Crimson Dahlia (14 page)

Ramsey
and Lila tumbled through the door in their haste. But the second they were
inside, Lila let out a horrified gasp and instinctively moved into a defensive
crouch. Ramsey jumped in front of her, ready to hurl the ball of flame already
formed in his hand.

"Show
yourself!" Lila demanded.

"Don't
shoot," a timid voice called from the direction of the kitchen.

Immediately
Lila stood up and Ramsey’s flames subsided.  "Delia?" Lila asked.

"Is
it safe to come out?" Adelaide asked.

"Yeah.
Come on out," Ramsey called.

Lila
ran to her sister and gave her a giant hug. "Don't get me wrong. I'm
thrilled to see you… but what are you doing here?"

Adelaide
looked at her with a combination of desperation and sadness. "We need to
talk…
I
need to talk. I need your advice."

Lila
had never seen Adelaide so frazzled. Her normally serene sister's emotions were
clearly all over the place.

"Of
course. I'm always here for you." Lila gave Ramsey a meaningful look, and
he nodded his understanding.

"I'll
leave you two girls alone," he said and headed upstairs.

Lila
grabbed Adelaide by the hand and led her to the couch. "Okay, Delia. Talk
to me," she said once they were settled.

Adelaide
was quiet for a little while. She opened her mouth a couple of times as if she
wanted to say something but couldn't get the words out. Lila waited patiently,
trying not to pressure her sister into talking before she was ready.

"I'm
really worried that I’m losing Nate," Adelaide finally said.

Lila
sat back, shock written across her face. Whatever she'd thought Adelaide would
say, it hadn't been that. "Okay," she said in as matter-of-fact a
voice as she could muster. "Tell me why."

The
look of relief and gratefulness passed over Adelaide's face. "I knew you
wouldn't judge me or blow off my fears."

"You've
never been one to worry without cause. So, of course, I'm going to take you
seriously." She reached out and gave Adelaide's hand a squeeze.

"I
think it started when Talia woke up," Adelaide began. "The only
person she’ll allow near her is Nate. And sometimes Griffin."

"And
this bothers you?" Lila asked.

Adelaide
shook her head. "Not really. I was happy Nate was able to help. But then
he started… acting funny. At first, it was small things. He’d miss dinner, or
he'd miss a day of class…."

Lila
could feel the waves of despair radiating from her sister. She looked down and
noticed that Adelaide’s hands were shaking, and Lila’s stomach clenched.

"He's
just not…
there
for me anymore. He’s just not there. Period. He’s never
around." Adelaide finished. She looked at Lila. "Do you know what I
mean?"

"I
think I'm getting an idea. Like he wasn't around when the telepathy hit
you," Lila said.

"You
noticed?" Adelaide asked.

Lila
tipped her head to the side. "Only because Nate is usually somewhere close
by you. And that's when nothing big is going on."

"Yeah.
Well… I was pretty upset about that. But then Nate came to my room later and
apologized."

"And
that made you feel better, until…" Lila trailed off.

Adelaide
bit her lip. “Until he kept asking about where you were.”

Lila
frowned. "I don't get it… Why is that a bad thing?"

Adelaide
shrugged. "I don't know," she mumbled. Her eyes glittered with unshed
tears. "The first time he asked, there was just something about the
way
he asked it. I told him I didn't know where you were, and he let it go. But
since then… he's asked a few more times. And it's not a, ‘I'm so concerned
about what happens to Lila’ kind of asking. It's more like there is something
weird
behind it."

"But
you tell each other everything."

"Not
anymore." Adelaide looked up at Lila. "Do you think…" She gulped
and cast her gaze downward. "Do you think I'm just being jealous?"

Lila
shook her head. "No way. You're not the type. There's not a jealous bone
in your body. Especially when it comes to Nate."

Adelaide
sighed. "I thought so too. Only I don't know what to think about what's
been going on with him lately."

"I
hate to ask this, but—" Lila hesitated.

"Have
I checked our relationship lately?" Adelaide finished. "I'm ashamed
to say I have. We are still
te’sorthene
.”

"You
don't need to be ashamed about that. I'm sure you tried to talk to him first.
And I'm sure you're relieved to know that bond is still there. But you're still
worried, aren’t you?"

"Something's
wrong. Something’s…
off
with him. And I don't know what to do."

Lila
took Adelaide’s hand in hers. "Trust your instincts. If you think
something is wrong, then something is wrong."

Adelaide
took a deep breath. "You think so?"

"I
know so."

