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Let’s Get Ready To Rumble
Bloome
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Disappointment flooded me when I realized that not only wasn’t Nora going to do the right thing and confess to the council, she was, of course, going to go on the run. It was nearing morning, and I was tired, just wanting to go sleep for a few hours, but I couldn’t. I had been secretly watching Nora all night. Her bedroom was down the hall from mine and the two times she left her room to go to the kitchen or bathroom, I snuck in quickly to assess what she had been doing. Packing a very large suitcase full of clothes, toiletries, a phone charger, laptop, and everything else she could fit. A large wad of cash lay next to a plastic envelope on her dresser as if she had been counting it. I’d left quickly enough and now knew she was probably going to take off once she thought the house was asleep. Like vampires, we stayed up at night and slept during the day. Nora had been extremely quiet the past few hours, though, and I was wondering if she wasn’t getting some sleep since she had a long day ahead of her.
Little did she know, she wasn’t going to get far. I had spent a couple of hours of quiet meditation trying to decide what the right thing to do was. Once I had made peace with my decision, I contacted Iliana and told her everything. I also suggested that we let the vampires get involved, as long as they gave us their word they weren’t going to torture or kill Nora. She needed to be punished, Iliana agreed, and she said she’d contact the council and get back to me.
That was three hours ago. I sent her a text: I believe Nora’s going to be leaving soon. I need the plan of action asap or I won’t be able to stop her. Please text back, I don’t want her possibly hearing me talking on the phone.
Iliana: Call the vampires, tell them to head over there now. Only two allowed, though.
Me: No can do. Sun’s almost up.
Iliana: Shoot, that’s right. Okay we’ll have to detain her ourselves and get her over to their warehouse somehow. Got any sleeping powder?
Me: Wait, they have two members who can go in the sun. I’ll get back to you. Stand by.
I closed my bedroom door and ran downstairs and out the front door, far enough away where nobody could hear me on the phone. I dialed Shadow.
It rang several times and I realized he probably just went to bed. “Hello?” he answered softly.
“Craig, our witch is packing her shit, we believe she’s going to run today once the sun’s up and we’re all asleep. We could try to physically detain her, but it would be easier if we had some muscle. That guy with the sunglasses and that werewolf you have in your club, they can go in the sun, right?”
He grunted and said, “Kovah’s a hybrid so yes. And Venom can of course. Let me get some things sorted. It might be a bit, so keep her where she’s at, don’t let her leave. We’ll get guys over there. Don’t worry, sweetheart.”
I smiled at his term of endearment as I watched the house, making sure Nora didn’t try to leave out of the back or front. “My hero,” I teased.
“You can repay me later,” he said with a smile in his voice.
I smiled. “Oh, definitely.”
“What’s the address?” he asked.
“My place.”
He scoffed. “This bitch is one of your roommates?”
“Her name is Nora, and yes, unfortunately,” I murmured.
“Nora... the same broad we interrogated in Cobalt a few weeks ago,” he said.
“Yes, Nora told me about that. Same person, my roommate and coven mate.” I sighed in sadness.
“I’m sorry, babe. No wonder this has been so hard on you,” he said, sounding sincere.
I saw the front door open and said, “Gotta go.”
I ended the call and ran to the side of the house. I saw Nora look both ways before rolling that huge suitcase out the door and gingerly closing it behind her. She adjusted the backpack on her back and began wheeling the suitcase down the walkway. I just now noticed an idling car across the street with a paid car service’s emblem in the windshield. She waved to the driver.
I stepped into her path, and she screamed, hand to her chest. “Bloome! You scared me half to death.”
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I asked, pointing at the car.
“I’m moving out. I left y’all a note.” She sniffed and lifted her chin before trying to move around me.
Unfortunately for her, she was tiny, and I was about five-foot-seven with some muscle. Plus, she had the suitcase and backpack.
“Fucking move, bitch,” she snarled at me, her straight black hair curtaining her too-pale face as she scowled.
