Page 38 of Revenge of the Blood Pack

“Were you the one marking people?”

He looks embarrassed. “Yes.”

I release a slow breath. “Clinton, what’s done is done, but we need to get you out of this town. The Enforcers are on this case, and they’re going to find you.”

His eyes widen. “The Enforcers? Shit.”

“It’s okay,” I reassure him. “I’m working with them, and I can buy you a little time, but you have to go.”

He nods but seems confused.

“Clinton, where did… you two plan to go with the money?”

“I don’t know… but he had a plan.” He sounds so damn young that it breaks my heart.

“Well, I have a plan now. I’m going to find what’s left of our pack and put us back together. We’re going to find another safe place, and we’re going to start over.”

He’s staring at me in the strangest way. “Is that even possible?”

“Of course! I don’t have all the details worked out yet, but now we have each other, and soon we’ll have the others.”

His expression doesn’t change. “But… we’re not the same any more. We’re different. We’re dangerous. Can we really pretend to be a happy family again without just killing each other?”

I take his hands in mine. “Clinton, you did what you had to in order to survive. No one will judge you for that. And now that we’ve found each other, you don’t need to do those kinds of things any more. Okay? None of us needs to be perfect, but we’ll find a way to live together in harmony again.”

“You seem so sure.” His voice is distant. “Don’t you… don’t you hear the call of the darkness?”

“All the time,” I admit.

His gaze moves back to me. “And you think you’re strong enough to fight it?”

“I do,” I begin, but I’m not done, “and I’m strong enough to fight it for all of you.” I take a deep breath. “If I leave with you now, the Enforcers will have a better chance of finding us. If I stay, I can try to cover up your involvement in this. So, you need to leave, tonight. I want you to head to Lake Town, Colorado. It’s a remote town where we can hide out while I build our new home nearby. Do you think you can do that? Just get a bus pass and travel until you reach the town.”

He seems off as he says, “The Blood Mage said our goal was to mark people and take their money. There was a next step, but he didn’t tell me what it was.”

I grab his face and force him to look at me. “The Blood Mage is gone. It’s just us. Can you do this, Clinton? Can you leave tonight and meet me at Lake Town, Colorado?”

He hesitates. “Yes, I can. So, the new plan is that?”

“Yes,” I tell him, but his behavior is worrying me a little.

“Okay.” He draws his shoulders back.

I point to the bag of money. “We need to leave enough that they feel like they got the person responsible. Just take enough to get there and survive until I can come, okay?”

He nods, but he still seems off as he goes to the bag of money and starts hiding the bills in his pockets.

“Clinton?”

He looks at me.

“Are you okay?”

He gives a small smile. “I don’t think any of us will ever be okay again, but I think I can do this. I hope I can ignore the darkness and start over with you. With anyone else.” Then, his expression changes. “Have you heard anything about my mom and dad?”

I’d seen them die. “I’m sorry.” I don’t say more. I can’t bring myself to destroy his last bit of hope. First, I’d give him something good.

“Well,” he sniffs and looks down at the money in his hands, “maybe we’ll find them too.”

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