"So
what do I do now?" Adelaide asked.

Lila
considered the options. "Has Mom said she feels anything bad coming?"

Adelaide
shook her head. "No…but with everything going on lately, her radar has
been going a little bit crazy. She gets all sorts of feelings on a daily basis.
She says it's hard to filter."

"I
have a few ideas, but I think we also need a man's opinion. Would you mind if
we brought Ramsey in on this?"

Adelaide
looked surprised but nodded her agreement. Lila stood and ran up the stairs.
She knocked on Ramsey's door and waited for him to open it.

“Hi,”
he said in his deep voice. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and she knew he
was happy to see her.

She
took a deep breath. "Adelaide and I need your help."

He
raised his eyebrows and moved to follow her downstairs without question, but
Lila placed her hand on his chest. “Just a sec, first I want to run something
by you.” She quickly filled him in on everything Adelaide had told her, and
then she told him her idea.

“She
won’t like it,” Ramsey said.

“I
know. But it won’t be on her conscience. And I think that’ll be more
important.”

“
I
don’t like it.” He crossed his arms. “It’s too dangerous.”

“We’ll
take every precaution you feel is necessary,” she assured him.

Ramsey’s
jaw clenched. “You’re determined to do this, aren’t you?”

Lila
shrugged, but nodded. “She’s my sister.”

“Okay.
Then I’m with you.”

“Thank
you,” she murmured. She had the strongest urge to throw her arms around his
neck and give him a kiss.

“I’ve
filled Ramsey in,” Lila told Adelaide as she and Ramsey entered the room.

Adelaide
looked at him. “So what do you think?”

“I
think you should tell him where Lila is,” he replied.

Adelaide
frowned, confused. “So you’re telling me to trust him?”

“It’s
not him we’re worried about really, and we’re telling you to trust us,” Lila
said. She sat back down next to Adelaide. “Can you do that?”

Adelaide
looked back and forth between Ramsey and Lila, a myriad of questions in her
eyes. Lila could tell that Adelaide sort of suspected what they were up to. But
if she could save her sister even a smidgeon of the guilt she might feel, Lila
intended to do that. So she said nothing.

After
a moment, Adelaide took a deep breath. “Yes. I trust you. So I’ll just go home
and tell Nate about this house?”

“Yup.
And try to forget about your worries, okay?” Lila said. “We’ll know eventually,
either way. And until then, hold onto your faith in the relationship you can
still see.”

Adelaide
bit her lip, tears brimming again. But she sucked in another breath and
steadied herself. “Okay.”

Adelaide
used her cell phone to call Charlotte to come get her. Then the sisters
embraced. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered,” Lila said.

“I
love you,” Adelaide whispered.

“
Ma
petite chou
,” Lila quipped. A little joke from their childhood in France.

Charlotte
appeared, and after another quick round of hugs, they were gone.

Ramsey
looked over at Lila. She was staring at the spot where her sister had just been
standing, worry shadowing her eyes.

“We’d
better move fast,” he said. “Because if your suspicions are right, they’re all
in terrible danger. And now, so are we.”

“How
long do you think you will be gone?” Xavier asked Selene as she stood before
the High Council.

“A
few days at most,” she assured them.

“And
will your
te’sorthene
be joining you?” one of the other elders asked.

Selene’s
expression remained coolly collected. Not a twitch of a muscle belied her
irritation, but the entire room felt her displeasure nonetheless. After a brief
pause she said, “
Griffin
… and Ellie both will be joining me. As will
Ellie’s
te’sorthene
, Alex Jenner.”

“Do
you feel it wise to remove four of our strongest fighters from the castle at
this time?” Xavier asked.

He
was always the loudest dissenter among her Council, but at least his heart was
in the right place when it came to the Vyusher. Selene ignored the fact that
her friends were conveniently labeled “our fighters” when it came down to
self-preservation, and yet were still seen as outsiders in so many other ways.
Not the least of which was the refusal of her people to accept Griffin.

"I
do, My Lord. The potential benefit that could be gained by these few days of
absence is well worth the risk. There are still many Vyusher strong enough to
defend this castle, you included."

"I
must insist that you update us daily, if not more often," Xavier said.

"I
apologize, but the success of this endeavor depends on its secrecy. I will
check in when I feel it is safe to do so. But I cannot guarantee any regular
communication," Selene replied.

She
paused for more questions, but none came. She knew that if she waited long
enough, every once in a while something would eventually come up. And if she
didn't wait, whatever they’d stayed silent about would inevitably come back to
haunt her later.

