Page 23 of Call of the Ride
Chapter 18
Nox
We hadn’t even made it toMadam Moonstone’s Pussy Fart Emporiumyet, and already it felt like the longest day of my life. Every time I opened my mouth, Anthia had some salty comeback, so it became easier to not say anything at all. If the swan seriously thought I’d saved Vasi from blowing herself up just so I could be the hero, she needed to open her fucking eyes and see beyond her own bullshit.
Maybe she can find the stick up her ass while she’s at it.
“Now, Anthia,” Marena cheerfully called out from the passenger seat beside me, her arm slung over the bench seat to address the shifter moping in the back. “I know talking about this isn’t easy for you, but please take advantage of Ms. Moonstone’s expertise to ask any questions you may have about your unusual parentage. Weneedto stay one step ahead of Matthew and the others involved with the Facility.”
Guilt gnawed at my gut. While it was true Tan, Ace, and I were mostly oblivious to my father’s experiments, we’d still played a part. And I hated to admit it, but when it was revealed we’d been taggingshiftersinstead of random animals, I wasn’t nearly as upset about it as the others. I’d been so thoroughly brainwashed that I honestly believed the work my father was doing at the Facility was for the greater good. So I always stepped up to help in any way I could—in the hopes he would someday reward me for my loyalty and dedication.
But he never saw me as anything but another expendable recruit.
Despite my father’s best efforts, he hadn’t erased every ounce of goodness from my life. I’d been allowed to keep photos of my grandmother in my room, and often stared at them while imagining a comfort and love I’d never get to experience again. With a sinking feeling, I realized how disappointed mybabawould’ve been in many of the decisions I’d made—at how far I’d strayed from the values she raised me with.
“Anthia…” I began, awkwardly clearing my throat as she glared at me in the rearview mirror. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. Not just for what my father and the Facility did but formyinvolvement in it. None of it was ethical and I hope I can make it right…somehow.”
As soon as the words left my lips, I braced myself for the inevitable snarky reply. To my surprise, the shifter dropped her gaze and replied so quietly, I almost didn’t catch it. “It’s not your fault,” she murmured, and from her look of confusion, she was just as surprised by her answer as I was.
Well, that’s a start.
By some miracle, I followed the GPS on my phone to navigate London’s notoriously fucked up streets and get us to our destination. My luck quickly dissolved, however, as the door to the shop swung open to reveal an octogenarian wearing a tiny floral bikini.
“Ah, IthoughtI sensed a double shot of whiskey sour headed my way!” Cassandra Moonstone yelled, loud enough to wake the dead. “C’mon in, kids, before our past catches up with us.”
Not knowing how to interpret her babble, I simply held the door open for Anthia and Marena before following the women inside. I froze when I spotted a group of humans lounging on the velvet couches in the corner, most drinking Fanta and all wearing what appeared to be wizard robes.
Better than bikinis.
“Oh, don’t mind them! Just your friendly neighborhood occultist meeting,” Cassandra chirped, motioning for us to follow her past the dildo domain to her demon-summoning room in the back. “I was just about to take a nap in my tanning bed, but then I was slapped upside the head by avision,and here you are!”
“So, if you know why we’re here, let’s get on with it,” I grumbled, already aching to return to my witch and the guys.
The fortune teller cocked her head, scrutinizing me with interest. “Alrighty. How did you push the bullet out of your shoulder, Nox?”
“Aren’tyousupposed to be the one answering that?” I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest and leveling her with a hard look.
“No,” she brusquely replied. “But I’ll let you mull it over for a few minutes, although…” she tapped an imaginary watch on her wrist. “The clock’s ticking!”
What the actual fuck is wrong with this woman?
“It’s always a pleasure to meet a human with second sight,” Marena smoothly cut in. “A true gift from the gods, and a burden at times.”
“Aye, that it is,” Cassandra solemnly nodded. “But we all have our destiny, and it’s our responsibility to answer the call, no matter how painful.” Her gaze shifted to Anthia and her harsh brogue softened. “What is it that’s troubling you, child?”
For the second time that morning, the swan shocked me by suddenly bursting into tears. “I just…what if I ruined everything by getting captured? What if those horridhumansuse whatever they learned from me against other shifters? And how am I going to tell my father that I’m not evenhis…”
Before I even knew what I was doing, I’d hauled the wailing shifter into my arms. “It’s going to be all right,” I soothed, gently brushing her long hair from her face. “You didn’t see how devastated Gerard was when we arrived at the settlement after rescuing you. Whether or not you’re biologically related, that man loves you like a daughter. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that family isn’t always about blood.”
Anthia sniffled against my shirt before pulling away only enough so she could look up at me. “So, I suppose that makes you my annoying older brother?”
I barked out a laugh.“Youngerbrother. I may be immortal now, but I’m only 34 in human years. You’re the one who’s been spreading that attitude around for at least a few hundred, no?”
The swan huffed, although I spotted a smile twitching her lips as she stepped away from me. “Yes, but I wonder…why do I still age like a shifter when I’m half human?”
Cassandra thoughtfully hummed as she handed Anthia a sealed envelope, which the shifter promptly snatched. “Hmm, thatisa fascinating question, although now probably isn’t the time to ponder it as Nox’s father is on his way here as we speak…”
“What the fuck are you talking about?!” I shouted, seeing my shock reflected in Anthia’s and Marena’s expressions. “If he’s on his way, we need to get the hell out of here!”
