My grip loosened around Hannes’s body a moment before he unceremoniously dropped me on the sofa in the back, sitting beside me while the others finished chuckling.
“You all better sleep with one eye open,” I warned, reigniting their chuckles.
“Fucking assholes…”Star growled.
“Ditto.”My fucking heart was still racing out of my chest.“Wait!” I suddenly realized someone was missing. “Where is Isis? We can’t leave without her, or Bjørn.” They were a package deal, I’d noticed.
“She can’t come with us this time,” Hannes explainedwhile one of the servants entered the helicopter with my black box in his hands.
“Lady, Natash-I’m sorry, Lady Natalia, you dropped this.” With a kind smile, he handed it to me.
“Thank you,” I offered, taking the box and placing it next to me. “What do you mean she can’t come?” I asked, glancing at Hannes, Dante, and André.
“We can’t stay here,” André answered instead, his voice soft. “It’s not safe for you anymore.”
He was right, and I should have realized that already.
I needed to sharpen my senses, my mind, and be more prepared for what might come now. It was the only way I could protect Natasha and Star. They were my responsibility now, so that meant I had to get my Vampiress shit together sooner rather than later.
“Well, I’m not going wherever it is you want to take me without Isis.” I stood. “I’m not leaving Natasha’s second mother behind. She’s going to need her when?—”
Coming to my side, Dante handed a cell phone to me. His amused smirk was gone, a loving gaze replacing it. “It’s Isis.”
“Hello?” Her face popped up on the screen the moment I grabbed the phone.
“Hey,” I answered, giving them all my back. “Why aren’t you in the helicopter with us?”
“I’m sorry. I can’t go with you this time, baby girl. I’m low-key sad because I want to be there.”
“Why?” My voice lowered, trying to make the conversation at least a bit private but it was futile.
“I’m the only one here to take care of Dresden’s business. I legit can’t, I’m sorry. The North American pack depends on Dresden, and without him here, I had to take over.”
“Can you do it from wherever we are going? If it’s not safe for us here, it’s not safe enough for you either. And I don’t feel comfortable with that.”
A tender smile captured her entire face, eyes shining as though it touched her that I was worried about her.
“Do you forget I have aViking, Fae, Vampire, Ether-traveling Brutewith me at all times?”
Bjørn’s face pushed its way into the frame, wiggling his eyebrows at me. “Hi, I’m theViking, Fae, Vampire, and Ether-traveling Brutein question.”
My lips quivered, but I narrowed my eyes playfully at him instead. “No, I didn’t forget you, Bjørn. How could I? You are unique and impossible to duplicate.”
“You kind of forgot, though.”
“Shut up, Star. It was only at first, I remembered him after.”
“Do you really think he would let anything happen to me?” Isis added, chuckling at her mate’s shenanigans.
No. I wouldn’t. He never stopped searching for her after they rescued Natasha.
“I’d sooner die, dearie.” Bjørn winked, placing a kiss on her temple.
It wasn’t so much the statement but the love in his voice that told me he meant it.
“He’s so dramatic,” Isis rolled her eyes. “I’ll be fine. And Bjørn can take me to see you at any moment… Don’t worry about me, okay? There is no danger for me here.”
“They’ll be safe,”Star added softly, feeling my unease.
