<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“Like I said, she runs off all the time.” It was difficult for Ava not to be defensive when it came to her adoptive parents. Even though she disagreed with their excessively hands-off approach, she wouldn’t go against their wishes or their advice directly. There were consequences for defiance, repercussions that she wasn’t willing to subject herself to. She owed them too much, and she cared about her reputation within their order. Word of insubordination spread fast among her group, and she had never been the subject of such whispers. Ava intended to keep it that way. Her loyalty was unwavering all the same. Still, there was a sliver of validation in her unsanctioned search. The trail that she currently followed indicated that there was something amiss, and if the Hunter before her knew the Coven as well as he said then Scarlett was certainly in danger. It made her feel a sense of urgency. True, Scarlet could take care of herself. After all she was a Hunter, same as her. But, she could be reckless and careless . . . She held tight to hope, even if the Hunter seemed doubtful despite his small consolation. <br/>
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Ava watched as he fell silent, his eyes trailing off as if the words he sought were elusive shadows in the woods; hard to find. There was a pang of a heavy sensation in her, a sudden regret that came over her. To see him revisit painful memories, witness the unearthing of the ghosts of his past, she felt guilty. She was not ignorant to the short list of reasons lone Hunters turned to a life of slaying the supernatural. They were not born into the profession or groomed for it as others were. The duty was thrust upon them in the most horrific and tragic ways. It was insensitive of her to pry, and just as she was about to open her mouth to insist that he didn’t answer, he spoke. <br/>
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He didn’t say much. He didn’t need to. His response was short, and yet it spoke volumes. <br/>
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“I understand.” She nodded, letting her interrogation come to a close. What concerns she had for his judgement or his conduct in pursuit of revenge were swept aside-- not gone or out of sight. They were still something to be cautious of, something to keep in the back of her mind should he accept. The hope she had that he would oblige diminished as he rose to his feet, moving to his broken weapon. She believed that he was readying himself to leave, on his own to allow her to piece together the mystery of her sister’s disappearance herself when a look of irritation worked itself way through the distant expression he wore. Ava thought for sure she had struck a nerve, that she had overstepped her bounds, but much to her surprise he had returned to the frustratingly easy going demeanor he possessed before. <br/>
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“You’ll . . . ?” Her green eyes were wide with shock. He was going to help. “I . . . Of course. I’ll treat you to whatever you want.” It wasn’t saying much. It was midnight and while nightlife was in full swing, he wouldn’t be getting five course lobster dinners out of her. There were no shortage of bars and pubs, quiet diners and takeout joints. Anywhere was better than the corpse filled den of shifters. While she wasn’t without more bullets and weapons, her bag was far from her reach. If the Alpha returned, she’d have no other choice but to run without silver. “Come on.” <br/>
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Ava was leading the way, the warmth of the fire leaving her as she moved deeper into the woods. It occurred to her that while she didn’t need to know the intimate details of his past, there were other things that were just as important. “If I ask you a question now, would that qualify under our deal?” She asked. Technically she hadn’t bought him dinner yet. “If I’m going to treat you to a meal, you should at least tell me your name.”</span>