Page 17 of V for Vengeance

My devilish smirk was in full force, and Phillip had good reason to hesitate when he saw it. I’d done enough to him with my freezing power to put him on guard when I looked a little too happy with myself.

But Kate was already losing her damn mind, jaw dropped, eyes wide, her fantasies likely running away with her. The chick never changed. Phillip just gave her everything she needed to write her very own romance novel, and I could only hope she was smart enough not to use our real names because Cici and her pretty crew would probably find and destroy us with it. Not that anything they did could come close to what I’d already been through over the last year.

My friend’s lips were slanted, and with a shy look Phillip’s direction, the other girl resituated herself on her chair. “How long will you be in town?”

Thank whatever deity was watching that Kate knew how to read a room because I’d die if Phillip had another chance to make this entire visit awkward.

“Just a few days. I’m sorry it’s not longer, but I promise I’ll visit again.” I cut a look over to Phillip, and he nodded.

Relief washed over me.

I’d get to see her again. After losing the people I considered friends, having Kate made a difference. I might hate Phillip for being a shameless asshole, but he knew how much she meant to me. Unfortunately, if I let the visit go on any longer, Kate was likely to get several books’ worth of material out of it, and I couldn’t risk Phillip ruining this special reunion for me.

“I’ll call you,” I said, getting up with a suffering sigh. “I’m really glad I could see you even just for a moment. This last year has been…rough.”

Kate shot to her feet and threw her arms around my shoulders, hugging the very life out of me. You know, if I hadn’t already been a genetically altered monster. “I’m so happy for you, V. I was really worried you’d never find love or happiness. You’re sort of a doom and gloom kind of chick.”

Her stare was full of impish chiding and I laughed, not arguing. I nearly told her that it’d only gotten worse, but I kept that little crazy nugget to myself. I wouldn’t know how to explain if she probed me for more.

Kate pulled me over to the kitchen, voice dropping to a whisper, still ignorant to the fact that Phillip had beast ears and would hear every word. Oh, he’d play his part well, which was why the arrogant asshole stayed on the couch without complaint, but I’d hear all about it when we got back to the house.

I’m going to have to brainstorm pranks with both Jo and Kris to get him back for everything he’s about to say and do.

Kate went on, none the wiser, “When that bad boy fantasy came walking into class, I really didn’t expect I’d one day tell Cici and her bitch crew thatmy best friendlanded the hottest guy to roll through town since…well, ever. It was the highlight of our senior year!”

Oh, how fabulous. I’m the highlight of the Class of 2022.

I didn’t need to look over to know Phillip was eating it all up, unlike me who was probably still viral on social media and TikTok for running off with a teacher. My face was a meme sensation somewhere, no doubt.

Fuck my life.

I was suddenly very glad I didn’t have social media or a digital presence at all. The closest I got was texting and scrolling Google for shit Phillip said I didn’t understand. It’d kill me to see gross comments from my classmates about how I was getting regular D from a teacher. It was the first time I was grateful I hadn’t been a normal teenager.

Kate’s eyebrows waggled. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Wow, don’t hold back on my account,” I sassed, glaring at Phillip when he snickered to himself, my vampire ears picking up on the sound when Kate’s hadn’t. “But you, too. I want you to find someone who makes you happy.”

She made apfftsound with her lips, then stole a glance at the asshole on the couch. “You got friends, Mr. Smith?”

“Well, I have this mate, Sl—”

I cut in sharply. “Well, love you. Gotta go.”

I hugged Kate with as much strength as it’d take to express my gratitude but not crush her very fragile human body, then I hauled the asshole from the room. I ignored the amused laughter that followed me all the way to the car, determined tobask in the happiness of seeing Kate again when I never thought I would.

Chapter 10

Mary Poppins Bag of Shit

After the brief visit with Kate, we were back to work and ready to gather intel on Three, which meant contacting a wolf I wasn’t sure I’d ever see again.

Nigel.

We couldn’t be sure if the others in his pack were on Lux’s payroll, so everyone agreed that Nigel was the only one we’d meet. After texting the guy who I still regarded as a friend and the first man I’d ever gotten butterflies around, the meeting was set for later that evening.

It killed me to suspect Mia and Claude, but Tiff’s friendship had done a number on me. I couldn’t be confident about anyone anymore. Not even Nigel. But Nigel had gotten the green light from both Phillip and Grams.

Grams was a walking, talking lie detector. Honestly, so was Phillip to some degree. He’d suspected Tiff and Topher before anyone else. Sure, the jerk didn’t bother to tell me about it, but he’d been aware of the connection I shared with Tiff. And I was naïve. I wanted to believe the good in people. I still wanted tobelieve in it even after being betrayed by two people I cared about.

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