Alone • Liam Dunbar

Thirty-Three

The setting sun acted as our clock.

We tried our best to move quickly, not wanting to risk any of the limited daylight we had left. We went to Hayden's first so she could get her things, then Liam's, and then finally the loft. Liam went up to pack a bag of my clothes for me upon arrival, while Hayden and I went to the locker unit I had. Every person in Derek's building had one at ground level, and the rooms were sizable enough to fit lots of bulky personal items and furniture, or in my case, Argent's SUV.

After La Iglesia, he never came back to town for it. He asked me to hold onto it until his inevitable return, so I stuffed it into storage along with my collection of weapons that had been collecting dust over the past couple of months. We couldn't take Hayden's car over the border, as her plates would be too easy to track. If Valerie noticed she was missing, she would look for us, and that might get her hurt.

Liam reenters the locker unit soon after leaving, one of my duffel bags in hand.

"We've got everything?" he says in a questioning tone.

I nod as I open the tail door of the SUV, motioning for him to toss my bag with his and Hayden's belongings.

The aforementioned girl rounds the vehicle at the sound of our voices, watching us with an apprehensive expression.

"You okay?" I ask.

"I need to stop at Sinema," she replies.

Liam and I exchange confused glances over her request, as this wasn't exactly the time to get clubbing.

"Why?" he inquires.

"I want to give my last paycheck to Val."

"Hayden-" I begin to decline, but she cuts me off.

"We have no idea how long we're gonna be gone or if I'll even make it. I need to leave her something. I'm all she has left," she says, her voice hardened with grief.

I flinch at her words, wishing this reality wasn't our own.

Hayden and her sister relied on each other for so long and this situation had done nothing but divide them. Valerie had no idea what was actually happening, completely unaware that Hayden was being stalked by masked century-old psychos that wanted her dead.

"Fine," I agree.

Liam's head faces me with acute speed, a sign of his shock.

"We'll be quick," I add, easing any potential disagreements.

Hayden nods gratefully and climbs back into the SUV, while Liam hesitates at my side. I give him a tired look, an unspoken way of telling him I didn't want to argue over a quick pit stop at Sinema. He seems to understand but still doesn't move.

"Did you speak to Argent?" he asks, revealing what kept him in place.

I shake my head, glancing at the SUV of the aforementioned man. I had tried to call him but every one of them went to voicemail. I left messages asking for his aid and explaining everything, but he had yet to respond.

"It's the same as it was when I was over there for the summer. He and the Calaveras are hunting Kate in dead zones," I explain, irritation peeking through my tone. Our luck was already running thin, and I didn't want to know what would happen when it completely dissipated.

Liam takes a step closer to me, reaching up to cradle my face momentarily.

"We'll figure it out," he says soothingly.

I lay my hand over his, brushing the surface of it with my thumb. His touch draws out my frustrations and allows me to wear a subtle smile. I pull away eventually, pushing lightly at his chest to make him chuckle.