Page 90 of Twisted

“The Velvet Vein.”

The Velvet Vein is a vampire bar in Concord.If we’re going there, then something must be wrong.

CHAPTER35

“Are you fucking serious?”I mutter, looking into my old room.Shaking my head, I flick on the light, but the light from the hall already showed me everything.My stuff has all been packed away into two boxes.

That’s it.

“You want them both?”Xavier asks, eager to get out of here and head to the bar.

“Yeah, thanks,” I reply, watching him effortlessly pick up both boxes and carry them downstairs.I go into the armory on our way outside and grab my favorite dagger.Telling myself this is going to be the last time I’ll ever step foot inside the compound, I feel a weird tug on my heart as I close the armory door.

But I also feel a sense of freedom.Because never again will I have to stand on the outside and look in, desperately waiting for someone to call me over and clear a spot at the table.Never again will I have to hear the whispers or feel the tension in the air from being unwanted and treated like an outsider.

Letting out a sigh, I meet Xavier outside and start our way to the car.Xavier stops, turning and listening.

“The hunters have returned,” he tells me, able to sense them.“Just the two you refer to as brothers.”

We parked along the street to the side of the compound and are almost to the sidewalk when Leo and Antonio see us.

“The fuck?”Antonio questions, eyes going wide.

“Relax,” I tell him, giving Xavier the side-eye and hoping he gets my mental message to stand down.“I just came for my own things.”

“H-how did you get in?”Leo asks, looking both concerned and impressed.Usually he’s the one who bypasses security systems.

“Magic,” I say simply and turn to face Xavier.“Can I meet you at the car in like a minute?I’ll be fine.”

“One minute,” Xavier presses and then speeds away.

“You brought a vampire to our home?”Antonio’s still looking in the direction Xavier went.

“I mean, yeah.Kinda obvious, right?Those boxes are heavy for a human.”

“But he didn’t get in, right?”Leo asks.

“He did.I invited him, so either the house still thinks I live here or it’s not protected like a home.”

“You’re acting like you trust him,” Leo goes on, voice low.“It’s an act, right?We are your family.”

“No, you’re not,” I reply, shaking my head.“Just ask Vivian about the Blackwoods.”

“Who?”

“Just ask.”I turn the dagger over in my hands, feeling emotion start to bubble inside of me.“I have to go,” I rush out, falling back on avoidance.This is awkward and uncomfortable and I just want to leave.

“They’ll never accept you,” Leo tries.On some level, I know he’s saying that to make me doubt everything and not leave him.But his words hit a little too deep.

“Sounds familiar,” I scoff.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he quickly adds.

Blinking back my feelings, I look into his eyes and then Antonio’s.“I have to go,” I tell them and then turn and hurry to the car.There’s nothing more I can do now other than hope my brothers will see the truth once they ask about my family.

Myrealfamily.

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