When they were out of the main drinking area, where the nightclubs and bars were located, Lucas allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. Ema would be pleased. After weeks of failure, they were positive that they would receive exactly what they had been looking for. Astor followed the smell to a little, independent bookshop nestled in between a thrift store and a vegan café. Over the door was a sign that proclaimed ‘Bookmark Haven’ in finely chipped gold paint. Indeed, the bookstore was closed, and all the windows in it were blind, but Lucas was convinced the individuals were still alive in the building. He whispered to others surrounding him and said, “She is here.” “I can smell her, ” Mara was a tiny, black woman with short hair and a grinning mouth, and she rubbed her hands together. “Finally. I was starting to assume this little bitch had vanished into thin air. Dex, who was somewhat more restless and the youngest of the complete three after their judgments, approached th
Dex tried to cover it slightly, but Lucas saw his Adam’s apple bob up and down and saw the solitary bead of sweat that slid down the young man’s temple. There is no comfortable touch because Ema’s touch could be as horrifying as they are alluring. “What would you have us do next, my lady?” Lucas aimed this query at Ema, and it made her redirect her focus from Dex. Ema’s smile grew, displaying only a small portion of her fangs. “Nothing for now. You have done a terrific job, my trusty pets. Go home, eat, drink, and be merry. I need some time to appreciate and think about the next plan. The dismissal was plain. Lucas, Mara, and Dex got up, touching their heads to the floor, then turned their backs and walked to the door. It was at this juncture when Ema screamed for them again from the other side of the door as they neared the doorstep. “Oh, and Lucas? Don't tell anyone else about our discovery. I won't have anyone come in my way. Do we understand each other?” Lucas nodded thou
"I needed to be careful not to sprain my ankle on the tree roots," he thought to himself as he strode through the pitch black. The full moon, high in the sky, illuminated the scenery and carnick bars reaching across the thickets around the pack grounds, despite the darkness. A lone man paced anxiously in the middle of the forest, out of earshot and, more crucially, out of sight. Jake spun around and leaped into action as soon as the twig snapped in the pitch-blackness of night. He had reached his final objective at last. A tall, strong man—about six and a half feet tall, according to Jake—stepped out from behind the curtain. Shouting out a respectful "Beta," he kneeled on one knee. Taking a deep breath to steady his rushing thoughts, Elijah stepped outside into the soft moonlight. Elijah whispered, "Report Jake," and he gently yanked Jake to his feet. Jake could feel the jitters building in as he prepared to give out information that he was more than confident would generate
CHAPTER 73The miles rose from the car and each of them brought him closer to the change of everything in the face-to-face meeting. But while doubt and anxiety tried to overtake him, Elijah focused on one simple truth: This was where he was needed most specifically by his daughter. But this time around, he would not let her down. The drive to Rosa’s house felt like hours yet at the same time, the instant he finally came there, it appeared as if he was hardly traveling for any period. All the same, collected, Elijah chose a comfy position and halted it just in front of the doorstep of the little suburban home. The area was quite tranquil, which is exactly what Rosa had sought in a setting after she chose to turn her back on the life she used to live. With all the confidence he could gather, he took a deep breath came out of the car and walked towards the front entrance. Thanks to his strong sense of hearing, he could hear individuals moving around inside—steps, whispered t
Ema could hear the sunlight just barely crawling over the horizon; she sat up swiftly in her bed with an alarm in her chest. The events that she watched the previous day flashed in her mind and, with them, the passion of getting close to their goal was all she could think of. Amelia was strolling in another town now, and she could not proceed as she would; time had passed her by. She moved down towards the guard’s quarters. “Get up,” she whispered firmly, vigorously shaking the shoulders of her guards. ‘‘As a matter of fact, get on your feet and let us move’’. Grunts and grumbles rumbled from her rogues and they strained to sit up from the uncomfortable position they slept in. They had gone into an old barn and all night they spent sleeping on the musty straw and the boards of the barn that were starting to rot. As consciousness began to return, the feeling of the severity of their position along with them. Turning to scan their faces, Ema mentally checked her crew on bo
Ema and her rogues continued to move. There was a bridge in front of them, made of stone and somewhat old, but it was still intact—albeit barely. Grass grew down the sides, and some of the stones appeared to be partially removed. However, it had become their only opportunity. Then it was decided: "Astor, you go first," Ema said. "Don't completely trust any of the sides of the bridge until you've put your full weight on each one to see if they're going to collapse on you."He nodded, gently exiting the bridge, too scared to make much noise. The rest of them waited with held breath as he took a slow and careful step forward due to the sounds emanating from the structure. The bridge was halfway through when Astor stumbled on the stone, nearly falling into the wild waters below. 'Be careful,' Mara yelled, appearing much more serious than usual. Astor steadied himself and gave a shaky thumbs-up before continuing. He seemed to have been walking for a long time, but he eventually mad
Two days later, everyone has a fantastic story to tell. Both were quite packed; the city's clamor was alive as Ema and her rogues went through the streets of Seattle; because everyone was looking for a group, they were able to find their way into the city on their own.The fragrance of coffee and rain reigned, in stark contrast to the dusty roads and wild woodlands they had left behind to reach this urban savannah. Ema's eyes shifted from one face to the other. They had blended in with the locals until now, but she realized they couldn't continue. "There it is," Lucas said softly, pointing to a small business with a colonial appearance across the street. Ema felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw the sign for the bookshop where their target was now working. The windows exhibited books in sealed transparent cases, and a handpainted poster read: Come in and get lost in a fantastic novel. Ema felt horrible about what was going to happen next at the shop because Amelia was i
The world did not suddenly come into focus for Amelia, who was distracted by a pounding headache and a veil over her eyes. When she regained consciousness, the first thing she remembered was the turmoil that had broken out at her bookstore. She began rubbing her eyes constantly in an attempt to clear her mind and comprehend what was going on. "Easy," Jake said. "You're safe now." Amelia whipped her head around to look at Max, who was now driving a car, hands clenched on the steering wheel, eyes continually changing between the way ahead and the mirror. Everything that happened at the bookshop flooded my mind: Ema and her rogues fighting, weird people attacking them. Her breathing quickened as the weak signal triggered a panic attack. What do you mean? What happened? Where do we go? She inquired in a croaky voice. Max's hands gripped around the steering wheel. "We are transporting you away from Seattle. It's no longer safe there. Those who attacked the shop weren't on Ema's team