After
several minutes of uncomfortable silence, she said, "I thank you for your
time, Council members. I will be in touch as I can. Otherwise, I will see you
upon my return."

As
Selene made her way back to her chambers where Griffin waited for her, she was
detained by a Vyusher named Jessica.

"I
hope you don't take this the wrong way," Jessica said to her, "but I
saw that Griffin guy go into your room."

Selene
remained silent, although she wondered what the girl’s point was.

"I
hope you're not sleeping with him,” Jessica continued.

Selene
raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Forgive me, but that's really none of
your business…I hardly even know you."

"Forgive
me
. But it absolutely is my business. You are my Queen, and as such your
life is open to my scrutiny."

"Fair
enough," Selene said with a slight bow of her head. "May I ask what
it is that you object to?"

A
pair of serious brown eyes regarded her for a moment. "I know you think
that I will say that it's his not being a wolf. And that’s partly true. You
know our pack mind, and he needs to be able to experience that to know us
through and through. How can he rule at your side if he doesn't know us
intimately?”

Selene
tipped her head to the side. "But that's not your main objection?"

"My
main objection is that you are unmarried. You have not declared yourselves to
be in a permanent relationship in front of this pack. What kind of example does
it set for our young wolves, me included? As our Queen, you need to set a
higher standard by your own actions."

Selene
stared at the young girl for a moment. "Thank you for being so honest with
me, Jessica. I assure you I will very much take in consideration what you have
said today."

They
parted ways, and Selene continued on to her room. As she entered, Griffin met
her at the door.

"Did
you hear?" she asked him.

"Which
part? With the High Council, or just now?"

"Both."

Griffin
nodded. "You did well with the Council members, as always. They certainly
never would've let you get away with this a year ago. Which proves that their
trust in you is growing and your power growing with it."

Selene
felt her shoulders drop as just a small amount of tension left her body.
"I'm glad you said that. It backs up what I've been thinking for a little
while now. And your thoughts on my hallway conversation?"

Griffin
considered his words for a moment. "I have to say that I agree with her. I
hadn't thought about perceptions, and those are equally important, if not more
so, given the lack of acceptance we’re also dealing with."

Selene
sighed. "I thought you might say that. Darn it." She grinned and took
his hand. "Thank you for understanding."

"I
also thought what she said about my not being a wolf was relevant,"
Griffin continued.

Selene
made a face. "But there's nothing we can do about that. And I am not
walking away from my
te’sorthene
.”

"And
I will never leave you," he said.

Selene
let out a deep breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Leaving her
for the sake of her people was something Griffin just might do. Especially if
he thought it was best for her.

"But
that doesn't make her statement any less true," he added.

Selene
looked at him, sadness in her eyes. "I know," she said softly.

“And
if I need to remain permanently in your background…”

Selene’s
lips thinned. “What? Just good friends? Uh-uh. No way.”

"Come'
ere," Griffin said. He pulled her into his body and wrapped his strong
arms around her.
“I can't take the weight of her crown off her, but I hope I
at least help,”
his voice sounded in Selene’s mind.

"You
do help. More than you know," she said.

Griffin
pulled back from her, a frown on his face. "Why did you just say
that?"

"Well…
you just let me hear your thoughts."

Griffin
shook his head. "No, I didn't."

"Are
you projecting your thoughts into my mind?"

"Nope."
Griffin grinned. “
Can you hear this?”

Now
Selene chuckled. “
Hear it. Understand it. Am able to respond to it.”

“Well,
I guess you got telepathy from Ellie.”
Griffin picked up Selene and spun her
around the room. "Now we can talk to each other anytime we want,” he said,
and gently set her back down.

"We
already do that, you nut," Selene reminded him.

"But
only when I deliberately put my thoughts in your mind or am actively listening
to you. Now if you need me, you’ll be able to reach me or hear me anytime.”

"And
that makes you happy?" she asked.

"Absolutely.
Plus, it'll be really…
nice
… once we do get around to sharing a bed.”
Griffin cocked an eyebrow.

Selene
laughed and gave him a little slap on his arm. It was either that or melt in a
puddle at his feet.

"But
really, it's a bit of a relief,” Griffin continued, more seriously. “I have
this incredible urge to protect you from anything that may ever try to harm
you."

Selene
looked at him, her adoration shining clearly from her gray eyes. "Have I
told you lately how much I love you?"

"Only
every day," he replied in a low, intimate voice. He reached out and
wrapped a strong arm around her tiny waist, pulling her closer.