after Evie, to be by her side. She needed me. "I don't have a right to offer you a home here, but I can put in a good word with Raven. Her and Melody have a fondness for taking in those in need." Alexander had a warm aura around him, I could easily sense he was a pure blooded alpha even if he had renounced leadership. Everyone had gossiped about the leading Luna but no one really talked much about Alexander, except to deride him for choosing his human but actually not human mate. Things were turning out to rarely be as they first appeared. 

I had gotten distracted in my head, Evie, Laurel, Ash, and Melody were all deep in conversation. I watched Alexander walk around to stand behind Melody, bending down to kiss her, interrupting the flow of conversation. 

Laurel was mid sentence, "Auris has theory regarding how you were able to release the lock on the collar, but he is refusing to tell us, saying it will be more fun if you figure it out for yourself." She said looking at Auris like she could compel her mate to reveal his secret theory.

Delia appeared from inside the house, Brydel right behind her. “Basalt is on Auris’s side for once, and not even Laurel can get him to talk so hopefully Evie and Luca can figure it out before the rest of us die from curiosity.” She smiled at Brydel who looked between Delia and Laurel like both were the source of all the light in his universe.

From the shadows, Damon also appeared, his smooth gait taking him directly to Laurel, where he managed to recline himself around her in the chair, stealing a kiss. “Some things are best figured out and not told darling.” Damon looked towards Evie and then me. 

Evie was frowning. “OK, well the stupid thing is off anyways, that was the important thing before. Now there is something else I need, I just need to do this.” She looked back at me, looking for support. She needed me and I had never felt more like I belonged somewhere than I did at her side. To be her strength when she needed.

“Evie needs to stake the vampire in Sarah’s body, she wont be able to have peace until she sees it ended.” I said plainly, as Evie slipped her hand in mind, her body against mine. Everyone paused and looked at each other, silent messages passing between everyone.

It was Ash who broke the tense silence. “Sarah’s mind was gone before she was turned, its essentially a pure demon, The Treaty wont recognize it as Sarah, wont conduct a trial or trust any testimony from it. Evie needs this, I say yes, let her have this.” Rhys was behind Ash, his hand on her shoulder. 

I saw everyone else nod, agreeing, Ash looked at Evie, making direct, focused eye contact. “Whenever you are ready, we can go and end it. We can take whomever you need for support.” I felt Evie in my head, she was rougher than a dragon, and louder.

CAN WE PLEASE JUST GO NOW? I WANT THIS DONE. She bellowed in my mind, making me wince. “Sorry.” She whispered slowly, barely loud enough to hear. Her eyes so sad there was no way I could tell her no. I nodded.

“I just need Luca, I want to go right now.” Evie's words were spoken so softly. I blinked, and the air around me grew still and frigid all around me.