The Dark Twin|1|✔️

ii.

Atlas||

I hear Ric say, "We'll be back as soon as we can."

I smirk, knowing he's talking about me and Hope. We head toward Ric's Jeep—and someone's under it.

Hope calls out, "Hello?"

The person slides out. It's him.

I grin. "Wolf-boy."

Hope throws me an unamused look. "His name is Rafael."

I roll my eyes. "What are you doing, Rafael?"

He wipes his hands on his jeans. "Adjusting the sway bar."

I frown. "Was it broken?"

Snap.

He winces. "Now it is. You're going after Landon. If you want this car to work, I'm going with you."

I narrow my eyes. "Watch your tongue, wolf-boy."

Hope steps forward. "You should stay out of it. He's a liar and a thief."

Rafael shrugs. "He took a stupid knife."

"There's nothing 'stupid' about anything in this school," I snap. "And he took something else."

Hope looks over. "What did he take, Atlas?"

I grit my teeth. "One of my godfather's only journals. Caroline let the school keep it as a reminder of who he was."

Rafael scoffs. "Okay, so? It's just a book. There's nothing special about it."

I growl low in my throat, stepping closer. "Just because you didn't hear about him doesn't make it stupid. My godfather was Stefan Salvatore. He died to save this town—and me. So shut your mouth, or I'll rip your throat out with my teeth."

My eyes glow with rage. I feel the burn of my anchor—Stefan Salvatore. My godfather.

Rafael doesn't even flinch. "Look. He's my best friend. And you?" He looks at me like he's trying to figure me out. "You look like you want to kill."

I snarl. Hope steps between us.

"Let me show you something," she says. "Close your eyes."

She gives him a vision—what she and Josie saw last night. When it ends, Rafael staggers back.

"What the hell was that?" he mutters.

I cross my arms. "Your best friend did that. A whole bus full of people on Route 29. We're the only ones who know how to find him. So give her the engine thingy."

"No," he says.

Hope raises a brow. "I have actual magic powers."

"And I have a long history of anger issues," Rafael shoots back.

"And I could kill you," I snarl, "for talking to my twin like that."

Ric suddenly walks up. "He can come."

Hope and I, in unison: "What?!"

Ric says, "He knows Landon. He'll be an asset. We need all the help we can get. So fix the car and hop in. And put a shirt on."

We drive out to the stretch of road where the bus incident happened. The moment we get out, Hope mutters, "I don't know why he's still out here. He had a whole day's lead on us."

I wrap an arm around her side. "He could be anywhere."

Rafael adds, "Maybe 'cause he doesn't have a reason to run."