Chapter 9.

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I rolled over in bed and let out an annoyed sigh finally giving up as I stared at the roof. I just could not sleep. I threw my blanket aside and got up before I pulled on my jacket and walked out of the hotel room I was sharing with Ben... Well, would be sharing with Ben if he was here.

My sleeping habits had just completely declined since I got here, hadn't they? When I wasn't having nightmares I couldn't fall asleep at all.

I walked down the hall and pushed the elevator button as I glanced at the clock under it. It was just past 3 AM. I had texted Ben earlier to tell him where we were and which rooms we were in, he had not responded after he read it. I wonder how the ceremony went... Maybe I should have gone to it? No. It was not anything big, it's not like it was Karabo's ceremony.

I stepped into the elevator greeting the doorman before I leaned against the wall as it moved lower through the building until it reached the ground floor and I walked out and into the lobby.

I made my way out of the hotel and took a deep breath as the cool early morning wind blew against my face. I ran my eyes over the stores across the hotel. Snacks or Ben... Ben?

Ben.

I sighed dialling Ben's number as I walked down the sidewalk. I listened to the ringing until he answered just when I was about to give up.

"Ben," I said.

"What the hell, Eli. It's 3 AM in the morning." He groaned into my ear.

"Where the hell are you?" I asked.

"Ha. You have the audacity to call and ask where I am after you compelled me – you fucking compelled me, Eli – to take a walk with a bloodthirsty vamp."

"She's not bloodthirsty..." I think. Whatever, "It's not like you're not bloodthirsty sometimes. Besides, I thought you could handle yourself around a simple vampire." I paused, "Was I wrong, Ben?"

"Do not do that." He muttered.

"Do what?" I asked innocently as I spotted a few people standing in the dark near a closed shop.

"You know what." He hissed, "You're trying to distract me. It won't work this time." I heard him sigh. "I can't believe you would compel me." He said. I stopped walking. Wait. Did he sound hurt? Why?

"I did it so you would get over your Vampire... thing." I looked up as I heard footsteps and noticed the gang of guys that had been in the dark were now walking towards me.

"You could not just talk to me about it? You're only supposed to compel other wolves when you absolutely need to, not when you're mad at yourself for not at least trying to understand your Mate's culture." He said.

"What are you talking about?" I narrowed my eyes.

"You compelled me." He ignored my question.

"It's not that big of a deal, Ben." I heard him let out a breath in disbelief.

"Right." My jaw dropped when I heard a beep. Did he just hang up on me? No. Hell no. I began to dial his number again but I stopped when I noticed the gang of people in the dark had stopped in front of me. I rolled my eyes hanging up on Ben.

"Can I help you?" I asked slipping my phone into my pocket.

"Yes. That's a nice watch." One guy said.

"Yeah, I know." I agreed as I looked at my watch before I sighed.

"Give it to me." I looked up hearing him speak again.

"I'm not in the mood for this," I said. I raised my brows as he lifted his hand and the street light shone onto his weapon.

"Give me the watch, and everything else." He smiled.

"Well, you're not even being polite –" I hissed as a shot went off and I felt the bullet pierce into my shoulder. "Fuck. That fucking hurts!" I hissed covering my shoulder with my hand.

"Get on your knees."

"Fuck you." I pulled the bullet from my shoulder and grabbed the gun from his hand in less than a second.

He stared shocked as I crushed it in my fist before I tossed it aside. I then punched him a little too hard and the impact sent him into the shop's window that was eight feet away from us setting the alarm off after he smashed into the store. His friends stared shocked before they began to run but I laughed. I caught them and beat them up before I tossed them into the store as well. I knelt down and grabbed the leader's wallet and the rest of the jewellery in his pocket shaking my head as I stood up.

I looked down the street and saw a homeless man staring at me shocked. I tossed the wallet at him, because he was shocked he didn't even attempt to catch it and it fell right in front of his feet. I tossed the jewellery back at the unconscious idiots in the store.

"You should take that. They already stole it from someone else, right?" I said before I grinned and walked over to him, his eyes still stuck on mine. "You saw nothing. Take the wallet and go." I compelled him. He nodded grabbing the wallet.

"Thank you." He smiled lifting the wallet before he walked off. I sighed glancing at the mess as I heard distant sirens before I sped ran back to the hotel.

I made my way back up to my room and I walked in but stopped as I was shutting the door when I spotted my sister on my bed. I glanced at the clock. It was just past four. Why is she up?

"Oh my God –" I followed her eyes to my shoulder and saw the blood that covered my jacket's shoulder.

"Oh, this? I got shot." She gasped.

"You – you got shot?!"

"Shot?!" I heard our father's voices. My eyes widened as I felt my heart stop.

"You didn't tell me you were on the phone!" I hissed to my sister.

"How did you get shot?!" She exclaimed grabbing my arm with one of her hands while the other still held the phone to her ear.

