“Right. Good luck with that.” Theo drew out a folded piece of paper. “On to business, then. I tracked down Saul Libscombe, and he has gone underground. While I wouldn’t have thought he’d avenge his brother’s death, who the hell knows? I’d feel better if I could find him.”
Jared sighed and sat back in the booth. “Wonderful.” Chalton had killed Saul’s brother a few days before in self-defense. Yet another long-time family feud that just needed to be resolved, one way or another. “I don’t have time for this nonsense. Both Veronica and Olivia are new mates, and they’re not immortal yet. They’re vulnerable.”
“I know.” Theo took another shot. “That’s why I wanted to track down Saul.”
“Where’s mom?” Jared asked. “She needs shelter until we figure this out.”
“She’s visiting Realm Headquarters,” Theo said with a grimace.
Jared stilled. The Realm was a coalition of vampire, demon, witch, and shifter nations, and it was led by Dage Kayrs, the king. Jared had always remained away from the Realm, although Chalton worked for them. “You’re kidding me. She’s hanging with the king?”
“Yep. Was invited and took right off. Couldn’t wait to get to know the Kayrs family.” Theo shrugged. “Chalton has lived with them for a century. I guess it’s time we got to know his friends.”
“I have enough friends,” Jared growled.
Theo slapped him on the back. “Now you have more. They’re good allies to have, J.”
Maybe. He rubbed his eyes. “All right. Let’s secure Veronica and Olivia at the safe house in Nantucket until we hunt down Saul and see his intentions.”
“The house is ready,” Theo said, his gaze caught by the vodka bottle. “I mean, if your mate is prepared to go underground for weeks, if not months.”
Jared leaned back to study his brother. “She’s my mate. She’ll go where I tell her to go.” While they had an arranged mating, that fact was absolute. Speaking of whom, he should check on her. He reached for his phone and stared at the screen. “Humph.”
Theo looked up. “What?”
Jared bit his lip. “I don’t have her number.”
Theo barked out a laugh. “You don’t have your own mate’s phone number.”
“No.” Jared shook his head. “I should probably get that.”
Theo started laughing too hard to reply.
The door opened, and the hair on the back of Jared’s neck stood up. He slowly turned.
Theo stopped laughing. “Ah, shit,” he muttered.
Jared almost stood, but the woman who’d entered quickly crossed to reach his table. “Ginny,” he said, his mind nearly blanking.
She pushed a red hood off her white-blonde hair, scattering snow. “Jared. I’ve been looking for you.” Her eyes were the clearest blue, and right now, they were scared.
“Where’s your mate?” Theo nearly growled.
She shook her head. “Dead. Nearly a century ago in a witch-shifter battle. We weren’t allies with the shifters then.”
Dead? Her mate was dead? Jared tried to concentrate. Shifters and witches were barely allies now, even though the most current war had ended. Jared studied her. She was so small. Tiny, delicate, and obviously frightened. Where had she been? Why hadn’t she contacted him before now? “Why are you here, Ginny?” he asked, his senses reeling. The woman had broken his heart two centuries ago, and he hadn’t prepared for seeing her again.
“I’ve been on the run and this is the first time I was able to track you down.” Her hand trembling, she reached out to touch his wrist. “I couldn’t find you before.”
Theo leaned back in the booth, irritation sizzling across his skin. “What a coincidence that you’re here now. How did you find him, anyway?”
She turned toward Theo, her gaze dropping. “He just came back on the grid a few days ago. I’ve had feelers out for years, and this was the first chance I’d gotten to find him. Stop being mean, Theo.”
Jared swallowed. Hell. This was crazy. The witch was correct in that he’d been off the grid since he’d given up being a pirate on the high seas. Theo had never liked the woman, for some reason. “Ginny, why are you scared?”
She fumbled with her wrap. “The shifter who killed my former mate is after me. He wants to finish the job.”
Jared’s breath caught. “Former mate?”
