Page 83 of Love Bleeds

Chapter Twenty-Nine

We all sat around the dining room table, waiting for Morgan and Caspar to show up and tell us how and if WAFFER was going to help us get rid of Crimson's sire. Collin and Remy sat on either side of me. I got the feeling they were preparing for me to have a freak-out.

I wasn't going to freak out, though, because I already had a plan.

No way was I going to rely on WAFFER.

No way was I going to let them waste any more of my time.

Every second that ticked by, Crimson was suffering somewhere all by himself. I wasn't going to let that continue.

Sliding my hand in my pocket, I felt for the slip of paper Puck had given me. The slip of paper with Vlad's number on it. I didn't care what my siblings thought; once this meeting was over, I was calling.

When Caspar and Morgan finally arrived, they didn't teleport themselves into the living room the way Puck liked to do. They rang the doorbell instead. Talon got up to let them in.

Even as they walked into the room, the looks on their faces told me that they weren't bringing good news. They were just going to waste more time. If Remy and Collin hadn't been sitting right beside me, I would have gotten up from the table and gone upstairs, but I didn't want to be totally disrespectful either.

Caspar and Morgan sat in the free chairs on the opposite end of the table from me.

Caspar cleared his throat and began to speak. "We had a meeting with the rest of the organization," he said. "A very long meeting."

"So what conclusion did you come to?" Elena asked.

"There was a lot of back and forth," Morgan said. "I'm pleased to say that a lot of people were on Luke's side. They argued that if his partner was being targeted by vampires, that it was our duty to help. That's the side I agree with myself." She paused. "Unfortunately, there were also people who couldn't see it that way. You have to understand that we have a lot of members who've lost their loved ones to vampires... They did not agree with using our resources to help a vampire."

I listened silently, but I balled my hands into fists, nearly crumpling the piece of paper in my pocket.

Caspar spoke next. "There's also the issue that witches aren't allowed to attack vampires as per the Paranormal Peace Treaty. If we make an attempt at Nicolai, or even aid you in one, we'll have to face repercussions. These are the same laws we're trying to use to gain protection from the vampires, so if we go against them, we might ruin all progress we've made so far."

"Not every member of your organization is a witch," Collin pointed out. "I'm not a witch."

"No," Morgan agreed. "But we're fighting to be recognized as such. Or at least as paranormals, in which case the laws would apply to us too."

"So what you're saying is you can't help me," I summarized in the most emotionless tone of voice I could muster. I didn't want anyone to know how upset I was, how much I wanted to flip the table. These people, this organization, was such a waste of time. Even if they'd given us this house, what good did it to do us? We weren't safe on the outside anymore, and we couldn't just sit here and wait for them to solve our problems for us, because they weren't go to.

We had to take action ourselves.

"I wish we could," Morgan said. I even believed her. The way her gaze sank to the table, I could tell she was just as disappointed with her organization as I was.

"We can try an appeal," Caspar said. "That's about all I can offer." He didn't hang his head the way his friend did, but he was obviously not pleased either.

"Thanks anyway," I said, and rose from the table to leave the room.

Predictably, Collin came after me.

I just kept on walking.

"C'mon, Luke," he said as we reached the stairs. "Talk to me."

"What's there to talk about? They're not going to help me."

"That doesn't mean we give up."

"I know," I said, trying not to let my irritation shine through. "I'm going to work on my own plan."

It seemed Collin didn't have a response to that, because he fell behind a few steps. "What are you going to do?" he asked finally.

"You'll see."