Dirty Blood (23 page)

“What is it?” I asked, a heaviness forming in my
stomach.

Wes took a deep breath and I braced myself, knowing
whatever it was, wasn’t good news. “When you left, I tried to
follow you, but you were already gone by the time I got to my car.
I called Jack and Fee and had them search for awhile, too. Mainly
because they can sense you and I can’t. Anyway, I kept driving
around, looking for your car in parking lots and gas stations but,
of course, nothing. All I could think was that something horrible
was happening to you…” He squeezed his eyes shut against whatever
mental image still tormented him. “Anyway, then Vera called. She
said she’d ‘seen’ something. Just a flash, but it wasn’t good.”

“What was it?”

“It was you,” he said in a grim voice. “Lying in the
middle of that intersection, with that Werewolf from earlier
standing over you. Your blood was everywhere. You weren’t
moving.”

“Oh,” I said, letting that sink in. I understood why
Wes had made me leave without him.

“I didn’t even know if I would get there in time,” he
said, quietly.

Neither of us said anything for a minute. He still
looked pained, and I could tell he was berating himself for the
whole thing.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

He looked surprised. “For what?”

“If I hadn’t snuck out, this never would have
happened.”

“True. Well, not tonight away. But eventually, yes,
it would’ve. And it will again. That’s the other thing I need to
tell you.”

“Okay…” I said, trying to read the strange look he
wore.

“Vera saw … something else. She’s been seeing it for
awhile now. It’s about you.” He stopped.

“Like that day at Jack’s? The vision you wouldn’t
tell me about.”

He nodded. “It started as just a feeling, I guess. A
feeling that someone new was coming. And then she started seeing
images. They were blurry at first but got clearer as the time got
closer. She said she didn’t know when, but a girl was coming, and
she would be a part of our group. An important part. A leader who
would finally bring peace. She said the girl would be a Hunter but
nothing like we’d ever seen before. The problem was she didn’t know
who the girl was or when she would come. So, we all sort of forgot
about it. But the other day, when she met you at The Cause
meeting…she recognized you.”

“As the girl from her vision,” I finished for him,
though my voice held more than a little skepticism.

“Yes.”

I shook my head. “I think she has me mistaken for
someone else.”

“I thought so, too, at first. Or at least, I wanted
to think so. But then I saw the face in Vera’s visions.”

“You saw them? How?”

Wes took a deep breath, held it, and then released it
in a rush of words. “I read it, in her mind. I can read minds.”

“You can read minds,” I repeated, full of disbelief.
Then again, why shouldn’t I believe it, after everything else I’d
seen?

He nodded.

It took me a minute to understand where this might be
going. “Like, anybody’s mind?”

“Only on a full moon, but yes, anybody’s mind. I
don’t know why. It’s always been like that.”

The admission brought on a whole new list of
questions, but I tried to stick to the subject at hand. “Okay, so
you saw the visions in her mind, and recognized me?”

“Yes.”

“And I’m supposed to be this big, bad leader?”

“Something like that.”

“Huh. What does that even mean? Is that why they keep
looking at me like they’re waiting for me to turn water into wine
or something?” He didn’t answer. “Is this what you’ve been keeping
from me this whole time?”

“Yes. Vera said it would scare you off to tell you
everything. She insisted we needed to let you come into it,
naturally. So we all had to promise not to tell you. I’m sorry.
I’ve wanted to, I just… didn’t know how.”

“It’s easy, you just say it,” I said, snapping the
words.

“It’s not easy, especially when you’ve been ordered
to keep quiet. Jack is the alpha in our pack, and when he gives an
order, you don’t disobey.”

“But you did. Just now.” I wasn’t feeling angry so
much as stubborn. He could’ve told me any time. Instead, he kept it
to himself and I looked like an idiot.

“And I could get kicked out of The Cause for it,
too,” he said. “It’s a serious thing to disobey an alpha’s
order.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t think of anything
to
say. Of all the things he could’ve admitted to, this
wasn’t what I was expecting. Wes reached for my hand but I moved
away. I needed time to think, to process what he was saying, and I
couldn’t do that with him touching me. I rose and wandered the
room, not really pacing but unable to stay still.

