Read Varius: #9 (Luna Lodge) for Free Online Page B

some other nice man you could meet? How about one of those doctors at the hospital?”
    Lena frowned. The hospital that had no problem screwing over her friend and turning Lena over to Reverend John? No thanks.
    “They were assholes,” she said with venom.
    “Language!”
    Lena sighed. The older she got the more she knew her parents were hell bent on keeping their only daughter a little girl.
    “A lot has happened,” her mother said. “Maybe you should consider staying with us for a while.”
    “I’m happy where I am.”
    “But—”
    “I’m happy where I am,” Lena repeated with a bit more force.” She sighed. “Mom, I love you, but I don’t want to move back home right now.”
    Her mother sighed on the other end as well. “All right, then.”
    “Mom, I’ve got to get back to work. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole story sooner, but I didn’t want to worry you. I’m fine. Better than fine.”
    She could hear the heavy sigh from her mother.
    “I understand,” she said and paused for a moment. “When are you going to be able to visit us?”
    Lena’s heart ached. Her parents weren’t bad people. They loved her, and she was their only child. It had been late in life when they’d had her.
    Now they were getting on in years. Her father’s eyesight was failing, and it wouldn’t be long before he was totally blind.
    “I’m not sure, Mom,” she said softly. “Let me talk with my boss, and I’ll get back to you.”
    She could hear her mom take in a shuddered breath.
    “Okay,” her mother said.
    Lena gave a sad smile, not really sure when or if she’d be able to see her again.
    “I love you, Mom.”
    “I love you too, sweetheart.”
    Lena hung up the phone, heart heavy. She loved her life at the lodge, but there would come a point when she’d need to see her parents. The only problem was convincing Titus that she needed that, and, for that matter, getting past her own fear of leaving the grounds.
    She opened the door to the office and found Titus standing on the other side.
    “Sorry for the trouble,” she said and gave a small smile.
    Titus nodded. “All settled now?”
    Lena nodded and turned to walk away. She stopped when Titus called out to her.
    “You know we could set up a trip for you to see them.”
    Lena turned to Titus from the door leading out of the waiting room.
    “How—”
    He gave a smile. “We have pretty good hearing.”
    Lena blushed. Of course. She knew they had exceptional hearing.
    “It might be a good thing,” he said. “They see you’re safe so when the media comes knocking on their door, they can say you’re taken care of here.”
    She nodded. It did make sense, especially with the constant feed from the news about what monsters they are.
    “You’ll have to take Varius if you do,” he said.
    Her eyes shot to his in surprise.
    “The whole world knows him as your boyfriend now,” he said. “It would be strange if you made a trip home without him.”
    Lena nodded. Not quite sure if that was such a great idea. “I’m not sure if I’m ready, but maybe it’d be different if I were far away from this place.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I’ll be honest. I’m scared to go into town, but my parents are far enough away that… certain people from town won’t be around.”
    Titus turned toward the office door. “Think about it and get back to me.”
    Lena turned and made her way back to the clinic, trying to push the idea out of her head for now.
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    That evening Lena was sitting outside on the porch swing when Varius stopped by the house. It had been a long day of getting her things packed and loaded, but he and the team had made it happen. Still, all day surrounded by her scent, the ache in his chest just wouldn’t go away. He needed to see her.
    He needed more, really, but for now he was content to just see her and be around her and not just her scent.
    Lena glanced over at him as he brought the box in his arms up