Apprehended Ch. 31

Tony considered that. "I don't know much." He glanced around the library. "I'm pretty sure you can find what ya need here."

I shook my head. "We've gone through nearly every book in here. None have offered anything concrete. They're theories or tales. We need facts. Experience."

He chuckled lowly. "I'd say your mates are the perfect candidates. Why not ask em?"

I gave him a pointed look. "You think Gavin or Ethan would want to discuss demons? Or warlocks? In my condition?"

He paused...then nodded in agreement. "Alright, true, but I'm not more informed."

"You have to know more than we do," said Lily. She focused her stare on him and the light of the flames danced in her eyes, making them appear desperate and a little glassy, as if she were on the verge of tears.

It was enough to have poor Tony muttering a vile curse. "Now don't go givin' me that look there," he chastised, glancing between us.

"Please?" I pleaded, hoping that the uncertainty in my voice could be mistaken for emotional duress. It was a cheap shot, but we were desperate.

It worked.

Tony caved, his shoulders slumping and his body going lax. "Okay, fine. But don't tell them males of yers what we're up to. I'd really like to keep my balls."

A loud snort of laughter bubbled up my throat and exploded, causing Lily to follow. Eventually, Tony joined in too, until the three of us were in tears, doubling over in hysterical bouts of laughter.

"How'd you do that?"

I turned and caught sight of Ethan entering the library, staring at Tony with wide eyes. The laughter died and Tony cleared his throat.

"Do what?" he asked, attempting to compose himself.

Ethan stopped beside Tony's chair and pointed between Lily and I. "Get them to laugh. I haven't heard them happy in a while. What'd you do?"

Lily bit her lip and went silent. I simply waited for Tony to reply.

He shrugged and stood up, grabbing his duffel, and donning his coat. "We were just talkin'." He checked his watch. "Got to get movin', Dune. It's late and I have work to do in town."

Ethan eyed him oddly and folded his arms across his massive chest. "Alright. Took you long enough to leave."

Tony smiled and clapped Ethan's shoulder as he passed. "Don't you worry, Dom. I'll be back this weekend to grace yer presence once again."

Ethan groaned. "Why?"

Tony paused by the double doors, his hand hovering over a knob. "You know me, can't seem to keep myself away from Kin." He glanced at Lily and I and winked before he opened the door and headed out. "Bye, Dune. Lily. Annie."

Then, he was gone.

There was a momentary pause once he left, and Ethan clapped his hands together with a wide grin. "So," he said enthusiastically. "Let's go take a walk."

My jaw went slack. "I'm sorry-what?"

"A walk. You both need the air."

I looked out the window. "But it's dark," I pointed out.

"That's alright."

Lily appeared just as unwilling to leave the mansion. "Is Gavin okay with this?"

"It's my word, not his. Besides, this is good for you." He stared at our bare feet. "Get some shoes on and put on your coats. We'll be waiting in the foyer." He winked before he headed out, leaving us alone with the sounds of a crackling fire.

Lily's eyes were wide. "We're not going far right?"

I shrugged, feeling anxious and uncertain. "They won't do that."

We hesitated, staring at the doors where Ethan left.

I was the first to get up and it took a bit of coaxing to get Lily on the move. Eventually, we donned our boots and coats and headed downstairs slowly, unwilling to rush.

Ethan and Gavin were waiting for us.

Ethan smiled. "Hello beautiful females. You ready?"

We didn't answer. Instead, I asked, "Ethan?"

"Yes, petal?"

"We're not...you know...going far...are we?"

Gavin snorted. "No way. Just to grab some warm chocolate and grub."

Ethan walked over to me and zipped up my coat. "Does that sound good?" he asked, lightly tapping my chin. "You both can get whatever you want."

The very idea of leaving and heading into the dark had my eyes watering in trepidation. "Can't we make that here?" I asked, attempting to stay home.

Just as Gavin opened his mouth to reply, the front door opened, and a biting cold wind entered the foyer. A frosty, snow-covered figure emerged and slammed the door shut with a forceful kick. I took an instinctive step away as the figure inched closer, wearing boots, leather pants, and a heavy, black winter coat and hood to obscure any facial features.

"Where the fuck have you been?" asked Ethan, completely at ease. Apparently, he knew who it was.

The large figure shook off some snow and ripped off its hood, revealing a very tense Richen. The white powder across the material of his coat matched the silver glow of his hair, glistening and shining like diamonds despite the hard set of his jaw. "I went our for a walk," he grumbled, kicking off his boots. They collided into the wall with a loud thump.

