After hed drunk Sorins blood, hed considered himself strong. Hed been a fool. This was strength. A warm cascade that shimmered through him, lighting him up like a house at Christmas. His eyes closed as he savored.
The fog that had seemed to attach itself to his mind disappeared completely. His cells fizzed as if they were dancing with champagne. All the remaining aches and pangs from the fight with Sorin vanished. His muscles plumped up, and he might even have shot up an inch or two.
Junior purred his satisfaction, and like a baby whod just gotten a bottle at bedtime, he slipped back to sleep.
Aden, though, well, he just wanted more.
No more for you, Julian said, conjuring the Soup Nazi.
How had the soul known what Aden was thinking? Had he said the words aloud? Was he staring at Victorias neck? Wait. How could he be staring? His eyes were still closed.
He focused, realized he had dropped the cup and latched onto Victorias arms. Was pulling her closercloser
Jolting out of his stupor, he released her. Backed away. Maxwell and Nathan were watching him with unease.
Later, he would see the world through Victorias eyes. No healing sleep would stop it from happening. Would he also continue to want her blood, and only hers? If so, who cared?
Becauseand here was the clincherhaving her was worth the risk of addiction. He would endure anything to be with her, to have her blood. Everything that had ever bothered him and more.
Victoria shifted from one foot to the other. He was still staring at her, he realized. He lowered his gaze, and thats when he caught sight of her wrist. Though she wore a long-sleeved robe, the material had pulled back to reveal a wound stretching from one side to the other.
Shed cut herself, and recently, but she hadnt healed.
Why hadnt she healed? For that matter, her hand had been cold earlier. Her hand had never been cold before.
Are you okay? he asked her.
No. She held her phone in front of his face. Look what came in.
He read the screen. Tulsa. St. Marys. Dying. Hurry.
Thats from Riley, she said, chin trembling as she fought her tears.
Thats not from Riley, Elijah said.
How do you know? Aden asked.
Because hes been
Sorry. He held up his hand. Elijah knows something. Hang on.
She nodded, both worried and hopeful.
First, the soul continued, deductive reasoning. If Riley was dying, he would not have typed so perfectly. And do you see any misspellings? No. Second, I just had a vision of Tucker typing those words.
As the bottom of Adens stomach fell out, he told the group what Elijah had said.
Then, he turned his attention inward again. What else did you see? Show me. Please.
You wont like it.
Do it anyway.
Silence. Such oppressive silence.
A sigh. As you wish.
A moment later, Adens knees nearly buckled. In his mind he saw Riley strapped to a gurney, his skin the color of death and a gaping wound in one of his calves.
Mary Ann was also strapped to a gurney and being wheeled into an ambulance. An ambulance clearly marked St. Marys. She wore a pair of jeans and a bra, and she, too, had a gaping wound. Only, hers was in her shoulder. Someone had obviously tried to clean her up, because she was streaked with dried blood, patches of blue-tinted skin between the crimson.
Paramedics were pumping her chest, but she wasnt responding.
Tucker might have typed those words, but he wasnt lying, Aden croaked out. Theyre hurt. Badly. If his friends died If theyd already died
Whats wrong with Riley? Maxwell demanded.
Aden explained what hed seen.
The brothers cursed, dropping so many F-bombs Aden soon lost count. Victoria pressed her knuckles into her mouth, but a sob still managed to escape. Could Tucker have killed the witches, then turned his sights on Riley and Mary Ann? Nathan asked. Hes part demon, and he can cast illusions. So, if anyone could defeat a coven of witches, its him.
Caleb dropped a few sobbing F-bombs of his own, each one directed at Tucker.
Tucker wouldnt have been able to defeat Riley, Maxwell said.
Aden had to concentrate to hear past the sounds in his head. Whatever happened, we have to get to St. Marys. He didnt know a lot about the shifters, but what would happen if the paramedics discovered something different about Riley? Can you teleport us, Victoria?
To Tulsa? Yes, Caleb said, rousing himself from his anger and grief. Well go to Tulsa. Well investigate. Well savage Tucker if he did this.
The thought of vengeance was like a shot of adrenaline, Aden supposed.
