Page 115 of Black Bird

“This hall?” Rhaena cut her off, clacking down the direction she was pointing. Wren nodded and watched her confidently stride to Dom’s door, knocking once and then opening it without waiting for him to invite her in. The door slammed behind her, and Wren and Leigh exchanged looks.

“Is she single?” Leigh asked, smiling.

“No, Leigh.”

“I’m in love.” Leigh chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. Wren stalked over to the front door, peering out and seeing Sarah in the front seat, hooded and staring forward. “I’ve never seen her like that,” Leigh added.

“Once we leave, you never saw her at all. You got me?” Wren asked, looking at her over her shoulder. Leigh nodded.

“You gonna be okay?”

Wren pondered that for a moment. That was a question she’d been asking herself ever since Sarah’s attack. She wasn’t sure how to answer, so she chose not to. A door slammed down the hall and the sound of Rhaena’s heels filled the shop as she stormed back through, pushing her sunglasses back on.

“He won’t be making any moves to fire you anytime soon. Let’s go,” Rhaena snapped, nodding and smirking in farewell to Leigh and moving past Wren to walk out the door.

Leigh sunk onto her stool, swooning. “Damn …” She shook her head.

“Later, Leigh.” Wren rolled her eyes and followed Rhaena out, slipping into the back seat and closing the door. She leaned around the front seat and planted a kiss on Sarah’s cheek. “Hey, bitch.” Sarah turned her head and smiled grimly.

“Ready for a vacation?” Sarah asked, rolling her eyes.

“Honestly? Couldn’t be the worst thing.” Wren shifted back into the seat and buckled her seatbelt as Rhaena pulled off and headed toward their building.

“Look guys,” Rhaena started, glancing in the rear-view mirror at Wren. “It’s just an old cabin. We can make some fun out of it, and I’ll try … but later this week will be rough, and I need you both to watch your backs. Listen to every damn word Athan tells you and do exactly as he says on Saturday night. Do we all understand each other?”

Sarah looked over at Rhaena. “What happens Saturday night?”

Oh, shit. She still didn’t know.

Rhaena’s knuckles turned colors as she gripped the steering wheel. “Sarah … I—Saturday night is a full moon.” Wren bit down on her lip in anticipation.

“Full moon—you’re a …” Sarah trailed off and let her mouth hang open.

“Yeah,” Rhaena’s voice dropped into a shameful whisper.

There was an awkward enough silence in the truck, but Wren decided to turn the direction of that tension away from Rhaena as she asked, “Sarah … when is the last time you spoke to Brent?”

Sarah took a moment to reel in the shock of what Rhaena had just admitted and turned her chin over her shoulder. “Why do you ask?”

“I saw him today at Bunker’s. He looks rough. He said he gave you something and whatever the two of you talked about must have really thrown him into some weird depressive shit. He almost looks like the type of guy I’d go for after not showering for God knows how long. What’s he talking about? What happened?”

Sarah turned her face toward the passenger side window and sighed. “He had a big falling out with his dad. Afterwards, he came to tell me about it. Conrad gave him a blood bag.Myblood. Brent was to decide what to do with it, so he ultimately figured that it should come back to me.”

Rhaena’s turn to drop her mouth open. Wren followed suit. “So … that’s what he meant about finally doing the right thing?” Wren asked.

“I guess so, if that’s what he said. But there’s more to it. Conrad told him about the vampires, and where they are.” Rhaena’s head jerked toward her, and her eyes bulged. “He doesn’t know about Athan, or you. There were two blood bags. One was given to this Dahlia bitch, and the other to Conrad. He was going to use it on the little girl at the benefit. I’m pretty positive Dahlia turned the girl that was trying to kill me with the other bag.”

The truck went dead silent, and they slowed to a red light. “I got rid of her,” Rhaena said quietly. Sarah looked over and they met each other’s stare. “I called Jenkins, and he helped me burn the body. We cleaned it up good at the hotel.”

Wren shifted in her seat. “Brandon knows?” she asked. Rhaena nodded.

“He knows about me. Not about Athan.”

The light turned green, and they moved forward. “And he was fine with it? What you are?” Sarah asked.

“Actually … he told me he loved me that night.” Rhaena looked as if she couldn’t help but smile. Sarah was at a loss for words. Wren knew what must have been going on in her head, and she redirected the conversation a second time.

“Where did they get these bags from, Sarah? Did Brent know that?”

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