Chapter 14 EVAN
EVAN
It’s been two days since we discovered the security footage, and Jericho and I have not been apart except when he disappears to hunt every morning.
But being together doesn’t necessarily mean alone.
The pack is always with us, even when we try to move somewhere private.
When we sit on the porch, they follow. When we move to another room, a couple of them tag along.
The only time we’re truly alone is when we’re in the van, which has become our go-to place to have private conversations.
We stay up late talking, sometimes well into the morning, then sleep until lunch.
The pack assumes it’s because Jericho has some weird sleeping schedule being a vampire, but the truth is, it’s just us.
It’s how we were before too, talking or goofing off to video games all night.
And honestly? I fucking love that we’re finding our way back there.
The only difference is, we’re sharing a bed.
Honestly, I would prefer one of the beds upstairs so we can stretch out without bumping into each other, but Jasmine made it clear they don’t trust Jericho enough to let him sleep in the house yet.
Maybe if she did, Jericho would relax more.
He’s been so uptight when it’s time to go to sleep, like being around me is too difficult.
Last night, I caught him asleep in an upright position at the end of the bed, as if lying down next to me had been too much for him.
I don’t know what to do about it, since I’m obviously not going to sleep inside without him. We promised we’d stay together.
“Oh my gosh. Babe, come here,” Red exclaims from the loveseat.
Sage groans from his place at the table, where he’s reading something on his laptop. “Is it another cat video?”
“No,” Red says, but his tone and too-innocent smirk tells us it’s something similar. He seems to be obsessed with animal videos, though he insists he only watches them when he’s stressed. “Please! You need to see this one. It reminds me of you.”
Sage sighs as he walks over and looks over Red’s shoulder to watch the video. A minute later, he grumbles something and tries to walk away, but Red snatches his hand.
“Reminds me of your birthday last year.” Red sputters a laugh.
“Don’t remind me.”
Ivy perks up. “When he was drunk?”
“Yes! Watch this.”
He passes his phone around the room, earning fits of giggles from nearly everyone. Even Jericho chuckles before handing the phone back and returning to his drawing.
“You’re lucky I was there!” Red says. “You might’ve drowned.”
Sage scoffs. “You were the reason I was drunk in the first place, remember? If you hadn’t cast a spell on the drink, it never would’ve happened!”
“Hey, it was worth it. Your birthday after all.”
Jericho and I exchange a look. “Wait, spell?” I say at the same time Jericho says, “You’re a mage?”
The tips of Red’s ears turn pink. “Technically, I’m a cross.”
My eyes widen. I’ve never met a crossbreed before, though I’ve heard rumors about them. Supposedly they’re less stable than full-blood shifters or mages, which is why most people have a prejudice against them.
“That’s pretty cool,” I say. “Shifter and mage then?”
He nods. “I never had proper training, since crossbreeds aren’t allowed in the mageri. But I’ve focused on healing and have taught myself most of the important things.”
“He’s well-loved around here,” Jasmine says with a note of pride in her voice as she enters the living room. Her hair is wet like she’d just taken a shower. “All of the packs come to him for help when they need it.”
“He even helped Taren,” Ivy says from her place on the floor. She’s spent the last hour rolling an inflatable ball for Aster. It’s adorable watching him chase after it. Aster’s parents still haven’t warmed up to Jericho completely, choosing to stay in another room than be around him.
“You need to let me work, hon,” Sage says. He bends to kiss the top of his mate’s head. Red immediately tips his head backwards for a proper upside-down kiss. The two men share a private smile before Sage walks back to the table.
My eyes dart over to Jericho, who turns his attention to me at the same time. He gives me a tiny smile before studiously focusing on his drawing.
Something stirs in my belly. Does Jericho want that kind of affection from me? I thought it was just sex, based on the drawings I saw in his notebook, but what if it’s more? What if Jericho actually wants to be with me?
The idea makes my heart beat a little faster, and not necessarily in a bad way.
It wouldn’t be so different to be in a relationship with Jericho.
I mean, we were as close as two people could be before he disappeared.
Just… with clothes on and not any kissing.
But our connection was, and is, just as deep as Red and Sage’s.
So why have I never considered it before?
