Tangled

140 Ava: Lisa’s Gone

“Ava!”

Kellan’s familiar voice should bring hope, but all I feel is despair as I stare into the distance, wishing that vampire would reappear.

A thousand of them could come and it would be fine. As long as they bring Lisa back.

“Ava! Can you hear me?”

Kellan’s face swims in and out of focus, a hazy blur against the night sky. I squint, trying to bring him into clarity, but it ike trying to grasp smoke.

“They have Lisa,” I whisper, the words scraping my throat raw. “The vampire… He took her.”

Kellan’s eyes widen, a flicker of anguish passing over his features before he schools them into careful neutrality. But I can see the tension in his jaw, the rigidity of his shoulders. He’s barely holding it together.

“I know, Ava. We’ll get her back.” His voice is strained, distracted. Like his mind is a million miles away even

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140 Ava Lisa’s Gone

as he’s right here with me.

Strong arms scoop me up, cradling me against a broad chest. For a moment, I think it’s Kellan, but the scent is wrong. Earthy and unfamiliar, not the piney–leather smell I associate with him. I turn my head, blinking sluggishly at the face above me. It takes a moment for recognition to click into place. One of the guards from Lisa’s apartment. I can’t recall his name, but I

remember him standing sentry outside her door, stoic and watchful.

He carries me away from the carnage, away from the bodies strewn across the grass like broken dolls. I want to protest, to demand he put me down, but my limbs feel weighted, my tongue thick and useless in my

mouth.

Behind us, I can hear Kellan pacing, his footsteps heavy and agitated against the ground. He’s growling, the sound low and menacing, interspersed with words I can’t quite make out. But one stands out, sharp and clear amid the jumbled mess of my thoughts.

Mate.

He keeps saying it, over and over, like a mantra. Like a

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140 Ava: Lisa’s Gone

prayer.

I try to focus on him, to call out and ask what he means, but the world is tilting, spinning off its axis. Darkness creeps in at the edges of my vision, a black tide threatening to pull me under.

The last thing I see before unconsciousness claims me is Selene running in from the woodline, coming straight for me.

Ava!

***

The hospital ceiling greets me again when I open my Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

eyes.

getting

her warm weight against me. Someone must have let her

wouldn’t leave. Led them on a right merry chase around the garden. They call themselves wolves and can’t even catch a single dog.

down her fur, turning my head to the presence I can

side.

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Lisa’s Gone

Kellan.

hasn’t even noticed that I’m awake,

says, a whisper in my mind.

What?

That ma

a rare occurrence, but humans can be mates. He probably didn’t realize until he could smell her blood. It’s not uncommon. It’s a

How fascinating.

be furious

My heart sinks.

assures me, her voice strong and determined.

her yet?” I ask Kellan,

awake. How do you feel?”

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Ava Lisa’s

throat, I confirm that the skin is unblemished. “Nothing

odd burning in my chest, but I already know

what that is.

a half–bond. We have to get rid

don’t know much about vampires–but I know that being bonded with one is bad news.

Correct.

like I haven’t probably been poked and prodded by numerous nurses and

talk about what happened. “What about

information on her?”

head. “No. Nothing. You said a vampire took her?”

Silver hair. Red eyes. Kind

frustration. “It’s impossible to find a single vampire

description.“.

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Lisa’s Gone

gut. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see

not trying to make you feel bad, Ava.

Selene says. Their appearances are too similar.

his age,” Kellan continues, “but even that isn’t a guarantee

dye their hair?”

they dye their hair, but they also wear

thought. Vampires walking freely among the unsuspecting populace,

they’ve survived so long, Selene muses. Adaptation is necessary

been taken

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Ava: Lisa’s

us as nothing more than kittens to

do we find her?” I ask, trying to keep

have our

just a matter of picking up the right

Selene corrects, but I ignore her.

waiting for? Let’s go find

shoulder stops me. “Ava, you’re in no condition to go

insist, even as the room spins a little. “I can’t

right, Ava. You’re not fully recovered. Your body needs time. Your wounds are healed, but

exhaustion pulling