Page 10 of Rebel Fae
I wondered what being on the cheerleading squad had to do with anything, but Becca seemed proud of it so I feigned interest. “That’s great. You’re a witch, then. Are you an item witch or a gestures witch?” I was using information I’d learned during my brief time at the Supernatural Academy.
“Item witch,” she said sadly. “And they took my item. And my phone. It’s just so… Er! I miss my phone the most.”
I’d noticed humans, even magical ones had an obsession with cell phones. Becca seemed to be beside herself without hers.
“It’ll be all right,” I said, zigging around a bush to fly beside her as she walked.
“How are you not freaking out? Is it because you’re used to nature and stuff? I am not a nature buff. Bugs drive me crazy.” She batted at what I assumed was a mosquito. I didn’t tell her there were worse things than bugs in this jungle.
“I’m sure we’ll all get through it together. I see the group up ahead.” I nodded towards where the rest had gathered up on a rise.
We made it to the clearing and joined the others. Vaughn had broken out some water bottles and silver packets and was handing them out. Ronnie sat on a rock while Baeleath, Regina, and Antonio stood. We’d been walking for several hours so a break was much needed.
But the vampires glared at the packets and then at Vaughn.
“We can’t eat those,” Regina protested. “Don’t you know anything about vampires?”
Vaughn’s jaw tightened. “Sure, I do. And I know you can go days without food.”
“I’ve gone days already,” Antonio said, looking pale. “I’m starving and the spells your caster put on us when we got here aren’t really helping. The sun is killing us.” He squinted up and then turned his face away in disgust.
I hadn’t even stopped to consider how the vampires had managed to hike up a mountain in broad daylight. It seemed that spells had made it possible. It was late afternoon by now, but the sun was still broiling overhead. What an inhospitable place to be a vampire.
Vaughn didn’t relent. “Then you should’ve thought of that before committing the crime that brought you here.”
Antonio hissed, his fangs extending. Vaughn responded by growling as his posture stiffened.
Fighting again? My job was impossible.
I ran up, putting myself between the two huge alpha males. “Hey, what’s the problem?”
“He’s letting us starve.” Regina had let her fangs drop as well, ready to fight alongside Antonio.
I offered her a calm expression and soothing tone. “It’s okay. We can find you something to eat. You can drink animal blood, right?”
Regina shrugged.
Antonio nodded. “If there is any.”
“I’m sure there is,” I offered. “I’m a decent tracker, and you can detect animal scents, right?” I asked Antonio.
He nodded. “Most of the time.”
“Then we can find something. Vaughn, can we go down the hill and hunt for food while the others rest and eat?”
As his anger receded, he seemed relieved by my solution. I knew he’d been told to keep the campers safe like I had been, though he was doing a poor job at it. He simply wasn’t suited for this.
“You can go, but don’t run off. You know they can find you on this island wherever you go.”
“It’s an island?” the young boy, Ronnie, said. He wiped sweat from his brow as concern splashed across his chubby face. “Oh, geez. I don’t like open water.”
He looked pretty concerned, but that was a problem for another day. I turned my attention to the vampires. “Regina, do you need to drink?”
She shook her head. “I’m okay for now.”
“Fine. Antonio, ready?”
He nodded, and, together, we turned and walked down the path and into the trees.
