Reaching over to my bag, I tuck my diary back into the hidden side pocket and dramatically flop back onto my bed. Logan’s cologne still lingers on the sheets and rather than enjoy the reminder of what went on, it only helps build my rage. Reaching over I pick up his own journal that I had successfully stolen out of this room an hour earlier while everyone was at lunch and read the last part of his entry again.

I never intended for my relationship to go to that level with Elise. Not yet at least. That girl has been on my mind since the first day I met her and wish I could have got her out of my system, but instead she is only more cemented in place.

She is going to hate me now.

When Grant and Kieran told me their plan, I didn’t want to be the one to do it. CJ managed to convince me it was for the best so my plan of going to talk to her first was ruined when I walked in on her packing her bags. One thing led to one of the best nights of my life and leaving her asleep I went out to get coffee.

I don’t think anyone suspected what happened last night, I made sure to come from the direction of my room and took the coffee from CJ as originally planned. She woke when I got back into bed. I’ve woken up beside her a few times before, but now everything is different. I was able to hold her, feel her hair  - kiss her. The whole time I prayed she wouldn’t pick up on my nerves and she didn’t. She looked so relaxed and happy I had a hard time looking at her as she drank her coffee.

I’m a dead man.

I stopped reading, throwing it across the room instead. To give him credit, he really hid his diary well. It was in a pair of boots with disgustingly stinky socks stuffed in above it. Sure it was a little torn and bent out of shape, but I really think he didn’t want it to be found. He had one thing right though, for all his sweet sentiments littered through the pages – he was a dead man.

Getting up, hunger won out and opening the door a guilty looking Raya stood beside Jodie who squealed and stepped back. “You scared the crap out of me!”

I said nothing, pushing between the pair of them. So much for thinking I had friends – they were all in on it too. Thankfully, whatever they gave me wasn’t like what Chris had shot me with when I was abducted and the side effects as the drugs wore off were nowhere near as bad. Since showering, there had been nothing. No hangover, no dizziness – I was back to normal.

“Elise! Wait! Please hear us out!” Raya called, and the pair ran after me down the stairs.

The place seemed emptier than the last few days and the few Trackers who sat in the dining hall watched us curiously as the two girls begged me to stop and listen. Going to the cafeteria door, lunch had been packed away and knocking the tired looked Chef opened the door.

“Do you have anything that is in packets?”

“Packets? Like chips?” He asked confused, looking behind me to see Raya still holding the plate that was no doubt for me. As if I would touch anything they have now.

“Exactly.”

“Sure, come in.” He opened the door a little wider and following him in the other two were shut out. Walking in the silver bench tops reminded me of Vesna’s kitchen, perhaps even cleaner. “Heard them talking at breakfast. You the Bunting girl?”

“Yeah I am,” I looked at him cautiously and he nodded, taking his apron to wipe the sweat off his forehead as I now wondered about eating anything from in here. Thankfully he threw off the apron into a pile of dish towels and went about washing his hands then face and dried off before putting on a new one.

“I’m going to start dinner prep, I’ll cook you up something decent first.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that. Just, don’t mind me if I watch everything you’re doing.” I moved to stand beside him as he went into the fridge and taking out a slab of bacon and a few other things he smiled. The way his old face wrinkled up, he clearly did that a lot.

“I’ve heard a lot about you demon handler. Vesna is my cousin,” he looked at me to get my reaction and slowly my anger subsided. I could trust this guy. “I guess cooking runs in the family?”

“I hope you cook as good as her, because I am starving!” In the end I helped him boil the water for pasta and when he served me a bowl of the creamiest carbonara I’d ever had in my life, he did two bowls and took one himself. Vesna’s specialty was Italian, her pizza’s should win awards and well, this guy knew his sauces.

“So got any idea where all the Neanderthals went?” Taking his bowl I started to load all the dishes into the washer and he started to organize dinner.

“Grant and Rosemary knew if you knew what they were doing, you’d want to go too. They can’t let you on the surface at the moment, it’s better they think your dead. Jordan has been on the run, leaving his tracks all over the place to keep them guessing and that’s working for him. So being dead will work for you!”

