Page 8 of Anaki

I don’t know what possessed me, but I felt jealous that he touched her. He was a man, and I hated them myself. The only male who was allowed near me was my son.

I stood up, holding onto my cane, and pulled back my shoulders. “Abuela, what is the meaning of this? Who are these people?”

While the elders are supposed to be the leaders of the home, mine was crazier than a squirrel hoarding nuts for winter.

Abuela cleared her throat and nodded for them to introduce themselves.

“I’m Nadia, and this is Anaki. We are here to collect you and take you to your sister.”

I narrowed my eyes. The audacity of these people. “We just spoke to my sister, and she mentioned nothing about usleaving.”

I stepped toward the side table where my gun nestled safely in the drawer. Luis knew about the gun, and had been told many times never to open it. The fingerprint safety device was a necessity since he was a curious child, but would I be able to get to it in time while these two were here?

Neither had guns on them, that I could see, but that didn’t mean they didn’t have a knife or a taser, and I wasn’t fast.

“I suggest you leave,” I said. “We have already activated the security monitors and the silent alarm.”

Heavy footsteps came from the open doorway. A man, no, a freaking bear of a man stepped up behind the woman. He pushed her until she was behind him. I looked up at him, and my heart raced when I saw the gun holsters at his side.

“We do this the easy way, Elena. We mean no harm. Security camera lines have been cut, you have no panic button, and you will never reach the gun in that drawer fast enough.”

I was absolutely raging.

They had been watching us.

Instead of taking my anger out on them, I whipped my head around to my abuela. “What have you done?” I hissed. “Did you give us away? They are going to take us all to get to Emmie. It’s your fault!” I took my cane and threw it to the other side of the room.

I ground my teeth, knowing full well we were absolutely screwed. I promised to keep them both safe, especially since Abuela had been acting strange. My legs felt weak, and my body fatigued. I let my arm settle on the stand beside the rocking chair when I felt two arms come behind me and save me from falling over.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright,” he whispered in my ear.

My heart slowed. I didn’t have the nerve to look up at him, but I knew it was the dirty blonde who stood in the doorway. What was his name?Anaki?

He gently put me in the chair and grabbed the blanket behind me, putting it over my legs. He tucked the blanket under my knees and kneeled down to see me eye to eye. “Believe it or not, we are the good guys. Emm just doesn’t know it yet. You look just like her. Pretty stubborn, too.” He gave me a crooked smile that could have made me fall into his arms, all over again.

Damn it, stop!

A whistle from the stove broke the trance, and he stood up. “Tea? Don’t mind if I do. Nadia? Bear?”

The bear of a man shook his head and went toward the side table drawer. He pulled out the gun and grabbed my wrist, using my finger to unlock it. He promptly emptied the bullets and stuffed them in his tool belt, then he handed the gun back to me. “Just so you think you are in charge. You know, like your sister.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and ripped the gun away from him.

“Easy, Bear.” Nadia tapped his butt to move him over.

His name is actually Bear?

“You are in charge here, Elena, as well as the woman over there.” Nadia hitched her thumb over her shoulder at Abuela. She had a chancla in her hand, pointing at me.

The only reason Abuela hadn’t thrown it was because there were guests.

“I’m not sure how she knew we were coming. In fact, why do you have suitcases by the door?” Nadia asked her.

Abuela threw her chancla to the floor to put her foot in and fixed her hair. “Because we are leaving with you, are we not? That is why all the vampires have been hanging around outside.”

I slapped the side of my face and groaned. “Abuela, did you chew on some rocks thismorning, too?”

Anaki ran to my side and pulled my hand away from my face. “Don’t be hurting yourself like that, love.”

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