Anada (Book #3)

Headed Toward My House

The next morning we received a new mission assigned by Mr.Escapade. Normally we would be happy for a new assignment, but this was different. The mission might possibly be more dangerous than the last, and Mr.Escapade threatening me wasn't a cause of excitement either.

Anything could happen.

I walked out of the hotel with my duffle bag and threw it inside the open trunk of Elias's black Ford Mustang. Then I got in the passenger seat. Elias was already putting the key in ignition and flipping through the radio to find something worth listening to.

"I'm starting to wonder if Mr.Escapade actually wanted me to get hurt in the mission that he first assigned us. Maybe he even wanted me dead." I say to Elias as he follows our teammates in the other vehicle.

He turns down the radio's volume and sighs, "I wish I could tell you that you're mistaken, but I can't. Our new boss has something against us. None of us know what that is though."

I glance out the window, "It's because I'm a shapeshifter. He hates the fact that I am one."

Our mission is taking place in Savannah, Georgia. It's about a four hour drive from where we currently were.

Mr.Escapade is allowing us a few days to prepare for this mission. So the whole team has decided to spend those days at my parents' old house.

The house is just a few miles north of where Elias grew up, and Savannah was only an hour away from where he had grown up.

So I'm sure why your wondering why we are all going to my parents' house. Well, if I haven't mentioned it yet I'll go ahead and tell you that my parents are no longer living. It's a long story in itself, but I'll quickly give you a basic run down of my once tragic but memorable back story.

I grew up in an orphanage until I was fourteen years old, and then I became a dragon. Cool, right!? Then a year later I met Elias and the team. Soon after that I met Drake who I later found out had murdered my parents when I was only a few months old.

That began my mission on finding out more about who my parents were. It took some time and one misunderstanding of my death. Then I was finally successful. I discovered that I had a grandmother still alive and inherited my parents' house. The house which I would have grown up in, if Drake had not ruined my life.

When I first walked up to the house with Elias, it looked run down from not being taken care of for nearly fifteen or sixteen years which was close to how old I was at the time. That was only the outside.

The inside was completely furnished along with multiple layers of dust. With the help of my teammates and grandmother, we cleaned up the place, reconnected the electricity, and made the house look like a picture in a painting.

The house has an antebellum look to it. Large white columns with an equally sized porch and steps stand there ominously staring out ahead. In front of the house is a beautiful water fountain with the cobblestone driveway looping around the work of art. Off to the left side of the huge house is a large garage which Westen often hangs out in while having Imagine Dragons or Fall Out Boy blaring way too loudly.

The house itself is three stories tall. It has a few bedrooms, baths, and one secret room that only I can access by inserting my talon into a hole in the wall.

Now all of us only had to get there.
During the ride I talk with Elias more about Leon Escapade and his psychopathic attitude. We try to figure out why he is doing such terrible deeds but like I said Escapade's head wasn't put on right.

Halfway to my house we stop at a town to grab something to eat with the rest of the team. Our choice of dining is a Mexican food restaurant.
Being in the southern states of the U.S. you might expect to see dozens of places that serve BBQ, chitlins, and unlimited amounts of sweet iced tea. Yes, there's many of those places, but somehow variety of a different kind can survive here.

After eating we immediately get back on the road. We all have to stop by a gas station before we leave the town though.

Alex parks the huge Hummer at pump number seven. Elias pulls up next to pump number three.
Reina and I go inside to choose a drink for when we get thirsty while riding.

I look around trying to decide what drink would be best, but I end up choosing water, as usual. Reina is still eyeing the Arizona teas when I make my way to the checkout counter.
Elias is already there paying for the gas he just pumped. I stand behind him quietly waiting. My stealth must be getting better because Elias never noticed my presence.

When he's done Elias starts toward the door with a quick smile in my direction. I come forward with my water bottle, and start quickly fishing money out of my blue jean pocket before the clerk rings up the price.
I never expected the young man behind the counter to start flirting.

"Hey, you got plans tonight, beautiful?" The teenager asks casually flipping his popstar hair to the side trying to be attractive.

I stop what I'm doing and stand rigid. Elias who had been walking away has stopped right as he put his hand on the door's handle.

"Excuse me?" I say with an edge of irritation.

Heat rises up into my chest. I'm not sure if it was from pure anger, embarrassment, or dragon fire. Maybe it was all of those things together.

The guy leans against the counter giving me the once over, "You're cute, and I know a great place for a date tonight."

He seems to want to continue, but Elias rushes up next to me like a hurricane. Before Elias turns to the flirt I catch a glimpse of something unfamiliar on his face. Was it... jealousy?

Elias has his don't-mess-with-me attitude on, "Hey, you stay away from her?! Do you hear me, kid? Don't be such a creep to every girl you see!"

Elias pulls me toward the door. I grab my water while throwing my handful of change at the counter. Luckily the coins bounced on top of the counter which made the young clerk jump with a terrified look on his face. Elias can be very intimidating at times.

"I had it under control. You should've let me roast him with my fire." I say jokingly when we're well out of earshot.

He shakes his head then his familiar smile, the calm eye of that hurricane, comes back onto his face.

Elias grins over at me, "I'd like to see you do that. I could just imagine you shifting and torching that place."

We walk back to the gas pumps. Elias wraps his arm over my shoulders. I start to laugh when I think about how the clerk would treat his next customer that was a lady.

A few seconds later Reina comes out of the convenient store with her tall can of Arizona half and half tea. She's obviously holding back her laughter as she makes a beeline in our direction. Reina had obviously seen the whole thing being played out.

She holds her phone up, "I got it all on video, right here."

"Reina?!" Elias and I both shout in unison.