Free Foreshadowed by Erika Trevathan Page A

it out in time." I gave him a playfully cocky look. "I'm sure I could have handled them though."
                "Yeah, sure you could have."
                I shrugged, deciding against telling him about some of the powers I‘d discovered since being turned. To be honest, I really didn't know much about them anyway.
                He sat up in his seat. "Look, it may not be the best idea in the world for a Coalition member to pick me up at the airport. Just drop me off at the next convenient store we pass and I'll have someone get me from there."
                I waved an arm around at the vampire security members and myself. "You're not embarrassed of us, are you?" I teased.
                "No, I just prefer to forgo the all out fight that will occur if there is an impromptu meeting between vampires and slayers. From what I've heard, you have other problems to deal with right now."
                I couldn't stop my expression from crumpling a bit with the mention of Anna's disappearance. The whole thing wouldn't be half as bad if I hadn't had that horrid vision recently. Worst of all, I was getting a foreboding feeling that the bloody, matted head in the vision belonged to Anna.
                "Hey, I'm just as worried about Anna as you are, Brooke. This is a prime example of the trouble vampires will cause you." He stopped and gave me a meaningful look. "And you're yet another perfect example."
                The car rolled to a stop in front of a brightly lit gas station and Brad opened the door, stepping out and slamming it shut without a second glance in my direction. As I watched him walk away, I had the feeling we had not seen the last of him. There was no way he was walking away from Anna’s disappearance without making sure she was found. I was sure it was just a matter of time before he popped up again.
     
                With all the fear and anxiety I had been feeling all day, it was amazing how just being in Alex's arms again could melt it away. Not completely. No, it was still there; but it felt more manageable somehow with him at my side. I leaned my head on Alex's shoulder as we sat in the plush seats of his private jet. My eyes found Ethan's troubled green ones. He was sitting on a seat across from us and I noticed his eyes reflected the same anxiety and fear for Anna that I'm sure were in mine. It occurred to me that if I ever saw Anna again, I could without a doubt tell her that Ethan cared for her way more than a fling, whether he wanted her to know it or not.
                I lifted my head off of Alex's shoulder, still looking at Ethan. "You care about Anna more than you've been letting on." It was a statement, not a question because it was obvious what the answer was. This probably wasn't a topic I'd pursue with most people, but Ethan was like family to me and so was Anna. It was beyond time for him to confront his feelings; something he probably hadn't done in all of his years as a vampire. I pushed back the fear that it might be too late. I had to believe that Anna would be okay. It was me that Lucien was after and he would lose his leverage if he killed Anna. God, I hoped he didn't turn her. That would tie her to him in some capacity for eternity and, honestly, death might be a better option.
                Ethan looked out the jet window into the dark night, his face not giving away anything. After a few moments where I wondered if he was going to respond at all, he met my gaze again. "Is that what this feeling is? Because, quite frankly, emotions are something I steer clear of. When you've had to kill people to survive, like I have, emotions come at a high price. Avoiding them is crucial."
                Alex spoke up. "You don't kill people anymore-- vampires, yes, but you haven't killed a human in longer than I can remember. You're going to have to move past what you did as a young vampire.