Page 66 of The Second Sight
“Her earring?” He asked needing more context to my explanation.
“It was wrapped in a tissue, and she tossed it out the window and then remembered the earring was balled up in there?”
“That’s what she gets for littering.”
“Right!” I said too quickly. “We’ll be there in a few minutes with your food.”
I could feel Seven’s eyes on me as I spoke. Romeca stood with her arms crossed, watching me.
“Alright,” Dad said, though he didn’t sound convinced. “Just hurry up. The food’s getting cold, and I’m hungry.”
“I’ll be there soon. Love you,” I said, ending the call before he could ask more questions.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and looked at the faces around me, vampire, fairy, and whatever I was. The weight of what had happened and what was still happening crashed down on me anew.
“Brooklyn,” I whispered.
Seven moved to my side. “We’ll find her.” He promised.
“How?” I asked, looking from him to Romeca. “We don’t even know where they took her.”
“I’ll figure it out. We need to get your father his food first,” Seven said. “Keep appearances normal. Give us time to formulate a proper plan.”
I nodded and moved toward Brooklyn’s car, glass crunching beneath my feet. The driver’s side window was completely shattered. The interior was dusted with tiny crystal fragments. I carefully opened the back door and retrieved the tied food bags, shaking them gently to dislodge any glass that might have fallen on them. The smell of soul food wafted up, bizarrely normal amid the mess surrounding me.
“How are we going to do this?” I asked, clutching the food bags. “Brooklyn’s car is wrecked. And my father is waiting.”
Lily stepped forward, her movements graceful and predatory. “I’ll drive the human’s car,” she said, her tone making it clear this was a significant concession. “I can handle the glass.”
Seven nodded. “Take Romeca and Kyren with you. Follow us at a distance. We need to ensure Malcolm’s safety in case the Bambara return.”
“They won’t go after a human man,” Romeca argued.
“They took Brooklyn,” I countered, anger flaring. “She’s human. They’ll take anyone connected to me if they think it’ll draw me out.”
Romeca’s expression softened. “You’re right. The Bambara are growing desperate. They want a half-fae.”
Lily moved to the body of the dead hunter, hefting him with unsettling ease. She opened Brooklyn’s trunk and deposited the corpse inside, her expression clinically detached. The casual display of vampire strength sent a chill through me.
“We can’t leave evidence,” she explained, catching my horrified stare. “The human authorities would only complicate matters.”
Romeca moved to Brooklyn’s car and began efficiently brushing glass from the seats. Kyren assisted her, both of them working with supernatural speed.
“I’ll take Kasi and Kei’Mani in my car,” Seven said, gesturing toward his purple Porsche. “We’ll deliver the food to Malcolm, and make sure he’s safe, then meet you back at the mansion.”
I glanced at my newfound half-sister, still struggling to process her existence. She looked back at me with eyes so similar to mine it was unsettling.
“My dad can’t see you.” I said to Kei’Mani. “You can stay in my apartment that’s attached to the house.”
She shook her head. “I can remain in the shadows. He won’t even know I’m watching him.”
Seven’s hand on my lower back guided me toward his car. “We need to move quickly,” he said. “Your father will grow more suspicious the longer we delay.”
I clutched the food bags tighter and made sure to grab my purse. “What if the Bambara come back?” I asked as Seven opened the passenger door for me.
“That’s why we’re splitting up,” he explained. “To protect both you and your father while we search for your friend.”
I slid into the leather seat, placing the food bags carefully on my lap. Seven closed my door and moved around to the driver’s side with inhuman speed. Kei’Mani climbed into the back.
