Page 121 of Dark Haven Omegaverse

“Not anymore,” she said. “You need to go. Now. This floor has been marked as abandoned.”

“Well, unmark it,” Hiro bit out. “This is our place, our home. Fuck your rules.”

“Don’t speak to me that way!” she yelled, loud enough Drake moved between us and her. “It’s off limits!”

“Why are you still here, then?” I asked, narrowing my eyes on her. The woman was hiding something, and it had nothing to do with us. “What are you not telling us? Seems like you’re keeping secrets.”

Her eyes flashed with anger at my taunt. Nurse Drew’s fists clenched and the bitter scent of deceit filled the air.

“If I was, it wouldn’t be your business,” she said as she tightened her sweater around her, practically sticking her nose in the air. I laughed openly at her haughty attitude.

“Who marked this floor off-limits?” I asked.

“Vane still holds authority here, young lady,” she said. Now the venom was right back in place. Her loyalty was clear.

“He holds no authority here anymore, I assure you,” Drake said. There was an amused inflection in his voice that had her rounding on him.

“Don’t speak ill of the man who gave you ungrateful brats a fucking home,” she demanded like she had any right to push us around.

“Learn your place, Drew. You will bring our medication and do your duties here, nothing more. You hold no power over us or where we go. We won’t need an escort. And if you can’t handle such simple instructions, I’ll have you permanently removed,” Drake said in a deadly calm voice.

She laughed. At first it was amused, then slowly slipped into uncertainty when he didn’t relax his stance. His arms were crossed and his cold eyes were trained on her. He wasn’t backing down.

Several emotions flipped through her expression from annoyance to fear.

She finally stepped back and walked away, her heels clicking on the floor before it was quiet again.

“Something’s up with her,” I said. “She’s hiding something here.”

“All the more reason to stick it out. I want you to tell me if you seeanythingweird.”

“No, you’re not leaving again,” I growled in frustration.

Why was he taking all of this on himself?

“Harlow, I have a job to do now. I’m keeping this place running and making sure those who need out, can get out of this fucking place while they still can. I can’t be here every second, but I will be here as often as I can. When I said I wanted more time with you, I meant it,” he argued, begging me to understand. “But right now, I have to go.”

“Why? What is making you do this? You’ve never been the caring and generous sort,” I argued.

He flinched at my words, but it was so short-lived I almost questioned if I saw it.

“I do care, Harlow. There’s humanity in me,” he said. The quiet pitch of his voice had me deflating.

“I know you do about some things, like us and your mom, but this place?”

“Is my home,” he admitted. “I’m half demon, I was born and raised here, I’m not letting it fall because of this bullshit.”

“I can respect that,” I said. Arguing would be pointless. Drake was borderline indignant and that alone showed how much he really cared about this place. “And your mom?”

“She’s safe,” he said. “I’m bringing her down here. She can have the empty room.”

He was already edging toward the elevator again. There was conflict in his eyes but also determination.

The argument was over, and he’d continue to do what he planned. I hoped he kept up his promise to us.

“We’ll get things cleaned up and ready for her,” Hiro called after him. His voice was hollow, and I wrapped my hand in his, forcing him to not leave me behind as he walked down the hall.

Drake had to do what he had to do. Having a task might just keep my mind off it.

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