Once Bitten (An Anya Maynard Novel)

Chapter Twenty

“Me?” I asked anxiously, “Why me?”

“He must have told them,” Jess thought out loud, “Brad must have called his father…with the bad blood between Connor and Aaron…”

“No,” Steve said as he held up a hand. “I don’t think this has anything to do with last night’s events,” he shook his head, “even Brad wouldn’t be stupid enough to tell his father about stealing Anya.”

“Stole me?”

“He knew you belonged to me,” Connor said as he looked down to me, “I told him as much Halloween night.”

“Half breed or not, you’re still a Pure One Anya. If Brad told his father how…how he shot you after stealing you from his brother unrightfully, it’d be his own head for injuring one with regal blood.” Steve paused and grimaced, “shit, I think I know why they’re coming.”

“Um…hello?” Maddie said sarcastically, “So do I, I was there.”

All eyes turned on her, waiting.

“Being the suck up you are to the Browns I’m sure you called when Anya came to town right Steve?” He nodded, “and you,” she said to Connor, “Did you not just clean out her room, telling your landlady she’d be staying with you from now on?”

I looked up to him with a questioning gaze, he shrugged and smiled, “well I…I thought since we’re…”

“Mated, yeah, I’m sure she doesn’t mind, but it’s still polite to ask first Connor,” Maddie grumbled, “But anyway, they’re coming to check her out, that’s all.”

“And how exactly do you know all this Maddie?” Steve asked doubtfully.

She shot him an annoyed look. “I’m not making this up. When you threw me out earlier I got pissed and went looking for Pete so I could chill out,” I wasn’t sure which was more surprising to find out, that Pete knew about Maddie, or that Maddie, a nymph, got high. “I saw his car at the dinner, which by the way someone forgot to call him and let him know the diner was going to be closed, but before we could…well…I saw the Range Rover leaving the boarding house, heading in this direction,” she shrugged, “I just put two and two together since they’ve been out of town for so long.”

“I thought you and Pete broke up?” Jess asked Maddie.

What an odd question to ask at a time like this, well, not really odd. Again, it was the normalcy of the question that seemed out of place.

Maddie shrugged, “for a minute, but the sex is great so-”

“Maddie,” Steve cut her off, “not now, not…” he frowned, “ever, please. I am still your brother.”

“Who could use a piece himself, man, when’s the last time you got any? What, you and Connor having a celibacy contest or-”

“Maddie,” Steve said through clenched teeth.

“Alright, alright, I get it, bigger things to worry about right now.”

“How far off are they?” Connor asked Maddie over my head.

“Maybe ten minutes,” she said as she threw her palm up, “I tried to bury the road a little better but-”

“Bury?” I asked, not getting it.

Maddie gave me an irritated look and held up a glowing hand, “magic remember? I filled Connor’s tire tracks back in so the drive would be a little harder to navigate.”

“Not in that thing,” Steve said shaking his head, “it’s why they bought the Rover in the first place.” He ran his hand through his hair and looked to Connor, “guess it’s time for introductions then,” he said with a sigh.