Page 46 of The Originals

“Nine.” The man in the back paused. “Make that thirteen.”

Thirteen what?She quickly glanced down at her mirror. She couldn’t get an exact number but there was a cluster of single headlights behind them. Meg froze, staring at the lights. Thirteen of them and only three of Ghosttown in the van.

“What are we going to do?” she asked.

Tully kept driving but reached out and patted her knee.

“You’re going to relax.”

Meg scoffed, but before she could say anything, Tully glanced over with a smile. “You’re gonna try. And you’re gonna trust us.” He arched his brow. “And Mick.”

She nodded, biting on the inside of her mouth. They drove for what felt like forever, and she tried to calm her nerves by looking out the window. She realized Tully had been basically driving all through town but never leaving.

“How many?”

“Still at thirteen. I think this is all of them.”

Tully nodded and turned at the next corner, heading out of Turnersville. It was a straight shot to Ghosttown. As the town disappeared in the background, the woods engulfed the van. They were narrow backroads and winding. There were a few paved roads off the main one. Years ago, they’d planned on building homes in subdivisions and prepped the entrances with streets and curbs, but nothing ever came of it. Turnersville was not a hotspot for growth. The builders quickly found that out and claimed bankruptcy. The land was never built on and became a wood haven again.

When Tully turned off on one of those roads, she sat up in her seat.

“This doesn’t lead anywhere. It’s a dead end.”

“I know that,” he said.

“Then why are we going down it?”

“Becausetheydon’t know that.”

What? She looked around the area but couldn’t see a thing. It was pitch black. Then the van came to a stop and all the bikes circled around it.

“You trust us, right?” Tully asked.

She slowly nodded.

“Good. Now, we’re gonna get out.”

She immediately started shaking her head. There was no obvious escape since they were blocked. Why would they get out of the only protection they had?

Tully reached out, grabbing her hand. “Trust Mick.”

“He’s not even here!” she snapped.

The corner of Tully’s mouth spiked. “Yeah, he is. They’re all here.”

What?

Tully grabbed his door handle and got out. The two men in the back did the same through the van doors. All that was left was her. She looked out her window and saw the bikers getting off their motorcycles. One of the Ghosttown members came into her view, and he lifted his chin at the lock and mouthed, “Open it.”

With a shaky hand, she unlocked the door, and he opened it. She slid out, and immediately the other member was at her side. They walked to the front of the van, meeting up with Tully.

The members of Satan’s Hex spread out around the van, leaving no room for an escape. It reminded her of the fight at the festival. Ghosttown had displayed the same choreography.

From a darker corner she heard a maniacal laugh before the member walked closer. She recognized him and immediately started shaking. He was the same man Mick had beaten up.

“Isn’t this ironic? Last time it was three of ours versus ten of yours. Looks like the tables have turned.”

He glanced over at Meg, and she shrank behind Tully.