Page 23 of Second Shooter

Megan swallowed. “I didn’t think anyone would know. I was so good at keeping up my hair, spraying my skin, and putting in lenses. I did everything I was told to, and they still found me.”

Cori looked at Win. “They took her when I was little. When she came back, she was different. Covered in scars. Her eyes were haunted, and she jumped at every sound. After a few months, I stopped noticing that she was still upset. She was, I just couldn’t tell. She stopped us from noticing and gradually just faded into the background. My big sister didn’t want to haunt me.”

Win smiled. “More or less. I needed to fit in. People had to forget about the scarring. From there, I could start again.”

Cori smiled. “You want to ruffle my hair.”

Win swooped in and ruffled both sides of Cori’s head, putting smacking kisses all over her face. “There. Have you been sistered enough?”

Cori smoothed her hair. “I will let you know when I need a top-up.”

Megan whispered, “When can I call my mom?”

Ymer smiled. “As soon as we are in the house. If the Elite want to track you here, they are welcome.”

Cori noticed the sharp fangs of the smile. “Okay, so we are going to crash at the house, and Win and J—May are at the guesthouse.”

Win nodded and followed Ymer’s gesture to the smaller house behind the enormous manor. She and May walked away.

When they entered the house, Cori could hear muffled sobs, and the voice was not her sister’s.

“Oh. Right.” Cori held Megan’s hand. Megan’s hand clenched back.

Ymer led them to the house, and there were two large and friendly dogs next to Iris. The white Elite wasn’t in the room.

Iris smiled. “You two are bunking here?”

Cori nodded. “Yes, ma’am. If it’s all right.”

“It’s great. We have two twelve-year-old boys who are due home in a few hours. They are both alphas, and because you are bound to ask, they were adopted when they were six. Brexel was their mother’s business partner, and when she and her husband died, he adopted them and hired me as the nanny. I left for a few years, and when I returned, the relationship started. The Elite were after my butt as well. My father was one of them.”

Cori nodded. “Us, too, and Win. And I am guessing that May is half-Elite as well. It would explain a few things.”

“May?”

“She decided with another Juno on the property she would go by her middle name here.”

The dog in question looked up and woofed.

Iris chuckled. “Right. Okay. Ymer will assign you rooms. There won’t be any issues with the other Elite. The dogs don’t like the scent of fear, and I don’t like treacherous bastards. Also, your sister is within screaming distance, and I think that will be a good deterrent to any nosiness.”

Cori smiled. “Yeah. She’s scary when she’s mad.”

Megan asked softly, “Can I go lie down?”

Ymer nodded, and Megan and Cori followed him. She was in the room and smiling as she closed the door. Megan looked exhausted and was probably on the phone the moment the door closed.

Ymer looked at Cori. “You don’t need to rest?”

“No. I need to see what kind of footage got out. I think I know why she was able to kill so many of them, but I need to see it.”

Ymer looked at her. “You are remarkably calm for coming so close to disaster.”

They walked back down the hall and headed to the kitchen, where Iris was setting up food. Lots of food.

Ymer said, “We have a laptop here. You can look up what you need.”

Cori nodded and looked up the wordsElite attack. Clips from all the girls in the bus began to roll, and she looked for something specific.

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