“Bronson and Elias just took over at the hotel,” Grant says, reading a text on his phone. “They said they can stay a week.”
Forest nods. “Sounds good. One of us will take over then.”
I pull my phone out to check the security camera for the umpteenth time.
But no one has come by my house in over a week, aside from the man Forest sent yesterday to clean up the body at my house.
I would've refused, except he said we didn't want to draw attention to the police for the wrong reasons. So where are they?
Frustrated, I get up and go to the kitchen for a glass of water.
“Wanna go outside?” Jericho asks, appearing at my side. His voice is quiet, like he’s hoping the others won’t hear.
I nod and finish the water before we walk outside. But a few seconds later, Rowen, Ivy, Red, and Grant all join us.
Jericho’s jaw ticks. “I’m starting to think you were told to never leave us alone.”
Rowen chuckles. “You’re not wrong.”
We both sigh.
“Sorry, but since you’re both on Foxx’s radar…” Red trails off.
“If you want to do something fun though, we could go for a run,” Ivy says. “We don’t need to stay around here the whole time. We just need to stay together.”
Rowen shares a look with his sister before turning to Jericho. “Do you remember the clearing by the creek?”
“Yeah?”
“Wanna race us there?”
Jericho cocks a brow. “Race you?”
Ivy is already stripping out of her clothes so she can shift. I can’t help but notice her breasts and flat stomach. She’s a lovely woman, no doubt about it.
Rowen undresses slower, using his time to taunt Jericho. “Yeah. You know. Race. You run, we run. Whoever is there first, wins?”
Jericho laughs. “I know what a race is.”
“Good. Then… go!”
Before Jericho can argue, Rowen shifts and takes off after Ivy through the trees. Jericho curses then disappears before I can blink. His echoing laugh makes me smile.
As I get up to follow, Grant and Red walk beside me. As annoying as their company is, they do give me a sense of security. Jericho, too. I’ve seen him relax the more he’s around them.
Red picks up a brown leaf and twirls it in the air. “Can I ask you something?”
I turn to him.
“Are you and Jericho together?”
I avert my eyes, playing dumb. “What?”
They both chuckle. “You know. A couple. Dating. Lovers. Whatever humans call it these days.”
I continue to stare straight ahead. I wish everyone would stop asking me questions I don’t have the answer to.
“We’re figuring it out.”
The words slip from my lips without permission, yet they couldn’t be more true. At least, for me. I’ve never considered a relationship with Jericho, but now it constantly invades my mind. I catch myself thinking about it all the time. Kissing him, holding him, even having sex with him.
I mean, I can’t not think about the sex. His realistic erotic drawings have opened my eyes to a whole new world. I’ve even cracked open the notebook a few more times, just to see them again. Each time, my body responds the same way: with heat and curiosity.
And undeniable arousal.
“Sorry if that was out of line,” Red says. “I just couldn’t tell and didn’t want to say the wrong thing since you two are so close.”
“No, it’s fine. I mean, yeah, we are,” I say. “It’s just… new, I guess.”
He smiles at me without saying anything else.
“Can I ask something in return?” They nod. “Do you guys have any guns?”
Grant seems taken aback, so I explain. “Jericho and I left in such a hurry that I forgot to grab mine. I’m a pretty good aim, and I took some advanced level classes. So I just thought—”
“We can get you a gun,” Grant interrupts. “We have some. That’s probably a good idea, now that we know Foxx is looking for you.”
“Thank you.”
When we reach the clearing, Ivy’s reddish-gray coat glistens as she drinks from the creek.
Her tail and ears are completely relaxed.
Jericho and Rowen are sitting on a fallen log, talking.
I can’t hear what they’re saying, but when Jericho tosses his head back in a laugh, it fills me with unexpected joy.
I haven’t truly heard him let go like that since we left.
Rowen is completely naked, his toned stomach clenching every time he laughs. I avert my eyes, still not sure if I’ll ever get used to being around so many naked people.
Judging from the way Jericho eyes Rowen, though, he could, and that makes my stomach twist uncomfortably. Is he attracted to Rowen?
“Hey!” Red says.
They all turn toward us, and Jericho’s smile grows impossibly wider the moment he sees me. “Hey.”
“Who won?” I ask, gesturing between them.
