time to think about it later on.”
Awesome.
I’m sick of those secrets from her. They’re only getting worse and worse.
A memory of Vance smirking down on me, while he kissed me stupid in the basement of his house pops into my mind.
Those were the best two days we’ve had in this never-ending madness that seems to span across all eternity.
My gaze flicks to Anna, and her dark grin curves her lips.
“This is the first step to building a wonderful partnership, Violet,” she says before I’ve even given her my answer. “If you learn to trust me completely, we may even be able to find a way to take down Idun without waiting a few centuries or so.”
“One thing at a time, Anna. Reel it back a notch or two. Can you really find Vance?” I ask her.
“Yes. Yes, I can. I just need to borrow that gypsy blood of yours for a few seconds. Tops,” she says, looking much too excited about this.
Shutting my eyes, I exhale, and simply let it happen. When I blink my eyes open, I’m standing on the far side of the field, and I’m no longer wearing my mascot suit.
Nope.
Now I’m in what is possibly the most scandalous cheerleader uniform ever, and there’s a megaphone at my feet.
Also, the entire Neopry section is staring at me with fascination.
Also, Idun is staring daggers at me, her lips doing a somewhat alarming wiggle thing, as though she’s so pissed off that she can’t possibly keep a respectable line but desperately wants to.
Also, Damien, Emit, and Arion—whose eyes have returned to normal color—are all very clearly infuriated with me right now.
What has she fucking done?
“You see, this is why I don’t trust you,” I tell her very dryly, trying not to react too suddenly, since I have no idea what I’ve just said or done.
I do know that I’m very self-conscious in a skirt that definitely does not cover my ass, that is thankfully clad by some very tight underwear. The top of the skirt comes over my belly button, hiding some of the softer flesh on my stomach.
“Don’t worry. I worked with your body’s best features and made it the sexiest outfit anyone has ever seen,” Anna tells me.
Swallowing thickly, I resist the urge to cover up my breasts, that are scarcely bound by a slinky bikini top with megaphone patches to hide my nipples.
I’m not the sort of girl who can pull this type of look off, and I wish people would get the fucking memo.
I spot my one and only male ghost speaking directly to Emit, and watch as Emit ignores him. Then suddenly he jerks his gaze to him, and he gestures for my ghost to follow.
“What’s going on?” I ask Anna.
“With Emit or the scathing glares directed at you?” she muses.
“Any answer would do.”
“Your lips are moving but they can’t hear your words,” the triplets say as they take a stand on my other side.
“That’s not even remotely close to being on the very important topic of what the hell is going on,” I tell them all, trying by damnedest to remain calm.
“Judging by their reaction, the wolf is hurrying to a chopper to save the Van Helsing. It seems Damien has sent Talbot to fly it for him. Don’t worry. They’ll be able to handle the problem,” the triplets tell me, wildly presuming I trust them at all.
“And I just pissed Idun off to buy us a distraction and give them some time,” Anna says, smiling too wickedly for my comfort. “You’re the one who decided to play the masochistic martyr. You’re in the game now, Violet. Suit up.”
“Anna?” I say on a tired sigh, all while suppressing the avalanche of hysteria that is hurdling toward me.
“Yeah?”
“I fucking hate you.”
Chapter 32
VANCE
Something sizzles and pops, and my arm burns, forcing me to snap awake, only to be blinded by the harsh lights in the room.
My head aches as though I’ve suffered another aneurism, but as I blink my eyes open, the memories slowly come back to me.
That…fucking…witch.
Chains rattle, and my entire body silently screams in agony, because I’m also reminded of how I ended up a captive. That witch boiled my blood and drained my air.
The room is blurry, but as my vision begins to clear, I see the mirrored wall across from me, that shows my hands crossed and chained over my chest. My entire body is wrapped in some sort of black metal that is more constricting than any chains that have