“Do you have the gun?”
“Y-yeah. I’ll get it.”
He walks toward the door. “Do not leave this house.”
My heart thunders as they disappear, their clothes falling off on the yard as they shift. I go to the van and grab the gun from under theseat where I’d hidden it, then pause to stare at the bed. Pain twists in my gut, making me sick. Just yesterday, Jericho and I were kissing and now…
Will I ever see him again?
“Don’t you die on me, Jer,” I murmur. “Don’t you even think of it. We’re not done yet.”
18
JERICHO
Ididn’t think the view of the Clearwater pack house would get any better, but as I sit here, fifty feet up in a tree at the end of the drive, I’m proven wrong.
They truly have a breathtaking piece of property. Not just their home, but the land too. It’s so spread out and open, with a wide margin of grass all around the house to keep them protected. It means no one can sneak up on them without being seen.
Well, no shifters anyway. Vampires could cross that distance in the blink of an eye.Which is all the more reason for me to be out here…
How can they even afford a place like this? It must cost a fortune.
I tense when I hear a vehicle coming up the road. A black SUV appears and parks in front of the porch. Evan runs out to greet his mom, making my heart ache. I would love to be there for their reunion, but I can’t. I need to be here, keeping watch. Because something…everythingin me is telling me Evelyn’s house was a trap. They’re using her to lure us out, or find out our location. Why else would they let her go without torturing her for information?
The pack welcomes Evelyn with warm smiles, and Jasmine even pulls her in for a hug. Even from this distance, I can tell Evelyn isoverwhelmed. Before they head inside, Evan turns to scan the trees, looking for me. He’s probably pissed that I left without waking him up.
While they disappear inside, Rowen and Ivy stay outside, leaning against the railing and talking like it’s just another day, which is all a part of the plan. I close my eyes and listen, praying I’m not wrong. If Rip did follow Evelyn back, this is our only shot to take him down.
A gust of wind comes from the east, carrying a scent of oil and charcoal. A scent I know well. My body recoils with recognition.Rip.
Cupping my hands around my mouth, I make a dove call in the direction of the house. Rowen fakes a cough to let me know he’s heard, then they both turn to look out across the yard. Only a few seconds later, Ivy shifts and takes off running, her clothes falling away in tattered shreds.
At first glance, I don’t see what she’s chasing. But then, from the opposite side of the road, I spot them—three vampires watching the house. Rip is the closest, standing with one hand on his hip. The other two I don’t recognize. One man, one woman.
When they see Ivy shift, they turn around to run.
Rowen runs inside to tell the others while I leap down to follow Ivy, just as we’d planned. The trees pass in a blur as we run, leaping over roots and rocks. When we reach the creek, Rip veers off to the right, heading north, while the other two go in the opposite direction.
“Ivy, go! Don’t let him get away!”
She disappears, yipping loud signals to her pack. Distant yelps and howls cry out in answer.
The male, a tall man with russet-brown hair, catapults off a nearby boulder before turning midair to land in front of me. His eyes are dark, fangs exposed and gleaming. Before lunging, he tilts his head in recognition. “You.”
I grin. “Me.”
Lunging, I grab his face and snap his neck before tossing him to the ground.
The female vampire shrieks. Her dark eyes erupt with hate, but there is also worry every time she darts a glance at her fallen companion.
I stand over the vampire, waiting. He isn’t dead. We both know that. A vampire can heal from a snapped neck in about twelve minutes. Faster if they recently fed. The only question is, what is she going to do about it? If she comes for him, I’ll take her down as well.
Two shimmering red wings appear from between her shoulder blades, unfurling to be twice the size of her body. Beating them fast, she lifts herself above the ground, just out of my reach.
Well, this is interesting. A vampire… with wings?
Hissing, the woman lunges for me, tucking her wings neatly behind her as she dives. I tuck and roll out of the way, but I’m too slow. A sharp nail slices into my arm, hitting bone before I pull away.Fuck!
