No one hurts her. No one. Such a killing rageblooming inside himso strong he wasnt sure how he could contain ithad never experienced anything like itnot even when hed fought Sorinwas going to detonate
Whats happening to us? Julian asked, barely audible as Junior roared and roared and roared.
Aden threw himself into the fray, batting Riley away with one hand and grabbing Tucker by the shirt with the other. His momentum gave him strength, and he was able to spin, slamming Tucker against the wall, then the floor, and pinning him in place.
Sensing his opportunity to strike, Junior burst from his skin, the roaring now directed at Tucker. Junior wasnt solidyetand caused no damage as he tried to bite. Tucker just lay there, taking the abuse. He looked as if he were smuggling golf balls under his eyelids, and a couple of his teeth were missing.
Riley must have gained his bearings because he was beside Aden a few seconds later. Junior had already decided Tucker belonged to him and wrenched around, snipping at Riley, teethsolid nowslicing through his arm.
The shifter reared back, and Junior returned his attention to Tucker. Saliva dripped from sharpened fangs.
Tucker smiled. Rememberpromise he managed to get out. Protectbrother.
Aden tried to rise, but it was too late. Junior had slipped from him completely, and attacked, feasting. Not once did Tucker struggle. And then, his head lulled to the side. His eyes were open, staring into nothing. Glassy, dull. His pulse stopped thumpingbecause he had no neck left.
Suddenly sound whooshed back. Aden heard a male screama bloodcurdling sound that echoed throughout the room, though no one in the room was screaming. He could hear Juniors snarls as he ate. Could hear Riley panting. Could hear Mary Ann fighting sobs. Could hear Victorias shallow breaths.
He couldnt face any of them. Not yet. If Junior decided to turn on them
Riley, get the girls out of here. Aden wrapped his arms around his beast, holding for all he was worth. Now.
Where and when should we meet you?
Ill call you and let you know. Now go. Before it was too late.
A pause. Footsteps. The squeak of door hinges. He stayed where he was until Junior had eaten everything. He could feel the beasts pleasure and satisfaction. Then the beasts discomfort from overindulgence.
What did I just let happen? he whispered, even as he petted Junior behind the ears.
Tucker wanted to die, Elijah said, sadness dripping from the words. Vlad cant use his brother against him if hes dead.
I know. And Tucker needed to be stopped, but not this way. All Adens threats aside, not this way.
These things happen, Caleb said. He didnt sound sorry or upset but vindicated.
Really? Julian sniped, because I dont remember anything like this happening before.
Aden continued to pet Junior, and the beast allowed it, not even trying to attack. Junior even fell asleep, his body misting before seeping back into Adens pores.
He lay there for a long while, Tuckers blood pooling around him, soaking into his clothes, his hair. Hed known Junior was dangerous. But thisthered been no controlling him, no reining him in.
That couldnt happen again.
You can ward yourself, as the other vampires do, Elijah said. The ward will help keep Junior inside you. Help keep him calm, quiet.
Uh, why are you so despondent? Julian asked. Controlling that monster is a good thing.
Yes, but the ward will quiet us, too.
What? Julian.
What! Caleb.
We will be aware, as Junior will be aware, but we will have no voice. Not any longer. No, dont protest, any of you. I knew we would reach this point. And I wanted to be sure Aden could exist without us. He can. Youre strong enough, Aden. Smart enough.
So well just fade into the background? Caleb asked, incredulous. Upset.
Thats not fair, Julian said.
Life never is.
So. Aden was supposed to choose between controlling his beastwho could emerge and kill everyone he lovedand destroying his dearest friends. No, life wasnt fair.
He sat up, saying grimly, Right now, Juniors content and maybe even battling a case of indigestion. Nothing needs to be decided right now.
What do you mean, nothing needs to be decided? There shouldnt be anything to decide, Caleb said.
Aden ignored him, couldnt yet deal with him. Lets get cleaned up, find the others and pay Tonya another visit.
