The Atham Manor (Slow Updates)

Left Out

I was so tired that Warren had to carry me back into the house. The events of Valentine's Day were still fresh in my mind, still fresh in my body, and I felt like I'd be soaking wet down there from any little thing that the brothers did.

Henry had peeled off as soon as we got back. He insisted that he should make sure Kodman was actually found. If he was, he'd return for Warren so they could both take care of him. Or dispose of him since I'm sure there wouldn't be a trial for creating hundreds of strigoi and sending them out to kill vampires and humans alike.

The only upside is it was nice to see Calvin visibility relax. I could tell he enjoyed being able to kick his feet up and do nothing. He gave me a kiss and went to take a shower, leaving just me and Warren in my room.

Warren fell back on my bed, pulling his phone out of his jeans and sighing. "I guess I can tell Michael to come back. I sent him to find Kodman yesterday all the way out in Alaska, I'm sure he's freezing his ass off."

I curled my legs under me as I sat beside him and tried not to stare too heavily at the light happy trail peeking from his low-slung jeans. "Alaska?"

Warren typed lazily, nodding his head and then letting his arm fall limply as he looked at me. "Yeah. Nobody could find this motherfucker. Which means someone was hiding him, and I doubt it was nearby."

So we might be searching for two people.

"Do you think Henry's going far?"

"He might have to. He'll let us know." Warren sat up and then ran a hand through his messy black hair. "We're trying to retain everything strigoi related within territory lines, so I need everyone here if there's nothing out there to worry about."

"Right." I nodded. It was already difficult enough to rectify all of the strigois in Eastwood. A bunch of the oversized blood-thirsty monsters running rampant all over the US would be... almost impossible to fix. And there was already so much on their plate with overseeing vampiric laws being adhered to and also preparing for the Choosing Ceremony.

A ping came from Warren's phone and we both checked it before deflating. Nothing from Henry. It was just Michael confirming he was coming back to Eastwood. I slumped slightly, knowing at the very least Anika would be able to train again.

"OH MY GOD, ANIKA!"

I scrambled over to the other side of the bed where I left my phone, narrowly missing kneeing Warren in the head. He sat up with a bewildered expression while I quickly called my friend. After a few rings, Anika answered the phone. "Xania?"

"Oh my God, I'm such an awful friend! I totally forgot we were supposed to meet up on Valentine's Day morning so you could try to seduce Mi-" I stopped short, looking over my shoulder at Warren who had relaxed and went back to typing on his phone.

"Oh, that? You're okay, me and Jenn figured you'd forget. Or in her words, 'be too busy getting your guts rearranged to remember our meeting'. Which I assume is true as you're only calling the day after Valentine's Day." I could practically see Anika's sheepishly smiling face. "Besides, I backed out anyway."

"What, why?"

"Besides the fact he wasn't here? I just don't think it's that important. Maybe things will be different since I'm a hybrid. Maybe I won't have withdrawals or anything. Or go into heat. Or... I don't know."

"So you don't want to tell him?"

"I'd prefer not to," She says with a solemn sigh. "I just think it'll make things weird. Especially since he's probably got a lover. Why else would he be out and about on Valentine's Day?"