Ayden’s face brightened. “Oh, yeah. Of course. Let’s go.” She waved to the others and ushered me out of the room. The mentals stared at me as I walked pass them with pity in their eyes. I avoided their gazes knowing they could see into my mind. Get a good look because I was happy to spread the misery around.
Chapter 5
Ayden dropped me off at my room telling me about the coed bathroom across the hall before leaving. The room itself wasn’t much bigger than some of the dorm rooms I’d seen in the brochures Nikki and I had looked at.
Shit.
Nikki!
She must be freaking out right now. I’d totally disappeared. I patted myself and realized I didn’t have pockets in this dress and hence no phone.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Uh, hey. Ayden.” I called out to her as she left me at my room.
“Yeah? What’s up?” Ayden cocked her head to the side. “Need a map? I can come back at dinner time.”
“Oh.” My brows shot up. “That would be great, but I was going to ask if I could borrow your phone or if you knew where I could get one.”
Ayden frowned, walking back toward me. “Isn’t it with your stuff?”
I leaned my hand on the door frame and glanced back behind me. “My stuff.” She was right. There was stuff in my room. I recognized my old suitcase as well as my mom’s brand-new maroon set. I could only imagine what was packed in them. The thought of someone else going through my stuff irked me in the wrong way. My eyes landed on the small desk next to the twin sized bed and found my black clutch from the funeral.
I practically raced to it not caring what I looked like to Ayden. I almost ripped off the zipper trying to get it open and sighed heavily as not only my phone, but my pack of cigarettes came pouring out. Fuck yes.
“Find it?” Ayden stood in the doorway, concern on her face.
I gave her my first genuine smile since I arrived, holding them close to my chest. “Yes. I did. Thanks.” I turned my phone over in my hand and saw the missed calls and messages across the front of it. Not wanting to be a dick to my first ally there, I added on, “I’ll see you at dinner?”
“Of course,” her ember eyes crinkled at the edges. “Get settled in. It’s a lot to take in at once. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to make a break for it.” She winked at me before disappearing out the door.
I flipped through my notifications as I moved to close the door. No surprise I had at least a dozen calls and text messages from Nikki. A few from my Aunt Kate and even more from Aunt Sue. Even Uncle Bob had called me.
Knowing where my priorities were, I called Nikki back first. It rang once before Nikki’s out of breath voice came through on the other side. “Oh, my fucking God, Eleanor Marie Richmond. Where have you been? You totally disappeared from the funeral. And your aunts were freaking out having to do the lunch afterward without you. I had to actually talk them down from calling a swat team. Please tell me you had a normal freak out and took off for some alone time and not that you’d been abducted by some creepy funeral stalkers?”
When she finally stopped talking long enough to take a breath, I laughed into the phone. God, I loved that girl. “No. I haven’t been abducted by funeral stalkers. Just my dad.”
There was silence on the other line before she said, “Oh.” Just oh. No judgment. No wondering what happened. Just oh. “Well, I guess that’s good.”
I snorted. “Good? You think my dad kidnapping me from my mom’s funeral. One that he was late showing up to by the way.”
“You didn’t call him. You can’t blame him for that.”
“So, beside the point.” I growled, continuing with my rant. “Not only did he kidnap me, but he brought me to fuck only knows where and just ditched me here.”
“Have you checked maps?” Nikki asked matter-of-fact.
“Oh. No. I just got my phone. Let me look.” I moved the phone from my ear and pulled up the map app. I hit the current location button and waited and waited.
Unable to find the location requested.
Of fucking course.
Putting the phone back to my ear, I snarled, “It’s not working.”
“Not working? Where are you? Jupiter?”
“I wouldn’t rule it out,” I muttered as I glanced out the long rectangle window of my stone filled room. My eyes fell to the courtyard filled with surprise-surprise stone statues. Long green rolling hills spread out around the black metal gate surrounding the building.
“Well when you figure it out call me. We have school to plan for and I’m not letting them pair me with some rando. I need you.”
I grinned at the desperation in her voice. “I love you too, Nikki. Can you tell my aunts-”
“Already done. I just told them you took off with your dad. They can figure out the rest on their own.” The smugness in her voice was one of the reasons I loved her so much.
“Thanks.” I breathed out a long breath and turned to my room. “I better figure out what the heck my dad’s minions packed for me.”
“Ew. He had minions pack for you?” The fact that she was more disgusted by that than that he’d kidnapped me told me where her priorities laid.
I snorted. “I have a hard time imagining him doing it. Can you?”
Nikki had only met dad once. Well, meet was putting it nicely. It was more of a brisk. This is my dad. Oh, look a work emergency. Gotta go. If he ever died that would be carved on his tombstone. Did angels die?
“Not hardly,” Nikki agreed with a snort. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay. Let me know what you find out. I’ll try and hold the fort down here.”
“You’re a saint. I might just tell you how you die after this.”
“No, you won’t.” Nikki scowled. “You’re worse than a cock tease I swear. Love you anyway.”
“You too.”
Ending the call, I turned to the bags by the twin sized bed and then to the pack of cigarettes in my hand. I really wanted a smoke but changing out of these clothes were edging on more important at the moment.
I hauled one of the suitcases onto the bed and unzipped it. To my relief right on top were my favorite pair of combat boots. I grabbed those and a pair of cut off shorts. I had to dig through my mom’s suitcase to find my collection of classic rock shirts. I pulled the AC/DC shirt from the pile and made quick work of changing my outfit.
My skin practically tingled from the joy of wearing my usual clothes. I found a mirror half hazardously hung on the wall and checked my makeup.
Good. I hadn’t turned into raccoon eyes between the funeral and my kidnapping.
I shoved my phone in my back pocket and a couple of cigarettes in my front pocket. I’d learned quickly in high school that walking around with a whole pack in your pocket was a sure fire way to lose your whole stash when you’re only going out for a single smoke.
Ready to go, I crept out of my room, my head swinging one way and then the other. I half expected my dad to have set a guard up for me.
I snorted. He trusted me far too much.
Or.
He trusted Azazel to keep me here.
I shuddered. I didn’t like to think of that. Who knew what that woman was capable of?
With no one there to stop me, I walked down the hallway and then the stairs Ayden had taken me up. My eyes kept track of the courtyard as I went searching for a way outside. Finally, after what felt like forever, I found a pair of double doors leading out into the fresh air.