We dont have a car, Julian said, everything else forgotten at the mention of hiswifes?name.
We dont need one, Elijah replied. Not anymore.
TWENTY-NINE
BY THE TIME ADEN TEXTED to set the meeting place and time, Riley had already procured another room, was cleaned and bandaged, Victoria was awake, showered and changed, and she was pretty bruised up. Mary Ann was showered, changed and pissed. At herself, as well as everyone around her.
Tucker was dead, killed in the most violent, vile way, and no one seemed to care. She hadnt thought she would care. Hed caused so much pain and sufferingand would have caused more. But part of her mourned him. Mourned the boy shed once known. The boy who had treated her with respect and kindness and made her feel pretty. The boy who would never know his kid.
How was she going to break this to Penny? Shed have to call, have to tell her. Just not now. Maybe after her own grief had settled.
Mary Ann didnt blame Aden for what had happened. If he hadnt killed the boy, Riley would have. There was simply no middle ground with these creatures. It was either kill or be killed.
What had happened to a good old-fashioned locked-away-for-the-rest-of-eternity punishment?
Adding to her sense of anger was Rileys treatment of her. Yes, hed offered his beast, but she never would have taken it had she been coherent.
If Riley wanted to end things with her, he could end things with her. However, he was going to have to tell her straight out. No more giving her the silent treatment, then defending her honor with such fury, as if he still cared. No more keeping her at a distance, then looking at her as if shed make a tasty snack.
If things were over, things were over. She needed to knowand cut all ties.
She loved him, she wanted him in her life, but she deserved to be treated right. Thats why shed broken up with Tucker, because he hadnt treated her right. She couldnt change her mind about that now, just because she craved Riley more than her next breath.
She wouldnt die without him. She knew that. She would miss him, yes, and would probably cry herself to sleep for weeks. But in the end, she would be okay. Right?
Next time she got Riley alone, they were going to hash this out.
They walked the few blocks to the meeting place, the parking lot of a deserted warehouse. Not much traffic this way, which was always a good thing. The sun was setting, shadows cast in every direction. Another good thing.
I wonder if Aden is Victoria began, then stopped on a gasp.
Aden simply appeared. In a blink, he was hunched over and fighting for breath.
He could teleport. He. Could. Teleport. When the heck had that happened?
Thatsa little moredifficult than Iimagined, he panted.
Aden! Victoria rushed to him.
He straightened, and by the time she reached him, his arms were open to her. She threw herself at him, and he hugged her tight, burying his face in her neck. She winced a little, obviously hurting from her injuries.
Are you okay? he asked her. Having almost lost each other must have trumped whatever hed been angry about.
Yes. Just a little bump on the head when Tucker threw me into the wall. Are you?
Im fine. Im sorry I was so mad at you. I should have
No. Im sorry I didnt tell you before. I cant believe
I was jealous, but if Id just stopped
Lord above, they were talking over each other, making eavesdropping very difficult.
Victoria cupped his cheeks. You have no reason to be jealous, I promise. It was a onetime thing, and it will never happen again. It wasnt even very good.
Mary Ann had no idea what they were blabbering about, but Riley must have because he mumbled something about not his fault and better than good, as always.
Took a moment, but something clicked inside Mary Anns head. Onetime thing. Never happen again. Not very good. Better than good.
Sex.
Glaring, she wheeled around. The wind blew, causing several strands of hair to Swan Lake over his eyes. He had his arms crossed over his chest, the pose casual and unconcerned.
You told me the two of you had never been involved! She threw the words at him as if they were weapons.
To his credit, he didnt pretend not to know what she was asking. We slept together one time. Thats not exactly an involvement.
Then what was? Is there anyone you havent slept with?
There was no change in his blasé expression. He shrugged. Just an unlucky few, but that just means I havent met them yet.
Really? Youre using sarcasm now? Really?
What do you want me to say, Mary Ann?
When did it happen? Tell me that much.
Before I met you.
And that made it okay? What about before you dated her sister?
