Out of Time (Collectors Cross-Over)

Chapter 12

Emily - Alternate

"What are you doing?" I realized Ian was talking to Brody P.

"I just got the strangest sensation that I needed to do this," Brody P. was holding the book I was familiar with, and held his hand over it. Suddenly, the words and pictures appeared, even though all we were doing was hanging out.

"Did your Nate and Emily just do something?" I turned so I could see the book.

"I guess so," he showed me, and I didn't think I liked it. "Seems there were some vampires claiming land and torturing humans. Nate ordered their deaths."

"I bet they hate that, huh?" Ian looked at the pictures, but wasn't really paying attention to the words.

"Yeah," Brody P. accepted the book back from me and threw it up to send it where ever it was it stayed. "She really wanted to get her hands dirty with stuff, and doesn't like the fact that there are other people who research things for them. She wants to help. I don't think he cares one way or the other."

"Not sure I'd like that either," Ian sat back. "Working with Emmie was exactly what I wanted to do. I'll be honest, at the time I asked Dad about doing something epic," he cringed a bit at the word he'd used back then, "I just wanted to get out of having my own territory one day. I was scared at the thought."

"Because your dad is the main alpha?" Brody P. leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah," Ian nodded. "Anyway, I could see how your Emily would want to go out and fight, or at the very least help with research for the cases. Who does that?"

"A girl named Lilac handles the initial round, then my girlfriend, Sam, weeds out from there," Brody P. explained. "I think Nate calls them both the gatekeeper. No one gets through if they don't give the ok."

I was half heartedly listening to them move the topic from what Brody P. and his group do to soccer and other guy things. We went demon hunting a few nights ago, did you get a crazy need to have my book?

I didn't have long to wait before Brody answered me. I did, then I totally forgot to ask you what happened. Not that I really needed it, because I had the book.

I smiled down at my phone. I missed him so much. We texted every night, and I realized my heart almost broke when I heard his voice coming from the phone when we were listening to the ritual to trace the Temporal demon.

Call me, Doll?

I stared at the screen now. I wanted to hear his voice, almost more than anything. Not more than I wanted to feel his arms around me, but at the moment, I'd take what I could get.

"What's wrong?" Ian leaned over.

We were all hanging out watching some movies. I'd ended up skipping out on the vampire hunting a few nights ago. Brody P. had taken up his normal place in the chair closest to Ian's room. I was on the couch, in the corner close to my room, and Ian was sitting beside me. He'd taken on a role almost of older, protective brother. Like I didn't have enough of those.

I wasn't even sure I could talk, so I showed my phone to Ian. "You should do it," he said then put an arm around my shoulders. "Stop being so damn brave for all of us, ok? I miss him too, and it's ok to lose it."

I nodded, then walked into our room. I laid down with my head on Brody's pillow and hit the number to call him.

As soon as I heard his voice, I cried. I couldn't help it, I missed him so much.

"Is there anything I can do to help you guys?" I wiped a tear away.

"No, Charles seems to have everything covered," Brody's voice was so soothing. I wished we could talk all night. "How are things there?"