Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 280 Ava: Debrief

I can't help but laugh at Lisa's horrified expression. Her eyes are wide, her mouth hanging open in a perfect 'O' of shock. It's such a quintessentially Lisa reaction that, for a moment, I can almost forget everything we've been through.

We lapse into a comfortable silence, the kind only possible between best friends. It feels like old times, before vampires and shifters and mates complicated everything. I close my eyes, savoring the moment.

"I miss my parents."

Lisa's voice, small and fragile, shatters the peace. My eyes snap open to find her staring at her hands, twisting them in her lap.

"I'm sorry, Lisa. The cell phones aren't working right now. We can't—"

"I know," she sighs, her shoulders slumping. "Just wishing I could tell them I'm okay. They're worried sick, I'm sure."

I reach out, squeezing her hand. There's nothing I can say to make this better, so I don't try.

Suddenly, Lisa jerks upright. Her eyes, when they meet mine, are bright and intense. "Ava, Chloe and Mia... they're not very good people."

The abrupt change in topic throws me. "What? Who?"

Her gaze darts around the room, landing on the walls, the ceiling, the floor. "Are they listening?" she whispers, leaning in close. "The guards, I mean."

My face goes blank as I nod, careful to keep my expression neutral. "There's a place we can go to talk, if we need to."

Lisa's on her feet in an instant. "Can my friends come too?"

I blink, startled by her urgency. "Um... I guess so? We'd have to check—"

"Great," she interrupts, already heading for the door. "Let's go."

open the door, Kellan's there, his posture tense. I can see

room. Can

frowns, his gaze finally shifting to me. "It would be better to wait

from behind me.

so intense it makes my chest ache. I shut the door,

I find her rummaging through cabinets. "What are you

"Looking for paper."

Ah.

flipping to an empty page and handing Lisa the

rushes to the table, scribbling across the paper and then turning to face the notebook

The words are simple.

traitors. Brought vampires

dart to the door, heart pounding. I lean in close to Lisa, my voice barely

across the page, her hand shaking slightly. When she turns the notebook

Damn.

girls at the party, with their intrusive questions and their clear disdain for me.

And why?

were well-regarded among their peers. Why would

It doesn't make sense.

to

me snapping my mouth closed, teeth clicking with the force of it. I purse my lips in thought. "Or not. Okay. Why don't I see if I can figure out the

* * *

coffee, Kellan brings us to the conference room,

her since the party, shuddering as she talks about the vampire's visit to her cell and how it took forever until her cravings for him faded, and about

one