Once Jimmy and his partner made their way back to their table, Adam looked down at the old woman and smiled. “Sorry about that, ma’am.”
“Nothing for you to be sorry about, young man. And it’s Ida. No one calls me ma’am. Now, you all sit and I’ll get you some drinks.” She turned, hustling away without asking what they wanted to drink.
Adam, Jill and Steve sat down, but made sure they all had a good sight on Jimmy and his friend. “What the hell was that?” Jill frowned, looking away from the customers, who were still watching them closely. “I mean I always get stared at, but this is different.”
A frown crossed over Steve’s face as he glanced at Adam and spoke, “Tell me about it. There was some real hostility from Jumping Jacks over there.”
Adam snorted at the nickname, wondering if Steve was hanging with the Warriors way too much, but he also felt the difference. Something had shifted with the way people responded to them as half-breeds. This was open hostility, not quiet curiosity.
“Here you go.” Ida set down three glasses.
“Thank you.” Jill smiled, but her smile slipped as Ida stared at her.
“You’re one of the Nichols girls.” Ida’s kind smile turned sad. “I remember your daddy bringing you kids up here for soft ice cream cones. I’m really sorry about your father.”
Jill’s head snapped back. “What about my father?”
“Well, he had a heart attack a few weeks ago.” Ida frowned. “You didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t” Jill frowned, a tinge of anger making her voice shake. “Is he…okay?”
“Yes, I heard he was back home.” Ida walked over and touched Jill on the shoulder when she said, “You really didn’t know?” Her tone was apologetic and comforting.
Adam watched as Jill shook her head and knew she was trying to keep her emotions in check. Anger at her family for not contacting Jill gripped him hard. If someone kept something like that about Tessa from him, he’d beat the hell out of somebody.
“I’ve only talked to them once since…” Jill looked up at Ida with her mismatched eyes not finishing what everyone present knew. Her family disowned her once she had been turned into a half-breed.
“Well, shame on them.” Ida patted her shoulder sympathetically. “I don’t know what all of the fuss is about, really. I mean, so far we’ve been living together without any big issues, but now with that new mayor and his fancy vampire fiancée, you kids need to be more careful.”
“Why do you say that, Ida?” Adam glanced away from Jill, who still looked uncomfortable at the mention of her family, his shoulders tightening at the older woman’s words.
“You haven’t seen the paper. What am I talking about?” she huffed at the looks of confusion on their young faces. Reaching to another table, she picked up a paper and placed it on their table. “You’re kids. Of course you haven’t seen the papers.”
“Is this today’s paper?” Adam glanced up at Ida knowing full well it was, but he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Jill and Steve had leaned in to look.
“That’s Alice.” Jill pointed at the beautiful vampire standing next to a tall man with a severe receding hairline. “Who is that?”
“That’s the new mayor, Tom Ferguson,” Ida replied, disgust heavy in her voice. “He’s lower than a snake. I sure didn’t vote for him.”
“Isn’t that the detective who tried to pin that Sheriff’s murder on Pam?” Jill eyes narrowed.
Steve’s eyes narrowed. Looking down at the paper, he read the article, his voice low. “Mayor Ferguson, along with his fiancée, Alice Marshall, has formed a committee to stop the breeding of half-breeds?” Steve shook his head as if trying to understand. “How they going to stop the breeding of half-breeds?”
Adam stood, digging into his pocket. “Can we have this paper?” Adam handed Ida a twenty-dollar bill for their drinks.
“Sure, you can.” Ida took the twenty. “Let me get your change. You sure you don’t want anything to go?”
“Keep the change.” Adam smiled down at the older woman. “Thanks for the information, but we have to leave.”
Ida nodded. “You kids be careful.”
“Always.” Adam followed Jill and Steve out the door, feeling the hostile stares that followed them. Things were about to blow and it looked like half-breeds were going to be right smack in the middle of it.
Chapter 5
Pacing, Lana wished her sister would hurry the hell up. She really didn’t want to do this alone. In her job, she worked side by side with men, but none of them as intimidating or alpha as these Warriors.
“You okay?” Sid walked up wrapping his arms tightly around her, his comfort a welcome shield against the nervousness that gripped her.