Diary of An Unnatural (BOOK #2)

Look at the Stars

Ava's POV

I ran outside with the others to see what all the commotion was about. Val and Bernard of all people stood in front of each other speaking in harsh tones. Jacqueline was the first of us to ask what was going on.

Bernard responded, "Pardon us. Valerie Sumner seems to believe I am not on our side. She believes I'm a traitor."

"A traitor?" I looked over at Valerie who happened to be red in the face. "Val, Bernard is one of the good guys. He has been helping me the past couple of months. Why would you say that?"

Val shook her head. "Ava, please. Go back inside."

"I promise you, Valerie," Bernard said, holding his hands up. "I am not a traitor. Not to this family. Not to this cause. I am here fighting the same war you are."

"Then explain to me what happened in the hospital that night!" Val's eyes grew huge with a level of rage I rarely ever saw from her. Usually Val was the one of us who kept her composure. Quick remarks, sure. But she never let it all out in one single dose. "You told me I could trust you, and then you got the rest of them involved!"

"Bernard!" Jacqueline called out, walking towards them. "What is the meaning of all of this? What is the girl talking about?"

Bernard closed his eyes and shook his head. "I promise you, Jacqueline. It's not what it sounds like. I am not on their side. You know that. I haven't been on their side in centuries."

Jacqueline's hand flew to her mouth. "You don't mean—"

"Who?" Jane huffed. "Please someone tell us what's going on. You are leaving us all in the dark."

Derek shook his head. "You don't want to know Jane. It doesn't concern you. You don't want to hear it."

Jane mumbled something that rhymed with "duck shoe" under her breath, but she didn't urge on. We all stood waiting on an answer. A group of vampires, humans, Hunters, and me—something in between. All waiting for another dose of madness.

Jacqueline stood right in front of Bernard, less than a foot shorter than him. "Bernard, she thinks you helped them. She insists! You didn't, did you? You couldn't have. You promised me you would never go back. Don't act like it's such a minor ordeal! You know these people—you know what they're capable of and the things they've done in the past. This could be life or death we're talking about!"

"I'm so sorry, Jacqueline." Bernard's face went sallow. He hung his head. "I didn't ever way you finding out like this. In fact, I didn't want you to find out at all. But it's nothing as it sounds. I would never help them. Not after what they did—all the horrible things. You know that, Jac."

William's body tensed beside me. He wrapped his hand around mine and avoided my eyes. My heart sank for him and the rest of the little clan that had helped me so much. Yes, it sucked when the two key parts of the family were at odds. I would know.

Val placed her head in her hands. "I... just...Explain to me what I saw. Explain to me why you were talking to them that night. Why you told them you would bring her to them. Explain to me why you promised I could trust you and then went behind my back like that."

"I... I just wanted to help," Bernard breathed deeply. "I never intended to give her up to them. I meant what I said. I only ever wanted to help you and your sister, Valerie. You and Ava. You are two very important girls from a very important bloodline. I would never just ignore that."