But Ty didn’t feel the telltale tickling in his brain. Either Miguel and Gloria didn’t have the power, or the necklaces Ty and Ana wore were fully functional.
Good to know.
That kiss could have been too much, too soon. Given that Ana hadn’t seen her sister in years and was probably longing to spend some time alone with Gloria—for one thing, to determine for herself whether Gloria was being brainwashed or coerced—it was time for some manly conversation.
“I bet these two would like to get reacquainted,” he said to Miguel. “Let’s discuss your plans.”
Miguel looked at Ty with barely concealed contempt. “If you say so. Sure, let’s talk.”
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR
“Want the grand tour of the compound?”
“I’d love to see it,” Ana replied.
The garden stretching out before her in neat rows, the gentle California breeze caressing her skin, the robin’s-egg blue sky—all of it should have had a calming influence, but instead, nerves danced under Ana’s skin. Next to her, Gloria, the sister she hadn’t seen in seven years, seemed equally nervous, twirling her hair the way she used to as a kid, but her eyes shone bright and her mouth was soft.
Ana needed to find out more. Even let Gloria know that she could help her escape the clutches of the cult, if that’s what it was. First, she had to find out how deeply Gloria was embedded with Salvation’s Crossing.
They wandered away from the main house, down a dusty path under the oaks. After several minutes, Ana had the official story.
“Salvation’s Crossing functions as an advocacy group for those of Hispanic descent who can’t catch a break. People like you and me.”
“You’ve done okay, Gloria. So did I. Eventually.”
Her sister didn’t seem to want to hear about Ana’s past. Not yet anyway.
“Yeah, well, for those who are about to lose everything—or have lost everything—we offer a work program on the farm. They can stay in ranch houses and we have an on-site school for the older kids and day care for the little ones. We provide training in a variety of fields for adults and then help them find a place to live and work. Help them assimilate into the community in a functional way. It’s like we’re their extended family.”
Ana nodded. “You provide for them. Protect them. Just like the gang did for me. For us.” She didn’t pose that last part as a question, but she held her breath as if she had. She’d told Gloria she wanted out of the gang and her sister had resisted. Maybe she shouldn’t have made that comparison.
Gloria visibly started, then seemed to take Ana’s comment in stride. “We are like a gang in some ways.”
An awkward few seconds passed. Ana wasn’t sure how to reply. “Well, you turned your life around. I really respect that. I’m so proud of you.”
At her heartfelt statement, Gloria turned and smiled. “I’m glad you see it that way. It was easier to turn my life around, as you called it, once I became a vampire.”
She spoke so easily about having been turned. Ana figured she should ask more questions, but she was afraid doing so about this particular topic might appear suspicious. Instead, all she said was, “Oh?”
“We built Salvation’s Crossing, and we want to expand. For that we need money. Lots of money.”
“I’m sure Ty will do what he can to help,” Ana said. “But he’s just one person.”
“Everyone counts. So do we. Too many Hispanic women have allowed themselves to be in the position of the downtrodden,” Gloria snapped out.
Ana stopped, surprised by the sudden vehemence in her sister’s tone. “Is that what you think you and I did? Allowed ourselves to be treated like dirt?”
Gloria snapped the blossom of a calendula off its stalk. She breathed hard for a moment, as if calming herself, then pushed her way through the field of flowers, letting her hands drift across the petals. “We were just kids. But our mother was an adult. She should have protected us. She bought into the whole women-are-worthless thing. Plus the belief that because you speak Spanish, or have an accent, that you’re somehow subpar.”
“And the work you do with Salvation’s Crossing stops that?” Ana asked.
Gloria turned around, opening her arms wide in a sweeping gesture. Ana took in the acre of edible flowers they stood in, the rows of corn and tomatoes and eggplant that lined the valley. As the hill rose to the west, an orchard of fruit and nut trees marched in lines like good little soldiers. Down at the compound, children ran and played in a large playground, the younger ones smacking a tetherball around a pole, skipping rope, or shooting hoops, the older ones crowded around some kind of touch-screen device. Women worked the fields, but none seemed overwhelmed by heat. Instead, the sound of their happy chatter rose to reach Ana—just not the words.
Everything was tranquil. Everyone seemed happy. Was this what cult life was like? Salvation’s Crossing seemed more like a commune than a cult. Surely if these people weren’t being allowed to leave, if they were being victimized by the cult leaders and sold off to vampires, she wouldn’t be seeing joyful kids and women who found dignity in the hard work they did.
What wasn’t she understanding here? What couldn’t she see?
“Are you happy here?” she asked Gloria. “Even now that …”
Now that she was a vampire, Ana meant, but she couldn’t bring herself to say the words out loud. Her sister looked the same. Maybe a little paler.
Gloria reached out to take Ana’s hand. “More than I’ve ever been. I have a purpose in life, finally. And I’m a lot stronger. Not just physically.”
Ana was more curious than ever. “Gloria—I have to know: Why didn’t you want to see me? Why did you send me that letter saying you didn’t want anything to do with me?”
Gloria let go of Ana’s hand. “After the shoot-out, when they took you away, I blamed you for trying to leave the gang and for not being strong enough to protect me.” She shrugged. “I was just a kid. I’ve grown up.”
“I’m so sorry.” Ana hesitated for a moment. Had Gloria’s words been chosen carefully? Because she hadn’t said she no longer blamed Ana for anything.
“I don’t want to talk about that night.” Gloria moved away from her, headed back through the flower field to the compound. “As I got older, after you got out of prison, I was already involved with Salvation’s Crossing. I needed to find my own path. And then after I was turned, it was glorious, Ana. I felt powerful and I still do, more powerful than you can ever imagine.” There was a fanatical glint in Gloria’s eyes as she repeated the word powerful. Then the glint faded and a softer look replaced it. “But there were times I did miss you …”
Unease rippled up Ana’s spine, but she forced it away. “Same here,” Ana said. “More than you’ll ever know.”
“Don’t go away too soon,” Gloria said, pulling her tight and holding her close. “Even if Ty leaves this place, I’d like for you to stay.”
Ana breathed in deep, again wondering if Gloria’s words had hidden meaning. If Ty left? Of course he was going to leave eventually. And did Gloria want her to join Salvation’s Crossing … as a vampire? That might not be so bad, if it meant being reunited forever with Gloria and becoming Ty’s equal in every way.
Gloria seemed content with her life here at Salvation’s Crossing and passionate about its mission, even if she hadn’t been able to explain it too well.
Was it because her sister had truly found peace and helped to build a wonderful community that helped others? Or because she was powerful and could do whatever she wanted, even sell humans to vampires in some kind of misguided attempt to empower her people?