The Chase

33 Luca

I had her back, thanks to Ash, Brydel, Sky, Delia and Auris I had Evie back. Physically appearing unharmed, I didn't need our bond to know her experiences today had damaged her. This would have been too much for anyone, yet there my mate was, still here. Letting me hold her, as everything that had happened kept washing over her.

She wasn't sleeping. I could feel her mind and pulse racing. I just wanted to support her. I didn't know what to do other than hold her. "Michi, Kaylen and Alicia..." She trailed off, asking about the triplets who so far seemed to have maybe been the best friends she had ever had.

No more lies. Auris had been filling me in by barging into my mind with information and pulling out just as quickly. Letting me know of the developments in the bigger world. Events I couldn't stop my mind from feeling responsible for. "All of Sarah's family that could be found were taken in to custody, the triplets included. They are not being mistreated, this has all become a more far reaching issue." Pausing, to steel my own nerves, "Sarah's father has not been apprehended and is suspected of working with the dark coven." I kept going. Trying to explain to her how all the shifter community were now suspicious of all cat shifters. That the dark coven we had been warned about were a problem not only for us personally, but everything. Just literally everything.

She listened, patiently, though I don't think much of what I said was truly setting into her mind. I could feel a familiar ache in her heart. She, was still worried about Sarah. Didn't know how to turn her heart off.

To save her from having to ask, I told her everything I knew. "Ash confirmed Sarah has become vampire. She is currently on ice." Literally. Ash had carved herself a private tomb in a glacier in Antarctica. Sarah was in a sealed safe that was just large enough to hold her. Two blood bags to ensure she stayed alive long enough for us to figure out what to do with her next.

"Brydel said she was dead, but her eyes were still hers..." Evie trailed off, she was stiff and still under my arms.

I nodded into the back of Evie's head, "Vampires, well many can hypnotize, not all are good or subtle at it. Without a delicate touch, a vampire can wipe away a person's self, leaving an autopilot zombie. Now that she is a vampire, a demon hides behind her face. Sarah isn't there any longer." I told her, remembering how being honest and direct had always seemed to calm her down before. Hoping it held true this time as well.

I felt her tremble in my arms and wasn't certain if it was fear or heart break or both this time. "We can't just leave her wherever Ash put her. If Sarah is gone then it needs to die. I can't live my life knowing her face could appear anytime." Evie was so still, "I need to see it, I'll never feel safe again unless I see that vampire and Rocket dead." I could feel how firm her resolve was.

"I don't think I could stop or overpower you if I wanted to. You and Ash could conquer the world." I said, holding her close, finally, feeling some of her muscles relax.

"I don't want to conquer anything. I just want a little life, with you." I could have sworn that I felt the ghostly touch of a snake skin move across my arm. "And my snake, he's jealous." She looked at something that must have been right in front of her nose, "and vain, now away for now." She flicked her arm and she felt, less. Like she was human.

"The snake has decided that I pass, I didn't die today, and he doesn't believe I will go insane or turn dark. I can keep my magic." She rolled to curl up into my chest, snuggling in, body going lax, I guessed while her magical beast whispered stories of the world he knew to her. "I'm only a little Pixie, was broken apart from magic, your bond woke the Fae in me." I felt a flood of gratitude, and love wash over me from her, before she sucked her feelings back. Trying to keep them secret.