Growing Wildflowers | WLW

Blanket Flower

"Excuse me for trying to be cordial," Jamie argues.

"It's nothing personal." I'm not sure I'm telling the truth. I can't gauge where Sophie lies with the whole 'I'm in love with a human thing' yet. She might hate Jamie solely because of the risk she puts all of us in. "I'll see you soon?"

Jamie takes my hand in hers. "Please keep me in the loop, Gwen." She shakes her head slightly, her eyes somewhere else. "I was so scared when you disappeared last time."

"I'll ask Sophie to message you if anything happens to me," I tell her but, by the way her shoulders fall, I can tell it's not what she wanted to hear. She wants me to tell her I'll be fine, and this isn't a big deal, but I can't.

"Please, be careful," she begs.

Sophie clears her throat loudly and Jamie nods at the unspoken demand.

We wrap up our goodbyes and I climb in the passenger seat of Sophie's vehicle.

She speeds down the mountain side, taking turns too quickly, but managing to keep the vehicle in its lane, regardless.

"She's pretty," Sophie says to break the silence.

I nod. "I know."

Sophie's eyes cut to me. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head, sink down in the seat. "What's not wrong?" I haven't talked to John since I fought Gunner. I haven't seen Aurora yet or Bri. I don't know how much John tells them. They could still think I'm dead or suffering at the hands of the elders. We're about to break into the building where the elders imprisoned me, but I can't stop thinking about those eyes. Leah's narrowed eyes, her thirst for my death. What do I do if she comes after me? "I mean... Do we even have a plan?"

Sophie's lips pull into a crooked smile. "Cause as much damage as possible," she answers. "Send a message and send it loud."

I don't respond. I manage a nod, but her answer doesn't help the nagging in my chest. I've always played it safe, taken a backseat to someone else's instructions, stayed quiet and compliant and now I'm part of a rebellion against the leaders of the vampire race, dating a vampire hunter even though I know better, breaking every rule set in place to keep our kind safe.
"What do I do if Leah finds me?" My voice is soft, barely muttering the question.

Sophie pushes her tongue into her cheek while she thinks. "We'll stick together," she answers. "She can't hit both of us at the same time." She glances at me when I don't respond. "I've got your back if you've got mine."

"I've got your back," I respond but I don't know if it holds any weight. I don't know how to fight, don't know how to shoot a gun... I'm useless to this movement. A liability. We spend the rest of the ride in silence, the severity of the situation making the air thick enough to make me nauseous.

Sophie pulls her car in front of a warehouse and clicks a button to close the gate behind us. The area is swarming with blood suckers, walking around with purpose, pulling bullet proof vests on, tucking guns into their belts. I'm curious about the vests since the sun went down hours ago, but Sophie's out of the car, walking with urgency toward the brown metal door in the side of the building and I'm following her like a child clinging to their mother at an amusement park.

She pushes through the door, her long brown hair swinging back and forth in its ponytail as she strides through a mess of people pushing in every direction. She turns to me, her hand gripping the doorknob. "Brace yourself," she orders and pushes the door open before I can ask what I'm preparing myself for.

The sight hits me all at once. A man I've never met before screaming, crying, clutching his head, his ankles bound to the railing of a hospital bed as he squirms. Acid turns in my stomach. I cover my mouth to suppress a gag.