The Xoe Meyers Trilogy (Xoe Meyers Young Adult Fantasy/Horror Series) (47 page)

Maggie’s cronies gave me identical looks of amusement, and maybe a little bit of respect.

“You’re very likely going to regret that,” the young looking one said.

I shrugged. “You have no idea how often I hear that.”

With that, they both ran off after Maggie.

“Xoe!” Jason snapped. “You have no idea what it took me to ensure your safety from her. Now you’ve gone and put all of us in jeopardy.”

I sighed, feeling my last bits of anger leaking away. “I’m used to jeopardy,” I replied. “Jeopardy I can handle, but I’m not going to stand around and be talked down to by some random idiot, vampire or not.”

Jason stared at me, shocked by my attitude or my actions, I didn’t know. Probably both. Lucy had a similarly stunned expression on her face.

Chase grinned from ear to ear. At least someone found me amusing.

T
he car ride back was just as much fun as the art market. That's some more sarcasm there, if you didn't catch it.

Jason drove, I sat in the passenger seat, Lucy and Chase both sat in the back. The tension was palpable. Lucy and Chase were both being quiet. This argument was for Jason and I alone apparently.

“We need to go home,” Jason muttered, finally breaking the silence.

I stared at him a moment before answering. His jaw was set in a tight line, holding back a lot more emotion than he was showing. His fists were clenched on the steering wheel at ten and two. I knew he was only angry because he was worried, so I avoided my normal grumpy approach.

“We can't leave, we came here for a reason.”

Jason didn't respond, but Lucy did. “We can leave Xoe. Forming a pack isn't worth risking our lives.”

I sank down in my seat sullenly. “Who said anything about risking lives?”

Jason risked a glance at me to see if I was serious. I pointed out to the road to signal he should watch what he was doing. His reflexes were good enough that he could probably divide his attention without a hitch, but I didn't really want his attention on me at the moment.

“We risked our lives the moment we set foot in Utah,” Jason began. “We knew you'd be challenged, we just assumed it would be by werewolves. Now not only do half of them want you dead, but Maggie does too.”

I could pretend I wasn't afraid all I wanted. Heck, most the time it even worked. I have the uncanny ability to ignore fear until I actually believe that it isn't there. Though all it takes for me to be reminded is someone I trust telling me I'm acting like a crazy person. Jason knew all of this, and now it was his turn to bring me back to reality. We were armpit deep in alligators, and most of it was my fault. Now everyone wanted to give up and go home.

If we went back home, we'd continue to be in danger. At least being part of the werewolf community would add a certain threat to messing with us. It's one thing to take on something scary, knowing that if you kill it, nothing is going to come back to bite you. It's quite another thing to know that taking out the scary thing will only lead to the rest of the scary things coming after you. Yeah, we needed the pack. I'd rather risk our lives now, then have to look over our shoulders for the rest of them.

“We can't leave,” I announced.

“Xoe-” Jason began to argue.

I raised my hand. “No. I know I've screwed us five hundred ways to Sunday, but it doesn't change why we're here. We have to risk it if we ever want to feel safe.”

No one responded. That was agreement enough for me. We could all argue later, it didn't change the fact that we were staying, or at least I was.

We pulled up the the inn and parked. As we walked towards the entrance Jason stopped me.

“We'll be up in a minute,” he announced.

Lucy and Chase hesitated, but at a nod from me, they walked away.

Jason grabbed my other arm and turned me to face him. He stared at me until I gave him direct eye contact. My heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out through my throat. He was leaving. I knew it. I'd put him through too much, and he'd finally had enough.

He pulled me into a sudden and tight hug. “I can't have anything happen to you. You don't need to be part of this,” he whispered into my hair.

I pulled away from him and held him at arm's length. “Come again?”

He pulled me closer, so he could whisper and I'd still hear him. “Your friends will understand. Lucy, Max, and Lela can all find packs here. They'd need to move to other areas, but they would be safe.”

I shook my head. “Even if I were willing to leave them, I'm better off with a pack too.”

