I quickly squeezed my eyes shut, stamping down the tears. “Wow.” I could envision my girls in that room, dressing up as princesses, having tea parties, and entertaining Sam and me for hours on end.
The waterworks opened up in full force.Fuck me.Would we ever be able to live without someone chasing us, fighting, war, and bloodshed?
Her silver eyes probed me, soft yet wary. “Breathe,” Jo said. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”
“No, it wasn’t. I’ll be fine.” I cried through a laugh. “I’m just flipping pissed and sad that we can’t plan for the future.”
I wanted my children to have a quiet upbringing and the opportunity to just be kids. I didn’t want them to live in seclusion like Abbey. The poor ten-year-old didn’t have friends because Webb and Jo kept her hidden. I couldn’t blame them. I was afraid I would be in the exact same boat.
A gentle breeze ruffled Jo’s hair, and she moved wispy strands from her face. “Why not? You could buy this house now, and it will be here for when you need to get away. Just like Webb and I use ours.”
I sat on a cushioned wicker chair. “You’re right.” I puffed out my cheeks. “I’m overwhelmed. I can’t believe how my life has changed in such a short span of time. I married a vampire. I gave birth to quadruplets. I’m separated from my husband. He can’t see his children. He’s wanted by the guardian force. We’re about to fight a war I’m not sure we can win, and there’s a lingering prophecy about one of my babies.” There was more, of course—Intech, the public frenzy, and my crazy family members.
Luckily, my uncle was going to be okay. Jack had worked himself into a nervous breakdown after seeing Noah’s transformation. Then there was my cousin-in-law Carly Aberdeen. She’d had a seizure and suffered a stroke, according to Dr. Vieira. She wasn’t able to talk or write anything down to tell us what had happened to her.
Jo fixated on me with a faraway look in her eyes. I couldn’t tell if she was trying to snoop inside my head or was deep in thought.
If it was the former, she couldn’t read my mind. I’d taken the mind-blocking potion. I loved my sister-in-law and was envious of her talents, but anytime she was reading me, I felt violated. There were memories and thoughts I wanted to keep private along with the intimacy between Sam and me.
I understood why Sam got irritated whenever Jo was reading his mind. Plus, it was exhausting having to consciously erect a mental shield when I was with her. I’d complained to Sam about this, and he’d given me his stash. I was elated that the bitter-tasting concoction took effect instantly. It was definitely a freeing moment to finally have my thoughts to myself.
I waved a hand in front of her. “Jo, did I say something to upset you?” I had been a mood buster lately.
Her long lashes swept over her cheeks as she blinked. “You reminded me of when my foster dad stabbed me.”
My features twisted and scrunched in every direction. “How does that incident connect with what I just vomited up?”
She snickered. “In a way, I’ve been in your shoes. That night I ended up in the hospital with stitches in my face”—she traced a faint outline of the scar on her cheek—“my life changed by the minute. Men with fangs chased Sam and me, I had to turn vampire to save my brother, and I met my father for the first time. I couldn’t tell you how many times I was kidnapped and used as a lab rat or killed enemies. I never had a chance to fully breathe until Edmund Rain was dead. The point is, Layla”—she regarded me with a weak smile—“wewilltake down our enemies. But it won’t happen overnight. So in between, you need to daydream and fill your well with happiness. The more you do, the more your dreams will come true.” Her confidence was erasing my moodiness.
“As for the prophecy,” she said. “I’m hoping Kendra can shed some light when we finally connect with her or at least locate your mother’s family tree that my uncle has in his data collection. If the people on that tree are alive, we can surely find the answers we’re both looking for.”
I hadn’t had a chance to respond or weigh in when a prickly feeling spread through my thighs as if it was a warning of sorts. Odd. I’d never felt the tingling sensation as if I’d touched a live electrical wire in my thighs before. I’d only ever had a similar feeling in my stomach, right before a banshee scream.
As I rubbed my legs, I spotted Conrad rushing up to George, who was standing by the dining table and reading from his phone. Suddenly, Conrad shouted my name.
Razors of fear cut into my skin as I hurried inside. “What’s wrong?”
“We need to go. A guardian is on his way to the house,” Conrad said.
Ah, fuck. So much for daydreaming.
After a nail-biting car ride that felt like an hour but was only ten minutes, I was sprinting into the house behind Conrad and George. I wasn’t sure why I was nervous. Sam wasn’t on the premises. Or maybe he was, and I didn’t know it.
A tall, dark-haired imposing vampire was standing in front of the kitchen island while Jordyn, Rebekah, and Abbey sat on a couch near the fireplace staring at the guardian.
The air crackled with tension.
Rebekah rose, setting her golden-yellow gaze on me. “The babies are sleeping,” she said as if she was trying to ease my anxiety. “This is Norman Collier, a guardian for the council. He’s here to ask about Sam.”
Jo came in behind me and went over to sit by Abbey as Jo stared at the guardian, no doubt trying to read his mind.
Mr. Collier straightened as he handed Conrad his badge. “I have orders to check out the house and town for Sam Mason.”
“What makes you think Sam is here?” I asked, even though I was sure the council was covering their bases. If the tables were turned, I would scope out the area if I knew where my perp’s family was.
Collier’s dark eyes were hollow, his mouth tight, and a muscle jumped along his jaw as he stared right through me. “I don’t think anything. I’m only following orders.”
I shivered as the hairs on the back of my neck rose.