"I can see that," said Ethan. "Where are you coming from? I didn't give you the night off so you can fucking saunter off without back-up."

Richen peeled off his coat and held it out to Garrett, who literally appeared out of nowhere to retrieve it. He bowed lowly and whisked away, always glad to be of service. "Nothing happened."

"Is that supposed to pacify me?" Ethan shot back. He approached Richen, his large body towering over the male. He jabbed a finger in Richen's face. "You don't leave without telling me. Especially after the coven incident. We have safety in numbers. Had you died, I wouldn't have known until one of us stumbled upon your goddamned body."

Richen bowed his head in submission, and I could see the stringent set of his shoulders that a word lashing, and command was not something he was okay with. But he had no choice. When Ethan decreed something, it was law. He nodded tersely, biting his tongue. Which was a smart move. When Ethan pulled an Alpha, he was more than merely a leader, he was intimidating and lethal. A deadly combination if he was disobeyed.

"I don't hear you," snapped Ethan. "Speak the fuck up."

"I heard you, Alpha," said Richen.

"Good. If I find you sneaking off again, I won't hesitate to banish you. That kind of insubordination gets people killed. I won't have you putting the rest of the clan at risk for whatever the fuck it is you're doing. Which, you will tell me once I get back."

Richen nodded once and waited a beat in the event Ethan wasn't done with his verbal assault.

"Get," spat Ethan, jerking his head to the stairs.

Richen stalked off, his foul mood seeping into the air like a toxic poison.

There was a tense moment of utter silence after he was gone before Gavin whistled under his breath. "What do you think he was doin?"

Ethan ran a hand over his face and sighed. "Fuck if I know. But he's going to tell me. I won't allow that shit in my house."

Another beat of quiet.

"So are we doing this?" Gavin went on. "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," grumbled Ethan, heading to the lower levels.

We followed quietly and descended the stairs. Ethan punched in the appropriate codes until we hit the garage.

"What beauty are we taking?" asked Gav.

Ethan pulled a set of keys from his back pocket and pressed a button on the fob. A sleek, black Mercedes flashed, and we headed to its parking spot.

"Sweet," said Gavin, clapping his hands together in excitement. "We're taking Tally."

For the first time since we met up with our mates, Lily and I made a face and turned to face him. "What?" I asked, confused.

"What is Tally?" asked Lily.

Gavin pointed to the luxury four door vehicle. "That's Tally."

I stared at the car, with its rich leather seats, and affluent interior. "Why do you always name your cars?" I asked.

Ethan opened the passenger door and beckoned me inside. "Because we have too many. No point in naming each car company to signify the car. We decided to simply name them."

Oh yeah. Of course. Because that was a logical, everyday explanation.

I plopped inside and was immediately bombarded with the smell of new car. Ethan buckled me in and Gavin and Lily rode in the backseat. It didn't take long for us to be on the move. Eventually, Gav convinced Ethan to turn on some music and we began cruising through the woods at a reasonable speed to thumping rap. The high beams were set, igniting the narrow path, and glistening fresh fallen snow. I watched the bare, skeletal trees pass in a blur, the landscape icy and dark.

Gavin shot the shit in the back, talking to Ethan about random stuff that I didn't really follow. I was anxious. I hadn't left the house since the Oracle incident, and I had no inclination to do so. However, Ethan and Gav looked at ease, which made me feel somewhat better. I kept glancing into the dark. Into the spaces that were perfect for concealing. If a supe-

"Hey, you okay?" asked Ethan, interrupting my thoughts.

I glanced at him. "Umm...yeah." My eyes shifted to the side mirror, and I caught a glimpse of Lily behind me, looking just as petrified and worried.

It made me feel sick.

"We're almost there," Ethan murmured, reaching out to grab my hand and squeeze it gently. "We're just going to sit down, relax, order some food and talk. That's it. You'll be fine. You'll be safe. I promise."

I already knew that Ethan wouldn't allow anything to hurt me. But it was scary, nonetheless. I remembered the helplessness inside the tent. I recalled the feeling of death and impending doom as I sat unwillingly in front of the Oracle, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was the same equivalent as stripping a person of everything that made them who they were...only to replace with the bad and the ugly.

I didn't think I could handle anymore of the wicked. I'd had my fucking fill, thank you very much.

