B.O.E.- Chapter 18: Isaac

 Where could she be? He growled as he eyed the time. She said three days. She said she would notify me about now. Did she lie? Have I failed?

Just then his phone rang and he sped to answer it.

Instead of Raven, he heard Ruben,

“Isaac, she’s back.”

“Where?” he was already reaching for his loaded jacket.

“At the college,” Ruben reported.

“I’ll be right there,” he didn’t even set the phone down as he pulled on his coat and tapped into his speed.

“I wouldn’t scare her. She’s holding something,”

Ruben’s voice barely registered with him as he sped toward the college.

The past three days were hell. He could hardly sleep thinking that she was spilling information about their location. Or the other scenarios that his mind came up with. What if the Disciples had gotten to her? What if they killed her or worse, infected her completely? What if they were torturing her for information on them?

He felt the night air brush past his hair as he moved and finally slowed down when he was close enough to Anise’s dorm. He glanced around and noticed her figure walking along the quad, holding a large flat box. He quickly moved forward and came up behind her, catching a strange scent on her. He hung up the phone before Ruben spoke again and set a hand on her shoulder to stop her but she immediately bent forward.

He froze, confused, when her leg suddenly came up and swung into his left cheek. He stumbled more out of shock than actual pain before she whirled around again and pushed him further aside with a side kick. Then they both straightened up and she took a stance against him.

Isaac raised his hands in peace and watched her green eyes suddenly recognize him.

Raven sighed and crossed her arms, frowning at him. “Sneaking up on me? How’d you think that would go?”

He could hear Ruben’s chuckle from the neighboring shadows but ignored him. “Sorry. Just wanted to talk.”

Raven turned from him and bent to pick up the box. She turned back to him and he caught the strong whiff of melted cheese.

“Pizza?” He asked, his nose wrinkling.

“Anise was hungry,” Raven shrugged. “Who’s got watch tonight? You?”

“Ruben,” he corrected.

“Tell him to take the night off. I’m spending the night here,”

“You are?”

“I am,” her eyes narrowed.

“Where have you been?” he watched her shift as if suddenly uncomfortable.

“I had business. It’s handled. I was gonna text you once I got settled in with Anise,” she replied.

“You were supposed to check in earlier,” he reminded her.

“I tend not to text and drive,” she tilted her head coolly and he fought his growl of annoyance at her dismissal.

“If it was only business, why’d you shake Connor?” he felt a strange fire in his gut but wasn’t sure what it was.

“Why’d you have me followed if we were supposed to be building trust?” she countered before taking another step back.

Isaac stared. She was acting differently but he couldn’t put his finger on it. She obviously wanted to get away from him but was it because she wanted to get to Anise… or something else? “Where did you go these past few days, Raven?”

Raven suddenly snapped her head to the left as Ruben moved to join them and Isaac felt his eyes zero in on her neck. There was a new mark but she’d tried to cover it with makeup… was that a fucking hickey?

Before he could get a closer look, the wind picked up and blew her hair over her shoulder while simultaneously sending a waft of cheese at him.

“Hey, Ruben,” she greeted when the male neared them. “Good news, you have the night off. I’m staying with Anise tonight.”

“Great,” he gave her a soft smile. “She’s been doing yoga for a while now. She has great balance for such a small figure.”

Raven glanced between them and shifted the box, taking another step back. “Can we continue this tomorrow? The pizza’s gonna get cold.”

Isaac was about to argue when Ruben cut him off.

“Of course, we’ll see you tomorrow. Enjoy your girls’ night,”

Raven stared and Ruben winked at her.

Isaac watched her back away from them before she turned away to enter the dormitory. Then he turned to Ruben with a frown.

“Demanding answers from her isn’t going to get her to open up, Isaac,” Ruben muttered before he spoke.

Isaac let out the growl he’d been holding. “Thought Liam was the psychic?”

Ruben chuckled. “And yet even the blind could see what’s going on.”

Isaac frowned at his flannel wearing Brother and followed him as they moved to his car. “I think I’ll stick around for a bit.”

“Being creepy and clingy isn’t the best route either,” Ruben sighed, rolling his eyes. “Want my suggestion?”

Isaac frowned at him, debating his own answer. Something was up with Raven but she wasn’t going to tell him anything. He nodded.

“Let’s go buy the ladies a bottle of wine so they can enjoy their night. I’m pretty sure Raven didn’t bring any in that tiny pack of hers,” Ruben suggested. “We’ll drop off the bottle at the door and leave them alone. She’ll come back to the house tomorrow.”

“You’re sure about that?” Isaac asked and knew he sounded challenging.

Ruben smirked. “Bet money on it?”

Isaac sighed. “Like I’d help your dirty habit of being right.”

Ruben chuckled and they went to the nearest liquor store. They had a quick moment of figuring out which would be the best wine with pizza when they settled on a sweet bubbly Moscato. Isaac quickly wrote a note and delivered the bottle to Anise’s dorm himself. He set the bottle on the floor and knocked, speeding away before they answered it.

Then he forced himself into Ruben’s car or he’d never leave the college.

“How about we scout the town nearby?” Ruben suggested as he drove them away from the college campus.

Isaac grunted his consent, hoping a few disciples were nearby.

 

The next day, he woke up at the usual time and made his way down to the kitchen for breakfast. He felt his cell phone go off and read the text from Liam.

‘She’s in the garage. Connor said she wants to talk to you.’

He frowned and replied, ‘Why didn’t he text me?’

‘He was on his way to work.’

The cop had avoided him since he failed to follow Raven.

Isaac sped to the garage and slowed to enter through the door calmly. She was leaning on the same Rogue she’d left in, typing something into her phone. Just then his phone buzzed again and he checked to find a text from her.

‘Can you meet me in the garage?’

He chuckled softly as he moved closer, holding the phone visibly as she looked up at him. “Good afternoon,” he greeted.

Raven put away her phone to cross her arms as she considered him. Then she moved closer and he froze, a little apprehensive at her strange tranquil expression. She met his eyes for a second before lifting her left hand, a folded piece of paper between her fingers. “‘Sorry. Enjoy your night and I’ll see you tomorrow’?” she recited, a smile playing on her lips.

He briefly wondered if she was making fun of him. “Wrong wine?”

She let out a quick breath almost like a laugh and pocketed the note. “No, she loved it. Drank more than her share. Thank you… oh, and thanks for the car.”

He relaxed slightly as he took back the car keys. “No problem.”

She glanced away and that was when he noticed that her clothes were different, she had showered and her pack was gone.

“What happened to your other clothes?” he asked curiously and her face immediately closed off.

“I must have left them at Anise’s,” she half-shrugged. “We already ate breakfast at the college so I’m just going to head to the gym for a while.”

He nodded and let her brush passed him out of the garage. He smelled the lily scented soap but it was wrong. There was some strange spice to it that made his stomach tighten. Shaking the thought away, he followed to head to the kitchen to eat.