The Hunt (By Kiss and Claw #2) - Melissa Haag Page 0,22

window for a moment, angry and annoyed. Not with Mom but the validity of what she was saying. I didn’t want to address the fact I wasn’t eating enough. Addressing it meant doing things I wasn’t willing to do. I caught a glimpse of myself in the side mirror. My eyes had gone completely black again, not just the irises but the whites as well. Was that due to my eating habits too?

Twisting in my seat, I faced Mom. “Why do my eyes do this? Everyone at the Academy thinks it’s weird. Aren’t our eyes supposed to do this? Don’t yours?”

“It’s happened to me a few times. Nowhere near as often as yours fully change though. And that’s not a bad or a weird thing. You’re more powerful than anyone wants to acknowledge. Baby, you’ll bring the world to its knees when you’re ready.”

I glanced at Dad, who seemed to be contentedly driving. How was he spinning this conversation in his head? Were we making things worse for him by talking openly?

“Your father is fine, Eliana,” Mom said, guessing the direction of my thoughts. “He would rather hear the truth than be kept in the dark, even if he struggles with the reality of things. Isn’t that right, Jason?”

“Yes. Lying is a sin.”

I looked down at my hands, understanding his answer better than Mom ever could. He was in denial that the things we said were the truth. In his mind, we were the liars. In his mind, I was the sinner.

A storm of emotions stirred inside of me. Guilt. Fear. Impotent anger. I hated that Dad thought I was lying as much as I hated the idea of him fully understanding the truth of what I was. Of what Mom was and what she’d done to him.

Dad couldn’t pull into the driveway fast enough for me. As soon as he parked, I had my door open.

“Thanks for breakfast.” I quickly moved toward my car.

“Thank you for joining us,” Mom said as Dad helped her from the back.

“Will you come back tomorrow?” he asked.

I hesitated. My love for my parents was absolute, but that didn’t stop how much it hurt me to be around them.

“I’ll be here.”

I closed the door before either of them could say anything more. As I backed out of the driveway, they waved. I returned the gesture and wondered what I was going to do.

Mom couldn’t stay in Uttira until the baby was born. Especially not with Dad. It wasn’t safe for him. Yet, I knew she wouldn’t leave thanks to my issues. Where did that put me? Starved, friendless, smothered, and as frustrated as Hades. That’s where.

Feeling very fury-angry, I hit my steering wheel.

While I couldn’t do anything about Mom just yet, I could do something about being friendless. I headed into town and parked in front of the restaurant Mom and I had tried dining at when she’d first arrived. Given the still early hour, there weren’t many patrons, which was perfect for what I needed. I sent a quick text to Tegan, equally hoping he would and wouldn’t respond.

Me: If you’re not busy, would you be willing to meet me at The Happy Table?

Tegan: I’m on my way.

My stomach did an uneasy twist at his immediate reply. Almost as if Tegan had been obsessively waiting around for me, which didn’t make sense. I thought back to the day I’d met him, trying to identify what might have gone wrong. I’d been wearing regular school clothes, and Fenris had been with me. I was positive I hadn’t accidentally done anything alluring.

Yet, Fenris had been just as sure Tegan would call me after that meeting, and the druid had. Fenris had obviously seen something I hadn’t.

I was so out of my depth when it came to “normal” interactions with men and needed advice. But my pool of possible male help was extremely small. Fenris or Oanen.

They were both equally open with me, and either one would willingly give me advice regarding the opposite sex. The thought of asking Fenris about men, though, made my insides go hot and cold. Yet, if I asked Oanen, he knew me well enough to wonder why I was meeting with the druid in the first place.

I debated for only a moment before sending another text.

Me: Are you busy?

Wanting to be seated before Tegan arrived, I headed inside rather than waiting for a reply. A couple ate breakfast at one of the back tables, so I claimed a table as