“But what are they doing? Where did the go?” The fact Grant, Kieran, Reece, Zane, Chris and Logan all left pissed me off more than being drugged because none of the women went. Chauvinists.

“They can’t stay off the radar for too long otherwise things will get suspicious. What they’re actually up to I have no idea. Go ask that Slayer who nearly turned vampire.” He suggested.

“Reece? Reece is still here?” I was off my chair in seconds, and the chef nodded.

“Poor guy, he was going to go but when they went to leave he freaked out.”

“Thanks for the food, you’ve been a great help. Um, I don’t think I caught your name?”

“Roman, and I’ll keep you something back here for dinner too ok kid?” He finished dicing up the onions and poured them into a big pot by the stove.

“Thanks Roman!” Running out, the girls were still sitting in the dining area and thanks to the way the door banged closed behind me, I didn’t get a chance to slip away. Groaning I headed towards Reece’s room and after knocking a few times, he answered looking like he just woke up.

“Hey Elise,” He yawned and spying the other two behind me, stood a little straighter.

“Can I come in?”

“Sure? Ah all of you?” Reece stepped back to let me and I shook my head. “Sorry ladies, I’ll watch her.”

The second he closed the door, I pinned him against the door. “What’s going on?”

“Hello to you too!” He mumbled, trying to push me away – I didn’t budge. “Let me go and we’ll talk.”

Reluctantly I did as he asked and went and sat on the end of his bed, curling my legs up underneath me to lean against the wall. He mimicked my actions and yawned again, making me wonder if he got given something too.

“Talk!” My request was simple and after scratching his head, he moved to lay down. Sitting up amongst the pillows, he looked really comfortable and I regretted my own spot as now all I wanted to do was sleep. Especially when he yawned again.

“They can’t just disappear so they went up to put down some tracks for their movements. The fae covered them until they were about two blocks away and so they’re just up doing stuff. I know Grant was looking into something he learnt on his own case from another Hunter who left yesterday, Logan was moving his car and doing a call to Selene, dunno about the others. “

“Why were you going up there?”

“I wanted anyone watching to know I was still alive and they didn’t beat me. They won’t be back until tomorrow morning, if they all decide to come back. It wasn’t just your little group, but a few others. Grimm picked up Penny too, I think they were going to meet up with your parents at their new place.” He hesitated knowing what was next.

“You didn’t want to be out at night did you?”

“I can’t do it. What if they attack and I freeze up or they overpower me?” He closed his eyes and sunk back into the pillow and surprisingly, my own fear seemed to have disappeared. The attack was a hazy memory and instinctively I took his hand. He squeezed it tight and all his weakness and fears were on full display.

“We can take it slow Reece, go out in a group – you know the chances of an attack are low. Darius will be a good vamp to start being around again, he is like the Casper of vampires. Maybe do some training with him or go to the Academy and see the teachers there?”

“Maybe,” he sighed, opening his eyes the tears he had kept in made their escape and without thinking I wiped them away. “Can you just stay with me for a little bit?”

“Sure.”

I moved to lay beside him, trying to compare him with Logan. They were so different yet so alike. “Don’t be mad at Logan Ellie, he wanted to tell you and then just lock you up, but Zane and CJ convinced Grant it was better that way.”

“Don’t make excuses for him, he could have just stayed and…”

“Did something happen last night?” Oh god, really?

“I’m not talking about any of that with you!”

“Woah, ok ok – won’t mention it again.”

And he didn’t because we both fell asleep.

---

By mid-morning the following day, I was starting to get tired from the work out of torture I was putting myself through with one of the older Hunters who had arrived last night. Tristan was the devil, drilling me in a series of squats, sprints and pushups.

“And that’s enough Bunting!” My two hours of hell were over and slowing on the exercise bike, he threw me a towel. Go hard or go  home was his motto and while spotting me on the bench, he told me about some of the more unusual demons he had been coming across. Again alarm bells went off. Our kind had been drawn to this area from all over the place and the dark fae and witches seemed to keep on releasing these monsters.

“Want to tell me why Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee over there keep following you around like lost pups?” He throws me a bottle of water and I looked towards Jodie and Raya who pretend to spar on the mats on the other side of the room.

“I’m under constant supervision in case I try to leave. Plus they feel guilty cause they’re part of the group who drugged me up so the others could go without my interruption.”