Rowen rolls his eyes. “Don’t ask.”
I smirk. “I’m going to guess that means Jericho.”
Jericho sits up a little taller. “Damn right, I won. Wolves are no match for a vampire.”
“Oh, I can take a vamp down. Don’t you worry.”
“I believe you,” Jericho says. “You nearly killed me once, remember?”
Rowen and I both flinch.
“And anyway, if I haven’t already been here a few times to hunt, you probably would’ve gotten here first.”
The sun is heaven against my skin as I take a seat next to Jericho, warming me against the wintry chill. I’ve never been a fan of colder temps.
Jericho seems almost unfazed as he continues his conversation with Rowen. Ivy lays down at Rowen’s feet, eyes slitted against the sun. She looks peaceful, happy even.
“Can I… I mean, would it be weird of me to touch your fur?” I ask. “I’m just curious, you know?”
Ivy snorts in a way that I swear is a laugh as she climbs up to sit beside me. I take that as permission and thread my fingers through her silky, thick fur. The red hues shimmer in the light, reflecting off her amber eyes. She truly is beautiful.
“Have to say, I’m a little jealous! If I had fur like this, I wouldn’t be so damn cold right now.”
Jericho chuckles before slipping out of his hoodie to offer it to me.
“Don’t you need it?”
“Nah, I’m burning up. If I get cold, I’ll just run a few laps around the clearing.”
Rowen mutters, “And lose.”
Jericho raises a brow. “What was that?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“Mmhmm. We’ll see about that.”
They both laugh before getting up to run across the clearing. I slip into his warm hoodie, tucking my nose against the fabric and inhaling. It smells incredible. Notes of leather and vanilla and cedar, and just… Jericho. Did he smell this amazing before he was turned, or am I only now noticing it?
I seem to be noticing everything now. His smile, and the way his hair frames his face.
Okay, no. I’ve always loved his hair, but I guess I never stopped to question why.
I’ve certainly never noticed any other guys’ hair before.
So why him? And so many other things make sense now too.
All the private looks he gives me when he thinks I won’t notice.
Or the way his gaze lingers on my lips when I talk.
The gentle touches. I get it now—his longing.
And I can honestly say, I like it.
An hour passes as we all sit around talking about stupid shit. Movies, bands, and places we’ve been to. Anything but Foxx and the big mess we’ve found ourselves in. It’s nice, being able to kick back and relax.
As the sun begins to touch the tops of the trees, Rowen nudges Jericho. “Think you can beat me back to the house?”
“Do you really need to ask?”
“How about with Evan on your shoulder?”
I balk, while Jericho just turns a wicked eye on me.
“Don’t you da—Jericho!”
I smack his ass as he hoists me over his shoulder, taking off through the trees like a bat out of hell.
“You’re going to pay for this!”
He just laughs and keeps running with Rowen and Ivy close on his heels.
As much as I hate being thrown around like a sack of potatoes, it also makes me grin.
This is definitely the Jericho I’ve missed the most, the one who surprises me at every turn and makes me laugh at the stupidest stuff.
I was afraid I’d lost him, even before he disappeared.
He was pulling away months before leaving, yet I never noticed until it was too late.
It’s a relief to know he’s still here.
We get to the house a few seconds before Rowen, and Jericho carefully sets me down, his green eyes flickering—alive. I smack his arm. “Asshole.”
He loops an arm around my neck to pull me in, ruffling my hair like a child. I pinch his side, twisting to get away. Jericho loosens his hold but doesn’t let me go. As I straighten, his gaze suddenly drops to my lips, and without hesitation, he leans in.
My heart takes off running, but then he freezes and his face pales before he turns and disappears around the corner without saying a word.
I stare after him in a daze. Oh… my God. Jericho was about to kiss me! He had been literal seconds away from sealing our lips together, and I have no idea what I would have done about it. Would I have stopped him? Shoved him away?
Or would I have kissed him back?
I touch my lips, considering, feeling lighter than I ever have before. Everything about this afternoon had been what I needed. What we both needed. Jericho is the same guy as before. He’s still my best friend, but… maybe he’s also something more.
I think I really do want him.
“Do you still want that gun?”
I jump at Grant’s voice. “Uh, yeah. Definitely.”
“Come with me.”