"We're here," said Ethan, pulling into a parking spot.

I blinked, realizing that we were indeed in town, where several people milled about, drinking hot beverages, carrying shopping bags, socializing, or simply making their way home. Inside the restaurants and cafes, others ate and laughed, and it was apparent that the night was alive. Friday nights usually were. The weekend was promising, and work didn't arrive until Monday.

The car went quiet, and Ethan turned to stare at Lily and I. "What are you two craving?" he asked.

I didn't answer, assuming Lily would.

She didn't.

"Don't all answer at once," said Gavin.

There was a moment of silence.

Ethan reached out to brush a finger across my cheek. "Tell me what you want," he said lowly.

I shrugged, unsure. I wasn't hungry. I was too busy checking the shadows to make sure we weren't being watched.

He grabbed my chin and turned my head to focus on him. "There's nothing there, sweetheart. I would smell it. You're perfectly safe. I wouldn't have taken you outside if you weren't ready. You need this. Now stop worrying and think about what you want to eat." He pointed to a small café in front of us. "They have cinnamon rolls to die for." He jabbed another finger to the right, indicating a low-lying restaurant. "That's Italian. Best meatballs I've ever had."

I sighed and drummed my fingers absently against my thigh. "I don't know. Italian, I guess."

I expected him to push me further on the matter, but he accepted my choice and nodded once before exiting to open my door. Gavin did the same for Lily and I managed to notice them take a long look at their surroundings, sniffing the air as they moved to sense anything out of the ordinary.

Thankfully, they seemed satisfied and opened things up, leading us to the restaurant, where a small line had formed. The night was excessively frigid and I huddled into the warmth of my coat as puffs of white smoke emitted from my trembling lips. The street was filled with soft chatter, footsteps, low music, and occasional cars passing.

We didn't wait too long. Eventually, it was our turn, and we were greeted by an older gentleman, wearing a sleek tux and red bowtie. "Mr. Dune," he said, smiling. "It's good to see you. Do you have a reservation?"

Ethan returned the grin and approached the man, pulling him in for a handshake and clap on the shoulder. "Arthur. I'm doing well. Glad to see you. It's been awhile."

"Indeed it has, Sir."

"How's the wife?"

"Good, Sir. We're taking a vacation next month."

Ethan beamed. "A well deserved one no doubt. And no, I don't have a reservation. My lovely girl here wanted Italian so we're winging it."

The older man's wrinkled eyes focused on me, and his happiness was evident. "Wonderful," he said, offering me a hand in greeting. I shook it and he pulled me closer for inspection. "Ethan's never arrived with anyone other than his brothers. I'm delighted to see the change. What is your name, my dear?"

It was difficult not to like the old man. He was personable and warm, like the comfort of a warm fire. "I'm Annie," I said.

He chuckled and lightly patted my knuckles. "Lovely to meet you, Ms. Annie. I am Arthur Doluche. Proud owner of this establishment." He swept a frail arm towards the restaurant, proud of its charm and beauty.

I stared at the homey place, filled with warm golden lights, sweet symphonic Italian melody, delicious scents, and brick walls. "It's beautiful," I said, admiring the round tables draped in red.

His face ignited in obvious delight once more and he turned to offer me an arm. "This one's a keeper," he said to Ethan.� � � � � � � � � � � � �

Ethan laughed and followed as I wrapped my arm in Arthur's. He walked us through the large restaurant, naming people in old photographs that lined the brick walls in frames of various designs and sizes. They were his ancestors: the founder of the restaurant, and all that followed to make it what it was. He showed me pictures of his grandchildren and children, pridefully naming them even though there were too many to recollect.

When he was finished, he pointed to the kitchens, and showed us the large ovens where fresh baked pizza was cooked over a controlled flame. We moved through the process of spaghetti, linguine, fettucine, lasagna, meatballs and parmigiana. It was a joy to listen to him, to experience not only a new person in which to converse pleasantries, but a distraction that made me not only put my horrors on a backburner but forget entirely.

Eventually, Arthur guided us to a rather secluded booth located in the back of the restaurant, where the lighting was nothing more than a set of flickering candles, and the tables was covered in red satin. Here, familial pictures were forgotten, and were replaced with photographs of Italy in monochrome.

Arthur-who smelled of musk and food-waved a hand over the table setup and encouraged us to get comfortable. "Please sit, Ms. Annie. Allow us to serve you once you have finished browsing the menu." He stepped away with a twinkle in his eye and inclined his head before parting.

