"Alright cut it out Scarlett, you can't keep hiding forever," were the words Scarlett heard as she put her phone to her ear. Even though she knew Nicole wouldn't give up, she'd had hope that after her little stunt, Nicole would give up on her but she was in every way wrong.
"Tell Nicole I can't make it Michael," she said and was about to hang up when she heard a voice she didn't expect. She didn't think Nicole would be there.
"You didn't think I'd give up on you so easily did you Scar?"
"You know me Nicole, I don't need to tell you it crossed my mind," Scarlett said.
"Come outside Quinn, Debbie has to go to school today and we have places to be, you've been here throughout the night, I think that's enough for you," Chris said. What the…
"Where in hell are you guys?"
"In front of your admirer warehouse," Michael said. "There are two ways to get you out, either you come out yourself or we come get you by burning this place down, it won't bother you, you don't care the least about these things,"
"What? No! Don't! There are cars and cash in here and if she doesn't I do…there's chocolate," Debbie said. "And uh…glad you guys got the tip,"
"What tip?" Scarlett asked. "You've got to be kidding me; you're in on it too?"
"I want to spend a lot of time with you but I haven't failed to notice that we don't do what sisters do, we're meant to talk about boys, daydream about our homecoming dates and probably the cute guys we may meet in college but…"Debbie paused noticing that everyone was silent but she continued anyway. "…I learned from Loretta that you never had boy trouble in high school which means you probably never fell for one, you've never spoken to or called a guy before besides that Ryan guy and the ones we call family and you've never come home with a guy before,"
"How do you know that?" Scarlett asked.
"I asked grandfather if he could help me with your call log history from five years ago,"
"You went through all that?!"
"It's practically empty, just calls from Driguez, Zev and Nicole… a few from Michael, Chris and grandfather,"
'What the hell!' Scarlett thought. Everyone was really hell bent on her relationship status. She stayed quiet for a while and Debbie really thought she was getting somewhere with everything she said but Scarlett killed that hope with her next words. "Why would I bring a stranger home?"
"Ugh! Because my dear sister, you like him or you guys are dating or you had projects from school,"
"I've never dated a guy in my life and there's something called a library," everyone groaned after her last words.
"Fun fact already established Scarlett," Michael said over the phone.
"Yeah and now you're mated to one, a shade prince at that…you need to loosen up sis,"
"Why exactly are you saying this?" Debbie had a mischievous smile on her face as Scarlett said that. "You know what? I don't want to know, how about I take you to school,"
"That's not in the schedule Quinn," Chris interrupted.
"I'll be there Chris, I promise," Scarlett sighed defeated. She turned to Debbie and said, "Pick a car," Debbie's eyes twinkled with excitement.
"Awesome!" Debbie exclaimed and materialized inside a black Ferrari.
"Don't bribe the kid with chocolate and cars okay?" Michael pleaded with a teasing voice.
"I won't," Scarlett replied as she hung up, picked a car key from the rack of keys and got into the car. She turned the ignition and as she drove out of the warehouse, she caught sight of Michael's black BMW as it disappeared amongst the thick tress.
She stopped the car at the airport where their private jet was waiting, after a thirty minute flight back to Devaria, they got in a power bike that was waiting for them at the parking lot, they made a quick stop at a shopping mall, got new clothes and drove to a hotel where they showered and got dressed and finally pulled over in front of Debbie's school.
"In less than a week, I may not bring you to school anymore," Scarlett mumbled. Debbie turned to her with a beaming smile.
"You say it like you're going to be a prisoner but…I know and I doubt it but I want to enjoy the moment,"
"This is my fault you know," Scarlett said. "I spent six months in Ensco without my memories when I could've spent time with you and Zev,"
"I don't think it's your fault," Debbie countered. "If you hadn't done whatever you did to yourself, you wouldn't have known I was your sister. I saw reason in what you did and it isn't your fault. To be honest Scar, you may be the devil's great granddaughter but you have the purest heart a demon could ever have,"
"That's an ironic complement,"
"I'm rooting for you and Seth actually, I think he's perfect for you but you should still go men shopping and promise me…we'll be like this even after the week runs out,"
"I've made you one too many promises Deb,"
"Promise me," Debbie urged.
"Fine I promise," Debbie hugged her happily and kissed her cheek. Debbie materialized a few feet away from her and waved at Scarlett as she drove out of the school. Scarlett took out her phone and read the text Chris had sent to her. She didn't like what it read but she'd promised she'd be there, so...
She pulled up in front of a prestigious hotel and casually walked inside. The receptionist directed her to the club where she found Nicole, Michael and Chris sitting in the VIP section and ordered a glass of wine.
"You know you have to develop a tolerance to alcohol right?" Michael asked after the waitress brought her glass.
"I'm good thanks," Scarlett simply said as she took a sip.
