Page 53 of The Incubus Curse

Dustin’s eyes had never looked more intent on me than at that moment.

“I - well - wow.” He fumbled on his words as his mouth watered.

To my surprise, Oliver and Tina had returned from feasting, or whatever it was that they had gotten done doing. Both of their eyes widened at me.

“There you are!” Tina all but rushed to me, embracing me with a hug. “I was worried about you.” She patted down my body as if I was hiding a weapon.

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” I quipped.

“Well, I-” She was speechless.

“Or maybe you were wrong about Dustin?” I added, hoping she’d repeat it. She didn’t.

“I met a couple that you apparently know. Or rather, they knew who you were.” She changed the subject, howconvenientfor her. But I let it drop. She wasn’t exactly one to go down without swinging. “We met them downstairs. Sophie and Trevor? Ring a bell?”

Dustin spun upright. “Oh, that’s right, Edward mentioned them. I wonder.” His finger plucked at his chin.

“What?” Oliver lifted a brow.

“I know how old Soph is, but how old is Trevor? Isn’t he from Edward’s era?” Dustin was now standing and pacing the floor, deep in thought. “I feel like I remember him mentioning something about it forever ago. Damn it, I wish I actually listened to that cockroach.”

“Careful!” Tina yelled, her hands in the air as if to steady him. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Thosecockroacheshappen to be everywhere and have exceptional hearing.”

“Cockroaches?” My brow lifted.

“It’s what everyone calls vampires. The cockroaches of the demons. They’re painfully hard to kill and procreate like a viral infection spreading endlessly.” Oliver rolled his eyes, thankfully explaining, though now it made sense why Dustin had been so dismissive of Trevor back at the hotel days ago.

“What did they say when you spoke with them?” Dustin ignored Oliver’s commentary and directed his questions to Tina.

She stuttered, scratching her head as if trying to recall. “Something about being glad you guys made it out alive and that if you wanted to grab a drink, they would be at a bar upthe road grabbing dinner.”

‘Grabbing dinner’ felt like a code word for tearing into helpless humans and feasting on their blood. And while I was becoming accustomed to all this newfound terror in my life, it felt strange to imagine it.

“Did they mention which bar exactly?”

“The one with the ‘giant red crab light’ around the corner was all they used to describe it.” She waved her hands in the air, trying to mimic what I could only assume was her attempt to draw a crab in the air.

“We should go there. I think Edward is holding back information about the ancients, and if Trevor is from his era, he might know something.” Dustin widely smiled, though I couldn’t blame him. This was the closest we had ever been to learning more about what was happening. And I’d imagine the more we learned, the better ammo we’d have, especially in saving their mother, who was stillgodknows where.

I think it was easier for them not to bring her up; if they ignored it, then maybe it wasn’t true. But I did not doubt that each of the boys were thinking about her, hoping she was okay. In the few moments of silence, you could see their faces drift off in thought, saddened by whatever they were thinking about. And I imagined it was of her.

After that, The rest took their share of showers, dressing back into their old clothes, which looked almost newer than before. If that was even possible?

And then we all seemed to shuffle by the door in waiting.

“So, the plan is we go to this bar and casually bring up the ancients, okay?” Dustin said as we all corralled together as if in a huddle. “Freya, it might be too dangerous for you. They assume you to be a human.”

My eyes shot daggers back at him. “Like hell! If you think I’m staying in this hotel filled with vampires alone-”

“-She has a point.” Tina snapped back, cutting me off. “I don’t like the idea of leaving her here. Especially if you think Edward wasn’t telling us everything. What if he knows about her?”

“How would he know that I’m part angel?” I said, knocking her and Oliver’s mouths open as they hung wide in shock.

“You told her?!” Tina’s voice was accusatory, her brows furrowing at Dustin as if she wanted to be the one to tell me.

His hands shot up. “She apparently heard us in the car. Don’t go all feral onme!”

“It doesn’t matter how I know. All that matters is if he knows, and I don’t feel comfortable staying here. Not when those deathwalkers are after me. Not when they’ve continuously been able to find me. What if they come here when you guys are all gone?”

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