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.

better to

Lisa pipes up from behind

a yearning so intense it makes my

door, guilt twisting in my gut

find her rummaging through cabinets. "What are

11:30

280 Ava: Debrief

Ah.

so I grab that, flipping to an

across the paper and then turning to face the notebook in my direction. The

are traitors. Brought vampires to attack. Party

I lean in close to Lisa, my voice barely

page, her hand shaking slightly. When she turns the notebook back to me, I see POSITIVE!,

Damn.

for the names to 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?

peers. Why would

It doesn't make sense.

me to have

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

***

us to the conference room, leaving us alone and promising to bring Lisa's

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

must be one

a vampire, and I wonder if Sister Miriam's thralls are in a similar situation. It makes my

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