Page 37 of The Hunger
“I’m not sure. I’m hungry. It’s hard to think straight.”
There was a beat of silence, and I could sense Megan’s growing tension.
“It’s time for you to come home, Megan. Eliana doesn’t need more people meddling in her life.”
“Okay. I’ll be right there.” She hung up on him before he could say anything more.
“Any chance you’d be willing to do that hellgate thing to get the bag I left in my closet?” I asked. “I left in a rush and really don’t want to have to ask Mrs. Quill to get it after how abrupt I was with her already this morning.”
Megan grinned at me. “Hell yes. If I’m lucky, I’ll sense Adira there.”
She disappeared before I could tell her I changed my mind. Then reappeared a moment later, holding the bag I’d packed.
“No luck with Adira,” she said, setting the bag at my feet. “Now I need a favor. Can you please do that thing you did with the feeding again before I go? Maybe I’ll be able to distract Oanen out of a lecture.”
“Only you would beg for a succubus to feed,” I said, shaking my head.
“Not any succubus. Just the one I trust with my life. One who hopefully trusts me the same.”
Giving in, I fed lightly on Megan. She grinned at me, her eyes dilated. Then, she shocked me stupid with a kiss on the lips, hopped off her stool, and disappeared in a burst of flames.
CHAPTER SEVEN
My phone buzzed a few seconds later.
Megan: I love you to the moon. Just thought I’d remind you before I do my best to distract Oanen from taking my phone away again.
My initial smile faded as I considered what she’d revealed about Fenris before Oanen’s call.
Me: How did you find out?
Megan: He told me the day I tried burning the house down after finding out about Oanen.
I remembered that day. I’d been so sure that Fenris was into Megan that I’d called him to help snap her out of her freak out. And he had. He’d walked right into her blazing hot kitchen and hugged her. Worried about her being mad at me for keeping a secret, I hadn’t paid attention to him. But I remembered the shocked way she’d looked at me when he pulled back from her.
I didn’t doubt that he’d told her then that he’d been hugging her for a whiff of my scent. But I did doubt his motivation. Had it only been to distract her out of her panic or the truth? And if it had been the truth, what did it mean that he’d been struggling with an infatuation with me even back then?
Megan: Megan wants me to let you know her phone’s been confiscated, but she’s ready to be your snack pack any time you need her.
Me: I’m fine. Thanks for letting me know. And I appreciate her honesty. She didn’t meddle.
Vouching for her motivations was unlikely to make a difference in Oanen’s mind. At least, not right away. Understandably, Fenris was a closed topic with him. I wondered if Oanen knew Fenris’s motivations for all the Megan hugs, not that wanting a hug from me and hugging Megan in my place would endear Fenris to Oanen in any way.
I had so many questions and wasn’t sure who to ask. The last thing I wanted to do was create more tension between Megan and Oanen. There was only one other person who might be able to give me some insight, but I hesitated to ask for Jenna’s help again after sending her to the caves on my behalf.
My phone rang, and I saw Mom’s name on the screen.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Morning, baby. Do you need a ride or is Megan or Mrs. Quill coming back for you?”
I glanced around the room in confusion.
“Are you watching me?”
“The alarms went off and alerted me when you and Mrs. Quill entered. The cameras are a precaution to keep the patrons safe. I wasn’t intentionally spying, only checking to see who was entering our hunting grounds uninvited. As soon as I realized it was you, well, I worried. You looked upset, and Mrs. Quill left so quickly.”
“This morning’s been a bit rough. Fenris showed up at the Quills’, and I think I startled Mrs. Quill with my reaction. I’m sorry I tripped the alarms. I couldn’t think of anywhere else to hide.”
