Jericho shoves his hands into his pockets. “I don’t know what he wants,” he admits. “But he hasn’t left me alone.”
“He must want something. It’s been ten months.”
He sighs. “Foxx found me about three days after I was turned. He cornered me after I… never mind.” Jericho cups both hands on his face in a tight hold. “He held my face and stared at me, like he was waiting for something to happen. But then he just grinned and said one word: Definitely.”
I shake my head, confused. “What does that mean? Definitely what?”
Jericho shrugs. “I didn’t stay to find out. He let go of me for a second, and I took off. Two of his men chased me, but by some miracle I got away. He’s been after me ever since.”
“Why didn’t you kill him?”
He scoffs. “Taking downthreevamps is not as easy as you think. I only got away because I was high on blood.” His voice goes up a pitch, like the admission pained him. But it confirms a suspicion I already had. Vamps are most powerful right after feeding.
I reach for his arm again, and this time, Jericho doesn’t pull away. When he finally looks at me, I meet his gaze and leave no room for doubt about where I stand. “Foxx needs to pay for what he did to you. And I don’t care what it takes, but I’m going to make sure that happens, okay?”
His expression hardens. “You can’t,Evan. You’re human. You shouldn’t even be in this mess! Now that they know you’re connected to me? They’ll torture you and probably kill you if you go anywhere near them.”
I shake my head. “They won’t get to me if we stick together.”
The muscle in his jaw flares. “You aren’t hearing me. You need to stay far, far away from them.”
“So do you, from the sounds of it! So let’s stick together until we can come up with a plan to take them down.”
Without warning, Jericho snaps his head to the left. “We should leave. It’s not safe out here.”
I can’t hear or see anything in the dark forest, but his posture stiffens. All I can see is my exhausted friend who hasn’t caught a break in ten months… or longer.
So much longer.
“Let me drive,” I say.
“What?”
“You look like you haven’t slept in weeks. Let me drive. I’ll keep going until I run out of gas or get tired. Then we can switch. Okay?”
For a moment, I think he’s going to argue, but to my surprise, he hands me the keys. Either he agrees with me, or he really is that tired.
Before he turns away, I pull him toward me, unable to resist hugging him. It’s all I’ve wanted to do since he busted through my door.
Jericho hesitates before folding his arms around me. I pour everything into that hug, trying to tell him how much I’ve missed him. How much I still care for him. That no matter what, he’s still my best friend.
“You’re no killer, Jericho. You hear me? I refuse to see you that way. And I’m so fucking sorry for what happened to you.”
This time, when he tucks his face against my neck, I get the sense it’s more for comfort than anything else. His breath shudders slightly before he calms. When we break apart, he looks a little more like himself.
We climb back into the van, and I drive for a long time while Jericho sleeps in the back. It gives me time to think. To process. Because there is so much to wrap my head around. I’d suspected, ever since Davey told me, that Jericho was turned by force. He’s never been super keen on vampires, and he sure as fuck never seemed comfortable around them. So I always suspected whatever happened wasn’t his own choice. But that? To be coerced into bed and stripped of his humanity at the same time?
It makes my blood boil. If I ever meet that asshole…
No. I won’t meet him. Because I am going to make damn sure Foxx never gets anywhere near Jericho again, no matter what. I know I’m only human, but I’d rather die than see my best friend hurt again.
I drive aimlessly along the highway and let my thoughts wander through the early morning, only pulling off when I can’t keep my eyes open any more. Climbing into the back, I prepare to wake Jericho up for his turn to drive, but his back is pressed against the wall on the soft mattress, and he looks so peaceful. I can’t bring myself to bother him. Besides, there’s enoughroom for me.
Gently, I lay down next to him and close my eyes, falling asleep within seconds.
5
JERICHO