“You a trouble maker or something?” The reason why I liked Tristan was because he didn’t actually seem to know or care to much about my last name. He was also in his late thirties, didn’t know my Dad and since meeting him at breakfast we actually hit off pretty well. Like Kieran and Raya, he had a very similar tribal design cover not just one, but both his arms and the baldness of his head didn’t look like it was by choice. It was too smooth.

“Really Tristan?” I smile at him innocently and he only laughs.

“Judging by the force behind those punches earlier you must have some anger issues too!”

Just wait to Logan gets back.

I shrug, finally getting off the bike to stretch. “Runs in the family. So you got to see an actual Bugie Monster?”

“Don’t sound so excited. That’s the problem with you kids, still think of this as a game!” He growls, turning serious.

“I don’t, it’s just they don’t exist anymore! Got any theories on the sudden reappearance of these things?”

“Sounds like you know something more than you’re letting on?”

Again I smile innocently, “Maybe. But then again I’m just a girl who can’t handle a trip to the surface. Better leave all the hard thinking stuff to you men!”

I pat his chest as I past and again he laughs, clearly enjoying all the sarcasm I keep throwing his way. “Remind me never to piss you off.”

“Smart man. I knew I liked you for a reason!”

We head back to our rooms and I spy Reece sitting on the stairs to mine. Looking behind me the girls nod at him before going back towards the dining area and I guess I just witnessed the change of guard. Rolling my eyes at him as I pass, I don’t offer to let him in.

“Really? You’re ignoring me now too?”

“I’m going to shower, oh right that’s kind of your thing. Come on in perve!” I grab some stuff out of my bag and take off my joggers, ignoring him as he spies Logan’s journal.

“How do you have this?” He picks it up and does the binding on the outside back up to stop the pages from flapping open.

“Oh right, journals are sacred to the keeper blah blah blah… I stole it.”

“You stole his journal? Do you not thinks that a little bit like an invasion of privacy?” He scolds.

“I am so going after yours next.”

Reece doesn’t think that’s funny at all and now a part of me really does want to look in his.

“I’m going to go and put this back. Don’t try anything!”

I salute him as he walks out and going to the door, watch him as he walks away to see if he takes a peek. He doesn’t and closing my door I make sure to lock it. When he comes back and can’t get in, Raya and Jodie come to his aid and the trio sit outside my door. When I finally decide to emerge, I ignore them and head down into the kitchen. Skipping the tiny line for food, I help myself behind the scenes and sure enough Roman pulls a pizza out of the oven and it’s even better than Vesna’s.

Nancy, the manager of the bar next door joins us a few minutes later and even better than that she brings in a couple bottles of wine. Roman leaves his helpers to serve and clean up, while we sit back and have a grand old time. The pair of them have been working together for a good ten years and the stories they tell about all they have seen and the people who come through here have me completely enthralled.

Two bottles of wine and another pizza later, Nancy gets them to bring around some of her special mix and the brown jug is less than appealing.

“You trying to get me drunk?” Roman laughs, moving to the draw he pulls out two shot glasses that don’t seem to be used for special occasions only.

“Roman is tomorrow the last day of your shift?” Nancy fills the glasses, looks at me then at the jug before going to get an egg cup out of the cupboard. Filling it – I get that one.

“Why do I let you do this to me?” Roman sighs, some of his Italian accent finally coming out.

“Do what?” I ask dumbly, looking at the liquid in horror as random smells of tequila and rum float up from it.

“We work three weeks on, one week off. She always makes sure I’m hungover for my last day!” Roman laughs, clearly not minding at all.

“So why am I getting involved in this?”

“Initiation!” Nancy giggles, and raises her glass. Cautiously I raise my own and we clink them together before taking it down.

It burns.

I cant swallow it.

I do and gag, reaching for the wine as a chaser even that burns now as the fruity white turns to acid.

“What the fuck is in that?”

“You probably should have asked before taking the shot!” Roman’s laugh is loud and something jolly like what Santa would make.

“All the little bits in the bottom of the bottles gets put in my jug!” Nancy holds it up and kisses the container like it’s a prized pumpkin in a country fair.

