Walking up to him like she was, was probably foolish. Avina was not an idiot, she knew he was mad. She knew he probably thought she had called her back. And bring her pack members with her was not going to help matters. Yet, there had to be a part of him that still trusted her. This unexplainable connection she had with him was not broken when she accused him of killing her pup, so this should not break it either. Almost like a physical weight, she could feel the trust of Jessie and Brice riding on her shoulders. They were going out on a very dangerous limb for her, one that could kill them all, just on the assumption that she did indeed know and trust this vampire. With all of her might, she hoped she was right about him and their connection.

Bravely she stepped into the light, keeping her arms by her side, and attempting to appear unthreatening. When he first saw her, a smile grew on his face one that she returned timidly. Then he looked behind her, saw her two pack member and when his eyes met hers again they were black. A piece of her hope cracked, and still she pushed on. “I am not alright, Devin.” For a moment she thought about stepping into his line of sight to keep him from looking at Jessie and Brice, but then she thought better of it. “I am in trouble. We,” Avina pointed back at the werewolves behind her, “are in trouble.”

About then, two males walked out of the alleyway, high on the buzz of a bite. All was silent as they both stumbled past the group. Avina looked back at Devin questioningly. Then a young changeling vampire stepped out, fixing her dress as she did. Jessie giggled, then covered her mouth to keep quiet. Brice gave her an icy glare then focused his attention back on the vampires, not wanting to let his guard down even for a second. Avina crossed her arms and looked from the changeling back to Devin. “Vampire hunt alone.” She quoted him, venom dripping from every word.

If he was hunting with someone now, then who was to say he wasn’t hunting with someone the night her pup was killed? She couldn’t think like that. She had to trust this bond with him. Avina lowered her head, closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose. She let down her guard on purpose, hoping he would see what he needed to see to help her. “I didn’t come to hurt you.” she said softly. She lifted her head back up to look at him. 

At first it was just one small step then it was two, until she was just inches away from him. “If you want to attack me, then do. But I did not come here to fight. I had to run, I still have to run. A pack member called my Marrok, my elder. If he finds me, he will not hesitate to kill me for what I have done.” She held up her arm between them, showing him her dried blood still on the sleeve of his shirt. “I would not take back anything that happened between us last night, but I do not want to die for it either.” She dropped her arm and looked down at the ground. A sigh escaped her lips.

Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she shouldn’t have come to him. Maybe she should have been using this time to run. Avina looked back up at Devin, only to still find his black eyes looking down at her. “I should not have come.” She took a step back. “You obviously have things to do tonight.” She gestured at Violet. “I’m sorry.” She turned her back to him and started to talk back to Brice and Jessie.