My eyes widen. Holy shit. He’s right. “Your portals.”
He nods.
“We can portal in, surprise them, and portal out if we need to.”
Jericho nods again.
“But, wait. Don’t you need to know where to go?”
Jericho’s expression hardens, and he carefully avoids eye contact, his attention still on the mark. “I’ll get us in there, don’t worry.”
I swallow the last bite before reaching for him. Jericho brushes his lips over the mark, sending tingles down my spine. “You’re officially mine,” he whispers. “Do you have any idea how good that feels?”
I realize he’s crying and reach up to wipe the tears away.
“I’ve loved you for so long, Evan. It feels like a dream that this… that you…” He shakes his head.
I kiss him. “I’ve loved you for a long time too, Jer. I just didn’t realize it. Whatever happens, that won’t change. Okay? We belong together.”
He folds his arms around me, holding me for a long time before we head downstairs.
When we get to the living room, Jericho and I come to an abrupt stop. The tension in the air is palpable. Forest paces the room with a phone to his ear.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Forest called the other packs to relay everything Kaine told us, but Merebeth didn’t answer. He tried Anders’ phone, and they didn’t answer either.”
I shake my head. “Okay?”
“Anders is her second in command, and they’re supposed to be on duty at the apartment tonight. One of them is supposed to answer if someone calls, no matter what.”
Jericho stiffens. “You think something happened?”
Red exchanges a look with his mate. “We don’t know. That’s what we’re trying to figure out.” His eyes skate down to my throat, just above my collarbone. When he lifts his gaze again, he gives me a small knowing grin.
My cheeks heat. Soon everyone will know that Jericho claimed me. Good.
“Bronson has two men already in Prodigy. They’re going there now,” Forest says.
“How long?”
“Five minutes, tops. They’re going to call as soon as they know.”
I follow Jericho further into the room, standing beside the dining table where Grant, Rowen, and everyone else waits restlessly.
Grant clenches his jaw when he sees us. “Are you okay, Evan?”
I give him a smile. “I’m fine. Where’s Kaine?”
“Locked in the cellar. Neal is watching him.”
“Will it hold him?”
He nods. “It’s infused with magic. He won’t get out.”
Unease settles in the pit of my stomach. Kaine came to us for help. He told us he has a friend trapped in the building with Foxx, and he wanted our help to get her out. Was that a lie?
If so, then what about his family? If what he said is true about Foxx raping and killing his mother, then wouldn’t he have just as much reason to hate these vampires as we do? We’re all acting reacting with our emotions. What if Kaine only did what he did because he was afraid for his friend?
