Growing Wildflowers | WLW

Violet

My arms go heavy. I want to scream. This is my fault. I knew Parker was up to something in the alley that day and I didn't stop him. I didn't stop him and now Bolton is under attack by an army of vampires.

I don't realize I'm clutching the edge of Sophie's desk until she says, "Stop spiraling, girlie." I look up but it feels like my chest is going to explode from the pressure.

I open my mouth to say something, but I can't force the words out. I look at Sophie, who's waiting for me to speak but I don't know where to start. "I'm so sorry," I start but she's shaking her head before I finish the sentence.

"This isn't your fault."

I scoff. "Bullshit, Sophie."

Sophie points at the chair behind me. "Sit down. Take a breath. Come back to me when you realize the fate of the world doesn't rest on the shoulders of a newborn vampire."

"I could have stopped him," I mutter, and her eyes go ablaze with anger.

"And I could have killed him yesterday when he shot you, but I didn't. Do you blame me for Parker's actions now?" She waits a beat and sits back in her chair so it makes a deflating noise. "No. You don't. So, stop carrying the weight of the world on your back and help me figure out what we're going to do instead." She raises an eyebrow at me when I don't respond. "Okay?"

"Okay," I agree.

"Okay," Sophie repeats and looks at John who's standing in the doorway again.

John takes the conversation over on cue.

"He knows where the warehouse is. He lived here for years. Probably knows dozens of ways to sneak in." He motions to the windows above Sophie's desk.

Sophie's nodding. "You're right. We can't stay here." After a moment of silent thought, she adds, "he knows where I live too."

"My home is in the middle of the chaos," Aurora adds. "Probably not an ideal location."

John's looking at the floor. "The cabin is available but..." he shakes his head. "It's just one room in the middle of the forest. Barely used to fit me and the boy." I almost smile at him referring to Gunner as his boy. A parent's love never grows old, I suppose. "Besides." John looks at me, trying to force a giddy smile down. "I think Gwen and Jamie might need somewhere more... Private."

"Jonathan," Aurora scolds.

He sounds like a teapot fizzling into laughter. Sophie smiles too.

I can feel Jamie's body go tense next to me but if she's embarrassed, she doesn't show it. "We can stay at my house. Plenty of rooms. Enough security."

Sophie's shaking her head before Jamie finishes her sentence. "Absolutely not. You want us to go stay with a bunch of hunters?"

Aurora's eyebrows shoot up. "Oh." She's speaking directly to Jamie as she says, "I didn't know you're a hunter." She says it casually, like they're simply talking about occupation. "Runs in the family?"

Jamie nods. "Something like that."

"Interesting." Aurora smiles. "Stressful job, I'm assuming."

I hang my head in my hands, blow out a long breath. "I'm gonna call Leroy." I cut in.

Everyone looks at me, a mix of bewilderment dancing across their expressions.

I shrug. "He knows how to control these situations. It's his job."

Sophie gives in first. I can tell before she speaks. She's watching me with a curious glint in her eyes, like I might actually be onto something. Finally, her shoulders shift forward a little and she says, "Fine. Call him. But be smart." Sophie slides her phone to me. "He's under 'Roach.'."