I straighten. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"I've noticed how you avoid her. Vee gave up a lot to come here and help you all, and I can tell she's struggling with your behaviour." He pauses. "You guys keep saying she's the centre of your world, but all I see is her being pushed to the edge."
I swallow down the harsh response springing to my lips. Seth's doing the same thing again. He's interfering and subtly planting thoughts, all with a feigned innocence. "You don't know anything about our lives," I reply in an even tone.
"Really? Because I'm currently forced to live your lives, and it's shit."
I'm tempted to tell him to piss off and try his luck alone, to see how long he survives, but my suspicion steam rolls those words. Seth wants me to say that.
"I don't think you're who you say, Seth Marks."
Seth removes his glasses and polishes them, as he often does when wanting to pause a conversation.
"That's your call, Ewan... what was your name again? The false one you have?" He places his glasses back on. "If anybody isn't who they say they are, it's you and your band of brothers."
I fight down giving him the angry reaction he wants and maintain a game face to match his.
"You've dug deep into my records and my past, Ewan. It's all there. Seth Marks exists. Do you? Who are you, code name Pestilence?"
I bristle at his mocking tone. Cheeky fucking... My bloody fist could show him I existed. "Me? I'm one of the people keeping your sorry ass alive right now."
"So you keep saying."
"But I'm watching you, Seth. You don't fool me."
Slowly, Seth unscrews the bottle and swigs, his eyes on mine the whole time. Yeah, I'm onto you. He wipes his mouth and screws the lid back on. "I think it's quite sad how little you trust people. Even the girl who loves you."
"I hope you're not bullying Seth again, Ewan." Vee walks into the kitchen. "Have you seen my coat?"
I point at her green jacket slung over the nearest chair and back away when she approaches, avoiding her eyes.
"All good. You know how Ewan is, Vee. It's hard to connect with him sometimes."
Vee laughs and swings the jacket around to push her arms through the sleeves. "He's the strong silent type, for sure."
"Where are you going?" asks Seth.
"For a walk. I want to catch up with Xander while he's in a good mood."
Seth nods. "Good plan."
I say nothing as Vee takes one last glance at me before heading out the door. Seth watches her go, too intently for my liking.
He flicks his fingers after Vee. "That was a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Is it jealousy? Don't you like Vee having sex with the other guys?" I narrow my eyes, and his mouth twitches into a smile. "Are you scared she'll compare you all, and that you won't measure up to the others?"
"You're a devious fucker," I growl. "And you're bloody lucky I'm in a good mood or I would've spread your nose across your face by now."
"Raw nerve?" He chuckles. "I don't care what you think about me. I'm just doing the same as you all do. I'm looking out for myself." With a tight smile, he grips his drink and walks out of the room.
This guy must have a desire to feel my fist in his face because I won't let him get away with this sneaky-ass behaviour much longer. I don't care who the fuck Seth says he is, when I get the opportunity, he's out of here.
6
XANDER
I hate that the guys know I'm struggling if I take longer walks than usual, but we all are so I can't be singled out. Normally I save long walks for crisp, sunny days, but today I risk the threat of rain to walk off as much nervous energy as I can. I shove my hands deeper into my pockets and burrow my face into the top of my jacket. Fuck, it gets colder. Next winter, I'm making sure we're overseas.
Joss sat me down earlier and talked me through the confusion, calmed the desire to charge from the house and react, instead of planning. I'm pissed off that there was no sign of whatever attacked Joss, and even more that something breeched our defences. Why didn't Joss know he contained something demonic?
That leads to a worse thought: was it demonic? Although we spent hours searching and not finding the thing, I'm bloody relieved Joss is back to normal, the way Ewan was.
But Seth's words resonate. He's correct.
Who's next? How can we stop it?
What if Heath dies?
I arranged our meeting with Syv for early evening, when the club will be emptier. She hangs out in there a lot, as do some of her clients. They allow her, because she has too much information on some of them. Then, we pay Alasdair a visit. He doesn't work at Nova Pharm, and he lives in Scotland. There's no address for Myriad Foundation's offices, but I'm sure Ewan can locate him.
I should be lifted by the news, but all I can picture is Joss last night and fight something I haven't experienced before—doubt.
Add to this that the Collector knew Horsemen before and doubt grows into a deep uncertainty in the pit of my stomach. I always knew we weren't the first, but is this how they died?
Will they kill Vee too?
Vee, the girl walking across the freezing ground towards me. My heart rate increases the closer she gets, and again I'm reminded her power over me isn't just as Truth, but as a girl who's begun to possess me: heart, body, and soul. She's dressed in skinny jeans and heavy boots with a padded green jacket, a usual look for her, but today there's a black beanie pushed onto her head.
Her green eyes stand out against the black, and the way her hair is pushed around her red-cheeked face gives her an innocence that reminds me further that she's human.
I'm not in the mood to talk to anybody right now; my head doesn't know which direction to turn in.
I moisten my cool lips as she stops in front of me, my desire to reach out, touch her face, and kiss her growing with the warmth in my chest. Instead, I grip the lining in my jacket pockets.
"What happened?" I ask sharply. "Is everybody okay?"
She nods. "I came to see how you were."
I frown. "Me? I'm okay. Pissed off all this is happening, but also happier things are progressing."
Vee taps her lips and hesitates before saying, "I wanted to spend time with you when you're calm."
"I'm never calm." We exchange wry smiles. "Especially not around you."
"The only time we talk, we argue. I want to change that."
I look down in surprise when Vee links her arm through mine and tense, unsure whether to move her arm and push her away, or allow myself closer.
"I guess. Like with Seth, it's important we build some trust."
She laughs up at me. "Are you comparing us to you and Seth?"
"No. You know what I mean." I pause and she remains close, closer still as she looks up at me.
I love and hate how Vee makes me feel, how my whole body fills with heat when she focuses her attention on me; how my thoughts scatter and are replaced by nothing but the desire to be naked with her.
To love her.
I look away in case Vee reads this in my eyes.