All the color drained from Victorias cheeks. N-no. Ive been meaning to tell you Her gaze flicked to the shifters. My, uh, brotherwhatever he did to me must still be affecting my ability. I cant. But maybe, I dont know, you can.
Me? Hed never tried, had no idea how to begin and didnt want to waste time learning when he might not possess the ability anyway. No, well drive.
There was a knock at the door, then hinges were squeaking as the beautiful Maddie entered. She wore the same expression shed worn the day shed told him about Sorins visit.
I dont know why Ive been chosen to be the bearer of bad news again, she began, licking her lips in agitation, but your human friends have returned, majesty.
I dont have time to deal with them. Tell them to go home and Ill
You need to speak with them, Elijah cut in with an urgent tone. Now.
But the witches
Have to wait, Aden said, cutting Caleb off with the same sense of urgency in his voice. Im sorry. A muscle ticked below his eye as he motioned to Maddie to lead the way. Take me to them.
Down the stairs, around several corners and into the foyer they went. There stood Seth, Ryder and Shannon. All of whom were covered in soot, smoke practically rising from their shoulders.
What happened? he demanded.
The ranch, Seth began, then stopped to cough.
B-burned down, Shannon finished. Every b-bit of it. N-nothing left.
Aden stiffened. Dan? Meg?
Alive, but injured, both of them, Ryder said. And theyre only alive because Sophia got them out.
Sophia, Dans favorite dog. Dont react. Not yet. One reaction would lead to another, and he couldnt break down right now. He had to stay strong. But too much was going wrong all at once. Too many bad things piling up, weighing him down. Crushing him.
Looking so weary Aden wondered how he was even standing, Shannon massaged the back of his neck. Tears had dried on his cheeks, streaking through the soot. S-Sophia didnt make it, though. Neither did Brian.
Brian, another boy whod lived at the ranch. Hed never been a close friend, but still, Aden would not have wished such a death on him.
Terry and RJ are moving out ahead of schedule. States gonna break the rest of us up, Ryder said, and thats when the fatigue hit him. He hunched over, breath emerging heavily. Theyre gonna send us to other homes. Maybe prison. Cops will think one of us set the fire.
Did you? Nathan asked.
Seth erupted, getting in his face. No, we sure as hell didnt. That ranch was our home. Dan was the only person who ever cared about any of us. We would not have hurt him. Ever.
So, who did that leave? Tucker? But even a demon couldnt be in two places at once.
My father, Victoria whispered, horrified. Hes begun to strike at you, I think. Which means hes getting stronger.
Yeah, Aden suddenly thought so, too. No longer were the boys safe. But if they ran, theyd look guilty of the crime. Plus, Vlad could clearly track them wherever they went.
There was only one place theyd be safe. Here.
Everyone was watching him, awaiting orders. Or answers. The burden of protecting them, all of them, was profound. Hed accepted the challenge, though, and won, so the burden was his to carry.
Maddie, he said, turning to the girl. Bring Sorin to me.
She nodded and was off, her black robe floating behind her.
As soon as Victorias brother rounded the far corner, headed in his direction, Aden started throwing out more orders. Youre in charge, Sorin. Just dont get used to the position. Ive gotta take off for a bit. Spread the word, he told Maddie. Maxwell, Nathan, youre coming with me and Victoria to Tulsa. The humans are staying here. They arent to be hurt.
Im g-going with you, Shannon said, the picture of stubbornness.
The vampires and shifters gasped at his daring. Seth and Ryder just looked confused by their reaction.
Wasnt worth arguing over. Besides, it might be nice to have a human by his side.
Wait. Had he really just referred to his friend as a human? He was even thinking like a vampire now. Hes coming with us, Aden amended. And I changed my mind. So are Seth and Ryder. That way, he wouldnt have to worry about leaving them here. Sorin, let everyone know the Draven/Victoria fight is on hold until I return. I want to watch it, and I cant do that if Im gone. Anyone who says this is a ploy to save Victoria from a beating
Will be punished, the warrior said. I know how this works.