I stopped in front of a massive bookshelf against the
far wall. It held an even mix of books and music, and I scanned the
titles of paperbacks, distracted. There was a wide range, from
westerns to documentaries. There was even a Mark Twain.

“There’s more,” he said.

Of course there was. I didn’t turn. “What is it?”

“The comment Leo made about our blood and its power,
I think you guessed correctly. I think it’s possible that you might
be-” he broke off, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “Like
me.”

I turned, wide eyed, to face him. “You mean dirty-” I
stopped, knowing he didn’t like that term. “One of each?” I shook
my head. “But you said he was messing with us. That you don’t trust
anything he says.”

“Not usually, but …” He looked away, staring at some
spot on the far wall, and the feeling of dread in the pit of my
stomach intensified.

“But?”

“He has it out for you, bad. It doesn’t add up. I
mean, you’re new and not even sure how involved you want to be in
this world. But he’s convinced you’re top priority and need to be
taken out.” I winced. “Sorry. But I just don’t understand why else
he could be so focused on you. Or how he found you in the first
place.”

“So because Leo wants me dead, then Vera’s right, and
I’m some important Hunter leader come to rescue everyone?”

Wes sighed. “I can understand it’s a lot to take in,
but I also thought it was time to be honest with you. Earlier, when
you were talking to George… I just didn’t want to keep lying
anymore. I want it to be me who you talk to about this stuff.”

“So do I,” I said. I took a step toward him. His
expression clouded, the way it did when he held something back. I
stopped. “There’s something else.” He didn’t answer and refused to
meet my gaze. “More visions of death? Or some huge destiny?”

He stared down at the floor. “Destiny. That was the
word she used, too.”

“Who?”

He looked up at me. His eyes had darkened to a muddy
brown. “Vera. She said you were my destiny.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, trying to ignore the
chest fluttering his words caused. Something invisible sprang to
life, coating the air, and thickening it. It made it harder to
breathe.

“She told me she keeps seeing you and me, together,
leading The Cause, and finally bringing the two races
together.”

“Like as a couple?” I asked. Without meaning to, I
held my breath while I waited for him to answer. I felt hot and
cold, and excited and terrified.

“Yes.”

“Oh.” I tried to keep my voice even and resist the
urge to jump up and down or something equally embarrassing.
Suddenly, Vera’s vision wasn’t sounding so bad. Then I realized Wes
didn’t look nearly as overjoyed as I felt. “You don’t want
that?”

“It’s not that.” He smiled. “I want that very much,”
he added quietly.

Relief flooded through me so hard I felt light
headed. As if to prove his words, Wes rose and walked over to me.
He tugged my hands free from where I’d clasped them around my arms
and pulled me into him, wrapping his arms around me and stroking my
hair.

“I owe you an apology, though,” he said, his lips so
close to my ear, I could feel his breath on my neck. “I was
irritated at having my future decided for me by some vision. I was
stubborn and unwilling to admit I was falling for you, even when I
already knew I had. I kept trying to push you away, along with my
feelings for you. It didn’t work, obviously, but I am sorry because
I ended up hurting you.”

I pulled away and lifted my head so I could look up
at him. “That’s the reason for all the mood swings? Vera’s
visions?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

I wanted to let him off the hook, I really did, but
it still made me mad that he’d kept something so big from me.
Whether I believed Vera’s visions or not, it made all the pieces
fit, at least about Wes’ behavior these last few weeks. “You
should’ve told me.”

“I know.”

“Vera can’t, I mean, this pull we feel to each other.
Did she do that?”

“No.” He shook his head. “She can’t do something like
that. The pull is real. If I’m right about you, it probably has to
do with both of us being mixed.”

“Like our body’s sensors don’t feel danger around the
other?”

“Something like that.”

I thought about that. It would be nice to believe it
was all science. Then, maybe, I wouldn’t have to feel like it was
some sort of confusing, made up attraction. I looked back at Wes.
His eyes had lightened again, but his brows were creased with
worry. Then I remembered the apology he’d offered. I’d yet to
accept. “I forgive you.”

