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Sage asked me one time how many people died and I told her I didn’t know because I knew she would dwell on it.
Jimmy shook his head, then pushed his glasses back up his nose. “Wow. That’s too many people to go randomly missing. Are the police looking for anyone?”
Heston busted out a laugh and squatted at the edge of the circle. “Of course not,” the young wolven said. He plucked a stick from the ground before drawing in the dirt with it. “Venom has the police on payroll.”
“More like the government,” Ravage corrected. “They pay for Venom, the research, and the cover-ups.”
Jimmy furrowed his brow. “It’s weird knowing everything I’ve been taught is a lie.”
Erik handed him a beer before twisting the top off of one for himself. “Welcome to the club.”
Even though I knew they were better off without Venom, it didn’t stop them from hurting. Everyone involved lost things they loved when they left the society. Houses, cars, family, friends, pets. The hard reality hit when it ripped away the life they once knew.
After numerous conversations with the now exiled members, I realized they truly believed in the validity of their actions. Their society had convinced them they were doing the right thing, and they regretted not seeing the truth sooner. If the ex-Venom members were willing to change and fight against the system, I welcomed them.
Knowing Lyric was one of the people screwed over by Venom, I trailed my fingers up and down her back, comforting her.
She turned toward me, her hazel eyes glazed over. “If you keep treating me so well, I might accidentally fall in love with you.”
I took one of her dark brown braids between my fingers, slightly tugging her face closer to mine. “Maybe that’s my plan.”
“My grandson is such a romantic,” Ravage interrupted, bringing chuckles from some and gasps from others.
“Grandson?” April’s brows shot up before confusion settled on her face. Being Marcus’s sister-in-law and a human, she ended up here after the war by proxy. She pushed some blonde locks off her shoulder. “How is that possible?”
“Don’t get him started.” I shook my head, and Ravage laughed.
Of course, he wasn’t my real grandfather, but since he turned Luka into a vampire and Luka turned me, the jokes had been going for years.
My phone rang, interrupting our conversation. Ollie’s name flashed on the screen, causing me to shift my gaze to Drag. “Dude, it’s your dad.”
He shot to his feet with a concerned expression, and I did the same, immediately heading away from the circle of people before answering the phone.
“What’s up, Ollie?”
“Is my son around? I called him but no one answered.”
I tipped the phone so it wasn’t next to my mouth. “Where’s your cell, bro?”
“At my cabin at the other camp. I didn’t want to run the four miles to get it.”
“Lazy ass.” I laughed and turned my attention back to Ollie. “He’s right here. Do you want to talk to him?”
“Put me on speaker, since it concerns you all.”
I clicked the button and held the phone between us.
“Everything okay?” Drag asked, and Ollie sighed.
“Not really. There was a woman here. Venom.”
Drag’s panicked face told me he was ready to drive into town and take his father for a prisoner, but I knew Ollie would give him a run for his money—a match I would pay to watch. I’d throw a hundred bucks on Ollie.
“Damn it, Dad. That’s why I said you need to come here.”
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I ain’t ever gonna leave here, goddammit. Now stop asking me!”
I snickered at the feisty old wolven before getting us back on topic. “Do you know who it was?”
