Blood Ties

3

Courting Revenge
~
Cadence
~

Cadence's gaze didn't fall from Tristan's face once since he got up. They stalked like the eyes of an eagle scouring the skies for its meal in a circular motion.

She had been up since dawn and waited for the others to seep out of their slumber. Sleep hardly came over her throughout the night and it was the dead man's doing.

Cadence dared to check out the bite mark he placed on her. It was safe to say, this reignited her desire to stab him with a stake and watch as those undead eyes finally met their true meaning of dying.

The punctured holes left bruises and swelling. Tristan was right, she was weak. Not wanting to eye the mark any longer, the need to destroy the creator growing, Cadence had cleaned the wound and resealed it.

Soon enough, Tristan took a seat on a wooden chair and sipped his black coffee across from Cadence.

He offered her a boyish grin. "Yes, Cadence?"

Cadence's lips curled into a twisted smile, but it immediately fell. "I'm stronger today, not weak as I was. Do I need your permission to leave?"

A tickle of guilt taunted her from yesterday's altercation with her cousin, but Tristan had a big mouth and needed to learn when to shut it.

Tristan hid a teasing smile and placed his cup on the wooden table. "How's your neck?

A shudder passed through her. "Fine."

"You don't need my permission for shit, Cadence, I just needed you better from what happened yesterday," Tristan explained and went back to sipping his coffee.

Cadence clucked her tongue and took that as her queue, standing up. She already had her bag set, weapons ready and an overload of boldness in walking straight into a fire she didn't know she would come back from.

She knew, in the cogs of her battlefield thoughts that this could end with her being in a ditch. But it still stood, this dead man was locked away for a reason and had connections to the Fenris brothers and Alexene for a reason.

The huntress needed answers, but if Lycus preferred a fight, she would gladly give it to him.

"But I'm coming with you," Tristan announced.

Cadence gave a hard and confirming nod. "We're leaving soon, I'm not waiting around."

Before Cadence met the hallway, Erisa bumped into her.

Cadence steadied her friend by gripping her shoulders and ensuring she was on a solid surface before letting go. She bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted to see her. She had to say goodbye.

"Morning," Erisa yawned and covered her mouth. "Is your neck okay?"

Cadence nodded absently and ignored the sensation warming the side of her neck. "Me and Tristan are leaving for the Fenris pack,"

Every ounce of sleepiness in Erisa's face scorched away and her eyes pierced into Cadence. "But—but—Cadence what if something happens?"

Cadence shrugged. "I know the risks, I just wanted to tell you I'm leaving,"

Erisa stood still in place when Cadence slapped affectionately on the shoulder before turning on her heel. Her friend was hot on her heels when they strolled into the dining room together.

Frankie slipped into the house, carrying stacks of chopped wood. He offered kind smiles to the girls.

"Morning," Frankie greeted and placed the wood by the fireplace. "Are you sure about this, kid?"