He touched the side of my face gently. “Why do you think that?”

I met his earnest blue eyes with as much weight as I could put in my gaze. He looked so worried. He just wanted to protect me and I wasn't letting him. I
couldn't
let him.

“You don't get it,” I explained. “I'm a rarity. You said it yourself, vampires would want to kill me just to taste my blood. Werewolves want to kill me because I'm a threat. We found out the hard way that witches want to kill me to see if they can steal part of what I am. I don't have a pack of demons to run to. If I don't do this, I'm alone.”

Jason shook his head. “You're not alone. I've been by myself for decades. We could leave together. I'll take care of you. No one can hunt you down, if no one can find us.”

“And when I get old, and you don't, and you leave me,” I muttered. “I'll be all alone. What will I do then? Make new ties and start looking over my shoulder again?”

Jason looked completely taken aback. “That's what you think?” he asked.

I shrugged and looked down. “That's what's logical.”

Jason put a hand under my chin and forced me to meet his eyes again. “You do realize, you might not even be mortal?”

I smiled bitterly. There was a small chance that I wasn't mortal, but I didn't really want it. I wanted to live and die with my friends and family. My dad was hoping for the small chance. He'll live forever if no one kills him. He doesn't want to watch his daughter die. Demons with a decent amount of human blood are pretty much a toss-up. Some of us aged and died like humans, some didn't

Really, I'd probably get killed off before I found out either way, so I hadn't put too much worry into it since I found out about that little chance.

“I probably am mortal,” I argued. “And it doesn't matter anyways. I'm not abandoning everyone.”

I tried to walk away, but Jason pulled me back. “You're still not listening Xoe. By taking this route, you're putting all of them in more danger than they have to be. They're in danger because they're associated with you.”

That stopped me cold. I hadn't thought of it like that. I was the freak of the bunch. As far as the entirety of the supernatural community was concerned, werewolves were a dime a dozen. I made us stand out. Standing out was not a good thing. He was right. Damn him, he was right.

I felt the realization slip across my face. “What will I tell them?” I asked.

Jason's mouth was set into a grim line. “The truth. I will never leave you Xoe. It's going to be okay.”

Chase chose that moment to come trotting back outside. His pace slowed as he saw our expressions. Jason's arms dropped and I pulled my arms in to hug myself. For the first time in months, I felt cold.

Chase took one look at me and turned to Jason. “What did you say to her?” he demanded.

Jason glared back at Chase. “She needed to understand. It's her decision to make.”

Chase stood closer to Jason, eye to eye. “The choice to run away?” he asked coldly.

“It would keep her safe,” Jason argued.

“It's
her
choice Jason,” Chase said sternly. “It doesn't matter what we think of it, or what we'd have her do differently.”

This had obviously been discussed beforehand without me. I wedged myself in between the two boys, facing Chase.

“I can't put everyone in danger anymore,” I explained.

Chase looked down at me coldly. “They're in danger anyhow. You know I was against this plan, but you were right at the start. It could save everyone. They want you saved too Xoe.”

“Wait,” I started. “Has
everyone
discussed this without me?”

Chase took a moment to read my face before he answered. “Everyone agrees that this is the best thing. You're not the only one that gets to do the protecting Xoe. Your friends want to protect you too.”

I hadn't considered that everyone else would be trying to protect me too. It wasn't just me taking care of everyone.

I had a thought. “So does Abel.”

Jason walked around me so he could see my face as well. “What?” he asked.

I smiled. “Abel offered me his protection. Technically I think that means he has to help with the vampire problem.”

“What are you talking about?” Chase asked.

“Abel offered me his protection earlier, and I accepted,” I explained. “The vampires aren't just going up against me, they're going up against Abel, and in effect, everyone he leads.”

“But what difference does that make?” Chase prodded. “Maggie could slip in and try to kill you and run before any help would come.”

I shook my head. “It's going to be a little difficult for her with werewolves hunting her down.”

Jason looked hopeful. “Do you believe Abel would do that?”