"Is there a reason why you don't take it?" Michael continued probing.
"Yes,"
"Mind killing the curious cat?"
"Yes," Scarlett said and it really got Michael frustrated. "This isn't spiked right?" she asked after another sip. Michael choked on his drink and started laughing, easing his frustration completely.
"Why the hell would you think that?" he asked still laughing. Scarlett shrugged.
"So what are we doing here exactly?" Scarlett asked refilling her glass.
"Not we, you," Chris said. "You're on your own today Quinn, I'm picking Debbie up from school then we're going to train, Zev has something important to deal with at the company so he has to bail,"
"See you later okay?" Nicole said and after she kissed Scarlett's cheek, Chris ruffled her hair and Michael gave her a fist bump, they were all gone. Thirty minutes later, a guy with ash blond hair and bright hazel eyes sat opposite her.
"Hello Scarlett, I'm a friend of Chris and Michael, nice to meet you,"
"If they told you to ask me out then forget about it," Scarlett said indifferently.
"I'm Stanley and please I just want to be a ally, not one of your already many admirers, I'm pretty sure you have enough of that,"
"I have enough allies, I don't want any more,"
"You know Ms. Quinn; if there's one thing I've learned in all my centuries, you can never have enough allies no matter the number," he said. "My offer's still open, my number's already in your phone, thank you for your time," and with that he was gone. Scarlett didn't want to think about a thing he said but she never knew Chris and Michael had friends that weren't interested in her. She had to hand it to them; all their friends were rather infatuated with her or obsessed. While she sat drinking her wine and going through her phone, a random guy who wore a hoody over his head approached the table where she sat and sat down where Stanley had just vanished from. She rolled her eyes at the guy, gulped down the rest of her wine and got up to leave but a familiar voice stopped her.
"Don't leave me hanging Scarlett," he said. He pushed the hood off revealing his sea green eyes and strawberry blond hair.
"Ryan," Scarlett said. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I came to see Eliza, I haven't seen her since Mr. Grey took her from the hospital and she's stopped calling," he said. What? Why was Gallus with Eliza? "Mr. Grey said her mother wanted to see her,"
"But her mother's dead,"
"Turns out she isn't and he took my sister," he said. "She's happy though, I've never heard her laugh that way,"
"You knew how your mum treated her yet you never said a word,"
"I did but I thought she stopped, Eliza never cried again so I didn't pay much attention anymore,"
"Why are you really here Ryan?" Scarlett said. What he said just gave him away and she knew he wasn't here for Eliza. How would he just stop paying attention to the sister he claims so much just like that?
"Look I came to see you okay, I miss you and I'm sorry about what happened in the hospital that day…go out with me, I'll make it up to you,"
"I'm already taken," she said and left the club. He was usually the one who rejected girls so how the hell did the tables get turned? The worse was he actually liked her. He followed her even though he knew she was probably far gone. He got a glimpse of her as she vanished by the bend on the road on her bike.
A pair of sea blue eyes gleamed as it watched the bike turn at the bend. It was just a matter of time and he would be patient enough if it meant getting her.
***
The bike pulled over in a screech in front of a large mansion and Scarlett materialized inside immediately.
"Gallus!!" she called.
"I suggest you stop screaming my brother's name Ms. Quinn," a voice rang out. She turned to the grand staircase and her eyes met with David's ice blue eyes.
"Where is he?"
"He's gone to see our father in Ascia,"
"What the hell is he doing in Ascia with him?"
"You tell me, my brothers and I hate that asshole we call a father to the core and yet my big brother went to say hello father," David said emotions coursing through his eyes. "But to be honest, it's something about your nightmare; it's going to happen, no matter what you do,"
"Where's Eliza?" she asked ignoring David's statement even though it made her heart skip a beat. The memories and the pain were still very vivid and she didn't want it to become a reality.
"With her mother,"
"Her mother's dead,"
"Not quite, the woman's name Kylian called in your nightmare is Elizabeth's mother, Mark's lover and Kylian's mate,"
"She's going to poison him,"
"That's if she hasn't already,"
"Stop her, tell her not to,"
"I'm not quite certain that'll work Ms. Quinn, Gallus said your nightmare will become a reality no matter what happens,"
***
Scarlett stared at her reflection in frustration, she hated every part of that nightmare and now Gallus confirmed it would happen. Maybe it wouldn't, maybe it would, ugh! She should've just killed those assholes the second she realized who they were. She hadn't the slightest idea on how to escape this one and Gallus was nowhere near her to explain the details, he didn't even bother to say anything to her when she returned and now he was gone…but she couldn't blame him, she had done the same thing.
As she continued her train of thoughts on how to solve the problem at hand, she felt that hot tingling yet chilling sensation go down her spine and she began to feel lightheaded.
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