Page 82 of How to Entice a Fiend

“Ender, if you’re truthful, they’ll be more willing to help you. It’s obvious we can’t do this alone,” Mads says.

“I don’t want their fucking help.”

“I want to punch you so fucking hard,” Alexei snarls.

“Guys, it’s fine,” Claude says. “Please, let’s stay focused. I know you’re upset, hon. But let’s just focus on stopping this Abel guy. And then we can fixate on hating Ender. Sadly, it seems like he has information that we need.”

Mads is staring at me as I clench my jaw.

“His voice,” I whisper.

“Claude’s voice? What about his voice?” Alexei snaps.

“He was with Abel. I heard his voice.”

“I was?” Claude asks.

“You heard it? You never even saw him and you just… assumed it was him?” Alexei demands.

“There was nothing to fucking see in that darkness. All I could do was hear, and I heard him. Hell, maybe I saw him too, I don’t remember, I just know he was there,” I snap.

“Do you think you could tell me when this was? I’d love to know if I really do know this Abel guy,” Claude says. “I have traveled a lot and met many people. I don’t… recognize the name necessarily, but it doesn’t mean that I never met him.”

“I don’t know. It was a long time ago. That period of time was… I don’t know how long ago.”

Alexei doesn’t seem pleased, but I don’t give a shit if it means I can avoid telling him.

“If you told them the truth, I bet they’d be more willing to help you,” Mads says.

“I don’t want to tell them the truth. Do you want to recount how your family was killed?” I ask.

He grimaces. “You’re right. I do not. I’m sorry.”

Fuck. “I… didn’t mean to bring up bad memories. I’m not good at this shit.”

“You don’t have to tell me more,” Claude says. “But if you do remember when or how I might know Abel, it would really help.”

“Alright.”

We pull into the VRC before anything else happens, and they discreetly escort us into a different vehicle, another large three-row SUV, as they talk to DeGray and Briar and transfer Vivian’s body into their care.

I close my eyes and try to think about when it was that I’d heard Claude. Lost in that darkness, time shifts and moves in strange ways, and it’s hard to piece it all together.

At the time I heard his voice, I was in the dark because I refused to kill a child. Abel killed them anyway. But why does any of this stand out to me? What makes Claude’s voice stand out?

The car door opens and the four of them get in. Finn turns in his seat so he can look back at us. “Brooks is getting information on where to send you, and then we’re going to focus on finding out where Grady is.”

Mads speaks up. “Before we hunt for Grady, I insist on being taken to a lab. I want to make enough antidote that everyone here has some on their person. The ingredients are extremely expensive and hard to get, but I think it’s vital for the main detectives who will be trying to stop Abel to have them.”

“Okay. I’ve informed Brooks, but we don’t happen to have a chemistry set lying around anywhere,” Finn says. “He’s looking into getting you over to the university.”

“Thank you.”

When we reach Orin’s, I still have absolutely no idea why I recognize Claude’s voice. Clearly, if I can’t even identify it, I should never have focused my attack on him. But my mind isn’t always reasonable after years spent with Abel.

Mind in turmoil, I get out of the vehicle and follow them up to the house. I’m honestly surprised Rylee isn’t already running out and making me promise to never leave her again. But when Finn opens the door, I freeze.

“He’s here, get Mads away,” I order as I rush in for Rylee. I don’t have to go far before I find her sitting at the dining room table. She’s seated next to Abel, who pats her head as he looks at me.

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