“Seems so.”
“That’s not good. We need to tell the others.”
Grant urges me to continue. “Tell us about your gift. When did it come up?”
Jericho looks down at his hands, like he’s remembering something. “That’s the strange thing. I actually figured it out because of Rip.”
The beta cocks his head. “What do you mean?”
“Did you know he’s a mimic?” Jericho asks.
I can tell by their matching looks of surprise that this is news to them.
Rowen tenses. “For real?”
Jericho nods.
“Shit, that makes so much sense. We’ve been trying to figure out his gift for months, but it was always different. He can really copy others?”
Jericho nods again. “With a simple touch, apparently. Just like Foxx. Maybe he got the gift from Foxx, who knows. But he goaded me into attacking him, and as soon as I did, he started smoking and his skin became white hot. So I let him go, afraid he would burn me. That’s when he shot balls of fire at me and began taunting me. Saying I shouldn’t be afraid of a little fire.” He scoffs, shaking his head like he’s reliving some horrible dream. “It didn’t click until Rip tripped over the other vampire and the smoke stopped. Almost instantly. That’s when I realized he could only do it because of me. He was copying me.”
“Please tell me you blasted him with fire,” Ivy says with weak humor.
Jericho gives her a small smile. “I wish, but I don’t have a clue how to control it, so it was more about me dodging his attempts to burn me than anything.”
“How’d he get away?”
Jericho makes a face. “He used Justice to draw me in, looming over his body. I couldn’t let him bite Justice, so I attacked, which is what he wanted. It gave him the power back. Anyway, we fought, and I don’t know how I did it, but somehow, I choked him with smoke, and that scared him enough to create a portal. That’s when I checked on Justice and knew he wasn’t going to survive long. I could’ve taken him to his pack, but I didn’t want them to blame me, so I... I don’t know. I imagined the front yard, and then I was here.”
Jericho still seems stunned, staring at his hands like they were a foreign object. Then he lets them drop with a resigned sigh. “Just wish I could have done more.”
There’s a heavy moment of silence before Jasmine says, “You did everything you could, Jericho. Everything. Certainly you know we all see that?”
Jericho doesn’t reply.
“You said the other vamp is dead?” Forest asks.
Jericho nods. “I snapped his neck before the fight. Once Rip disappeared, I burned him and brought Justice here.”
“Good. Is there anything else we should know?”
“No, that’s it. I want to apologize for disappearing, though. Rowen’s right. After all you have done for us, I should have told you all this much sooner. I’m sorry.” His tone is thick with guilt.
Jasmine cups his elbow apologetically.
Forest grits his teeth but nods. “I’ll call Merebeth to let her know the vamps are watching the apartment. With any luck, they’ll see how the coven responds to Alden’s death. In the meantime, I think you should practice using your phoenix powers.” His face softens. “It’s an extremely rare gift, Jericho. I hope you know that.”
I look up. “Phoenix?” It’s the first I’ve heard the term.
Forest smiles a little. “It’s my best guess at what his gift is.” At our silence, he adds, “It comes from the Legend of the Phoenix. As you know, fire normally kills a vampire, but with this gift, they’re immune.”
I raise my brows. Immune to fire?
He glances at Jericho. “I am curious how you got it, as all vampire gifts are connected to their human life.”
When he doesn’t explain, I do. “His parents died in a house fire when he was ten. Jericho survived by climbing through a window. Spent the rest of his childhood in foster care until he went away to college.”
“I see. I’m truly sorry to hear that.”