That explains the mixture of smells and the glasses are lined back up.

“First one to pass out gets their eyebrows shaved!” She declares.

“For old people, you’re not very, well, adult!” I can’t believe I just said that.

“Honey, in this business you do what you can when you can to take the edge off. Drink!”

We all take out shot and this time I go for water to try and ease it down.

“That’s cheating! Take two for that!” Roman slaps his fist down on the bench and that’s how I got very, very drunk and after one more, Nancy decides to take away my shot glass.

“The girl isn’t used to this Roman, that’s enough!”

“We need music in here!” I declare, ignoring their discussion on how much I should be able to drink. Looking around the kitchen has been completely closed up and going to the door out, no one is out there. Not even my guards. “Guys! Everyone has gone!”

The duo come over to look out with me and burst out laughing, stumbling back to the table to do more shots. The thought of more has my stomach churning and since I like my eyebrows where they are, I don’t go back for more.

“Should we stop her?”

“Where is she going to go? Really Nancy!”

I leave their laughter behind me, and try not to stumble of the dining room chairs. It takes me a second to realize there is a group of people down the other end of the hall and end up heading in that direction to see what’s going on.

I didn’t realize how big the hall space was and had to stop twice to take a break. It probably didn’t help the ground kept going up and down or that my boots must have had led put in them as my legs struggled to lift my legs. Maybe we weren’t underground and on a boat. That made sense judging by the swaying sensation.

Getting the group I couldn’t see who or what they were looking at. A few people parted to let me in, but I needed to get higher and spying the table, climbed up to look around.

“Elise?” I’m pretty sure I heard Reece say my name, but I couldn’t see him. In fact everyone went blurry – all except one.

“YOU!” I may have screamed judging by the way the blur of people all moved out the way and my voice seemed to echo around me in the hall.  Jumping down I took off with more ability than I thought possible on this rocking boat, set on killing Logan.

Something clamped around my waist from behind as he took a few steps back, holding his hands up innocently. He wasn’t innocent.

“Well it’s not like this hasn’t happened before!” Reece. ‘Déjà vu Logan?”

It took me a second to realize I wasn’t actually running like I thought. The grip around my waist had me looking down and then behind me to see Reece smirking as he kept me still.

“Let me go!” Even I knew the words were slurred, but didn’t care.

“What have you been drinking? You stink!” Behind me I can hear Roman and Nancy laughing at that. Reece lets me go and spinning around to push him away to make sure he doesn’t stop me again I fall backwards. Yet someone catches me before I can fall on my ass and now that I’m back to standing, turn and push past Jordan set on achieving my goal of killing, or at least really hurting Logan.

“You!” I yell again, not caring if I am making a scene.

Grant and Zane step away from him so he can’t hide behind them and as he steps up to try and stop me, I manage to get him with a right hook straight into his abdomen and raising my fist to strike again I stop and not because he bends over, gasping from the force of the hit.

Jordan?

A part of me manages to sober up in seconds and turning again, my brother looks completely confused yet amused at the show I am putting on. I’m not imagining it. He is here.

“Jordan?”

“Finally! Hey Elliephant!” He steps closer opening his arms and I can’t stop myself from bursting into tears.

“Jordan!” Now my voice is like a high pitched squeal and I hold onto him tighter than I’ve ever held anything before in my life. Apart from looking tired, he hasn’t changed a bit and by the time I’m willing to let him go the crowd has left us so it’s only Reece, Zane, Logan and Grant.

“I’m so glad you’re ok!” He kisses the top of my head before hugging me again. Clearly the missing your sibling thing wasn’t one sided.

“I’m ok? I’m glad you’re ok!” I start crying again and burry my head into his shoulder, glad he hadn’t made me let him go yet. “How are you here?”

“Someone got cocky and we rescued him from shifters out to hunt him down.” Grant joined in and we all moved to take a seat. Looking at Logan, he still held his side where I punched him and the look on his face said it all. He was sorry, but I didn’t care.

Jordan was here now.

“Yeah good thing Tracker over there picked them up when he did!” Jordan and Logan fist bumped and I only rolled my eyes.

“Good to see he is good for something then!” I snap, curling up beside Jordan. Now the shock was over, I only felt tired and like something had died in my mouth that was now fighting with my stomach to come back up.

