The Allies of Old, Book Two Renewal: Chapter Ten "Old Habits"

Book Cover created in acrylic by the extremely talented @therealpaul

If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn

Chapter Ten

“Wake up sleepy head.”

Anna groaned and made a face burying her head in the couch cushions. “Another twenty minutes,” came her grumpy and muffled reply.

Austin chuckled. “Okay, but I made gourmet coffee and if you wait too long it will get that nasty burnt taste you hate.”

She pulled her head up and pushed the hair out of her eyes. “Gourmet as in Starbuck’s French roast?”

“Is there any other kind?”

She hmmphed and tried to decide if it was worth dragging herself up for.

He brought in his own cup and set it down on the table near her face. The aroma went straight up her nose and she shot him a nasty look. “You did that on purpose.”

“Who me?” he made his expression endearingly innocent and she had to laugh.

She gave him her best cute look, “Make me a cup?”

He smiled, “Okay, but you have to be in an upright position to get it.”

She stuck her tongue out at him and swung her legs over the side of the couch. As soon as he left the room she flopped back down.

It had been three days since the night he’d donned the necklace and they had fallen into a state of…what? Not like before, there was no real physical intimacy, but at the same time they spent every minute together and she’d slept on the couch with him every night.

Jenna came out of the bathroom her eyes lit with excitement. The three of them were leaving for Cincinnati in about two hours to meet up with Will and Josh whom Anna had spoken to at length on the phone the previous day. They’d filled her in on some disturbing happenings in the world of politics and demons. Apparently there was going to be a ceremonial gathering taking place in the Nevada desert sometime in the next year or so and some of the confirmed attendees were well-known names. A couple of former presidents among them.

At present they were still working on the exact location as well as trailing a current senator, which was why they were in Cincinnati. Gary Blake, a former judge and now active member in congress, had been seen by hunters across the nation speaking on a live news broadcast and his eyes had been black as night. Several of his associates were also among the confirmed “damned” and one of these had flown into Ohio yesterday morning.

Anna had related the details of Austin’s new-found sight and the guys told her to bring him along as well as Jenna. Apparently there were so few hunters in relation to the multiplying possessed that even the great Jack McClaron was conceding a need for additions. He was currently on the west coast, alternating between keeping tabs on Senator Blake and digging up info on the upcoming ceremony.

Austin brought her coffee and set it down, his gaze lingering on the swell of a breast that was threatening to break free of the low-necked tank top she wore. She gave him a look and adjusted the shirt. He smirked at her expression.

“Only a homo would ignore those babies,” he told her as she reached for her cup.

“Speaking of which….look Austin before we go you need to know that the McClaron’s and I got really close during my time with them.”

“Yeah? And what does that have to do with homos?”

Jenna had plopped down beside her and also raised a brow.

“Okay, I’m going to tell you my suspicion, but in no way can you ever repeat it. And really I’m only telling you so you won’t get all hyper about how touchy feely Josh and I are.”

Jenna’s brows popped up. “You think he’s gay?”

“I don’t know. All I know is I’ve never seen him look at a girl…or anyone for that matter, in a way that suggested he was interested. I mean Will walks around ogling every pair of hooters that bounces by while Josh seems completely oblivious. Even when it’s pointed out to him, it’s as if every woman is his sister. Other than that he gives no indication he swings the other way, and it could just be he’s not a very sexual person. But Will made a comment once, he was teasing and I caught a look on Josh’s face….it doesn’t matter.” She shook her head thinking she probably should’ve kept it to herself.

“So what do you mean by touchy feely?” Austin cocked his head and she decided she’d done the right thing.

“Well, we shared the same bed every night. And I frequently sit in his lap.”

Austin pushed his lower lip down with the tip of his tongue and looked away.

“I’m telling you there isn’t one iota of sexual awareness between us,” she insisted, “not for either of us, he really views me like a sister.”

“Because sisters often lounge in their brother’s laps?” he raised a brow.

“Oh come on, you know what I mean.” She frowned at him. “You’re irritated.”

“Nah. If you say it’s platonic I believe you. I’d be able to sense it if it were otherwise so I’ll reserve judgment until I see you together. But I’m thinking you’ll be sharing my bed now so it doesn’t matter.”

Anna frowned. They were sliding down a slippery slope and she knew it, but she didn’t have the energy to stop it at the moment. The last few nights had been so comfortable in his arms, like putting on your favorite pair of worn and fuzzy slippers. And she’d thought a lot less about Jared, his image had begun to feel more like a dream.

She felt Jenna’s eyes on her and she bit her lip turning in her friend’s direction.

“I think you and I should take a walk before we go, you know one last trip down memory lane,” Jenna stated.

“I’m not invited I take it?” Austin’s eyes sharpened, he knew he would be the subject of conversation.

“Just us girls, we won’t be long.”

