The Chase

Chapter 38

"Ladies please come in there's no need to be afraid."

As we shuffle into the room, Ava lingers by the door while I make my way closer to Samuel. She has her arms crossed over her chest and is giving him a searing look that reads distrust. At our actions, Samuel smiles even brighter than before. I can tell from the way his lips curl up into a grin that he is formulating a plan. He can see a future where we are useful to him. My question is, what is that future and where am I in it?

"Please won't you sit down? I want you both to be as comfortable as possible." He says while motioning toward the chairs across his desk.

I give him an assessing look, "That's fine, we are comfortable standing."

He gives me an almost patronizing smile and I can tell my refusal has irritated him. His jaw ticked the minute I refused his offer. No one would be able to notice, most don't notice subtle things like that, but I do. That's probably the one good thing I can do. 

"Are you sure because-"

"Nice digs for a rebel society that is struggling to feed its people." Ava said from behind me. When I looked over at her I noticed that her jaw was set in a hard irritation, and she was looking around the room with disdain. She was angry. She was more than angry. She was pissed.

For a split second, Samuel's face went stone cold. I had seen faces like these before from supernatural's who didn't give humans a second glance. I had seen this face with the store clerks who treated us differently just because we were human. I have even seen this on younger faces. When the anger gets so strong men have no choice but to react. When I first started dating, my first boyfriend had made this face when I refused to sleep with him after he had "tried so hard" at being nice and trying to give me what I want. 

"Yes, well these digs are what the rebels gave me as a sign of respect. They felt that as their leader, I should be given all luxuries we had since my work can be quite tedious."

"Huh, and what exactly do you do?"

Samuel gave her a smile that was a mix between hostility and fake niceties, "I protect them from the other creatures who would seem to have them harmed. I ensure they are safe and fed and have all the things they need to make them comfortable. Like the water you ladies used so generously this morning."

Before Ava can speak again, I cut in trying to level a common ground, "Listen, we are not trying to start anything here. We thank you for the accommodations and our rescue.  I would only like to know why you have called us here today."

"Ah, ever straight forward are you, Luna?"

My face hardens at the way he says the title that was forced upon me, "I merely want to know why we were called here, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me by that title, especially since I didn't quite want it."

His smile spreads out into a toothy grin, and I'm surprised to see that his teeth are straight and white. He's quite older than us so that means he was likely here when dentists weren't in short supply, "Right, my mistake. I apologize if I caused any...untoward feelings."

I display a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes, "You're forgiven."

There's a staring match that seems to happen between the three of us. I never take my eyes of Samuel, but I know that he's looking at Ava by the way his eyes keep flickering to her. I also know she's looking at him because I can feel the heat of her stare. 

After our match off, Samuel clears his throat and straightens his clothes, "Well I suppose we should get onto the business. When Lucas had come to me with the idea of getting his sister out of a Continental Pack, I was a bit reluctant, even more so when I found out that she belonged to an Enforcer in his pack."