I looked at Ethan. "How did you know?" I asked, leaning in to whisper into his ear. Gavin and Lily were already looking over their menu.

Ethan grabbed his and browsed. "Know what?"

"That I needed this?"

He smiled. "Arthur has a way about him."

He certainly did. In fact, I no longer wanted to go back home. The atmosphere, the grins of genuine respect and happiness was like an eraser. It reminded me of a home. Nothing like ours, of course. But this was a close second. I assumed it had a lot to do with the restaurants gracious and welcoming owner.

I picked up my own menu and scanned the choices of food. There were a lot. I decided to speak while I went over my options. I kept my voice low. "How long have you known him?"

"A few years," said Ethan.

"And..." I hesitated, unsure if it was acceptable to ask such a question in public.

But Ethan already knew what I was going to inquire. "No. He doesn't know about us."

Somehow, that was a relief. It seemed that every being we encountered was aware of Ethan and his clan. It was alleviating to come across a sincere human who was unaffected by the laws of the supernatural. It reminded me of my ignorance before Ethan, when things like vampires, covens, wolves, and Oracles were bedtime stories. Sadly, I also felt envious of such blissful lack of knowledge. Life was simpler when I was unfamiliar. Though I couldn't imagine not having Ethan, I longed for what Arthur had: free reign without the possibility of luring an entity hellbent on murder.

"What are you having?" asked Ethan.

I zeroed in on chicken parmigiana and my mouth watered involuntarily. It seemed I was hungrier than I thought. "I think I want this," I replied, pointing.

Ethan glanced over with a small smile. "We can do that. You want anything else?"

I shook my head. "I don't know if I can stomach too much food. I don't want to get sick."

"We can order appetizers and you can nibble here and there if you want. Besides," he said, closing his menu to nudge Gavin's shoulder. "I'm starved. I can eat a horse."

Gavin chuffed and wiggled a long finger in the air with a smirk. "Speaking of; you won't believe the time I was forced to stay as my wolf for over a month, and I was so starved, I had to eat a fuckin' horse."

I swear, I think my face went green. Lily gasped in surprise and bit back a laugh.

Ethan smacked him in the back of the head. "They don't want to hear it, fucker."

"I do," said Lily, moving closer to her mate. "What happened?"

I groaned and turned away as he got a little comfortable and began his disgusting tale. Thankfully, Ethan shut him up with a threat and a growl. Lily was all giggles. I however, was on the verge of a puke fest.

A male waiter approached and interrupted Ethan's scolding, a red linen draped over his arm. He wore a crisp tuxedo, with sleek ivory hair and Caribbean blue eyes. I supposed he wasn't bad looking in a rugged sort of way. But I was too busy trying not to hurl all over the table. "Welcome to Doluche. My name is Max, and I will be your server tonight. May I interest you in a drink?"

Ethan cleared his throat and spoke up, blessedly ordering me a ginger ale. Then he went on to the food and by the time everyone made their choices, I was convinced we ordered everything on the fucking menu. When Max sauntered off and arrived a few minutes later with our drinks, I went for the ginger ale and nearly gulped down the entire glass. Ethan ordered three more-which was completely unnecessary- and we waited for our food to be prepared.

"Here," said Ethan, offering me a small pill. He placed it in my open palm and gave me a full glass of ale. "You'll feel better once you take it."

"I took my prenatal today already," I reminded him.

"It's the anti-nausea pill," he corrected.

I grudgingly swallowed it down and conversation resumed in low tones until the food was served. Ethan and Gavin continued to ease into random bouts of conversing, either joking or simply shooting the shit. Lily and I ate in pleasant comfortability. Though we didn't offer our input, it seemed that the atmosphere and company were healing in their own right. It was shockingly normal. Thankfully, dinner ended with the same easiness, and all too soon it was over.

We said our goodbyes to the lovely owner, and he insisted we come again. We left into the cold night air, as little sprinkles of white began to fall from above, creating a soft sheet of snow on the asphalt. My feet scrunched with every step, and I was reminded of hot chocolate, fuzzy socks, and warm sweaters.

At one point, on our walk through town, I glanced at our surroundings suspiciously, secretly awaiting an attack of some sort. Ethan reassured me that we were safe, but it wasn't enough to ease my inner tension. Normalcy was difficult to not only come by, but simply accept. I expected the absolute worst, and a simple dinner and walk had new connotations.