by Layna Snow
Well, that didn’t sound so good! And if Satan has a hand in it, then bad things were sure to come.
“Okay. So if you guys have started covering her trail, just continue. Tell us where she is and we will protect her.” They were two strong warriors. They could deal with a Werewolf possessed person. And if the Big-Man-Downstairs wanted her for something, he could have had her when she was there. He wouldn’t wait. Unless it benefited him.
“It isn’t going to work that way, Sin. We did it for a reason, to stop the Alliance. We don’t need to continue. We have all the information we need. Besides, our information shows that she’s not blameless in this. She made some choices and we have to let Human will prevail. However, if you both join, we will extend our protection to her. We will also give you all the information you might need.”
That was extortion! That was sinister! And Sin was kind of proud of Gage! He was breaking out of his tough crusty shell and become devious! It wasn’t enough to start a friendship, but it got his respect!
“Will join.” Thane answered quickly.
But Sin didn’t have to agree. Thane could join, and get the info while Sin just sauntered through like on his own. “He’s joining. Give him the info and we can get out of here.”
“That’s not good enough. We need both of you. Sin, you join too or no information.” Gage’s gaze on him was sharp, assessing, and made him feel like he was being sized up for a body bag. “We need Sin for a mission.”
Motherfucker! The guy was really sticking to this. “Alright! We’ll sign. Just tell me the info we need, then about this mission. We need to leave really soon. Hey! Now that we are Hunters, can we take the company plane? That’d save time. And we can take all our weapons!” They might get there today!
Sin couldn’t wait to surprise Phie.
“Alright. We had access to some programs and files on Alliance computers. We also had viruses in all the computers in Cold Wood. The Alliance is looking for the person working with a man named Timothy. The man who shot Sophia not too long ago. We believe that it was her who worked for him all along.”
Sophie, working for the bad guy? That was laughable! “Why do you believe this?”
“Someone contacted the Alliance using Timothy’s information after the man’s death. They told them that they had a Fallen that she was willing to trade. We have it confirmed that that person was Sophia Torres.” Gage stated the information like it was nothing.
And maybe it was.
Sin knew Phie. He knew that she wouldn’t have traded some innocent person for anything.
Even her sister?
“Sorry, Adrian.” Julian said, actually looking remorseful.
But there was nothing to be sorry about. It didn’t matter what Sophie did, he’d protect her.
They’d protect her.
Hopefully Mr. Moral Thane agrees.
***
A woman crept close to the car.
How could Sophie have had such a nice life? Why did everyone love her? Why didn’t everyone see that she was selfish and cowardly?
She had left! She was gone for months!
Now she came back and everyone loved her again!
No!
It wasn’t fair!
The woman sniffled, feeling the dry tingling in her nose.
It reminded her that she had been sober too long. She had avoided snorting up, or drinking. She had been getting her life together.
Then Sophie came back and she was nothing again.
No one cared.
No one ever cared about her!
She tried to be there for Sophie! She tried to get information, but Sophie pretended like nothing happened, that nothing was wrong.
The woman whipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and grabbed a rock from beside the driveway. It was big, heavy, but she didn’t feel the weight.
She only felt the rage and energy that pushed through her body, making her mind a jumble of hate!
“RAAAAAHH!!” She screamed, not caring that someone could hear it in the darkness. She didn’t care if she was caught now! She needed to yell.
She needed to break things!
The window shattered, the rock smashing through into the ugly interior.
But that didn’t even quench her need. But it helped her to think again.
She crouched, hiding.
When would Sophie understand that no one wanted her here? That her fake kindness was stupid. That her holier-than-thou attitude was hurting those around her?
If she’d just leave for good then things could be fine again. Then the woman could rebuild and remake her life.
Her own mistakes would be forgotten, and people would see her for more than just the mess that she used to be.
29
Sophie walked back into the small diner where she worked, again. She was tired, she deserved a break, but instead she had to take the time to record the damages done to her car.
This wasn’t the first time that something had happened to her since she had gotten back. First, someone broke her windshield. Now, they had slashed all her tires. And Sophie was sure that they had been slashed. There was no way they could all have long cuts from driving over something.
Sophie picked up her notepad at hostess station and nodded to her replacement that she was returning from her break.
Sophie should be happy that she got her job back. She should be happy that she was home again, but she wasn’t. Everything was different.
Her sister had died while she’d been away. Not because of declining health, or because it had been time, but because her parents pulled the plug.
How could they do that when Sophie wasn’t even there? How could they have made that decision without her?
Soph didn’t even get to say goodbye. And now her sister, her twin, was gone forever. She wouldn’t ever see that thin face again, so lifeless but bringing such hope. She would never get to hold the warm hand and know that they would always be together.
Annie wasn’t in that hospital room anymore. Instead, she was in the cold hard ground in the cemetery in Barrie.
And Sophie was here. Alone.
“Earth to Sophie! What’s the matter?” Emily asked from her booth. Since Soph had been back, she had realized that it wasn’t only her life that had changed. There were many other people who had accidents, had heartbreak, and who found new things in themselves.