“Ellie, about the other morning…” Logan started, speaking slowly as he chose his next words.

Reece looked between the three of us smirking and nudging Zane. The pair excused themselves.

“Morning?” Jordan asked, looking between us confused.

“Dickhead drugged me so that lot could go back to the surface without me.” I mumble, leaving it at that.

“Sorry about that Ellie, but the guys and even Jodie seemed to think you wouldn’t let us go easily and we didn’t have much time to get out.” Grant spoke up and I only glared at him.

“I think you really need to fill me in on what’s been going on,” Jordan looked down at me and I shrugged.

“No one thinks I can do anything even when I can and what the fuck was with you leaving me with CJ?” That whole episode just caught back up to me and now my anger was divided amongst all present equally.

“I couldn’t stay, trust me I gave them a big serve over that. I blame my visit on the vamp attack that happened. I’m really sorry Ellie, I am – but the Alpha Selene is behind something big and for us…”

“I know Jordan. I’m not an idiot and it’s not just that Lord Alpha coming back either.”

Now I had everyone’s attention.

“What are you talking about Elle?” Grant shifted his chair closer, glancing between Logan and Jordan curiously to see if they knew what i was talking about. They both shrugged and looked back at me.

“Alison Winters. I was reading her ancestors diary because she said they were after her like they were me, they need the living descendants.”

“I don’t get it.” Logan rubbed his side but didn’t wince like he had before so I contemplated punching him again to keep him hurting.

“Well if someone didn’t take midnight visitors, I would have gone to your room and told so you would know already!”

“Elise…”

“Can we focus on the Winters?” Grant interrupted.

“Right, well in dear old grandmas diary she mentions sending V – her vampy lover, back to where he came from because she couldn’t break up with him and she couldn’t bring herself to kill him. The vamps are in on it too because they want V to come back with the Lord Alpha!” How they had not connected the dots yet was beyond me and I looked around at three blank and confused faces.

“That can’t be right.” Jordan speaks first, moving to sit up a little taller.

“Well it is.”

He rolled his eyes, “You seem pretty sure of yourself. Who have you told?”

“You three. I only discovered it the other night and then got distracted before sharing.”

“I’m going to go and see Alison, see what she thinks.” Jordan stood and I couldn’t believe what was happening.

“Why? She knows nothing! It’s even in the diary, she says about trying to find a way and then that’s it. Her other diaries were lost and unless you want to try and find fact from fiction in those books – trust me on this. She did something to send him to the other world!”

“Elise, I’ve been going through this for months. Never have the vampires even come into the equation!”

“Oh look Dads joined the party. Jordan, I know what I am talking about!”

“I want to believe you but I’m going to look into it myself. I know you’ve been taking more of an interest in actually being a Hunter lately but..”

“But what? I’m a girl? I’m me? Come on Jordan, but what?”

Now we were standing there screaming at each other and having him back wasn’t such a great idea.

“But look at you! Childish tantrums don’t work in the real world. We’ll look at your lead and see what we can find out. V and that Winters woman broke up. It was on and off thing – watch the movie about how it ended. He was the one who sent the werewolf after her breaking his heart!”

“You are so stupid! Seriously! You just told me to watch a movie humans made! What next? Hogwarts exists?”+

“Don’t be ridiculous. You think I’m like Dad? Now who has something in their head and won’t drop it?” He taunted back and suddenly we were back at home having just another argument. Why did I miss having him around? He was alive, he was healthy – I didn’t need to keep looking for him now.

“Ridiculous? I have just solved the biggest mystery going on right now and you don’t believe me? I’m your sister, I put my faith in you all the time. Just once believe in me!” I hated how I wanted his approval, my parents approval. Years of rebelling seem like a waste, because now it mattered. I know I am right, I just can’t believe he can’t see that.

“Elise, I’m glad you’re alright and somehow it is good to see you again. I’m not arguing with you over this anymore. Go to bed, and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

My mouth dropped open at how he was acting while Grant looked away awkwardly, not impressed with being stuck in the middle of the family dispute. Logan was sitting there fuming, his anger radiating off him.

