Chapter 149: Patience Is A Virtue
I was so intent on calling Mom I missed the fact I wasn't alone when I slipped in the garden doors.
"You're out late." Mrs. Morgan perched on the edge of her expensive sofa, a glass of wine in one hand.
What was I supposed to say? Your crazy maid hit me over the head and took me to her secret society hang out because I used to be a witch? I didn't think even she was drunk enough for that.
"Um..." I had always been a bad liar. "Just needed some air." Case in point.
Mrs. Morgan's lips curled into a sneer she probably thought was a smile. "It's all right, dear." She hiccupped mildly as she took a sip from her glass, spilling it down the front of her top. Wasn't the first time, from the stains on her skirt. "I get it. I saw you girls with the kids last night. That Regan Pater is a delicious young man."
Okay, disgusting. And so totally off the mark I needed to defend myself. "I wasn't with Regan."
"Um-hum." She finished her wine and tottered to her feet. "Rosetta told me she saw you sneak out with him. Really, my lips are sealed." She set her glass down. "Alison won't know a thing." She made a hushing sound with one finger pressed to her lips and a nasty look in her eyes. "Sleep tight."
She wove her way out of the room while I stood there and fumed. Like I should care what Mrs. Morgan thought. But I couldn't help it. Not to mention that evil little Rosetta and her horrid friends with the Chosen.
Oh, they'd get theirs. Just as soon as I could reach my mom.
I called immediately but the phone was dead. Stupid storm probably knocked out the line. Now what? My cell was the same, so the towers had to be having problems as well. I threw myself into the shower and got cleaned up and packed while I fumed and kept checking my phone.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
By the time the sun was completely up I was ready to walk home if I had to. I stormed my way downstairs with my bag thumping along behind me and practically ran into Alison at the bottom.
Her smile faded instantly to disappointment. What did she have to smile about, anyway? Wasn't she mad at me?
"I have to go home." I knew I was being rude but I couldn't help it. My anxiety ate me up, chewing away at my insides.
Alison turned away. "Okay. Mom's driver can take you."
I caught a glimpse of Rosetta glaring at me and glared right back at her. She retreated immediately.
Mrs. Morgan wasn't up when I left Alison standing there at the front door, looking lost and very sad. I wished I could say something to her to make her feel better, but I just didn't have it in me. When this was over, if I made it in time, maybe. But the thing was, there was a good chance we'd all be dead before the night was over anyway if I couldn't get to my demon and stop the Wild.
It was a horrible drive home. Alone and unable to reach anyone by cell, I was frantic when the trip finally ended and the chauffer dropped me off in my driveway. I flew inside the house and ran from room to room, yelling for Mom, Dad, Sassy, anyone.
The house was empty.
Damn, they had to be at the site. It was the only explanation. Which meant I was really out of luck because that was the one place I was forbidden to go.
So not fair.
I tried Quaid again, but the lines were still down. Not knowing what else to do, I ran to the Vega's in the hope he'd be there.
The garage door gaped open, Quaid's bike out in the driveway. And to my utter relief he crouched beside it with a handful of tools. I raced toward him and threw myself into his arms as he staggered back in shock.
"Syd!" He hugged me, hands still full of wrenches and bike parts. "What?"
"What?" I pulled away from him, mouth gaping. "With everything that's happening all you can say is Syd, what?"
Quaid's lips quirked. "You're not supposed to be here. Besides, you startled me. It was the best I could come up with on short notice."
I wanted to kiss him, but I shoved the impulse aside. More important things to worry about.
"Jared-Galleytrot-showed up last night."
Quaid set down his tools as I spun out everything that happened, from the conversation with the black dog to my encounter with Pain and the connection we had to the Wild. I finished with being dragged unconscious to the Chosen headquarters. When my story finally stumbled to a halt, Quaid nodded.
"It makes sense," he said. "Your mom said something was interfering with what she was trying to do. And that something felt like family."
Yikes. "Bet that went over well." They'd be infighting with each other looking for a traitor. Mom would have them all on a short leash.
"You said it." Quaid wiped his hands with a rag. "As soon as it gets dark, we'll contact Sunny."
I shook my head, terror running through me, the need to act far stronger than anything I'd ever felt before. "We have to go now. If Pain stole that car, she doesn't have much time before the cops track her down and drag her back to the hospital. She's tied to this as much as I am. I need to help her. And I can't do that without my demon." He had to understand.
I could see that he did, but knew right away he would turn me down. "We can't, Syd, not without help. You'll be no good to Pain if you're dead. And since Sunny's the only one who's agreed to help us, we need to wait for her."
"But Mom." I knew if I talked to her she'd get it, that we had to act now. Besides, what if Demetrius suspected I knew where he was and left? We'd lose the only chance we had to find my demon.
I had to have her back. I just had to.
Quaid gripped my shoulders between his hands and shook me a little, breaking me out of my desperate spiral. "Syd," he said, "your mom can't help, none of the coven can. They're a little busy."
I was right, then. They were at the site. "Why aren't you with them?"
He made a face and I finally saw his own frustration. "She ordered me to stay out of it. Anyone she thought was too young." Right. Even though he was super strong and would be a huge help.
Great logic, Mom. Unless there was more than logic to it. Did she know already what was happening, that it was my demon in the way? Could she be that clever to hope I'd not stand by and do something about it anyway?
I wouldn't put it past her.
Quaid let me go. "We'll find your demon," he said. "But we can't do it alone."
I knew he was right. Just didn't make it any easier.
"Tonight will be too late. Galleytrot already told me so."
Quaid looked grim, but nodded. "I know."
I hugged myself, but not for long. He reached for me, pulled me against him.
I'd wait. And heaven help Demetrius when I found him. Because I'd waited long enough.
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