Surprises

Esther

“We don’t need your help,” I glance at Jane for at least a murmur of agreement, but her eyebrows are furrowed and she has a distant look on her face. “What are you thinking about?” I ask her.

“Nothing,” she shakes her head.

“This is interesting,” Até laughs. “I know a lot of things that you don’t know, you know. I know many vampires and let me tell you, war is coming, and you are going to need me.”

“We don’t need you,” I say to her.

“Are you sure?” She grins. “I could prove myself to you to show you what I mean. There’s so much that you don’t know here, and I could help you.”

“We don’t need your help, not after what you did to my mother.”

“But I loved your father,” she says. “Why would I hurt the daughter of the man I loved?”

“What do you want to tell us?” I ask.

“May I please get in the room so that we can talk?”

Jane and I exchange a glance, and then a nod. We stand aside to let her in but we keep our guards up. With Até in the room, we need to watch each other’s