Well, that was one asshole out of the way, but there were four now heading directly for me, and I was no longer safe from the hunters. “Can you block my energy again?” I asked Louis.
He shoved both of his hands in his back pocket, leaning back all sexy and confident. “I can try, Jess, but if my senses are correct, you’re probably too strong now.” He turned then and started to make his way out of the room. “We have a little time, find me tomorrow. You know where I’ll be.” Then he was gone.
Damn, hopefully he could help me or I’d have to run. Or fight. Shifting my head, I clashed eyes with Mischa. She had both of her hands covering her mouth. She looked to be sobbing into them. Before I could stop her, she ran straight up to me and threw her arms around my waist. Her hold was tight, her face buried in my chest. She didn’t seem to care or probably even know that she’d put herself into a submissive position to me.
“I was so scared for you, I haven’t slept for days.” She let the sobbing words trail off and it was clear she’d thought I was going to die in there. “And Maximus … he’s so angry.”
I held her tightly. “The boys are right, Max is hotheaded but he’s also incredibly smart, he’ll understand.” I sucked in deeply. “And I’m okay. Nothing too insane happened in Vanguard.”
Maybe if I repeated it enough I’d even believe it.
Although, in the end, it was true. Nothing too crazy had happened. I knew it wouldn’t take me long to get past my time in Vanguard. And Vlad was no longer kicking, so that made it much easier to bear. Lienda came in from the side and Jonathon followed. The four of us hugged, one big family group.
“I know you weren’t aware, but I owe you thanks for whatever you did to help your redhead friend long ago,” I told my mother. “She was a huge help.”
Lienda’s blue-green eyes flashed in my direction. “Cherise,” she breathed. “It had to be. She was my brother’s mate. She got herself thrown in Vanguard to be with him. Seems I owe her big-time.” Her grip on me tightened. “I was so worried for you. Your dad and I tried to get into the prison, but security is a hell of a lot stronger than it used to be. Lucky Jon was able to cover up our actions.”
“You tried to get in to find me?” I blinked a few times.
A soft smile graced her lips. “We will do anything … anything to keep our daughters safe.”
My heart swelled at her words, and I sent out a small beam of hope then. Hope that my family would find the time to become the strong unit we should have always been.
Chapter 16
I slept like the dead that night, and was thankful that no nightmares woke me from my slumber. Opening my eyes in the morning I wasn’t really surprised to find Braxton slouched in a chair across from me.
I rubbed my eyes a few times, smothering a yawn.
“You know stalking is illegal right?” I pushed my black hair off my face; it went everywhere when I slept.
He grinned, lazy and smooth. “I’m not leaving you alone while the Four hunt you.”
His words reminded me that I needed to go to Louis’ today. I jumped out of bed.
“I haven’t missed breakfast, right?” I’d never been so excited in my life to get to the dining hall.
Braxton straightened. He didn’t even bother to hide his grin. “You haven’t missed it. I’m going to head home now to change and shower. I’ll be back in forty minutes. Ty and Max are downstairs, so you won’t be alone.”
“Max?” I breathed, a beam of hope shooting through me.
Braxton flashed his dimple at me. “As you said he is hotheaded, but he’s never been able to stay mad with you.”
Thank God.
The dragon shifter dropped a kiss on my forehead before opening the window. With one leg out of the frame, he suddenly paused, looking back.
“I thought you should know, Nash is marked. Mom told me they discovered the branding on him. Louis spelled him, so he should be safe from the Four.”
We exchanged long intense glances for a few moments and I knew he’d told me so I’d know that my theory of the marked being locked in that secret room was true, that my urge to rescue those poor souls had come from somewhere, most probably the link I shared with them.
With an inclination of his head, he launched out the open window and dropped two stories to the ground. I leaned out after him.
“Five seconds to walk downstairs. Seriously, Brax. Five freaking seconds.”
But he was already gone, missing my ladylike cursing. I spun as my door swung open. I was still a little jumpy having anyone come in at my back. Mischa stepped inside; her hair was damp from her shower and she was dressed in dark-denim jeans and a white tank.
“Hey, you’re awake.” She flashed me her blindingly white grin. Way too chipper for this time of the morning. “Just checking on you.”
I stifled another yawn, not fully recovered from yesterday’s ordeal. “Yep, just about to jump in the shower and then … breakfast.” I pretty much rubbed my hands together in anticipation.