I shrugged. “He wants this to work. He won't hunt her down himself, but I'll bet you anything I hold dear that he'll order others to. Maggie might think twice when she sees that messing with us means being hunted by the masses.”

Chase smiled. Jason smiled. Why protect each other, when someone else would do it all for us?

W
hen we got back to the hotel room, Allison, Lela, and Max were still out doing werewolf activities, and my dad was waiting for us.

At the raised eyebrow he gave me as I entered the bedroom, I simply shrugged.

“Did you really have to light the vampire on fire?” He questioned.

“She had it coming,” I mumbled in response, surprised that he already knew.

My dad chuckled, shoving his blond hair out of his face that eerily resembled mine. “We’ve been working on your control for just this reason,” he lectured. “Have you been doing your exercises?”

My dad had taught me meditations to calm myself down when I was about to lose it. He made me practice them all the time, claiming that once they were like second nature to me, I’d do them automatically, and therefore wouldn’t lose control anymore.

“I’ve been a bit busy,” I replied.

Ignoring me, my dad turned his attention to Chase, who was still standing behind me near the door. “Chase?” my dad questioned. “Please make sure that she runs through her exercises every day.”

Chase sat in on most of my lessons, even though his demon powers were nothing like mine. He just seemed to enjoy watching for some reason.

Chase grimaced. “I’ll try.”

My dad raised his hand and I knew he was about to puff out on us. “Wait!” I exclaimed.

He lowered his hand back down.

“I have two questions. First, Abel mentioned something about me not really knowing my demon history. Second, Abel offered me his protection, and I don't really know what that fully entails.”

My dad raised his eyebrows again. “First Alexondra, neither of those are actual questions. Second, I am surprised at Abel's offer, but it could be highly advantageous if you're willing to swallow a little bit of pride.”

I smiled. “Well I already swallowed it and accepted, so tell me my advantages.”

My dad smiled back, his mouth a perfect mirror of my own. It really is freaky how many physical similarities we have.

“Well,” he explained. “The first advantage goes to me. I was going to arrange you some extra protection, but now Abel will obliged to do so instead. The rest of the advantages go to you. Once you publicly announce his
ownership
over you, anything that happens to you will be perceived as his fault. If you are hurt, it will be seen as the fault of his weaknesses, and not yours. A leader does not want to appear weak.”

“So,” I began, trying to put things together in my head. “I really gain a lot from this, and he stands to lose a lot. So why would he even offer?”

My dad sat back down on the bed to explain. “One reason could be that it will greatly improve your chances of forming a pack. If the other wolves see you cowed to their leader, they will not view you as such a threat. You will become a controlled element. Still, it is a big risk for him to take, which means he wants you under werewolf law very badly.”

I shrugged. “He told me he wants demons linked to his faction of wolves so that they'll be scarier than the other factions. People are made more wary where demons are involved.”

My dad steepled his fingers together in thought. “A very good point Xoe. So either he is a very good leader, risking a great deal for the continued safety of his people, or . . . ”

“Or . . . ” I prompted.

“Or he wants something else,” he finished.

My dad shrugged gracefully. “I will do my best to find out, but the point is, you've already agreed. The wheels are already in motion, so we must simply make the best of the situation.”

With that, my dad snapped his fingers, and was gone with a whoosh of fire and a poof of smoke. I realized he hadn't answered my question about demon history. I was willing to bet that he hadn't forgotten that I'd asked.

Chase moseyed a little closer to me. “Shall we?” he said with a sweep of his arm.

I eyed him suspiciously.

Chase raised his hands in an
I mean no harm
gesture. “Lessons? I just got a pretty good scolding for your lack of studying motivation.”

“Right now?” I groaned, then looked at Jason for help.

Jason shrugged, he looked like he was thinking way too hard about way too many things. “I’d say you need all the practice you can get.”

I gave my loving boyfriend what I imagined to be a truly terrifying glare.

Jason smiled in response. “Am I wrong?”

No, he was not wrong. I held onto my glare though. I turned to go into the other room with Chase when a motion from Jason stopped me. I signaled for Chase to go on and walked back to regard Jason.