He smiled, and his features smoothed into relief.
“You seem to be taking all this vision stuff pretty well.”

I shrugged. It wasn’t that it didn’t bother me; I was
just too busy enjoying the upside; the part where Wes was my
destiny. I didn’t really want to think about the rest of it. Or
whether or not I even believed it. “I guess I’m just glad to
finally know what everyone’s been keeping from me. Not that I
really believe what Vera saw, but, if I did, well…You can’t mess
with destiny,” I said.

“I guess not,” he agreed, bringing his hand up to
brush a lock of hair out of my face. His gaze held mine, burning
with intensity. The room seemed to blur out and disappear until all
that was left was him; his smell, his arms around me, his chiseled
jaw. And those eyes. They’d gone dark again, a lovely shade of bark
brown. “Tara, I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too” I whispered, breathless. Then, I
put aside visions and war and peace, as I pressed my lips to
his.

His kisses were gentle at first, like our mouths were
getting to know one another. Then the heat began, winding its way
through my insides. I pulled him tighter against me, needing to
feel more of him. Everywhere our bodies touched, there was heat. He
deepened the kiss, drawing it out, and slipping his tongue into my
mouth. I decided then and there that it didn’t matter what Vera
envisioned, from here on out. As long as I got to be with Wes, just
like this.

I barely felt my feet touching the hardwood floor, or
moving, for that matter, but somehow we ended up back on the couch.
His kisses were fast, now, and frenzied, reminding me of the animal
that lived somewhere inside him. My breath came quicker, sucking in
air in between the pressure of his lips on mine. His hands left my
hair and traveled down, coming to rest on my hips. I felt like I
might explode.

That was the moment he suddenly eased back. His lips
left mine, and he pulled away, removing his hands from my hips and
bringing them back to my face. His expression was dark and intense;
he’d never looked more gorgeous than this moment.

“Tara,” he said, simply.

I sighed, because with that one word, a semblance of
reality hit. “My mom will be worried,” I said.

He nodded, and reluctantly began to disentangle our
limbs and get up from the couch. As soon as I realized what he was
doing, I grabbed him and pulled him back down. His body fell back
onto mine, and I held his shirt, to keep him from trying it again.
I had no intentions of leaving.

“Tara, your mom,” he warned, but he didn’t move to
get up again.

“Can’t we just have one night, with no one else
dictating our destiny?”

He smiled and I grabbed for my phone. I sent a quick
text to my mom, letting her know I was spending the night with
Angela and then quickly powered it off so she couldn’t argue. I
knew it was risky; my mom could always call Angela’s house to
verify, but right now I didn’t care. I was here, with Wes, alone,
and he loved me.

~ 24 ~

Spending the night with Wes was almost enough to make
me forget about the other half of Vera’s visions or Wes’ suspicions
about my mixed blood. Almost. My mind kept wandering back to it but
before I even had a chance to voice my worries, I would feel Wes’
eyes on me again, full of assurance and love, and my fears would
fade.

Unfortunately, morning came too soon, and I knew I
had to get home. I turned my phone on and was glad to see I only
had one missed message. It was a text from my mother; a reply to
the alibi I’d given her. I scanned it with a sinking feeling. It
read: ‘Come home immediately’. The weird thing was, the time stamp
said it had been sent in the middle of the night.

“What is it?” Wes asked, noticing my expression.

“I don’t know but I think I better get home.”

“Give me a minute,” he said, before disappearing into
the bathroom.

I listened to water running in the sink and tried to
figure out what was so important that my mother had been up in the
middle of the night, texting me to come home. Especially when she
hadn’t left any other messages. If she’d somehow discovered I
wasn’t with Angela, she would’ve freaked out and there definitely
would’ve been more of an attempt to contact me. Like police. And a
county-wide manhunt.

I got dressed quickly, changing out of the oversized
shirt Wes had given me to sleep in, and back into the clothes I’d
worn last night. I wished I had something else to wear, but at
least my mom hadn’t seen me leave in them yesterday, so hopefully
she wouldn’t know I was doing some sort of walk of shame – not that
anything had happened. There’d been a moment where I thought it
might.