“No.” I stood with my hands on my hips.
“I’m leaving whether you like it not. You guys hate me, anyway, so what do you care if I move out?”
I shook my head. “We don’t, but what I’m not going to do is stand here and let you just move to another city to terrorize more vampires. You need to be held accountable for your crimes. You can’t just kill people and get away with it.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “I didn’t kill people. I killed vampires.”
“Still not cool, and now we’re about to have a war on our hands,” I snapped.
Her eyes went wide for a second before she said, “You’re lying.”
I ran over to the driver of the car and told him to go, the ride was canceled. I handed him a few bills from my pocket for his time, and he took off.
Nora screamed in frustration and began fast-walking down the sidewalk awkwardly with all her belongings. I almost laughed, but I was too stressed out. Where was this wolf and hybrid? And where was Iliana?
Shit! I hadn’t texted her back. I once again stood in Nora’s path and dialed Iliana. “I’ve got Nora here. The others are on the way. I’ll hold her as long as I can. Call Skyla and ask her to get out here—”
“Volare!” Nora yelled, swiping her hand in mid-air as my phone flew out of my hand and landed on the grass about twenty feet away.
My instinct was to go get it, but I knew she’d just run or disappear or something. Instead, I pushed her in the shoulders, causing her to lose the grip on her suitcase and fall on her back. The backpack broke the fall and I jumped on her. She kicked me off and tried to stand, but the backpack was making her off-balance. She shrugged it off and lunged at my legs, tackling me to the grass. I was trying to get her on her back so I could sit on her stomach and pin her arms down, but she got me first and I tried to buck her off. She slapped me in the face several times, using every curse, insult, and swear word in the book.
“Get off of me!” I screamed.
I barely registered the sound of a vehicle as it screeched to a halt.
“Ladies, ladies. Let’s break it up, huh?” said a deep voice.
I saw Nora whisked off me by the big werewolf, and Kovah reached down and offered me a hand up.
“Thanks,” I said, brushing the grass off my back and hair.
Nora screamed and squirmed under the wolf’s grip.
“What the fuck is going on out here?” Brantley asked, running down the stairs in some ridiculous unicorn pajamas. Skyla was on his heels.
“Nora’s trying to leave,” I said, “to run. Even though she’s been summoned by the council to atone for killing vampires.”
Brantley gasped and put his hand on his chest. “You were the one doing that? You nasty, nasty bitch.” He shook his head and looked up at the werewolf holding her as she struggled. He smoothed his hair down, looked at Kovah, and said, “You, I’ve met,” then to Venom, “But who’s this sexy silver fox?”
I chuckled. “This is Venom, and you remember Kovah. This is Brantley, warlock extraordinaire.”
Brantley bowed. “Nice to meet you both.”
“Get her in the van,” Kovah said, smiling at Brantley then pointing to the white van still idling at the curb, both doors wide open.
By this point, my neighbors were outside watching the commotion.
“Sorry,” I called out with a friendly wave and fake smile. “It’s all good now. Just a little cat fight. We’re fine.”
“No! We’re not! They’re trying to kidnap me! Help me!” Nora screamed.
My next-door neighbor, Alice, clutched her pearls and said, “Oh, my. Perhaps we should call the police.”
I ran over to her. “No, Alice, it’s okay. Those two guys are the police.” I pointed to Venom and Kovah.
“But they look like bikers.”
Shit.
“Uh, undercover.” I looked into her eyes and whispered, “Oblivisci!”
She looked momentarily confused and wandered back into her house, muttering to herself. I located my phone in the grass and picked it up. I dialed Iliana.
“She’s on the way to the warehouse. Meet me there now,” I replied.
“We’re already on the way,” she responded.
“See you soon.”
After retrieving my purse and keys, I hopped in my little sports car and realized I needed to make a little pitstop before heading to the Nighthawks’ clubhouse.