Coldbloods (Hotbloods #2)

I rolled my eyes. “What kind of trap could it be? Bashrik holding us hostage to find out where his brother is, the same brother he needs our help to rescue?”

Galo shrugged. “Has it never occurred to you that those coldbloods could have tortured information out of Navan, namely concerning your friends, their appearances and whereabouts?”

I shivered. “No,” I said decidedly. “Navan would rather die than endanger his brother and friends.”

“I certainly hope so,” Galo said.

His words filled me with a cold sense of longing, and we walked the rest of the way in silence. Galo’s gloomy statement had ruined my mood. Even as I was opening the wooden tavern door, I was bracing myself for what was to come.

“RILEY!” Lauren and Angie cried.

I only had a few seconds to register their relieved, overjoyed faces, before they were throwing themselves onto me in a hug.

“You’re okay! What happened?” Angie said.

“I’ve been so worried. I haven’t slept more than two hours,” Lauren gasped. I could see the dark circles behind her purple glasses that proved her words.

“And what was with that text?” Angie asked. “We figured you’d been captured or something. Bashrik was prepared for an ambush.”

“Oh, that.” I grinned. “That was Galo. Anyway, I’ll get you guys up to speed soon enough.” Their gazes went over my shoulder to Galo, who had wisely chosen to wear a hood that mostly obscured his striking face.

“Oh yeah, sorry, this is Galo,” I said, gesturing to him.

He made an attempt at a smile, which looked more like a scary grimace, and when he waved, Angie and Lauren waved back tentatively.

“Bashrik’s over there,” Lauren said, stabbing her thumb behind her at a table in the corner, where he and Ronad were sitting. The difference between them was night and day. Before, Bashrik had been the one who appeared in better health. Now it was a completely different story. Ronad’s youthful face had a slight rosy tinge, and his skin looked sun-kissed, while his brown hair was glossy and neatly swept back. Bashrik’s dark hair, on the other hand, had a serious case of bedhead, and his sapphire eyes were enclosed by dark rings. His skin looked slightly gray, as if he’d been only half-heartedly taking his chameleon potion.

“He’s been a pain in the ass the whole time,” Angie said with a sigh. “We’re both ready to kill him, so don’t be surprised if he gets on your nerves, too.”

“It’s only been an hour?” I asked. “How’d you get here?”

“Let’s sit down first,” she said.

As we approached the table, Ronad waved politely, while Bashrik’s frown deepened.

“So, Angie and I told the Churnleys and our parents that we were going to spend a few days in Austin. We dipped into our savings and took a plane,” Lauren explained. “But those two… well…”

“We figured the security body scan would be a bit of an issue,” Angie said, cracking up. Everyone joined in, except for Bashrik.

“I held onto Bashrik, and he flew,” Ronad added with a rueful smile. “Although he wasn’t much of a talker during the trip.”

I studied Ronad as he tried patting Bashrik’s tensed back. Now that Navan was out of the picture, it looked like Ronad was trying to take on the role of the calm “brother”, despite the fact that he was clearly stressed too. It was likely Navan and maybe even Bashrik had done the same for him after his love, Naya, had died.

“Can you really blame me?” Bashrik was grumbling. “With my most beloved brother in the hands of vicious rebels, how can I chitchat and laugh as if everything’s all right?”

“Hey,” Ronad said, “you know Navan means the world to me too.” His determined smile wavered, then fell, showing the real sorrow behind his steadily-voiced words.

“About that, Bashrik,” I said, pausing to try to find the words to say. Bashrik’s face was set in hard lines—like he wasn’t going to buy whatever I did say.

“I really am sorry,” I continued. “Like I said, I tried everything I could. I-I…” My voice shook as frustrated guilt welled up inside me. For failing Navan. For failing Bashrik—I’d promised him I’d watch out for his brother. For even failing myself here and now, not able to express to Bashrik just how sorry I was.

Bashrik’s face softened—maybe he saw the anguish on my face—and he exhaled. “Well, the important thing is that we’re all going to try to rescue him now. Right?”

He looked to me with narrowed, expectant eyes—eyes that, although a slightly different shade, reminded me painfully of Navan’s.

“So are you going to introduce me?” Galo asked.

“Ah, yes, of course.” I smiled and proceeded to introduce the eccentric lycan and fill them in on what had happened to me since I’d left Navan with the coldbloods—from trying to rescue him myself, to being picked up by the Fed, to how we’d ended up escaping the Fed’s HQ.

When I had finished, Angie and Lauren looked at me, dumbfounded.

“Girl, you sure have been through the mill,” Angie said.

I grimaced. “Yeah.”

Galo adjusted his hood. “Now that introductions are out of the way, shall we talk business?”

“So you’re really certain there’s no hope of the Fed helping us now,” Ronad said. It was more of a statement than a question, since I’d already told him it was unlikely, at least while Sylvan and his team were away.

Galo nodded. “I’d say that’s accurate, boy. Going back to try convincing anyone else would be dangerous at best, lethal at worst, and I don’t have access to Sylvan’s direct line. I’m not high enough for that, unfortunately.”

“Here’s a suggestion,” Bashrik said. “We rescue Navan now, with whatever force necessary.” He slapped his grayish palms down on the table, causing it to shake.

Ronad put a hand on Bashrik’s shoulder. “Seriously? Rush into a camp filled with countless coldbloods and shifters, without any actual plan? Riley already tried that, and it didn’t work out too well for her.”

I felt a blush rise to my cheeks, recalling that stupid incident.

“I didn’t say that exactly,” Bashrik said, crossing his arms across his chest. “Although the longer we wait here, the more likely it is that they’ve hurt Navan—or worse.”

“You’re right,” Ronad said gently. “So that means we should act quickly but intelligently.” He turned to me. “By the way, I assume your blood is still on its way to Vysanthe?”

Fear tingled at the back of my spine. So much had happened since then, I’d practically forgotten about the whole blood problem. “Yeah,” I said hoarsely. “I guess it is.”

“Well…” Ronad wet his lips nervously. “Hopefully, we’ll still have time to do something about it once we rescue Navan.”