Behind |First book in The Risen Saga|

Chapter eleven-Seth

They walked through the parking lot, Seth, a little bit ahead, Emma, right on his heals, and Ava and Tyson, side by side, not caring to hurry to catch up but only a few paces back.

Seth looked for a good car. None seemed to appeal to him but he picked out a black Chevy with tinted windows. Always tinted, he thought. Seth tried the handle, locked. He glanced back at Emma, who shook her head. He turned to Ava. "Bobby pin?" he asked. She sighed and slipped one out of her shirt pocket and then passed it to Seth.

While Seth got to work on the lock he was only half way there, the other half he was thinking. Ava was a girl that had potential, if she knew how to use her powers Seth may have been a little worried, but she didn't, so he wasn't. She had fire and spite but nothing that drew him to her. He couldn't imagine anyone but Emma with him, he never could.

He got done with the lock and opened the door, only to press the unlock button. While Ava and Tyson got in the back seat Seth grabbed Emma's wrist and dragged her to the passenger side. Seth opened the door and helped Emma in. After he slammed the door shut he went back around to get behind the wheel.

"At least the car doesn't smell anymore." Ava scoffed. Seth ignored her while he got to work on hot wiring the car.

"What, does Tyson smell now too?" Emma asked feigning fear and turning around in her seat. A smile tugged at the corner of Seth's mouth when he glanced back at Ava, who's face was set in a scowl and her arms were wrapped tightly around herself.

"Play nice ladies." Seth teased. Emma playfully smacked his shoulder when the car revved up. He couldn't help but smile then.

Seth drove the car towards uptown, glancing at Emma about every two minutes while Ava and Tyson visited in the back seat. He couldn't believe he got Emma back, he didn't deserve her. He knew about Ava before Emma had come back and he planned on killing her soon but then Emma had  shown up and she needed Ava so he held off.

But he would get Ava.

And he wanted to sooner rather than later so he had to help her.

"Do you have a phone I can use?" the voice startled Seth and he looked towards the source.

Ava.

He gave a sly grin and pulled one out of his pocket. "Say please," he said, waving it in front of her. She rolled her eyes and glanced at Emma who was staring out the window at the other stopped cars.

"Please." Ava answered, irritably. Seth nodded and handed it to her and got back to driving.

Spacing off once more.

Ava

I hated talking to Seth, much less asking him for something. Right then, I wished I hadn't left my phone in my truck.

I sat back in the seat pressing in a number I knew by heart.

"Mom?" I asked when the phone picked up.

"Ava?" her soft voice ringed through my ears, bringing back memories, "Oh, Ava, I thought you had forgotten about me! How have you been? Oh, what a nice surprise!" I smiled to myself, glancing at Tyson.

"Okay, Mom. I'm doing okay, as good as I can." I answered. 

"I'm so sorry, Ava. I-"

"No, Mom" I cut her off my eyes stinging with tears, "don't apologize, I don't blame you, I promise." She let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay, how you been?"

"You already asked that, Mom," I said. My mom, almost never was this awkward and forgetful but she was then.