The Hunter Beside Me

20: Butterflies

Lilla

When Becks insisted we all stayed at her home, I got the impression my sister's books weren't the only thing she'd like to keep an eye on. She seemed suspicious of us, and that made me leery of her. Trust had never been easy for me, but this arrangement had its benefits.

The evening sun shone brightly as I sat in the shade on Becks' porch surrounded by beautiful, undisturbed land, without another house in sight. The sound of cicadas filled the pine-scented air, and the warm breeze brushed my skin making me glad I'd traded my jeans for cotton shorts.

I should've been searching through the pile of books by my side for anything to improve our chances, but my chaotic thoughts wouldn't let me concentrate. Catriona was gone. Dust and bone... and blood.

The blood was unexpected. A reminder that she wasn't always a monster; she was human first. My sister, my teacher. I thought the hundreds of years spent hating each other would overshadow that connection, but as she fell, my heart broke for the girl she used to be and for the love we once shared.

A familiar set of thumps interrupted my thoughts, and I searched the tree line for Owen. He stood across the property, practicing with Becks. Well, not with Becks, more like in front of her.

She paced twenty feet from him with her hand resting on the knife at her waist. She didn't appear aggressive, but it was odd. Her trust issues seemed to rival mine.

Soon, Owen stopped and faced the road. A second later, I saw what he'd heard—Bash and Emory had returned, laughing as they pulled up. I was glad to see them getting along and made a mental note to be friendly with Emory. Bash needed someone to understand what he'd been through and still be here when Owen and I were gone.

It shouldn't be too hard to be nice to Emory. He was much more pleasant since his cousin allowed him to hunt. A peacock strut had replaced his grumpy demeanor. He exited the truck carrying the bags of dinner they'd ordered from Food and swaggered to the house.

Waving at Becks and Owen, Emory yelled, "Let's eat!"

They rushed past me, following the food, but I stayed seated. I wasn't all that hungry, and I needed to focus on the books.

Shutting the driver's door, Bash strolled over and sat on the step below mine, making us almost the same height. "I got you a sickeningly sweet iced tea," he said, handing me a giant cup with a grin.

It was his genuine smile, not the curved lips from earlier at Catriona's when he insisted he was fine. This one showcased the dimple on his left cheek and gave me butterflies even when it wasn't directed at me—a sensation I hadn't experienced for many years.

I would never have dreamed it possible, but Bash and his virtuous spirit brought out the good in me—the parts I thought had died with Cian and the rest of my coven.

Sipping the cold tea, I hummed in appreciation of the liquid candy. The fact that he brought it without my asking made it even sweeter. "Thank you, Bash." I tipped the straw toward him. "Want some?"

He cringed, making me giggle, and said, "No, thanks. That's all yours."

His phone beeped, and he leaned forward to slide it from his pocket. Smirking at the screen, he typed a message before turning to me. "I checked in with Nolan while we were waiting on the food."

"Oh, that's nice. Is he doing well?"

"Yeah. He and Lauren decided to do the long-distance thing when school starts, so he's happy." Bash stared at the trees for a while before murmuring, "He asked how I'm doing with everything."