In the 7 months that she had been gone, the town seemed to flourish. There were more tourists that flocked to the new B and B’s that had opened up. The corner store started selling more exotic wares and a clothing store opened up called Threads.
Soph was sure that the store was the only reason that Em came back in the first place. Apparently she had been out finding herself while Soph was gone.
“I’m fine, really. Just a little preoccupied. How is the new job?” She signed to the other woman.
They had grown up together. They had been friends, but things had been different since Annie’s accident.
Sophie had to admit that everyone liked her twin better.
Emily smiled as she set down the menu. Another change that Sophie had to get used to; the whole menu had changed. “It’s great! We just got in a new line that was made by a new designer out of Toronto. It’s really nice! It’s about time we got some good clothes around here! There is this cute dress that is black on blue colour-blocking. It would look great on you! You should really try it on.”
Every time Emily came in she tried to get Soph to buy something new. Sophie knew that it came out of a good place, but she didn’t want to think about new clothing.
She was used to the baggy outfits. She didn’t want to show off her figure. Sure, she was now more confident in her shape, but there was no point in dressing up for people around here.
And she didn’t feel like doing it for herself either.
Besides, it wasn’t like her clothes were fitting well anyways. Not with how she’d been eating lately!
“I don’t need anythin
g. I like my clothes. I’m glad things are going well, though.” Sophie lie through. She didn’t like her outfits. She just didn’t care about them.
They were the last thing on her mind.
Between her heartbreak and the person targeting her, Sophie had way more than she could handle already!
Sophie knew that she should go to the police, but there was something that stopped her. A need to keep her own secrets private.
“I know you are getting over a bad breakup but you have to get on with your life!” Emily said, but Sophie knew that she couldn’t. Not yet.
It had been a while since she had come back, and she had to explain her absence, and the reason she seemed to cry all the time. The best way to do that was with the truth. Or at least a part of the truth.
She didn’t tell them that she had been in love with two guys from Hell. But one heartbreak was enough for Em to understand.
“And you’re over Nate already?”
“No, okay! I’m not over him really. But he’s over me, or so my mom has told me. She saw him with someone else, who he introduced as his girlfriend. It’s been a long time and it’s not like he’s going to come back to me. Now, speaking of my mom. She asked me how you were, with your sister and all. Actually, it seems like all she ever talks about now!”
Was it just her, or did Em seem a little disgruntled. Was it the part about Nate, or about her mom?
“I’m really sorry, Emily. Let me know if I can do anything. I’m sure you will find someone else. And I am coping. I went to her grave the other day, finally. It looks nice. I just wish I had been there for the funeral.”
It was one of those things that she would never forgive her parents for. She was gone for a long time, and she knew that it had to be difficult on them, but they took something from her that she would never get back.
She hadn’t even known about her sister’s death. She hadn’t been at the funeral to put a rose on the coffin. She hadn’t held her sister’s hand one last time and told her how much she loved her and would miss her.
“It’s alright. I met a few guys while I was in London but they just weren’t Nate. It will take me a while to get over him.”
Sophie understood. She also knew that as soon as Emily got enough money and job experience, she would be gone to better places. She would go to a faster city where there were interesting men. And Sophie would still be here. Because even though this place changed, it was still her home.
As much as Sophie, herself, had changed she would stay.
There was nowhere else for her to go. No other place that gave her a connection to people that she had loved, and lost.
And she still loved Adrian and Thane.
Her heart broke again just thinking of them.
Did they even miss me?
“Soph! Order up!” The cook called from the back. Sophie turned her head, smiling at the kindly old woman. She was lucky to have this.
Looking back to Emily she signed, “What would you like?”
“Oh, just a cup of coffee and a piece of blueberry pie, if you have it. Thanks.”
Nodding, Soph walked to the counter and picked up the order. With the new people in town, she was worried that she would have to quit. They didn’t know ASL and with her hands busy she wouldn’t be able to use her new tablet very well. There was only so much that her boss would take before Sophie would have to go.
Sophie served a few more tables while making idle chit chat before making her way back to Emily’s with her food and a coffee carafe.
“Do you need anything else?”
Sophie didn’t expect her to. She had been waiting on Emily almost every day since she got back. Emily always got a small snack during her break. Sometimes Mel would come in and eat with her, but Fridays she was generally alone.
“Nope. All set. Look, Soph. I know that we used to be friends when we were young, but I have to admit, I was jealous of you. You got good grades, always went to church and my parents idolized you and Annie. I can see why Brooke rebelled! But, that wasn’t you’re fault. I just want to let you know that I’m here for you now. I can see how upset you are. You’re making yourself sick! Just slow down, take a break! Maybe just don’t work for a week and get yourself back on track. You can’t stay this way forever.”
As true as that was, she didn’t know what she could do. It was all just too much to handle. And she didn’t think she could tell anyone, especially Emily. She tended to gossip and right now, Sophie needed her secrets to stay a secret.