A nod, as if he didnt hearor didnt careabout her disgust. Yes. Before then. Ive never cheated on a girlfriend, and I never will, so this argument is pointless. Pointless.
Screw you, she said. Then, Oh, wait. Fifty percent of the people in this circle already have! Her math was off, but she didnt care. No wonder shed always been so jealous when she watched him with Victoria. No wonder the pair was always at ease with each other. Theyd seen each other naked! And once tasted, forbidden fruit was that much easier to taste a second time. And a third.
Mary Ann was proof of that. How many times had she made out with Riley when she shouldnt have?
Look, it was awkward, all right? Now he was the one throwing words like weapons. Like she said, theres not going to be a repeat performance.
Again, as if that made everything okay. Why dont I sleep with Aden, then, and well see how pointless
Riley leaned down, getting in her face, all hint of placating her gone. You will not sleep with Aden. There was so much fury in the undercurrents of his rasping voice, she felt the brush of it all the way to the bone.
She could only blink in surprise. Now, here was a reaction she hadnt expected from him. It meant he still cared about what she didand who she did it with. Why? Because Im still your girlfriend?
A moment passed. The fury melted, and he straightened, gathered his wits. II dont know. Neither one of us is the same person we were a few weeks ago. Honesty. Well, that she had expected, and now she wanted more. Just say it, she said, forcing the issue despite their rapt audience. Please dont. Please dont say were through. That were over, done.
A muscle ticked below his eye. A sign of his upset, and something that had happened quite frequently lately. Im practically human. I cant protect you anymore.
If that was his only argument, hed never get rid of her. You did just fine back at the motel.
And what about when a pack of wolves decide to make you their lunch?
So, if you could still shift, you would stay with me every second of every day?
No. Of course not.
Lock me up?
No.
Then how would you have protected me from that before, huh? I could become someones breakfast, lunch or dinner, whether you shift or not. Stop making excuses and say what we both know you want to say. Dont listen to me.
He was breathing heavily, his nostrils flaring with the force of his inhalations. Werewe
Say it! No. Dont.
A hard hand settled on her shoulder, and Mary Ann whipped around with a startled yelp. A frowning Aden stood beside her. Riley snarled at him, realized what hed done to his king and cleared his expression.
Lets head to Tonyas. Ill get Victoria there. Riley, you get Mary Ann there.
Warmth flooded Mary Anns cheeks. Okay, so now she cared about her audience. Why do you want to go back to Tonyas?
She has answers about Julian that I cant find in the papers and photos. So, meet us there in He glanced at a wristwatch he didnt have and had never worn. Half an hour?
Enough time to work through their current problem, he was saying.
Riley nodded. Fine.
Good. Aden and Victoria sauntered off, hand in hand.
Way to rub it in.
Come on, Riley grumbled, taking off in the other direction. He rounded the far corner, Mary Ann close to his heels. Rather than picking up where theyd left off, he picked out a car to steal.
She didnt protest as he popped the door lock, removed a chunk of plastic around the ignition, then cut and twisted the exposed wires. She just acted as lookout and slid into the passenger side when the engine roared to life.
Soon they were winding down the roads a little too swiftly for her peace of mind, winding in and out of traffic. Which still wasnt heavy, but come on. Only took one vehicle to get in your way, and hello, wreck.
Slow down.
In a minute.
Hed never driven this erratically before. Not with her. If I say what you wouldnt, will you slow down?
His fingers curled around the wheel, his knuckles quickly losing color. I dont need you to say it. I can.
She wouldnt react, she wouldnt react, she wouldnt freaking react. Then do it. Good. Thered been no hint of turmoil in her voice.
I cant, he said, contradicting himself. I try, part of me wants to, but I cant.
There was no comfort to be had in his claim. Can you ever forgive me for what I did? For what you asked me to do?
He reached up, adjusted the rearview mirror. Thats not the issue, Mary Ann. If I hadnt done what I did, if you hadnt done what you did, you wouldnt be alive. And Id rather you were alive and my animal dead than the other way around.