Page 34 of Born Chaos

We load my bags into the back of the SUV, and in a surprisingly comfortable silence, we drive back to the church. He helps me carry all the bags to my room and leaves me to sort it all away.

A breath of relief leaves my chest as I put myself back together. As I touch up my face. As I drag a brush through my hair and put it up in a very simple ponytail. I feel like me again as I pull on a pair of ripped jeans and a simple black long-sleeved t-shirt.

When I step out into the chapel, I find Roman sitting in a chair at a desk. His feet are propped up on it, and it looks like he’s reading over a report. I forgot that someone told me Roman is the second largest employer of vampires in this city, second only to the Godfreys.

His eyes slide down and then up to meet mine when I step out. He’s constantly evaluating, like maybe he’s waiting for a ticking bomb to go off, which is fair. I feel kind of delicate lately. Not like a flower, but like a landmine.

“You want to go get a Chicago dog with me?” I ask.

I’m supposedto be at work right now. Sebastian and I were both supposed to be on duty in the emergency room. The guilt is eating at me. I’m not one to just shrug off my job. I’m thinking about all the patients that could come in and how I’m not there to help them. I’m thinking about poor Diana and how she’s got to be wondering what’s going on. I’m wondering how Sebastian is going to react tonight when I don’t show up for my shift.

But I can’t. How could I walk back in there? I haven’t made any decisions. I don’t know what to do yet.

So, for now, I’m still lying low at the church.

I walk out of the bedroom Roman gave me and am headed to the kitchen for some blood when I hear quiet voices out in the chapel.

“This could get ugly,” a man says. “The Council is powerful, Roman.”

“I think I know that,” he glowers. “I helped form the damn thing.”

I hear the other man let out a frustrated breath. “We had to close the club tonight. Sebastian showed up two hours ago, demanding to know where the two of you are. He tore your apartment apart. Trashed the lobby. He knows you’re hiding her.”

“I hope it drives the bastard insane,” Roman snarls. “I’ll make for damn sure he never finds her.”

“And what about the rest of them?” the man asks. “Elena Godfrey showed up this morning. Wouldn’t leave for hours. Demanded she needed to talk to you since you weren’t answering her calls. Mason showed up an hour after her.”

“Is Sigrid still at the safehouse?” Roman asks.

And my heart jumps right into my throat.

Shit. I completely forgot that she has the ability to track any vampire in this city who has a rose tattoo. And every vampire in this city knows that.

She’s who Sebastian would have gone after first.

“Yes, though she’s not happy about it. She wants answers. Now.”

“I’ll talk to Juliet,” Roman says. “I think she trusts Sigrid more than anyone else. I’ll reach out to her as soon as I can.”

“And what do you want me to do about Dr. Vincent?” the man asks.

Roman is quiet for a moment, considering. “What is he doing now?”

“After he finished trashing the club, he went in to the hospital. Two more sick vampires came in just in the last hour. He’s working there.”

“Keep me updated,” Roman says, and I feel the conversation coming to a close. “Eyes on him twenty-four-seven, got it?”

“I understand,” the man says, and I hear his feet retreat across the chapel.

Roman is having Sebastian followed. He’s monitoring him at all times.

My body feels stiff, and my eyes want to stay glued to the floor as I walk out into the chapel. But I meet Roman’s eyes, and from the expression on his face, it’s clear he knew I was listening.

“I’m so sorry he trashed the club,” I say, feeling sick to my stomach.

“Don’t apologize for him,” Roman says, his head held high. “You are not responsible for any of his actions.”

I swallow and nod, even though it doesn’t feel like that. I feel like I’m messing up everyone’s lives. I’m feeling like I never should have come to Chicago.

---