Tangled

Unshift 280

Unshift 280

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."

Bewildered, I follow her. When I open the door, Kellan's there, his posture tense. I can see the longing in his eyes as he looks past me to Lisa.

room. Can you escort

"It would be better to wait a few hours. Ryder's debriefing Dr.

from behind me.

her, filled with a yearning so intense it makes

my gut as his face disappears from

her rummaging through cabinets. "What are you doing?" "Looking for

11:30

280 Ava: Debrief

Ah.

grab that, flipping to an

it out of my hands, she rushes to the table, scribbling across the paper and then turning to face the

and Mia are traitors. Brought vampires to attack. Party

the door, heart pounding. I lean in close to Lisa, my voice barely above a whisper. "Are you

she turns the notebook

Damn.

click in my head. Lisa knew everyone's names more than I did, but I remember now the two girls at the party, with their intrusive questions and their clear disdain for me. I'd figured they had crushes on Lucas; I never would have guessed them to

traitors.

And why?

well-regarded among their peers. Why would they

It doesn't make sense.

to

clicking with the force of it. I purse my lips in thought. "Or not.

***

of coffee, Kellan brings us to the conference

her since the party, shuddering as she talks about the vampire's visit to her cell and how it

be one of

their minds can be so affected by their bond with a vampire, and I wonder if Sister Miriam's thralls are in a similar situation.

had refused to elaborate over the details of Lisa's rescue; of all people, I never expected the gnomes to