unconditional (BOOK #2) [TO BE PUBLISHED]

Chapter 60 - Gabriel POV

Chapter 60 – Gabriel POV

I sat waiting while Nonno, Molly and Violet all took to drawing the individuals that Angel or Kitten had thought of since in all I didn't see one single last name was not discovered nor was a location thought of. Still I wasn't sure if that was because she didn't know it or because she was too young, because some parts of her thoughts were childlike, chopped thoughts with limited vocabulary, which made it harder to understand what she had endured.

Kitten, Angel... I saw her as she saw herself, blonde hair, thinner than Chelsea, hauntingly beautiful green eyes that for a moment, was empty and full at the same time. She was frustrated with herself, with her limits.

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"I'll take the men from when she was younger," Nonno had said to the girls, neither one looking up just nodding as they reached for the supplies.

I continued to think about Angel, I'm not sure even she knew that she was a wolf, but in my opinion she was one of maybe 1000 shifters that deserved to be a wolf. I thought her brave, simpleminded but brave. Her previous masters, owners as she thought them, had tried to model her and keep her in a space that was much too small. She was tame.

They kept Chelsea drugged, but not her. Then it hit me. They, the man she thought of knew she wouldn't try to leave. It hadn't crossed her mind to leave – instead she relied on sleeping Chelsea to help her get out – being the one to free herself.

Angel was compliant, she had her own personality inside her head, but I doubt that bleed through to the outside. The only way I could describe her thoughts would be... someone who was trapped inside her own mind. I heard Nonno speaking, finishing before I could pay attention but Nona was trying to bring her comfort.

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"What makes you think this was more than a dream?" Casey asked.

"I have seen some horrendous things... a little girl no older that six or seven being abused isn't something I've seen or dreamed of. And nothing was in my own perspective. Her dream – thoughts were about her, she's a wolf and pregnant-"

Molly released a small sob but never looked up or stopped sketching.

"I will make breakfast," Nona says cutting the tension. Though I'm not sure we could eat after what I had shown them, but knowing all she wanted to do was feel helpful I give her a small nod and smile.

"What else?" Casey focuses again.

"I don't – can't explain it, but I went to sleep thinking of Chelsea, and I'm the last person she called out too, or maybe it's because Angel touched Chelsea with her muzzle, I know it sounds crazy but-"

He held a hand up, shaking his head, "You don't."

Nodding, I take out my phone to ask Remington if she had found anything, but as she replies saying she found nothing I get a text from Logan.

Text: Jax might not be a person, but a group, my sister said she's heard someone saying, 'Nice pickings you've got yourself here Seth, don't let them folks at Jax hear about this.'

I growl quickly telling him that he may be onto something because when Chelsea interrogated Leo, he thought of black various Were-shifters, not just a wolf.

"As I was saying Casey, Jack said it's not a science, but I think it could be anything, maybe my mind sought hers out. The person closest to Chelsea, the connection there but maybe it's this girls' wolf reaching out to me, like I said I have no idea. Whoever this girl is, I'm hoping – they covered all their tracks with Chelsea – maybe they made a mistake with Angel. I don't know," I shrugged. I could see some of the skeptical looks, but Max felt that we should follow this too.

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Before any of the drawings were finished Ava came down with messy wild hair and a white cotton dress. It had taken a while but she could brush her teeth on her own, wash her face choose her outfits and dress herself.

Most days she wore bright mismatched colors. Shirts with stripes and bottoms with polka dots, and sometimes the shirts she wore backwards. She was a rainbow and always all smiles. However today, she carefully came down the steps and searched the room, towards the stove first, pouted and looked at Casey. I would say it hurt that she went to him next, but what hurt was the frown she wore when she checked for Chelsea where she would be had she been home.

"Good morning," Casey greeted her brightly.

Victor laughed when Ava's frown increased, "Momma?" she turned to me in Casey's arms, and the laughing stopped. I hadn't planned on what to tell her again after yesterday, my eyes flew to Nona's, not sure how to answer, but that was useless because she just smiled at me, returning to the preparations.

"We're still looking for momma Ava," I answered carefully waiting for her reaction. It wasn't much but her shoulders sagged and she left Casey sullenly, crawling up onto my lap. It was a while before anyone spoke, until Nonno finished his first drawing.

"Done," he spat angrily, taking the picture I was stunned that he did such an amazing job, the likeness between what I saw and what he drew uncanny, but my jaw dropped when Ava spoke.

"Bad Master," she said pointing to the picture and the gasp and strangled sound that released everyone looked at me, but Nonno seemed to be shaking, the pencil in his hands snapped in his grasp.

"Gabriel what?"

"Angel, the girl she called this guy that exact name!" I threw the picture back towards Nonno, if he did to Ava what he did to Angel, I didn't want her to be afraid. Only she wasn't her heart beat was the same she simply called him by his name but wasn't showing any sign of distress.

"Ava, sweetheart... do you know the man?" I pointed with my chin to the man.

"Uh huh," she nodded, still calm.

"Where? Is he the man that bit you?" I asked carefully, pointing to the bite mark, hoping that is how she knew the man and that he didn't do to Ava what he did to Ava.

"No papa saw bad master at night," she said, Casey growled, immediately stood, stalking out of the room, heading towards the stairs. I held Ava closer, looking at Nonno, as he scrutinized Ava, Mikael doing the same thing.

Cocking his head to the side, he opened his mouth, but closed it right back, his eyes fell to the table, whispering the words 'she was right...'

Focusing back on Ava I asked her where she saw the 'bad master?' "When Ava was sleeping," my eyes lifted and connected with Mikaels', Chelsea was right. Huffing Casey came down the stairs, "is she okay?" I just nodded, dazed by this piece of information.

I didn't say anything, nor did Mikael, instead Nonno spoke.

"This man is a Nosferatu," taking my phone I snapped a picture and uploaded it to Kai and sent it to Remington to search.

"A Nosferatu what?" Jack said the same time as Nathan.

"A Nosferatu is a vampire – revenant that seeks sexual relations with warm, living bodies," he paused, "he had her second but I believe the first person, vampire that had Angel was a Strigoli or maybe Strigoli Morti," Nonno said continuing to draw not saying more. I rolled my eyes. Of course explain the first one but not the second.

Silently reeling over Ava's response I barely notice that time slips by, and Nona places two plates of food in front of Ava and I, but I merely stare at the plate, "Son eat, you need your strength, when we learn where Chelsea is you must not be weak," Nona said smiling at me, nodding I lift my fork shoveling food inside my mouth but hardly tasting it.

One by one the others finish their drawings and I take pictures, and Ava sits on my lap and tells me their names despite never revealing that to anyone yet. I'm grateful, no one asks any questions, but Mikael and Casey look at her proudly as do I.

When my phone rings, five minutes later, I answer wary of what Remy has to say, "Gabriel! I found them! I found the people in the drawings, they exist!" she shouts.