Page 50 of Twisted

“I do like the fall weather,” I say, curiosity growing the more I talk to her.Zeke conveniently looks away.Guilty much?

“You looked beautiful in your photoshoot last night.”

“Thanks.You saw the pictures?”

“Yes, I picked out the best one.”

“Oh, uh, thanks.”I smile and shift my eyes to Zeke.“Is Xavier around?”

“I am,” Xavier answers, zooming into the room.My breath catches and my heart skips a beat at the sight of him.My god, he’s a beautiful and scary man.He’s wearing the same thing from last night, minus the jacket, and I notice a few flecks of blood on his collar.I don’t know what he did or where he went after I came back to the house last night.He said he had “business to attend to” and I didn’t question.“Have you had a chance to review the files?”

“Yeah,” I huff, shaking my head.“It’s a lot, so, I, uh…I was hoping to go for a run to clear my head.”

“Outside?”

I start to slowly walk toward the door.“That’s typically where I run.I prefer it over a treadmill.It's a better workout.On a treadmill, you’re just keeping up with a moving surface, not propelling yourself forward.”

“Where are you going?”

“In town.I like to look at the buildings and people as I run.Keeps my mind busy.”

Xavier looks at me as if he’s trying to calculate what’s a normal distance for a human to run.My normal outdoor runs averaged five miles, but I’ve been on longer ones, too.

“I’ll have someone drive you.”

“Fine,” I say, taking what I can get.“And, uh, thanks for the files.”

His face softens, confusing me into thinking he might actually care.“I hope it offers some clarity.”

“It muddied the water but I realized the water was never clear to begin with.I grew up thinking the Order was dedicated to doing the right thing, to making the world a safer place.But drugging me and doing tests on me against my will…” I shake my head.“I suppose they just wanted to make better hunters.”

“Wren,” he says suddenly, putting a hand on my shoulder.“Don’t make excuses for them.”

“You’re right.I am.They used me, drugged me…kidnapped me.”I inhale as the thought crosses my mind.“What if my parents are alive?”

“They’re not,” he tells me gently.

“But they could be.I wasn’t found hidden in a closet or whatever like Vivian said.”

“Wren,” he repeats, dark blue eyes filling with sorrow.“They’re not alive.”

“You don’t know that.”

Xavier starts to say something but we’re interrupted by Theo, who speeds into the room.He’s holding someone by the scruff of their collar.It’s a vampire, and a young one by the energy coming off of it.Theo is covered in blood—not his own, of course.He says something to Xavier in another language and Xavier replies by slowly rolling up his sleeves.

That’s when I notice the blood on his cuffs as well as around his fingernails.Something went down last night and honestly, maybe it’s better if I don’t know right now.

“Have the driver take you into town and bring you home.You have three hours.”

“I don’t need a babysitter,” I snap.

“I’m not making you have one,” he says, sounding confused.“It’s far and you’re human.”

“It’s not that far,” I say, but there’s not really a good running path from here to town, to be fair.But now isn’t the time for fairness.“I’m human, but I’m not weak.Humans do triathlons.”

“Are you running, biking, and swimming?”

“Hah,” I retort, trying not to find the smirk on his face charming.“Fine.I’ll have someone drive me.”