Strings of Fate

100- Interrogate and investigate 1 stare down at my last bit of muffin.

“I wouldn't lie. But it’s probably best if you don’t ask until you've already made up your mind. Knowing the answer doesn’t really make anything easier anyway.” | tell her. She considers for a moment then nods.

“I guess so. But you would warnif | was making a really bad choice again right? Like last time?” She sounds very young and scared.

“Of course.” | assure her.

“Thanks.” “So does that mean you're going to text Darrien?” | ask. Megan blushes and eventually nods. She pulls her phone out of the pocket of her jeans and types out a quick message, | have no idea what she writes but she hits send then drops her phone and quickly downs the rest of her food. Only seconds later she gets a message back.

She reads it with a small smile and | decide not to push her about it any further today. I'm burning with curiosity about how their relationship unfolds from here, but I've learned my lesson about interfering in the past. | might be able to see fate but that doesn’t mean | should meddle with it.

Megan and | spend what's left of the morning vegging out in her room, watching TV while she occasionally points out the potential benefits ofstaying permanently. More ttogether, sharing clothes, not needing guards just to meet up to hang out at home. She is just pointing out that we can get midnight snacks together when Bellamy knocks on her bedroom door.

“CIN!” Megan calls out without getting up. She’s in the middle of painting her toenails a bright pink colour.

Personally | find the colour a little obnoxious, but | do tend to dress a little more conservatively than her. Bellamy steps in. | immediately get up and greet him. He looks grumpy again.

“All the guys are here to discuss what they found at your place. Cdownstairs for the meeting.” He says. His tone is demanding and he seems like he’s in a rush. I think he’s gotten 1/4 100- Interrogate and investigate himself worked up and agitated again. Hmph. I'm not sure about him orderingaround, but I'll allow it this once. He had better not keep it up though. He is very bossy when he’s stressed. | follow him downstairs. Megan waves us off saying she will catch up later but doesn’t want to mess up her nails. She does throw out another comment about how she wasn’t included last night so there's no need for her to be involved now, but her tone is joking. still, it's enough to maketense up. In the office, Darrien, Aaron, Shaun and Alex are waiting for us.

“Hope you don’t mind, | volunteered to help. When I'm not needed by Megan of course.” Darrien comments.

“Of course | don’t mind. Thankyou.” | smile at him. Alex is sitting in my usual recliner and Bellamy is... glaring at him. He looks like he is about half a second from tearing Alex from the seat. | clear my throat and perch myself on the edge of Bellamy’s desk. Maybe we should start having meetings in the living room where there are more seats. Aaron leans against the wall in a corner. Darrien is hovering near the doorway, probably hoping Megan will turn up. Shaun decides to drop down and sit on the grey carpet with his legs crossed like a kid in school. Bellamy paces the room before stopping next to me. He stands facing the room with his arms. crossed.

“Well?” He demands. He makes eye contact with each of the men individually until they are all forced to look away. Alex looks away the fastest and he looks the most uncomfortable. Shaun shifts a little closer to where Alex is sitting, almost defensively. The blue thread floating between them. | was definitely right about them already being good friends. Alex is clearly nervous with how Bellamy is acting and his friend is trying to reassure him. | don’t blthem, Bellamy is clearly cranky.

“We didn’t find much.” Alex admits.

“The videos show two figures, both wearing black hoodies and dark glasses so we don’t catch their faces. They approached on foot so no car either. We checked the note for prints or other evidence but there was nothing we could use. He seems to be nervous to give bad news.

Shaun takes over the briefing.

“Aaron, Darrien and | checked the paint used and searched the surrounding area. It appears that they took the paint’ cans with them and despite our best attempts we couldn't find a hint of any kind of scent to track.” he grumbles with frustration. Bellamy looks about ready to explode.

2/4 useful and I sigh.

“We found traces and scents of magic all over, probably something to hide the perpetrators actual scents.” Darrien confirms. | sneak a peek sideways at Bellamy. His expression is dark.

“So you're tellingthat between the four of you, all you managed to figure out is that there were two people there last night. He sums up. He sounds majorly pissed off. | place a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him.

‘Bellamy, it’s okay. They can’t make evidence appear out of nowhere.” | give a small smile to all the guys. Shaun beams at me, Darrien winks. Alex gives a shy smile, his gaze darting to Bellamy then back to me. Aaron, as usual, gives no real reaction other than a slight dip of his head in acknowledgement. Bellamy pulls his arm away fromand lets out what | can only describe as a snort. | work to redirect the conversation.

“So what do we do now?” | ask the question of the room. Alex is the one who answers.

“We work out why someone would be after you. Do you have any enemies?” He asks. | shrug.

“Not that | know of. | mostly keep to myself.” | explain. Bellamy snorts again..

Isn't it obvious? Whoever is doing this is doing it because of her relationship with me.” He insists. | stare at him, a little surprised. | know we aren't exactly hiding our relationship from these guys, it would be too hard with how they are around all the time. But we haven't exactly told Shaun and Alex that we're together either. For him to just declare it like that... It was unexpected. | guess fair though? They need all the information to be able to investigate properly. Bellamy seems to be moving past anger and onto depression now. It remindsof how he was when the Vampire representative asked him to drop his hunt and he felt like it. was somehow lettingdown. | suspect he’s blaming himself for this.

“It could be something else. It’s not like a lot of people know... about us. The message was specifically directed atand it said that | will pay. That implies | personally did something to the person.” | try and suggest.

Bellamy is shaking his head before | even finish.

“No, it will definitely be because ofeither way. How often were you threatened before meeting me? Never right? And now?” | stay silent. We all know the answer already.

3/4 100- Interrogate and investigate “Exactly.” Bellamy turns back to Alex. Despite being the quietest, he seems to be the one that Bellamy has designated as ‘in charge of the investigation. | guess due to his IT. skills? “What is our next step then?” He demands.