The Black Veins by Ashia Monet

Author:Ashia Monet [Monet, Ashia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-16T18:30:00+00:00

Antonio is up with the sun.

Blythe wakes to find him sitting on his bed, completely dressed, golden hair pulled back from his face, frowning at the phone in his hands.

Lined on the dresser are silver wrapped breakfast sandwiches and containers of tea and coffee. Even when he’s pissed at them, Antonio is still unbelievably kind.

“You brought breakfast,” Blythe says.

“Mmhmm,” he says to his phone.

The silence only makes the guilt heavier in Blythe’s chest, but she doesn’t bother him again. The last thing she wants is to make things worse.

A few I-called-the-shower-first arguments later, the four of them stand in front of the van, finishing the last of their breakfast, ready for another day on the road.

“Well Storm,” Blythe begins. “Welcome to the…uh…t-the car we use to get around.”

Blythe looks to Cordelia, Antonio and Daniel. “Guys, why haven’t we named this thing?”

“Because we hate it,” Daniel says.

Blythe nods in agreement. “Yeah it is ugly.”

But when Blythe jumps inside and turns the key in the ignition, the van only clicks at her.

“What…?” she mutters, giving it another twist. Nothing.

This is the part where Cordelia is supposed to complain, but she stares outside in silence. Blythe isn’t sure if she should feel grateful or worried.

“That thing’s shot,” Storm says.

“You know about cars?” Blythe asks.

“No, but I know that don’t sound too good.”

Blythe sighs. Of course the van only breaks down when they have to get the last Guardian. It’s lived through racing from monsters in the Tempore and driving for hours on end, but sitting outside of a motel kills it.

“I knew the second I called it ugly, I’d broken some unspoken bond,” Blythe mutters. “Storm, do you know a mechanic around here? Preferably not the place from last night.”

“Why would I take you back there?” Storm wrinkles her nose. “I can probably find a place.”

Everyone descends into early morning silence as Storm scrolls through her phone. Daniel takes the lull as an opportunity to peer over Antonio’s shoulder.

“Is that a video game?” He asks.

“No,” Antonio answers. “It’s a mobile game, which is like a video game, but for boring people and people who are bored.”

“Y’on’t know what a video game is?” Storm asks.

“I was raised on a very large hill in Montana,” Daniel answers.

“Goddamn,” Storm says. “The hell they got going on up there?”

“N-Not much,” Daniel admits.

Storm barks a sudden, loud laugh, a sound that is filled with pure joy. Daniel jumps, but a small, proud smile appears on his bright red face.

Blythe doesn’t realize she’s smiling too until she catches her reflection in the rearview mirror. Also, her hair is slipping out of the high bun she threw it in this morning.

She watches her reflection stuff the loose curls back into place. But something else catches her attention. And every positive emotion in her body vanishes.

Across the street is a convenience store, its windows crowded with ads. Standing in front of those ads, checking something on her phone, is a woman. Blythe almost doesn’t recognize her without her cloak.

“Oh shit,” Blythe whispers.

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