Fever Fae - Meg Xuemei X Page 0,15

door. I debated if I should hide the Legend Heavy in the van, just in case we got attacked while on the road, but it was risky to carry a rifle in the vehicle. Instead, I brought the powerful gun to my bedroom and leaned it against the wall by the bed.

I also activated the trapdoor in the basement, which would hide my siblings when I battled our enemies. They could evacuate through a short tunnel and reach the backyard of our neighbor a few blocks away and escape.

Another suspicion rose in me as I stared at the trapdoor. Had my parents thought of the worst-case scenario and prepared long before?

Why hadn’t I paid attention?

When I was in high school, all I’d worried about was boyfriends, clothes, parties, and if we’d move again in another two months. I blew air out my nose and stomped back upstairs. Now I paid the price for being shallow and spoiled and rotten.

The phone vibrated on the kitchen table where I had left bags of groceries. I’d talked to a T-mobile representative and paid the balance when I was shopping in Costco. I scooped up the phone and saw a waiting text message from Richie.

We’d dated for two months at college. When my parents had vanished, I’d texted him that I had to go home to deal with a family emergency.

I’d vaguely explained a bit more to him later on when I got home and tucked in my crying siblings. He’d encouraged me to hang in there and let him know if I needed anything. He hadn’t asked for more details since then. There was nothing he could do anyway while he was thousands of miles away.

Alive, babe? Richie texted. He thought he was funny. When r u back, sexy girl? Miss u.

I sniffed, feeling tears coming up. He had no idea how much I wanted to return to the college life that I’d fought to have. Suddenly I wanted to hear his voice and see his face. I needed some comfort from my boyfriend.

I hit the video call button and waited while it rang.

Richie was a heartthrob from a rich family. He majored in landscape architecture, and I thought that was quite hot, too. I didn’t know why he liked me. He was out of my league, and we had nothing in common except that we both enjoyed wild parties.

“Hey, babe.” Richie picked up on the third ring, his voice sounding like he’d had a bit more hard liquor than usual, and his blue eyes laughing at me. That was the thing with Richie. He forever had this careless charm that made you unable to focus on any problems.

I grinned back, wishing I could lean on his shoulder and cry into his designer shirt.

“Hey,” I said.

He stood in a stylish bedroom, not in his luxury Westside apartment. His back faced a window that overlooked a lush garden. Booming music and laughing voices filtered in the background. He was enjoying the party life as usual, only without me now.

My tears vanished before they could sting my eyelids.

“Everything good, babe?” he asked.

I’d have loved to get that life back, but it was out of my reach now. I might never have it again. A sense of loss and depression hit my chest, and I shrugged one shoulder. “I’ve been better.”

The music blasting in the background got louder, and Richie’s gaze moved past me. The door must have cracked open. A girl’s sweet, sultry voice purred. “You coming or not, Richie? Tania isn’t happy you kept her waiting, jackass.”

Tania? Who was Tania?

I searched for a spike of jealousy, but didn’t find any. I only felt lost and sad and afraid.

“Let her wait. Like I care.” Richie waved a hand, then laughed, returning his attention to me. “Look, Eve, I gotta—”

“Actually, I need to go, too.” I cut in and blew him a farewell kiss. “My little sister is calling for me.”

“Give her my best,” Richie said, a drunken smile still in his blue eyes.

I ended the call and scrubbed my face, trying to get my emotions under control again. It took me a minute to realize someone was knocking on the door. I listened as the knocker paused for a second, then tapped on the wood again.

I jogged to the door and peeked through the peephole, not sure why my heart started to stutter as soon as I spotted who was on the other side.

Chapter 6

Should I grab the AR-15 I’d stashed in the foyer?

A second