"Call me a fanger again, and I'll make you swallow yours," Ethan warns him. Then he looks behind Adam at the nearly thirty Lycan's angrily pacing back and forth. Needing an outlet for all their pinned-up aggressions, and adds, "You'll need more Lycan's than that to stop me."
If he's afraid of Ethan, Adam doesn't show it. As a pack leader, he can't. The moment his pack smells weakness they'll challenge his right to rule. But it doesn't take a genius to know that a pack of Lycans, no matter how big, is no match for a born vampyr with enough ancient blood in his body to resurrect Jesus again.
Besides, a great ruler isn't just strong... they're smart too.
"What did you want to talk about?" Lucas asks. Wanting to get to the point sooner rather than later.
"I've recently encountered a Lycan tracker out of California. He showed me a picture of Ali and asked me to notify him if I came across her." Adam tells us.
"Did he say why?" I ask.
"Nope. But he offered me fifty thousand for you."
"What the hell is a Lycan pack from California doing looking for me?"
"I don't know. He just said it was unfinished business. And if I saw you to give you this," he pulls a medallion out of his pocket.
Inspecting the medallion, I'm frustrated when nothing comes to me. Not even an itch or a tickle in back of my mind.
"Does this ring a bell?" Ethan asks.
"No." I sulk.
"Well, he also told me to give you this," Adam adds. Handing me a piece of paper with a date, time, address, and the words 'come alone' written on it.
"This is in California," I gawk at him.
"Then California here we come," Ethan takes the address out of my hand. Handing it to Preston.
"Whoa. Why are we just going along with this?"
"Because I'm willing to bet whoever is looking for you, is also the person who bit your brother. He has less than three days before he turns completely."
His words suddenly hit me like a brick wall. Because that's what I was sensing was wrong with him.
"I needn't tell you how bad it will be if he transitions in prison." Ethan adds.
"Nor how many people will be killed," Adam adds. A look of fear in his eyes. "He'll be outing Lycans to humans, which is a Lycan crime punishable by death. My death and his. We have to stop this."
"How?" I frown.
"By going to California and killing the Lycan responsible for turning him." Tristan answers.
He turns to the Syth and whispers something I can't decipher to them. They all nod in unison and head to GA on foot.
"Who's this?" Adam asks. His jealousy laced in his tone.
"Adam, this is Tristan. Tristan... this is my ex, Adam."
"Is she just collecting hot guys or what?" Adam's little sister Aubrey asks. Eyeballing Tristan, Lucas, and Ethan. "Every time I see her there's a new one. Where do you even find these guys for that matter? And are there more because I am seriously envious of your hottie collection so far."
Adam snarls a warning at Aubrey, and she snarls back. From what I've learned about Lycans at GA, I'm pretty sure dating outside one's species is frowned upon. Unless that someone is a human who can be turned.
Hence why Adam and I were doomed from the start.
While I may be human... as a siphoner, I would only absorb his wolf and be able to call upon it at will. I wouldn't turn. It would be the same if I was bitten by Ethan and injected with his Venom. I would absorb it and be able to use it on others. Though, there have also been reports of Vampyr venom having weird effects on the siphoner species. With the effects manifesting itself in different ways.
"They kind of found me." I tell her.
"I'm pretty sure you waved at me first," Ethan smirks.
"Okay, but I thought you were waving at me. How was I supposed to know your family was sitting behind me?"
"Do you normally have strange guys wave at you?"
"Well... no."
"Wishful thinking, I guess," his smirk deepens. Because he knows I was crushing on him... HARD.
"I really hate you right now," I narrow my eyes at him and blush. Tilting my head down so my hair will cover my face and block the new shade of shame tinging my cheeks.
Ethan's smirk turns into a full-blown smile that disappears the moment he shifts his gaze to a wounded Zara.
She better get used to this...
Or pack up and head back home to Transylvania or wherever the hell she's from. Because I'm here to stay. Forced marriage or not, he will always be the one to cause a million butterflies to take flight in my stomach. And I will always be the one he wishes he were with.
Pulling out his cell phone, Lucas makes some phone calls, Tristan summons the Syth back to us, and Ethan calls his grandma. If we're going to California, we'll have to break curfew. And if we must break curfew, we'll need her blessing this time. Especially if we're going all the way to California.
It's on the other side of the freaking country.
Ethan's grandma Sybil isn't happy about him going to California. Nor is she happy that he's involving himself in my mess and placing himself in danger as she not-so-politely put it.
But she can never say no to him.
And he manages to talk her into covering for us while we're gone.
Not only is he a momma's boy... but he's a grandma's boy too.
Gag...
Sadly, his relationship with and the way he treats the women in his life is one of the major reasons I'm head over heels for him. With my feelings for him being like a deadly disease with no known cure.
Trust me...
I've tried finding one...
Climbing back into Lucas' car, I wait while he, Tristan, and Ethan exchange words with Adam. Picking up on every other word. But I don't need to read lips to know they're issuing threats. If we're walking into a trap, they want Adam to know it's his head they'll be coming for.
Satisfied, they climb into their cars, and we head back to the airport where we must wait for Ethan's family jet to be refueled before we can leave. Meanwhile, Tristan, Celeste, and the Syth surround me. Taking up every available seat in the vicinity to deter anyone else from getting any ideas.
"What's Tristan's story?" I ask Celeste. Watching him with the Syth.
They worship him like he's God or something.
"Well," Celeste smiles. "Until the day he was found, your lineage was the only known pure bred Siphoner bloodline. And when he showed capabilities far greater than most Siphoners, Darien traced his bloodline to the Toussaint's. He was rescued by witches during the slaughter of our kind, and once Darien found him, he's been grooming him for the day he would meet his equal. In the hopes of populating the earth and becoming a formidable force once more."
"My grandfather is a formidable force by himself."
"Yes, but every other supernatural being in this world has legions of powerful supernaturals at their disposal."
I guess she has a point...
Tristan meets my gaze and smiles. Causing my heart to flutter. Embarrassed, I quickly look away. Choosing to focus on the many questions I have for Celeste rather than my racing heart.
"My grandfather wants me to marry him. I'm pretty sure that's why he's here. He's hoping we'll get it on and start humping like rabbits. Popping out one white-haired baby after another until he has his army." I huff. Folding my arms across my chest. "But I'm not an incubator or a surrogate for his damn army."
"It is your duty to your people," she corrects me. "Or do you not care about your ancestors."
"Of course, I care. But I don't want anyone pinning their hopes on me."
"Why? Because you hope for the dark one with the wedding band nestled on his ring finger?"
"Partially," I meet her gaze. Giving her a look that says I'm not ashamed to want him. "But also... because no one is going to tell me how to live my life. Or who I can love."