I knew he was ruthless. His actions proved that. Even so, there was a nobleness inside him that couldn’t be denied. Oren hugged me, then, shaking off his self-blame, took charge of the situation.
“I’ll get rid of the body. Then we need to go to your parents and inform them of what’s happened here.”
“We now know that Reverie is in even more danger than we thought.” Zeke ran a hand through his hair.
“When this guy…” Zeke kicked the body, “-doesn’t return with Reverie, she’s going to send someone else.”
“I’ll kill them.” I thought Jet had calmed down, but apparently, I was wrong. The heat in that statement was blazing with hate.
“Let’s not forget you didn’t kill this one.” Nathan taunted him, always ready to throw gasoline on a fire.
Jet’s face turned red, and he pulled a knife from his boot. I screamed, thinking he was going to stab Nathan, but instead, he threw the knife, and it hit Calvin directly in his dead eye.
“Now we’ve both drawn blood.” Jet walked to me, much calmer than just seconds before, and kissed the corner of my mouth.
All of my men watched him with varying degrees of alarm, and even Nathan kept his mouth shut for once. Jet was as insane as the rest of them. Why was I not surprised?
Oren lifted his hand and incinerated the body, likely saving us from having to watch anyone else decide to take a stab at it. The thought made me laugh, and everyone looked at me as if I were the crazy one. I noticed Zane and Nathan adjusting themselves.
I suppose crazy attracted crazy.
Chapter 26
Zeke
We teleported into the living room of Reverie's parents, where Oren took on the task of explaining the situation to them.
Mira and Pantar had stayed behind to comfort the animals and do some scouting. Mira was pissed that her bond’s cub had been in danger on her watch.
“What the hell is that bitch up to?” Sly/Hayes paced around the room, pulling at his hair. The thought of his tormentor trying to take his daughter had sent him into a rage.
Adelaide approached him and started rubbing his back soothingly. “I don’t know, but we’ll stop her. No one messes with my baby.” The expression on her face was chilling. Now that Adelaide had regained the use of most of her abilities, she was a force to be reckoned with once again.
John stood and walked to the bar, poured a glass half full of whiskey, and downed it in one shot.
“You can bet your ass on that. We’ll camp out at the academy if we have to.”
“There’s something else I need to tell you.” Reverie wrung her hands, nervous at the prospect of upsetting her parents even more.
I resisted the urge to go to her because seeing her in distress fucked with me hard. I understood she hated to worry them, but anyone could see how deeply they loved her. I knew they’d want to help her shoulder her burdens, as did the rest of us. That surety was the only thing that stopped me from dragging her into my arms.
“What is it, Tater Tot?” Jesse asked.
Before Reverie could answer him, Zane took matters into his own hands.
“How about we just show you?” My dumbass twin raised his shirt so they could see the blazing yellow sun that Reverie had gifted him.
Of course, Nathan didn’t want Zane to get all the attention, so he raised his shirt, too.
Oren and I exchanged glances, and he shrugged. If we couldn’t beat them, we might as well join them. We both took off our shirts, and he turned to show his back, displaying a bolt of lightning that raced down his spine.
At the sight of our marks: Adelaide gasped, Jesse shook his head in disbelief, Hayes punched the wall, and John dropped down in a chair, the whiskey glass shattering on the floor.
I’m guessing this wasn’t going to be the relaxing weekend I was hoping for.
Jesse and John each grabbed another glass of whiskey, both shaken by this latest development. Adelaide suggested thatwe prepare some lunch and continue our discussions on a full stomach, probably hoping her two Faction members would take the hint and lay off the booze.
I agreed because it was my mission in life to ensure my Nexus was fed. I’m sure Reverie’s parents could use a moment to digest everything we had told them.
