Page 18 of Those That Don’t Exist (Hidden Vampires #1)

I freeze, my head nearly ducking under the water. Despite what he said about it being a ‘bullshit pack’ did he wanted in? He holds placating hand up as he quickly continues, swimming over to where I’m paddling.

“I wasn’t going to come back here at first. Trust me I wanted nothing to do with those thugs.

When they rocked up acting like entitled pricks, demanding I come back to the city, I turned them down.

Then they told me it was you who found out where I was.

I haven’t heard much about you since the end of the war.

I was slightly surprised to learn that you’re still alive, if I’m honest. Even more shocked you’re in this pack as some minion.

We all know the rumours about how it’s ruled, how heavy handed Adicious is, and the shady shit it gets up to.

I came back because I didn’t believe you would be tolerating this.

” He pauses, giving me a look as if to say I’m an idiot. “So, why are you tolerating this?”

I’m hesitant. I haven’t been able to be honest about anything for years. Some part of my brain locks my tongue down making it hard to speak for several seconds.

“Adicious got me straight and clean again.” That is the truth, as sour as it tastes on my tongue.

“Ty. Look, I know it must’ve been hard. The others have told me bits and pieces of what you’ve been through. But isn’t this one punishment too much, being here and living like this? Are you happy here?”

“I was,” I say on an exhale. “And I’m sworn now. Whether I like it or not I’m Adicious’s to use as he wishes. I managed to go under the radar in the beginning but now he knows how useful I can be, and has seen the extent of my powers. I get a lot of the missions. At least I’m here in these lands.”

“You should be running these lands,” he counters, bringing his gaze to mine as if to bore our history into my brain, like the memories of what was don’t haunt my mind everyday.

“Adicious has kept us safe,” I say, almost reflexively.

“Pppffftt,” he scoffs, splashing water my way. “Adicious may not have exposed you to the authorities but you must see the state of the place.” It’s true, the ranch is run down and overgrown.

“I don’t have a choice,” I mumble without meeting the gaze I know he’s giving me.

“Ty, you know that’s crap. Your parents…”

“Are dead! Along with the pack. I couldn’t save them, even after being turned.” Those memories try to escape the coffin I’ve locked them in. My fangs grate against my lower jaw as I fight them.

“We couldn’t,” he corrects me, “and the guilt isn’t solely on you.

I was here with them when the attack came.

” He pauses to swallow. His next sentence comes out a little thick in his rich voice.

“They wouldn’t want us to shoulder any blame, they wanted us to live.

What happened wasn’t our fault. You could be running this place a hundred times better than how it's being run right now.”

His words cut like a knife into my flesh. I’d locked these thoughts down long ago, which is partly why I’ve been avoiding him. He’s never been one to suppress his feelings.

“No, I couldn’t,” is the only response I can give as I wage battle in my head.

I hear him drop the subject with another sigh.

“Fine. Come on, I bet I can still cause a bigger wave than you from the cliff.”

And just like that he slips back into being my old friend. I manage to clear my head, shoving it back into its prison.

We spend the next hour dive-bombing off the rocks into the water. Messing around like we used to when we were kids, before the world went to pieces.

We’re walking back a while later, still a fair trek from the house, when Atlas brings up the other touchy subject.

“You know, if the female you’re watching does turn out to be one of us, what’s the deal?”

“What do you mean?” I can tell he’s baiting me, there’s something he knows.

“Well, if she joins the pack what’s the deal?” he asks innocently.

“You know full well that if she joins, Adicious will manipulate her, or force her, to be his mate,” I grind out.

“Yep, I’ve already been told as much. Just wanted your opinion.”

“I told you a fact.”

“And if you’d said it without the venom in your voice, I’d have slapped you round the head,” he laughs, clapping me on the shoulder, making me tense.

“What?” I say, stopping.

“Well, either you don’t want Adicious to get a mate, which would strengthen his power over us, or you have an issue with the particular mate he has in mind. I personally hope it's both,” he says, plastering on a grin which I immediately want to punch off his stupid face.

“You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“Nah, I’ve survived this long. I can keep as good of a poker face as the rest. If you hadn’t noticed there are a few guys living in that house who could rinse a casino.

” I wasn’t blind but I didn’t really interact with many of the guys much.

Clearly in his short time here Atlas was making a lot of friends, and probably some enemies.

“We’re bound Atlas,” I remind him, and start walking again, done with this conversation.

“For now,” he says, before quickly adding, “now shut up, the hot headed one’s sidekicks are hunting deer in the forest and they’re heading this way.” He means Cairn and Trip, Ronan’s little besties, or at least the ones Adicious lets tag along with him when he goes on his scouting missions.

We slip back into casual conversation as we skirt the forest back to the main house.

I stay engaged in it but my brain can’t stop thinking about Red and the stuff Atlas has so conveniently let loose in my head.

Technically a blood bond wouldn't stop me from making a mate bond, but I am bound to Adicious’s will.

He wouldn’t allow any of us the luxury of a mate if he didn’t have one.

Not when it's much rarer these days, a mate bond pretty much signifies who heads the packs now.

It doesn’t stop the dark, twisted fantasy taking shape a little more in the back of my brain. It’s getting sharper with each passing day. Wanting Red is dangerous enough but wanting her and wanting to reclaim these lands - I must be far more suicidal than I thought.