She just wished that she could tell Annie. It’d be nice to get this off her chest, even if her sister couldn’t do anything about it.
“Do you promise not to tell anyone?”
Emily sighed, placing her fork on the plate with the untouched pie. “I know that I messed up with Mel’s secret. I shouldn’t have told anyone about her reaction to silver. If I had kept it to myself, Tim wouldn’t have known about Mel being…you know. I know. It’s my fault and her almost death, along with yours will always haunt me. That was one of the things I had to deal with while I was away. It is one of the reasons that I didn’t go after Nate. I promise that I won’t say anything about what you tell me. No one will ever know! Is it about that car stuff the other day? I heard about that. Sucks. Tell me everything!”
Sophie could see the haunted, yet excited look in her eyes. She knew that Emily still worried about the things that went on a year ago. But the shooting and whole Tim problem wasn’t her fault. Even though the town believed it was, Sophie couldn’t.
Cay, Seth and Mel came in the diner regularly to have breakfast. They seemed so in love that it tore out Sophie’s heart. She wouldn’t ever have that love again.
Sure, she would have other relationships. She would probably fall in love with someone else and life would go on but it wouldn’t be that all-consuming love that she had felt for the guys. It wouldn’t be the kind of love that she would dream of every night. The kind that could be in a kinky fairy tale. It wouldn’t be perfect in its imperfection.
No guy could match the bad boy look of Adrian. No one could be able to get her as mad, or give her such a violently lustful reaction. He knew how to push her buttons and even though he crossed the line, he made her want to go over it with him. He made her feel beautiful, even though she wasn’t society’s idea of beauty. He showed her that no matter what her parents said, she was attractive just the way she was. He taught her how to want, how to pleasure, and how to laugh again, even if it was silent.
And no one was as masculine as Thanatos, with his hard muscles and his silence. But under all that, he was sweet and he cared. He would do anything to save just one person. He touched her and cuddled her, he made her feel special. He was the one that showed her that it was alright to love the person she was inside. It showed her that she was worthy, that she needed to take time to be herself. He made her feel like a person again, instead of an automaton just surviving.
She knew now that she didn’t need them. She didn’t need what they gave her. She could be happy without it, after some time. But, she wanted it with her whole being.
It didn’t matter, though. She didn’t have a way to get a hold of them, and even if she did, she didn’t expect anything out of it. They explained what they wanted. And she needed something else now.
“Don’t just stand there! Tell me already.” Emily exclaimed, clearly exasperated.
Just tell her. She’ll know eventually. It wasn’t like she could keep it a secret forever.
Soph ran her hands through her loose hair before sliding it down the blue and white cotton dress-like uniform nervously. She felt her hands shaking, and she really didn’t know if she should or not, but she had to tell someone! And it couldn’t be her parents!
“I’m pregnant.”
“WHAT!” Emily cried, her pie seemly forgotten as she stared in shock. Her eyes were wide and her mouth open. Sophie was tempted to tell her what her Abuela would have said. Are you collecting flies? Shut that mouth! But she didn’t
.
“You’re what?” she asked again, and this time Sophie looked around, relieved to see that no one else cared. They were all busy eating and didn’t need her attention at the moment.
“Keep quiet. I don’t want anyone to know. Remember? Yes, I’m pregnant. Yes it was from my relationship, and yes I’m keeping it.”
Emily took a deep breath. “I’m glad that I hadn’t just taken a sip of my coffee! Gosh Soph! I don’t know what to say! I never thought you’d have a child out of wedlock! How the mighty have fallen, hmm? But really, are you good with this? Are you happy?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? Was she happy that her life wasn’t going as planned? She had thought that she’d meet a nice young man and get married before having a few kids. She thought that he’d move here and they’d have a nice cute little house. She had assumed that her kids would play with Annie’s kids and they’d grow up the best of friends. But that wasn’t the case.
That would never happen now.
But she didn’t regret the little one growing inside her. It was new. She read a few books since she returned and realized that she was sicker than she should be, and then she hadn’t gotten her period. It didn’t take long for the test to tell her something was abnormal, and then she went to the doctor. It was only yesterday that she learned the truth for real. And she couldn’t even share it with her sister.
She didn’t even know if it was Adrian’s or Thanes. She supposed when it was born she’d know. They didn’t exactly look similar! She had no idea how it happened, since they weren’t supposed to be able to have kids, but it happened. And she couldn’t help but be nervous and excited.
She wasn’t alone anymore.
“Yes. I already love it. This wasn’t what I had planned, but it happened.”
“Oh! I’m going to help you pick out baby things! It will be so fun! I guess my plans have changed now too. Shoot! All this work, but never mind! It wouldn’t have worked anyways. It hadn’t before. So! How far along are you?”
“A couple months. I have been reading books on pregnancy and I find it really frightening. I don’t know how my parents will react. I’m sure Brooke will be thrilled.” Any time Sophie messed up Brooke was happy.
