Unseen Scene—Book One, Chapter Twenty (Unit Bravo Female version) (Patreon)

(This is set immediately after Chapter Twenty, after Rebecca leaves. Thank you to my wonderful $50 patron who allowed me to share this after I wrote it for him, as I really wanted you guys to see it too!)

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There’s an odd deafening silence that hits Nat as she watches the ambulance speed away. All around her people rush to collect evidence, clear the scene, and start the cover-up. But Nat doesn’t hear any of it. Just the rhythmic pounding of blood through her ears.

The thrum of it brings a flash of an image before Nat’s eyes.

[Name] on the ground. Blood—such tempting blood—pooling beneath them.

Nat shakes the image with force from her mind until she has to rasp a breath just to find her balance again.

A solid hand grips her shoulder, and she opens her eyes to look at Ava frowning at her.

“I’m alright,” she lies.

“No. You are not,” Ava states.

Nat chuckles, the sound weak even as she tries to put energy behind it. “No. I suppose I’m not.”

“Tonight has been difficult for all of us,” Ava comments, dropping her hand with a sigh.

“I think that’s an understatement for [Name]. Wasn’t even sure they were going to make it—” Farah’s words are cut short by Ava giving a stiff nod over Nat. The young vampire’s eyes inspect Nat’s hunched form before clearing her throat. “I mean, it was tough going. But [Name]’s gonna be fine. Even in the short time we’ve known them, you can tell they’re a fighter, right?”

Nat attempts a smile.

“That blood though…” Morgan says, the words dragging from her as though savouring the taste of them. “Have you ever smelled anything like that?”

“Never,” Ava replies.

“It was, uh…something else,” Farah adds, rubbing at her neck while biting her lip. “Glad it was raining.”

Thirst prickles at the back of Nat’s throat at the thought of the scent of it. Sweet and rich. The others seem just as thoughtful as the group fall quiet.

Farah snaps out of the strange hypnosis first, thankfully breaking the rest of them from it too. “Should we follow them? Head to the facility? That’s where they’ll be taking [Name], right?”

“I want to see them,” Nat says. The words shoot from her with more force than she intended, but she’s almost not surprised by the need that drives the statement. Even in just these few weeks, she can feel the connection that’s formed between her and [Name]. Like planets orbiting the same sun.

And the heat of that sun burns intensely.

The group move towards one of the SUVs, but Ava holds Nat back for a moment with a hand on her arm.

Grey-uniformed agents zip past them, still cleaning and scrubbing everything clean. Soon it will be as though none of this ever happened. If only Nat could scrub the horrific image of [Name]’s crumpled body from her mind just as easily.

“Nat…” The team commander sucks in a breath before forcing herself to continue. “Getting attached to a human is—”

“My decision,” Nat interrupts with a frown before sagging. “I really can’t be talking about this right now, Ava. I just need to know they’re alright. Then you can read out your list of ridiculous reasons why getting involved with anyone will ruin us all.” Regret makes her expression tight as the words fall from her, but she doesn’t take them back—even when Ava flinches a little. Instead, she brushes off her concerned friend’s hand and makes for the SUV, intent only on seeing that [Name] makes it through.

They have to make it through.

The idea of never seeing them again…it’s not an idea Nat can even consider anymore.