Page 108 of A Monstrous World: The Complete Series

The vampire stares me down over the old dining table.

I don’t falter.

Okay, fine.

After thirty-three seconds of unfettered eye contact, technically, I am the first to look away, but only because he literally doesn’t have to blink...ever.

“Why would any council appoint anyone a vessel?” I muse mostly to myself, but I speak aloud, in case the vampire wants to help shine some light on this ridiculous situation. It’s an archaic and outdated custom that hasn’t been widely accepted for hundreds of years.

“You’re not just a blood witch. You have demon blood,” Echo says, his eyebrows rising. I don’t know what look that is on his stupidly handsome face, but it seems very serious. It would be nice if I knew what the hell it meant.

His brows pull together as his thick lips turn down into a frown. Possibly, he thinks I’m slow on the uptake, or it could be his general state of being is that of a stuck-up asshat.

Actually, it’s more than likely that both are true.

“Okay, well, great chat.” I stand to indicate this little meeting is over. My arm awkwardly swings toward the door to confirm it’s time for him to go.

The smug bastard simply arches an eyebrow at me. “What part of your full-time security confused you, baby darkling?”

I can’t even with this guy.

I snort. It’s a very unladylike sound that I should be embarrassed about, but I can’t bring myself to care.

This place is strange.

Spinning around, I head for the stairs that lead to the small bedroom.

“You’ve got an appointment to meet the council in less than two hours.”

“Do not follow me,” I call over my shoulder.

Sneaking out of the apartment is easier than I expect. I use the back stairs that head directly into the heart of the club and, thus far, I’m good.

I grab my phone out of my dress pocket and dial Shelby.

I need directions to wherever she is. She opened a small shop somewhere here in North Falls, and I need to see a friendly face right now.

She chuckles through the entire conversation, but gives me easy-to-follow directions.

We disconnect as I hit the main street. I’m fairly sure I can find my way from here.

Most sanctuary cities are on the smaller side. This place is no exception. It’s clearly a decent-sized town, but it’s no metropolis. That would make reinforcing the ward basically impossible with only one blood witch, especially with how drained it is.

Goose bumps pebble on my skin as I march down the sidewalk. It’s cooler here than it was in Haven. North Falls is higher up in the mountains, and I’m guessing that has something to do with the ridiculous temperature difference.

I meander the streets, looking for the landmarks Shelby mentioned and curse under my breath when I catch sight of my stalker over my right shoulder.

I toss a middle finger in the air and keep on walking.

“You’re being followed by a vampire,” Shelby says.

“I did, in fact, notice that.” I toss myself into one of the club chairs in her office. “This place is nice.”

“Don’t try to distract me.”

My eyes rake in the small, but nicely furnished, room.

Shelby leans against the dark wooden desk in stretchy leggings and a soft T-shirt. Her blonde hair fans around her face as she leans into my personal space. We knew each other for years before Nan relocated us to Haven.

“Why is the council’s vampire following you?” she asks as her eyes search my face.

“He’s my appointed bodyguard.” My eyes roll so hard, they practically get lost inside my skull.

“Right,” she says dubiously.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I grumble, resting my head on my hand. “I’ve got an appointment in less than an hour, but I wanted to see you.”

“Are you really planning on staying there?” she asks in a condescending-as-hell tone. It sends my hackles up. I haven’t kept my profession a secret, but it’s not like I tell everyone I know, either. It’s very much something that depends on the person.

I haven’t told Shelby, because I know how she was raised. Sentinels are notoriously snotty. It comes from their heritage. Being related to angels seems to ensure they think they’re better than everyone else. For the most part, I ignore it.

“It’s not that big of a deal. I’m not even going to be here for that long.”

Shelby snorts. “I can’t imagine being forced to live in that shithole. I’m really not convinced it’s safe.”

“I’m more confused by this entire situation and why I need a bodyguard in the first place.”

Shelby laughs, but it sounds forced. “They probably aren’t taking any chances. The entire ward feels thin enough to evaporate at any time. It’s impossible to miss. They don’t want to risk losing your gifts before the job is done.”

