Chapter 6: The Notice

Robin’s POV

“See you around, Robin,” Olivia said, her long elegant fingers taking her phone from Robin’s outstretched hand. She turned around and got swept into the foot traffic before he even had a chance to return the sentiment.

He could feel that pesky flush accompany his face, his pulse raced just underneath his skin. His eyes slid down her slender frame, that paper bag balanced on her hip. He didn’t think much of the contents of the bag considering he wasn’t familiar with cuisine overseas. People ate bugs. It’s not that strange to consume blood in a soup or pastry.

However, it was odd that he kept running into Olivia. It was such a big city, and he didn’t even know her last name.

Twice was a coincidence. Three times had to be something more. His eyes watched her, bewildered, that gravelly inhuman voice inside of him stirring.

Shut up, Robin thought firmly before his other half could get his two cents in.

“Return back to the Lakehouse. Now. Pack meeting,” Wyatt’s commanding voice sounded in Robin’s head. The sudden intrusion startled him for a moment before it was gone. Their pack mindlink was something akin to radio. Robin could tune it out sometimes or use it to make an announcement if need be. Send personal messages to one member of the pack.

But most of the time their link was only used for emergencies.

He tore his gaze from Olivia and followed the order. Even though Wyatt was his brother-in-law, that didn’t omit him from having to listen to his leader. He went with the flow of the crowd, easily maneuverings his way through the city like a native.

The riverfront town was quiet when he got back. Assumingly, everyone was at the meeting. He got to the Lakehouse, which was like their big communal lodge, to see other pack members sitting around the living room, either on the floor or in chairs. Wyatt stood at the apex of the room; eyebrows furrowed at the screen of his phone.

“Good of you to join us, Rob,” Wyatt said without looking up.

“Came as fast as I could,” Robin replied halfheartedly.

Wyatt looked up, taking tally of everyone in the room. “Now that everyone is here, I received a notice from the Romero family. It was sent worldwide to all the major covens and packs.”

There was no chatter, no disrespectful side conversations. Everyone was fully focused on Wyatt. The Romero family didn’t have many claims in this territory despite having major influence in other parts of the country.

“Their daughter, the heiress, has gone missing. They are asking for her safe return in exchange for a reward,” Wyatt continued. “Her name is Oriana. While there is no picture of her, it mentions that she’s about 5’2”, curly hair, blue eyes, and twenty years old.”

Robin couldn’t think of anyone that matched that description. Especially not a vampire. He could smell them from a mile away.

“She’s a pureblood?” one of the members asked. “I didn’t think that High Chancellor Eva had any more children.”

“I believe this is her granddaughter. Rowan Romero’s daughter,” Wyatt answered.

“Didn’t he marry a human?” Tanner asked from across the room.

Wyatt sighed, putting his phone away. “I don’t know. I don’t keep up with the celebrity gossip, but that’s beside the point. I want everyone to keep their eyes out for someone that matches that description. Since we know Claude Romano lives here, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that this Oriana is in the city too.”

“What are we going to do with her?” Robin found himself asking, crossing his arms across his chest.

“Don’t worry about that right now. I know the Vivace’s also got this notice, so let’s get to her before they do,” Wyatt finished. “Double the detail on Claude. Find his apartment. I want eyes on him.”

*****

Oriana’s POV

The paper bag balanced on my hip, and I got back to Claude’s apartment. I used his spare key and when I opened the door, I found it strange that he hadn’t left for therapy yet. His face was buried in his hands, and he pulled out, rubbing his scar when I walked in. His phone was sitting next to him on the couch.

The air in the room felt tense like he just got some bad news.

“Hey, Tio,” I greeted with uncertainty in my voice. “I got your order.”

“Thanks, Ori. You can put it in the fridge.”

“O…kay,” I replied, narrowing my eyes and putting his order in the fridge. My stomach rumbled, but I told myself that I would drink pigs’ blood to keep the demon at bay. Like Claude does. Best to stay low profile while I’m here anyways.

Claude was abnormally silent. Something was off.

“Why are you being weird?” I asked, walking into the living room where Claude still sat on the couch.

“Ori, you need to call your parents,” Claude started.

“No. I don’t need them,” I retorted, crossing my arms across my chest. “Why? Did they call you? What did they say? What did you tell them?” I threw a bunch of questions at him at once.

Claude sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “No, they didn’t call me. But they sent out a notice to all of the major players worldwide.”

“So, they don’t know where I am,” I concurred, my shoulders relaxing. “Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

“That’s not the point!” Claude snapped. I withdrew from the sudden aggression in his voice. He took a deep breath, settling his feelings for a moment before saying, “The Vivace’s don’t obey Romano law, Ori. This notice means that they will start looking for you.”

I didn’t know why that was such a big deal. I could handle myself.

Claude visibly got more upset. “I can’t believe they sent this out. That was so stupid.”

“Calm down. It’s fine. No one even knows what I look like,” I replied.

“You look exactly like your mom, Ori. The Vivace’s would be able to recognize you immediately.”

“I don’t understand why you’re acting like this.”

His face contorted, clearly getting more annoyed with me. It wasn’t my fault that my parents never told me anything. They kept me in the dark constantly. “I’m calling your parents,” Claude decided, grabbing his phone off the couch.

My eyes darkened. “No, you’re not.” I slapped the phone out of his hand. I’ll be damned if I’m forced to go home. Go back to my ivory tower. Fuck that.

His dark eyes shot down to me in shock. He glanced at his hand, then back at me again. “I can’t go back to prison, Ori. Disobeying this notice would violate my probation.”

“So, you’re okay with sending me back to my prison?” I retorted, my heart pumping loudly beneath my breastbone.

“That’s different. At least you’d be safe back home. I should’ve called them as soon as you arrived,” Claude sighed. He didn’t seem angry anymore, but I was.

“You promised me!”

“I’m sorry.”

My breath was getting hot. Pins and needles pricked my spine as rage infiltrated my chest. “You can’t do this. You can’t send me back there.”

I wouldn’t go. He couldn’t make me. I could feel my wrists get heavy as if shackles were tightening around them. I imagined how things would get worse back at the villa. The shouting. The rules. I’m twenty-fucking-years-old, kept as a prisoner.

“It’s dangerous here, Ori. They’ve forced my hand,” Claude seemed upset. “Please, just let me talk to them.” He reached for his cell phone.

“No,” my speech had turned into steam. The voice dark. Dangerous.

It wasn’t my voice.

I blacked out. I could only remember hyperventilating, the walls crushing around me. I felt disoriented. At the mercy of my own rage. There was a deafening roar, crashing, the hard stiff sound of crumbling metal. I heard Claude scream my name before it was cut short.

I came to a moment after, my eyes opening. I gasped, stumbling backward at what I had done. Claude’s apartment was a pile of rubble. His dusty hand the only visible part of him under the wreckage.

Oh my god.

Did I do this? My fingers came up to touch my face, realizing that my fangs were elongated past my lower lip. I couldn’t retract them. I was stuck.

Claude’s hand trembled, a groan sounding from under the pipes as they began to shift. A wave of relief hit me that he was alive, but I knew he’d be angry. He’d definitely send me home now.

I had to get out of here. I had to run. The only thing I could hear was my heart beating loudly in my ears. My feet carried me as fast as I could go. My hunger amplified tenfold as the smells of humans assaulted my body.