The Rules of the Red - 2014 Watty Award Winner |✓|

Chapter Nineteen - Part Two

instead? Logically, the ring can’t act on feelings that Eve doesn’t even know exists, right?”

“I think that sounds like a reasonable idea – provided Eve Arling actually agrees to it,” said a familiar voice, interjecting.

Claudia and I (so immersed in ourselves and the conversation that was going on between us) hadn’t noticed Tidus’ appearance at the door. He closed it behind him quietly and then took his place beside Claudia.

Tidus was looking the most casual I had ever seen him, in long basketball shorts, a wife-beater and a simple grey hoodie that was currently unzipped. And with his hood up and his IPod out, it looked as if he just come from a short jog. But I happened to know that Ripley was out in the country, and a good half hour’s ride from his property to Claudia’s.

In short, he must have jogged extremely fast.

“It’s more than worth a shot – trust me,” I said to Claudia, picking up where I had left off. “So, got any spells for memory-loss tucked away somewhere?”

Claudia gave Tidus an obvious look.

“Give me a sec and I’ll see if I can find something,” she said coldly, and walked from the room. Silently, Tidus and I listened to the sounds of her footsteps disappearing a short ways down the hall.

“All negativity aside,” I said, looking to Tidus. “There may be some good to come from all this. Because of the stunt that Ethan’s crazy ex decided to pull, a golden opportunity has just fallen into our laps.

“I’m listening,” Tidus replied, but with no change in his usual, cool demeanor.

“Eve wants revenge on Ethan, and the only way to do that it, is to get his father removed from the Leadership.”

“And you can do this?” he asked, with a single brow raised.

“Mathew Raines will be out of the picture soon,” I reassured. “It’s all just a matter of time.”

“Then that’s good news after all,” Tidus agreed.

“Yeah, but that still leaves us – me – with the problem of the Hunters. They’ve got some psychotic, jealous Vampire on the team – who I’m pretty sure has been stalking me – and, well, let’s just say I lost my temper and things got a little heated…”

Frustration began to bloom across Tidus’ features, and he placed his head in his hands with a sigh. He pushed his hands back and the hood of his jacket dropped, revealing blonde hair that had gone slightly wavy from sweat. An intense image of my fingers tangled in that hair the night of the house party flashed across my mind, and I felt my face grow warm with embarrassment.

“Naomi, you need to be more careful.” Tidus warned. “If you get yourself into too much trouble with the Hunters, you won’t have your Leadership to protect you. And especially not if they find out what we’re doing –”