Page 139 of Black Bird

Athan rubbed a palm over his face. “That doesn’t seem likely to me. Other than a few strange things, here and there … everything about her seems human to me. And we already know her blood was different before I ever bit her. I guess the detective part of my brain just has this need to figure her out. Especially before I even think of considering giving her what she asked of me last night.”

“There has to be someone we can talk to that has some knowledge about this kind of shit.” Rhaena fanned herself.

“I need to get in touch with Tony at that club. I feel like he might at least have a couple of theories I could run with. Maybe I can run out tomorrow before you get too bad off and be back in time for us to prep the closet.” He started to raise his mug to his mouth.

“Yeah, about that … I need to tell you something, Kane.” His cup paused in front of his face, and he looked over at her. Rhaena loosed a deep sigh and ran a hand through her hair. “I spoke to Jenkins this morning. There’s an APB out for you and Sarah.”

“What?” He lowered the mug, gripping it hard enough to crack. “Why the fuck would Cap do that? I thought he was backing us on leaving town.”

“Hedidn’tdo that. He’s working with Brandon to try and clear your names. That little twat from the crime scene orchestrated it. She’s apparently out to pin these murders on Sarah, and charge you with hiding her—which, if you ask me, I think is more to draw you out than actually book you with anything substantial.”

“That’s fucking ridiculous. It doesn’t even make sense. Why would Sarah stage a body to look like herself? She was accounted for at the time of the first murder and has a solid alibi. And I know exactly where she was when the second murder happened, too.”

“I think they know that. That’s probably why they also charged her with communicating a threat to a government official. They know it won’t hold.”

Athan could feel his temper boiling. He turned and stormed toward the kitchen, throwing the mug into the sink with enough force for it to shatter. Rhaena followed after him. “Fuckingcunt!”

“Calm down! This is exactly why I didn’t wanna say anything this morning.” He paced around the kitchen fisting his hair and she followed him back through the kitchen doorway into the living room. The front door burst open, and Wren and Sarah came cackling through it, both of them stopping dead when they saw their faces.

“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked.

And that’s where they all currently found themselves. It felt like they’d never have a moment’s peace. Athan understood then, why Rhaena hadn’t told him this morning. He felt the same way right now … looking at the hopelessness on Sarah’s face. On Wren’s. How could he tell her that the one thing she’d always been so sick of, was now a public witch hunt?

“I was gonna wait … but you guys need to sit. We’ve gotta talk.” Rhaena gestured to the couch. Wren went and sat, but Sarah ignored her, stepping forward and slipping her arms around his waist. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to how it made him feel when she did it.

“Is it her?” Sarah asked, searching his eyes for some kind of answer. He pulled her against him.

“Not this time. Come sit.” Athan helped her out of her wet jacket and offered her and Wren a clean blanket from the hutch.

It was starting to seem like for every potential answer she got, a new problem arose. The snowball effect. And not the kind Sarah had just finished warring Wren with. Not the kind that brought any kind of joy. They listened to Rhaena explain what Jenkins had told her this morning,and Sarah kept her eyes on Athan, who braced one hand on the tiny mantle over the fireplace and poked life into the fire with the other.

“Okay, so I only see one logical answer to this problem,” Sarah said, shrugging. Athan looked over his shoulder at her. “I turn myself in.”

“Absolutely not. Fuck that.” Athan’s eyes glinted with rage.

“Look, you’ve said it yourself. It makes no sense to charge me with anything. I have alibis for both of these ‘murders’,” she quoted with her fingers, “and if I never said anything about actually hurting Conrad Stratford, who I’m confident is very muchunhurt, then what other choice do they have than to let me fucking go?”

Athan turned himself around. “That’s just it, Sarah. I think this was just an easy way for them to get their hands on you. Nick Specter was the one who gave me that glass container with the rest of your mom’s ashes. He said you ended up on the government’s radar when you went searching for whatever virus killed her. The Feds probably just want to charge you with some shit so that they won’t have to come looking for you. You’ll end up coming straight into the lion’s den on your own. We can’t let you do that. Iwon’tlet you do that.”

“Athan, I’m sick of running. I’m sick of the what ifs. I’m never gonna stop being hunted for whatever it is that I am, okay? If you come with me, let me turn myself in … we’ll explain away our charges and if that’s the real reason they’re after me, then telling them my reasons for wanting to know more about what happened to her shouldn’t be bad enough for them to be allowed to take me anywhere. Am I wrong?” Sarah glanced between him and Rhaena, who looked at each other in deep thought. “There’s no law that I’ve broken, and no rules against the study of possibly harmful viruses, as long as it pertains to protecting the public from such a thing. I don’t know how to do their job, but I sure as shit know how to do mine. If I did nothing wrong, or illegal … then I shouldn’t have anything to worry about, should I?”

“I think showing them the strong type could benefit you. That’s just my opinion,” Wren offered, crossing her arms in front of her. “I think it would at least let them all know that you’re not alone in this, for one, and that you also don’t plan on coming without being armed to the teeth with your legal rights.”

Rhaena quirked a brow. “You could get a lawyer.”

“Call Brent,” Wren agreed.

“I don’t think so.” Athan stepped forward.

“Look, he’s one of the best lawyers in Boston. He also knows Sarah well. And to be honest, what better person would you have to argue away the bullshit with his father than the son that hates him most? Plus, he can legally challenge whatever tricks they’ve got up their crooked sleeves and see it coming before they even attempt to use it on her. I don’t like the prick, either … and yes … he did her wrong. But in doing so, I’d say he also kind of owes it to her to make that right. And I think redemption is not only what he really wants, but what heneeds.” Wren bit down on her lip.

“She’s right, Athan,” Rhaena agreed softly. “And her being in police custody would protect her from both Conrad and Dahlia’s crowd. At least, until we figure out how to handle that part.”

Sarah kept quiet and met his eyes. She could almost see them burning.

It’ll be okay. Come with me.

He let out a deep exhale that suggested he’d unknowingly been holding his breath.

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