Page 50 of Those That Are Lost (Hidden Vampires #2)

AURORA

A pproaching the ranch is invoking very different emotions from the walk to Claire’s earlier. I swear my insides are vibrating with nerves. But damn if I’m going to let it show.

Hence the reason I’m currently dressed in the gown I bought for the Hallow’s Eve party two years ago. As soon as I’d seen it in the box, I knew I wanted to add a bit of flair to this entrance.

I bought the dress to dress up as Tacita, the silent goddess of the dead. It felt fitting to wear it now, considering what I’m here to do.

The dress is all geometric shapes, panels of sharp lines that hit my body in just the exact right way to accentuate my curves. The last time I’d warn it I’d been glamouring my weight to fill it out and hide that I was slowly starving.

This time the low neckline and skin tight bodice are showing off my natural shape. The thigh high slit up the right side of the full length skirt also gives me a totally sexy edge that I plan to exploit. I feel powerful in this dress. The bravado comes easier when I know I look positively deadly .

I’ve let my hair down, the natural curls framing my face and shoulders.

I’ve not applied much make-up but needed a dash of a glittery copper eyeshadow and some mascara to complete my disguise.

Oh, and of course I glamoured away my tattoo and my scent.

For all the bravery the outfit gives me, however, I am currently regretting my choices as Antares and I traipse through the woodland to enter the ranch lands.

We’d decided that sneaking onto the property might give us some time to figure out how many of the pack were currently at home.

Navigating the undergrowth in a thin, expensive dress is not how I’d planned our entrance, but here we were. It will be worth it.

The ranch house isn’t even in view when Antares halts me.

I look at him as I freeze, seeing him tilting his head this way and that as if assessing a noise. I can’t hear anything beyond the slight rustle of leaves in the light breeze and a few birds that are chattering in the late evening light.

“Someone’s coming this way,” Antares whispers as he reads my confused expression.

I hear it a couple of seconds later, the clear pattern of footsteps. They’re being careful but they’re headed this way.

Okay then, this is happening.

I straighten and gesture for Antares to do the same. I drop the skirt of the dress I’d been holding up and try my best to look like we belong here, that the path we’re carving through the undergrowth was purposeful.

“Who’s there?” Antares calls, not loud enough it’ll broadcast our presence to the entire vampire population residing on this land, but enough to alert the one approaching us that he’s been rumbled .

They don’t reply but the footsteps pick up.

Another few seconds tick by before the most muscular male I’ve ever seen steps into view.

He’s not quite as tall as Ty but is so broad I think my mate would have trouble taking him down if it came to blows.

Antares stiffens beside me. I would assume he’s scared, except I know that his power would allow him to win against the wall of muscle approaching us.

Even the strongest creatures alive can’t fight for long with no oxygen.

“What are you doing here Aurora?” the male hisses.

Now he’s closer I spot the tattoo’s peeking from the sleeves of his long sleeves as well as the neckline.

His hair is tied up in a messy bun and his strong jaw is peppered in a few days worth of stubble.

I’ve seen this male before, he was in the alley the night Ty and I got captured.

He’s also the one I ran into when I escaped.

From the constant quizzing Ty’s been making us do, I know this is Atlas; one male we should be able to trust. Clearly, from the use of my name, he knows who I am too.

“I thought it was about time I returned.” I slip into my rehearsed role with ease.

“No. Run. Get out now,” Atlas barks at us, pointing back towards the city wildly. “You can’t be here.”

Interesting…

“I thought I was meant to be the co-leader of this pack.” I level my gaze and hold eye contact with male now a few feet from us. He looks bewildered by my answer. He also seems to spot Antares at that moment but his eyes move back to me quickly.

“Where is he? I don’t sense any others besides you two. Surely he’s with you.”

Atlas’s power is a superior sense of presence.

He can feel supernatural beings at much greater distances than the rest of us.

As we are still several minutes walk from the house, I’m guessing that’s how he seemed to know we’d entered the property.

That, or he likes taking random walks alone at dusk.

“Who?” I feign ignorance.

“You know who.”

“I have no idea what you mean.” The words fall from my tongue. It’s easy to lie when it's for the protection of my mate.

“You mean he never found you?” Atlas looks genuinely worried now, rubbing a hand over his forehead.

Ty and I had discussed how quickly I could let Atlas into the secret, we’d agreed it best that I test him first even though Ty was quite certain about him defecting from Adicious.

“You’ll have to tell me who you’re talking about for me to answer that.” I keep my voice calm.

“Ty,” Atlas whispers.

“Ty’s dead. He never made it out when I left.”

“Yes, he did. He left months ago. He’ll be searching for you. You need to go.” I can see Atlas’s calm demeanour slipping. Fear over his old pack mate evident on his face.

“I’d rather come home.”

“You mean you don’t want to find him? You don’t care where he is right now?” Atlas doesn’t hide his shock.

“I…” I can’t force myself to say I don’t want to or no I don’t care . Apparently, there are some lies I can’t stretch to. “I want to come home. To Froan,” I repeat instead.

“You’re really set on this?” Atlas asks.

“Yes, this is where I belong.”

“He’s going to force you to be his.” Atlas is no longer talking about Ty.

“He can try. I’m doing this on my terms.”

Atlas’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Gods, Aurora. What has happened to you that you’d want to come back here?

I can’t stop you from walking up to that house, but I wish you’d reconsider.

” His words nearly have me cracking and telling him everything here and now.

But it's too soon. His clear concern over Ty tells me his stance is exactly as we expected. He’s risking Adicious’s wrath right now.

If he knew one of his pack members was trying to stop the female he’s been hunting from entering his property?

The gods would feel that fury, I’m sure.

“Would you like to escort us to the house?” I ask, moving the conversation on.

“I can’t. I’m technically on house arrest,” he admits flatly. “Luckily, I was in my room when I felt you cross the boundary. I needed to see who it was so I snuck out the window.”

“Fine. Then leave. I’d rather like to get out of these woods.” My words earn another assessing look, like he can’t believe what I’m saying. Believe me for now Atlas, but not too much.

With another shake of his head Atlas leaves us. I wait until I know he’s out of earshot to whisper to my companion, who was shockingly silent through that whole exchange.

“What’s up with you? That was the longest you’ve gone without speaking in the whole time I’ve known you.” Which granted isn’t that long, but still.

I’m not expecting the answer Antares gives me. “He’s my mate.”

“What?” My eyes feel like they’re bugging out my skull as I round on my sidekick.

“He’s my mate,” Antares repeats, his voice slightly faltering.

“Antares, you need to explain what you mean right now.”

“I’m Fae, remember? At least I was. The Fae can feel their mate as soon as they’re in their presence. He’s mine.”

Holy shit.