He nodded and took his cup out to the back patio.

Anna and Jenna bundled up against the increasingly frigid temperatures and headed outdoors. They were quiet until they reached the road and began walking up to the dead end.

“So, what’s the deal?” Jenna asked finally.

Anna sighed. “I don’t know. It’s just so natural to be around him. Nothing’s happened,” she looked at Jenna firmly. “In fact I’ve been attempting to nurture a friendship with him like I have with Josh. Except…he wants more which probably makes that an impossible fantasy.”

Jenna nodded. “I hate to say it, and I really wish it were otherwise, but I don’t think Austin will ever view you as just a friend, at least not until he finds someone else.”

Anna winced. The idea of him with someone else made her feel slightly off kilter.

“You can’t become one of those people who doesn’t want someone but doesn’t want anyone else to have them either Anna, it’s cruel,” Jenna said sternly.

“God, I know. Yuck, I’m despicable.”

Jenna laughed, “I wouldn’t go that far.”

Anna stopped in the middle of the road. “No? Lately I’ve been thinking there are a number of flaws in my character I’m not overly proud of.” She saw Paulo’s face as he’d looked at her standing on the street in front of Stokes. To this day she hadn’t told anyone she was the one who’d led him to Michael’s house, that she was the reason the girls had been stolen. She usually forced the thoughts away when they came, unable to deal with the guilt of it. This time she let it wash over her.

“There’s something I didn’t tell you,” she said in a small voice. Her stomach flipped over and she had to fight the urge to change her mind.

Jenna waited with a mixed look of concern and question.

She took a deep breath. “A couple of days before your…abduction, I snuck out of the house and went to the bar called Stokes. To see if I could find Jared.”

That took Jenna by surprise. “What? When? I don’t remember you being gone.”

“Yeah, I didn’t take long, no one noticed.” She took a deep breath and forced herself to say it. “It’s my fault you were kidnapped. It’s my fault Jess is gone,” she felt tears threatening and stamped them down angrily.

“How?”

“The vampire who took you…he saw me there. And he saw me walk out into the sun, followed me out and stared. I didn’t speak to him, I just ran for a cab…but he obviously followed me. And I knew him, he didn’t recognize me because of my hair and the contacts, but he was at the rave the night I was turned. And all this time I haven’t told anyone this. I’m a coward.” She waited for reaction without looking at her friend.

Jenna put a hand on her arm. “Okay. Probably you should have told someone about that, the males would have been on higher alert, and maybe it would have made a difference. Maybe. But as determined as that bitch was to get her hands on you…Anna you’d likely be dead by now.”

Anna glanced at her friend and shook her head. “That’s not really the point, is it? I didn’t own up to my mistake.”

“But you are now, and that can’t be easy.”

“Jenna how can you be so understanding? Your sister is missing because of me! And besides Terrina didn’t know I existed before I carelessly revealed myself, so instead of my being dead right now it’s more likely everyone would be safe!”

Jenna was quiet for a moment. “Okay you messed up. But Anna there’s no point in dwelling on it. The bitch is dead and the world is a much better place for that, it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t screwed up. She was a murderer, lives are saved because she’s gone. And this speech is the exact same one you’d give me if the situation was reversed, tell me it isn’t.”

Anna took in a shaky breath. That much was true at least.

“Look, I also think this thing with Jess, it was somehow fated to happen. She was supposed to be taken, supposed to be turned. Why do you think I’m not wallowing in grief? She would forgive you and so do I. Let it go Anna, what’s done is done.”

Anna nodded slowly taking a deep breath.

“Anyway we were talking about you and Austin.”

“Yeah. So what do you think I should do? I told him about Jared, I even included the soul mate theory. And honestly I don’t know if I’m ever going to see that frustrating vampire again. Austin is coming with us, he’s part of this now. Which means what? I don’t know, it’s so confusing.”

“Just don’t lead him on. If you think after all of this you’re meant to be together, well fine, than break the bond with Jared and be with Austin. But also remember his life has increased by a century not eternally and eventually you’ll lose him and live a long, long time after. Actually, it’s not only you who’s being selfish now that I think about it. He loves you but does he think about the years you’ll live in loneliness once he’s gone?”

“Okay. Echh. Do you think I’m the worst kind of person if I make no decisions right now? Because I tried, this summer when I broke it off with him I thought it was the end. And yet fate, as you like to bring up, has put him in my path again, and this time it seems he has a bigger role to play.”

“You’re right. It’s not as if I’ve had a vision concerning it so I can’t be sure. Okay, never mind, just do whatever feels right I guess.”

Anna sighed. Feels right? What does that even mean? Would she ever be able to figure out the right thing? She shivered as a blast of cold wind hit her and huddled into her coat. She started back towards the house and Jenna followed.

Generously created for me by @son-of-satire