Yet that didn’t mean there wasn’t strife in the room. Trust me, there was plenty.
“We kill them. What else is there to discuss.” This was Craig’s big idea. With muscles the size of pythons, he was more brute strength than brains.
Emma who had been twirling one of her many large hunting knives, stabbed into down into the coffee table. “Let’s get one thing straight or I blow your plans straight out to the water. No one harms my dad.”
I might not exactly get why after everything Emma’s dad put her through, she was still protecting him. Maybe it was because he was her father and she was harboring some kind of hope that he could change. I was realist. The man I saw was not going to be swayed easily from his beliefs. I didn’t know how he could be saved.
“What do you expect us to do? Just let him walk away?” Sierra provoked, not the least intimidated by Emma’s little display.
“We could compel them,” Hayden suggested. Lexi smiled up at him, clearly thinking she liked his idea.
Emma shook her head. “It won’t work. At least not with my dad, and probably not with the others either. There are injections he takes to counteract compulsion. A cocktail of Mother Earth’s finest, except I don’t have a clue what is really in them.”
Sierra flipped her bold red hair, leaning forward on the edge of her seat. “How can we believe her? I surely don’t trust her. She could be leading us all into a trap for all we know.”
I wasn’t the only who wasn’t a welcomed addition to the group. Sierra wasn’t capable of making new friends.
Emma stared directly into Sierra’s disdainful glare, challenging. Catfight. “I was forced the injections for a year. It works. Ask Chase. He knows.”
All eyes were on Chase. He nodded. “I can’t compel her. She is telling the truth.”
There might have been a few gasps. Chase admitting he couldn’t do something was pretty gigantic. It was like saying the grass wasn’t green.
“Then we are back to killing them,” Craig said, leering in a creepy way that made me think he just wanted to kill something. Anything would do.
I shivered and Chase wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“No!” Emma stated forcefully. “Travis and I have been talking and we think…”
Chase did not like where this was going. His body went ridged beside me and his heart rate accelerated. I could feel his distress coming in loud and clear. It was overwhelming.
“…that Angel could take care of him.”
Sierra laughed.
Chase growled.
I was like, “Me?”
“No!” Chase bellowed at the same time. “Absolutely. Freaking. Not.”
“Wait. I’m confused. Why would Angel be able to help?” Hayden asked.
I tried not to be offended that they all thought I was so useless and pathetic, but even I wanted to know the answer to that question. Why me?
“Travis, not another word. Do you hear me?” Chase threatened.
“Chase, it’s the only way.”
In a flash, he was up in Travis’s face, and I felt my butt hit the couch. “It’s out of the questioned. We’ll find another solution.”
“Will someone please tell me what the hell we are even arguing about for the love of everything that is holy,” Sierra yelled.
Chase jerked his head toward her, eyes ablaze. “Nothing that concerns you.”
“Think about it Chase. She is probably the only one who could compel him. She can try it out on Emma,” Travis rushed, trying to reason before he lost his head.
Chase closed his eyes and dropped his head into his hands. I swear I could hear him counting under his breath.
My ability to compel those who can’t be compelled seemed to be what got Chase’s boxers in a wadded bunch. Travis and Emma wanted me to compel her dad.
“Why the hell would you think Miss. Sassypants could compel anyone?” Sierra demanded loudly.
“She can’t,” Chase countered, lifting his head.
“Chase,” Travis pleaded. “It is the only way to keep her safe. Keep us all safe.”
He slammed his fist down on the table, standing to his full six-foot two-inch formidable height. “It is out of the question. I’m done discussing it.” Then he promptly stormed out, slamming the front door behind. The house rattled under impact.
Chapter 26
I sat in a room full of half-demons and one hunter. All of them were staring at me. Shifting under their curious and puzzling gazes, I stood up without a word and went after shitbrick. I’d rather deal with him than all their questions.
I found him with his hands in his midnight hair, pacing up and down the driveway. Messy and windblown, he looked fabulous. Lines of strain creased the corner of his cloudy eyes.
He was troubled.
And if I had to guess, he was torn in half.