Send a few of the shifters to Crossroads High. I want the building guarded day and night. Just in case Vlad tried to strike at him that way, too. And I want someone protecting Mary Anns dad at all times, too. No chances.
Sorin nodded, clearly happy with the turn of events. It will be done.
Aden still wasnt sure he could trust the warrior, but he didnt know what else to do. Either Sorin was actually working for his father, here to spy on Aden, or would fight his father more fervently than anyone else and help Adens cause.
Elijah hadnt protested, so Aden wouldnt worryoverly much.
All right, he said, turning to his friends. Lets go save Riley and Mary Ann.
If it isnt too late, Elijah said now.
Unless you have something productive and positive to add, Aden told him, dont speak again. Another cryptic warning would only grind him further into the dirt.
Elijah remained silent the entire drive to Tulsa.
TWENTY
ST. MARYS. A SPRAWLING SET of buildings both long and high, with orange sandstone and countless windows. A large white cross stretched from the center of the tallest structure, which was situated in the center. Cars littered the parking lot, people coming and going in every direction.
Aden sat in the passenger seat of the black SUV Maxwell had produced back at the mansion, studying the entrances and exits, every face that passed him, all while searching for any landmark that didnt quite fit the scene. If Tucker were casting an illusion, he wanted to know.
Nothing seemed out of place. No one watched him.
He supposed, after the Red Robe Massacre, two injured teenagers werent news. Unless the police suspected they were somehow connected. Either way, Mary Ann and Riley were going to be questioned. If they hadnt been already. Guards were going to be stationed outside their doors.
Come on. Lets do what we came to do, Caleb said, impatient, so that we can do what I need to do. He wasnt crying about the witches anymore, but he was pissed. The cold kind of pissed where the need for vengeance seethed.
Aden preferred the tears. At least the soul hadnt tried to take over his body again.
Not yet, he muttered, and everyone in the car leaned forward, expecting an order. Souls, he explained.
A chorus of disappointed ohs filled the car. They were ready to act, too, but he wasnt going into this thing blind. They would have a plan and take every precaution.
You know, this place looks familiar, Julian said.
It should. Aden had been born here, and the souls had died here.
A wave ofsomething swept through him. Sadness, maybe. Fear. If Julian remembered how hed died, whod hed been, he could leave. Forever. Aden had always thought thats what he wantedtime alone, the ability to concentrateuntil hed lost Eve.
Well, it doesnt look familiar to me, Caleb snapped. But maybe that means I need a closer look. Hint. HINT.
What do you think youll find inside, Caleb? The witch bodies?
Yes. No. I dont know, okay. But it wouldnt hurt to check out the morgue, or, if the police suspect Riley and Mary Ann of being involved, getting a peek at their notes.
Morgue, Julian echoed, a hollow edge to his tone. I dont want a closer look at it. I dont want to fight anyone in there. Im creeped out. I want to leave.
Yeah. The moment Aden stepped foot inside the morgue, crossing the living-people-reside-here/dead-people-belong-here threshold, every body in the room would reanimate and rise. Attack. Hed have to remove their heads to kill themagainand just how would he explain that? No, thanks.
Elijah must not have had anything productive or positive to offer, because he didnt chime in.
Aden scrubbed a hand down his face, wishing hed kept his own lips shut back at the mansion and not lashed out at the psychic. Elijah had only wanted to help him.
With my abilities, I cant risk going in there, Aden admitted to the others. Maxwell, Nathan, how good are you at tracking?
The best. Maxwell, the driver, twisted and eyed his brother, who sat directly behind him. You bring the stuff?
Hell, yeah, Nathan said, lifting a nylon bag hed stuffed under his seat. Always.
They shared a semblance of a grin.
Well find them, no problem, Maxwell said to Aden. And no one will suspect us of anything, even if we smack into a cop.
Explain.
Why dont I take it to the next level and show? Nathan unzipped the bag, reached inside and tossed Maxwell a pair of sunglasses. As Maxwell pushed them over his nose, Nathan pulled out a few others things and then, right there in the car, he shimmied out of his clothes and morphed into his wolf form.
Seth, Shannon and Ryder dove over the backseat, into the trunk space, and pressed themselves against the window.