"Shot? Are you okay? What the hell are you doing out so early in the morning?! Eli, what happened –?"

"Dad, Dad. It's already healed." I cut him off. "I was –"

"I don't care if it's healed!" My mouth shut as did Tamia's as we stood in terrified shock. "Are you crazy?! You could have gotten hurt!"

"It was a normal bullet..." I mumbled under my breath.

"Dad's right, Eli. What the hell were you doing?" I heard Paps. I shot a glare at Tamia and she shrunk back before she glared back at me.

"Hey! Don't look at me like that; you walked in while I was on the phone."

"Why are you on the phone in my room? Why are you on the phone this early?"

"That was my mistake, I forgot about the time difference." Paps said.

"Because they wanted to speak to you too, but you weren't here. God knows where you were – and where is Ben?!"

"I was looking for Ben."

"Ben's gone?" Paps' voice was serious.

"Ha. Funny story, Papa, Eli –" I covered my sister's mouth and she began fighting against me as I grabbed the phone and held her in place as I spoke.

"Dad? Tammy – can't hear you – We're losing – I can't hear you – must be – Dad? Paps? I ca – hear –" I hung up.

Tamia gasped as I pulled my hand away from her mouth.

"You're so dead." She said shocked.

"I know." I nodded as I sat on my bed and held her phone out to her. She snatched it from my hand frowning at me. I sighed as I fell back spreading my arms out beside me.

"Ben?" She asked.

"Is... angry."

She faked a gasp. "Shocker." I looked at her so she could see the glare in my eyes and she sighed as she sat next to me, "Obviously he's upset, Eli. You compelled one of our best friends, how's he supposed to trust you?"

"I was trying to help him." I said.

"Were you? Or were you just trying to make the noise disappear?"

"They were quite noisy." We laughed but she punched my stomach and I curled up groaning dramatically. She rolled her eyes and I shook my head, "Yeah... I guess I felt bad about... not going to the ceremony and they were making it worse. Pretty selfish..." I mumbled.

"You felt bad?"

"I don't really know why..." I drifted as Ben's words came into my head but I cleared my mind. "I should find him." I pushed myself to sit up and looked at my hand focusing on Ben in my mind.

"What are you doing?"

"Just some trick Bianca taught me a few weeks ago when I was looking for you, you know when you disappeared to that library without telling anyone." I replied as my palm began to glow before I watched the city raise in blue light and one building glowed brighter than the others. I furrowed my brows. "He's just down the street!" I said surprised.

"That's not fair! I want to do that!" Tamia said.

I laughed. "I'll teach you later. I have to check on Ben." I got up.

"I'll go with you." Tamia said.

"What about Ash?"

"I left a note telling him we had to board an emergency flight back home." I tilted my head.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Yeah. An emergency with Paps." She hopped out of my room. I laughed. Ashton tended to freak out really quickly when it came to Tamia, I had no doubt he would fall for it.

"You're evil," I called as I followed her.

"I grew up with you." I chuckled.

-----

"Oh, sorry. I'm looking for someone. Go back to sleep." I said. The woman looked at me confused but I just smiled and moved to the next door.

"Can't you just do that thing again?" Tamia asked.

"It takes too much concentration." I knocked on a door. I smiled hearing an 'I've got it.'

"Spending the night already?" I smiled at Ben as the door opened. The shirtless Ben looked back at us shocked. I took note that the only thing he was wearing was boxer briefs. I wondered how he got them to let him sleep in just that, he always did but these were people he just met.

"He has a tracking spell," Tamia said.

"What?" Ben asked surprised as he looked at me.

"I know, right?"

"It works for keys and socks too," I said.

Ben shot me a glare suddenly regaining his anger and I gave a guilty smile.

"I'm sorry," I said. His eyes widened.

"What?"

"You heard me." I narrowed my eyes. I didn't whisper or stutter.

"Yeah, but I want to hear it again – that is if you really are sorry." I frowned at him and Tamia nudged my side.

I grit my teeth, "I said." Pause, "I'm sorry." I repeated. "Seriously, I am," I added.

He grinned. "I wasn't really angry to begin with, I just never hear you say that." I glared at him.

"I take it ba –" I began.

"Babe, who are you –?"

Paige's eyes widened and I felt my own do the same as she stumbled out from behind a wall a few feet behind Ben wearing his (new) t-shirt, and I'm pretty sure nothing else.

"Oh," Tamia said slowly.

"Uh..." Ben mumbled lifting his hand to his hair as he glanced from us to the ground and back.

I smirked at him. "Oh, of course, why would you be angry?" Ben's face was turning red fast and I added, "You move fast."

'Shut up.' He linked to me.

I chuckled looking behind him and my shock increased as I saw the vampire blush. I shook it off as I grinned.

"Hello, Paige," I said causing her face to redden more.

*****