Chapter 76

 

With sad understanding eyes, Quinton watched Crissy eat with barely taking the time to breathe between bites. Looking down into the carton of noodles in his hand, he sighed and set them in front of her on the table. “I’m done, you can finish these if you want.”

Criss’s red head popped up, she swallowed. “Oh no, I don’t think I can eat another bite.” Then she lowered her head back over the container in her hand and took another bite.

Glancing at me standing by the window, Quinton’s expression asked many questions. None I could really answer. “Criss, explain who is looking for you.”

She took a drink and then nodded. “I don’t know their names or what they are. I was hanging at the club, you know that’s where I find out a lot, right?” She continued after taking another bite. “He’s probably the scariest man I’ve ever seen, if he even is a man.” Setting down the empty container, she picked up the one Quinton had set down. “He has long dark hair with this white streak in it and is just freaky to look at.” I made eye contact with Quinton who tensed at the description. “He’s been at the club a lot and he’s not alone.” She shook her head. “He has these really creepy guys with him and their eyes…” Taking another drink, she set the carton down and turned to look at me. “At first I thought it was some weirdo club and they wore contacts or something, but they’re not always one color and I really don’t think they’ve invented contacts that change color…” Looking from Quinton then back to me she scrunched up her face. “Do they?”

I wasn’t about to lie to her outright so I just shrugged. “Okay, so why do you think they’re after you?”

“Oh.” Looking down at her clasped hands she played with her fingers, stalling for a few seconds. “There were two of them talking to the black haired one and I couldn’t hear, I mean really as loud as it was even if they yelled I wouldn’t be able to hear.” She sighed, “but I was staring, I mean jeeze who wouldn’t? They turned and looked right at me and I ran…” She slumped back on the couch. “They followed.”

Jumping up, she wandered around the room without actually looking at anything or pausing. “I lost them, barely. The weirdest part was the dark haired one just appeared in the front of me at one point and was waving his hands around like he was conducting an orchestra, it made me feel kind of woozy but I kept going and they didn’t catch up.”

My heart skidded to a halt inside my chest. Marcus had tried magic on her and it didn’t work and she could see their eyes. I looked at Quinton, who had the same thoughts going through his mind if the expression was any indication. “Crissy, just give us a second okay? I think maybe we’ll get one of Quinton’s brothers to keep an eye outside for us.”

Her eyes grew huge. “Oh, that’s a good idea. They could have followed us all along.” She went over and looked out of the window.

Motioning to Quinton I walked into the kitchen. He was right behind me. I grabbed the front of his shirt so he’d lean down. “Should she be able to see their eyes?” He shook his head. “How can she?”

“I don’t know. From the sounds of it Marcus tried to use a spell on her too and it didn’t work.” He glanced out to where she stood. “Is she always like this?”

My guts were tense; I wrapped my arms around my waist. “Yes. She’s been seeing weird shit since she was a kid, things that sound so farfetched, but for some reason I believe she sees them.”

“She seen Marcus and his crew.”

I nodded. “Call Rafael and get him to find somewhere to hide out in this neighborhood and keep an eye out. I’m going to see if I can persuade her to take a shower and rest. Who knows when the last time was she’s slept.”

Quinton touched my arm. “Daxx, we need to fill in Troy and Chase or at the very least Victor.”

I groaned inside. “I know, but I don’t think she’s going to deal very well with a room full of you guys right now.”

We both looked out to see her peeking out the window again.

Quinton nodded. “You’re right. I’ll go meet Raf somewhere nearby and call Victor. We’ll take it from there.”

“Okay.”

****

Getting Crissy to pause long enough to take a shower and lie down was a lot like trying to get a child with A.D.D. that was hyped up on sugar to sit down and be quiet. By the time Quinton returned I was ready for a nap.

He paused in front of the bedroom and raised his eyebrows when he looked in to see her lying on the floor with the bed between her and the window. I shrugged for an answer.

Going into the kitchen, I leaned back against the counter so I could keep an eye on the bedroom. “Where’s Rafael?”

“Across the street near the roof.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Victor’s working on getting someone on the inside with Marcus at the club so we can hopefully find out where he’s hiding.”

“That could take a few days.” I glanced at the woman on my bedroom floor. “I don’t know if I can keep her in one place that long.”

“I had a hell of a time talking Victor and Michael out of coming her to talk to her.” He looked over his shoulder to where I was watching. “Is there any way we could explain to her about Alterealm that wouldn’t send her over the edge?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered having thought the same thing a few times in the last few hours.

“Troy is pissed. He wants you back on our side. Now.” He said it in a hesitant way.

Tucking my hands in my pockets, I gave him an amused look. “Did you tell him no?” He nodded. “Good. I’m not going back and leaving her here when Marcus is hanging out in my own neighborhood.”

“Yeah I told him the same thing.” He looked back at Crissy. “She’s a little off, but I like her and don’t want to see anything happen to her.”

“I have an idea on how to get her to stay here for a while, but I have to go out to get some things.”

He raised his eyebrows at me.

“I know, but I want you to stay here in case she wakes up so you can keep her here.”

Shaking his head, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Write me a list, Raf can keep an eye on things from where he is.”

I glared at him, even though I agreed with the idea that I shouldn’t go wandering around alone right now. “Fine.” Turning, I dug around in a drawer for something to write on. Then all I had to accomplish was how to explain to Criss what was going on, without actually telling her what was going on.