“Miss me?”
He stumbled forward and squeezed me against his chest in the tightest hug he could manage. The scent of his blood pumping through his veins was savory, but I swallowed the craving and inhaled his strong cologne scent, letting out a breath of relief as my eyes burned with tears from his cologne fumes.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
He pulled away, gripping my shoulders as he stared at me through glossy eyes. “Lil? Is it really you? You look so…”
“Different?” I finished. “Yeah. I’ve changed a lot.”
He shook his head, blinking rapidly as the tears rolled down his cheeks. “Doesn’t matter. You’re alive and it’s a fucking miracle.”
My lips stretched into a smile. “You have no idea.”
“Meow!”A black blur of fluff zipped toward me and leaped into my chest.
“Jax!” I caught him and brought him in for a snuggle.
“He’s missed you more than anyone,” Hunter said. “He’s refused to let anyone comfort him or go anywhere near your stuff. He acted feral before anyone had found your car. Like he knew something had happened before anyone else did.”
Jax purred, nuzzling his face in my chest and up to my neck. An influx of lavender invaded my nostrils. It was like someone had sprinkled lavender essential oil all over his fur.
I scrunched my nose up and continued rubbing under his chin. “I’ve missed you so much, Jax.”
“We’ve all lost our minds. Everyone’s together tonight to talk about you.” Gripping my wrist, he yanked me inside and shut the door.
I held Jax in one arm as I staggered behind Hunter like a puppy toward the living room, focusing on anything but the delicious scent of blood and hearts pumping like a soundtrack in my fucking skull.
The decor was all the same through the foyer and hall: neutral brown tones with white trim. It was a comforting detail, but my breath caught as Hunter pushed me into the doorway of the spacious room. My throat scorched with the need to drink blood, and I pulled in a lungful of oxygen.
I can do this.
Mia Whitlock, my sweet mother, was sitting on the loveseat with her ginger hair pulled into a bun, her carotid artery visibly pulsing with the steady beat of her heart. She nodded her head as she listened to something Dean was telling her.
Dragging my eyes off her neck, I tried to direct my attention to what they were doing. Dean sat on the sofa next to Corbin, who had his head down as he fiddled with his thumbs.
As Dean threw his hands around in a grand gesture, his gaze locked with mine, and he froze. A weird hum came from his throat like he was trying to form impossible words.
“Dean, honey?” Mom snapped her fingers at him before following his gaze to me.
Her eyes widened for a split second before a cry left her lips. I’d never seen that woman move as fast as she did when she got to her feet, ran over, and threw her arms around me.
Jax hopped down with a protest, and I held my breath, hugging her back gently, blinking back tears of remorse and from the pain of hunger.
Fuck. I drank three blood bags before coming here.
As I took a cautious breath, her comforting fragrance wafted into my senses. Her smell hadn’t changed since I was a child. “I’ve missed you, Momma.”
“Oh, Lilith, baby. I’ve missed you more.” She pulled back and sobbed. “What on earth happened to you? Your hair and your skin...”
The salty smell of tears assaulted me from every direction. I glanced around to see everyone with tears streaming down their faces.
I wanted to step forward, but Jax was all tangled up in ankle rubs.
Hunter stood close behind me with tears glistening in his eyes. “I’d like to know that too.”
Dean hadn’t moved from his spot on the sofa. “There was so much blood, Lil. Too much blood for you to be alive.”
Corbin’s light brown hair was a total mess, sticking up every which way, and his hazel eyes were wide with tears filling them.