“Tomorrow then!” Turning to walk away, I mumbled under my breath loud enough for him to hear. “Asshole.”

“I heard that!”

“You were supposed to.”

Another argument broke out behind me. At least Grant wanted to give me a chance and as I reached the stairs, Logan was behind me.

“Please don’t hit me again.”

“Fine.”

“Bunny, I…”

“It’s fine Logan. Everything is fine.”

“But…”

“FINE Logan!”

Getting to my room, I slammed the door in his face and tried to work out what to do next. It would have been easier to keep my head clear if the side effects of the alcohol wasn’t buzzing around my head and I had to fight to ignore the familiar ache of disappointment and hurt in my chest.

Once again I was back at the stare.

Alone with no one to trust.

The knocking on my door had me getting back up and opening it, Logan was back.

“You read this? How did you even find it?” He had his journal in his hand looking furious.

“Glass houses Logan.”

“You know what? I’m glad you did actually!” He slammed the door behind him as he followed me in. “Wanna know why?”

“No but I have a feeling you’re going to tell me anyway?”

“Because hopefully you have some inch of an idea how I actually feel about you. Did you read all of it or just the recent stuff?” He yelled, throwing it down on the nightstand while glaring down at me.

Yup, that’s affection right there.

“It doesn’t matter what I read. It doesn’t matter what you say now!”

“Stop acting like you don’t care when I know you do!”

“No, did. There’s a difference!” Moving back towards the door, I paused from opening it. “It was what it was. Maybe that will help you get me out of your system?”

He growled, rubbing his face with his hands in frustration before sitting on the bed. “I’m not leaving until you stop whatever this is and I know we’re ok!”

“Fine, I'll leave then.”

“Fine! Goodluck getting out, the fae wont open the door for you. There is nowhere to go down here and once you’ve calmed down we can talk. I'll be waiting!”

Looking back, he laid down on the bed and going to my bag I grab my own diary out and manage to make it squeeze into my back pocket of my jeans.

“Goodbye Logan.” Closing the door behind me he was wrong.

I headed down towards the kitchen, thankful the hall was silent now and the few Slayers I passed paid me no attention. Breaking the lock on the door to the kitchen, I headed down the back and grabbed a bottle of water. Walking down the corridor, I wasn’t stupid and had listened to Romans ramblings about this place. The rubbish disposal was at the back, linking up not only with the bar, but the laundry room of the hospital.

The air conditioning ducts were cleaner down here than where ever that place Chris had kept me in and once I made into the empty wash room, got down and replaced the duct I knocked out. Finding the green doctors scrubbed all clean and pressed. I slipped a set over my clothes and found my way out into one the corridors that lead towards a waiting room. From there I managed to avoid any nurses until I went near the room Alison was being kept in.

“She is young and wants to prove herself. You were like that when I met you. Buntings are all the same!” Alison laughed, sounding much better.

“I know and that’s what’s worrying. I know what being impulsive can do and I hate I sounded like Dad in there.” Jordan sighed, “Do you sense that?”

Shit!

“No? You’re probably still get used to so many of our kind being around.”

“I better go to bed, I got some major apologizing to do in the morning!” Hearing the scrape of the chair against the flooring made me duck behind a curtain and waiting for him to pass, felt bad for what I was about to do.

“He’s gone, you can come out!” Alison called, “I know you’re there.”

Hesitantly I walked in to find her looking practically healed apart from the stitches and black eye.

“So you think Francis did something to V?”

“Yes. Do you know who V is?”

“No, we don’t talk or really acknowledge that part of my family’s history. Elise, whatever you’re thinking about doing. Don’t. Jordan is just tired and for you to work things out hurt his ego.”

“I know my brother, he meant it all at the time. I miss the sun, just going for a walk!”

“Well if in your walk you find my sister, please help her,” She sighed, resting her head against the pillows before looking back at me. “You know I’m going to tell them you’ve gone right?” Alison smiled mischievously, grabbing her button for the nurse.

“I know. But surely you can give me a ten minute head start?” It didn’t matter what went on her families past, I kind of liked her and knew ten minutes was pushing it.

“Five, starting from now!” I left without another word and as the elevator door closed I heard the alarm go off.

“Bitch! That was only two.”

Shame no one was around to hear me.