“My apartment is in?—”

“A whorehouse,” she says, laughing. “Yeah, I heard.”

“Don’t call it that,” I snap, frowning. God, could she be any more condescending? “I was going to say a basement.”

Shelby is very much a product of her family and the culture of the community she grew up in.

Sentinels tend to be self-righteous assholes about, well...everything outside of how they do things. One of the guys at work, Saber, is half angel. That probably explains why I can only stand to be around him half the time.

“Everyone deserves to make a living,” I say defensively. That disdainful look is really starting to rub me the wrong way. “As long as the choice is at their discretion, and they aren’t being forced, then honestly?—”

“Are you ready?” Echo asks, making me jolt.

That silent fucker.

I didn’t even notice him popping in.

“Carina isn’t back with lunch.” Shelby jabs a finger at the vampire. “How did you get past my protection spell?”

Echo looks extremely unimpressed with my old friend. “I waltzed right in the front door. You offer a service to the public, meaning all laws of lore regarding my kind do not apply. You’ll find we simply don’t come in, because we purposely choose to avoid your closed-minded bigotry.”

My stomach chooses that moment to make a rumbling sound. Echo sighs like a ninety-year-old man who realized it rained on his newspaper.

“Let’s go,” he says. “I’ll feed you after our audience with the council.”

“Please be careful.” Shelby pulls me in for a hug before stepping away from Echo with a disdainful frown plastered on her face.

“I’ll try.” My mind is still focused on eating, and for whatever reason, my thoughts fly to the alpha wolf in the woods. A shiver slides through my entire body as I recall the warmth of his body pressing against mine as I fed from him.

Echo takes a step toward me as his nostrils flare, breathing in my scent. My cheeks heat, but then I realize that reaction wasn’t for him.

I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.

Obviously, he should be embarrassed . . .

Who wants an overly sensitive nose?

Echo waits patiently as I say my final goodbye. He guides me out a different hallway than the one I entered through. Right outside the back door is a corridor that has several back staircases leading up to the second-floor apartments.

The exposed brick is rough against my skin as he cages me against the wall.

My eyes widen as he leans in close. “I think you’ve got some confusion about where my personal space bubble ends,” I say coolly.

“Does that brain inside your pretty little skull function properly?” he hisses, his dark eyes turning milky white.

“Um, what the hell?” I push with both palms against his chest.

“You obviously have a death wish,” the vampire murmurs, a little too close to my throat. “Why else would you willingly come to a town where every other ward sealer that’s tried to replenish the barrier has been murdered?”

My jaw falls open.

I blink at the still-white eyes that stare into mine. The look on his face says he’s not lying or bullshitting me just to get a rise.

“Obviously, I had no clue about that, but I have no interest in following in their footsteps.”

“None of them intended to die, either,” he whispers.

“Were you their guard too?”

He scoffs. “They’re all dead. You think the leaders were lenient toward their lackeys who failed to complete such an important job? Fuck, no. Meaning, if I don’t successfully keep you alive, then I’m staring down my final death.”

I blanch. “Yeah, that sucks for you.”

“You’re goddamn maddening.” He wraps a clawed hand around my throat, squeezing tightly. “Listen to me when I say this—I am not ready to cease to exist. If I tell you to do something, then it is in your best interest to obey.”

My girlie bits love the sound of that. Damn submissive tendencies. My knees try to clench together, but Echo is too close. His lips fan over my cheek as he shakes his head.

“You’re quite the mystery, baby darkling.” He releases me, moving to yank on his sleeve. “Come along. Do not unnecessarily piss off the town council. Nothing is as it seems. Remember that and the rest of my advice.” He takes off down the long corridor, and I have no choice except to follow.

I need to speak to Octavia and plan my exit from this shit show of a town. Immediately.

If the poor human needs help safely delivering her half-elf babies, then she can come stay in Haven for a few weeks.

Echo wasn’t joking. There’s something very wrong with this place.