Chapter 18 JERICHO
JERICHO
Ididn’t think the view of the Clearwater pack house would get any better, but as I sit here, fifty feet up in a tree at the end of the drive, I’m proven wrong.
They truly have a breathtaking piece of property. Not just their home, but the land too. It’s so spread out and open, with a wide margin of grass all around the house to keep them protected. It means no one can sneak up on them without being seen.
Well, no shifters anyway. Vampires could cross that distance in the blink of an eye. Which is all the more reason for me to be out here…
How can they even afford a place like this? It must cost a fortune.
I tense when I hear a vehicle coming up the road.
A black SUV appears and parks in front of the porch.
Evan runs out to greet his mom, making my heart ache.
I would love to be there for their reunion, but I can’t.
I need to be here, keeping watch. Because something…
everything in me is telling me Evelyn’s house was a trap.
They’re using her to lure us out, or find out our location.
Why else would they let her go without torturing her for information?
The pack welcomes Evelyn with warm smiles, and Jasmine even pulls her in for a hug. Even from this distance, I can tell Evelyn is overwhelmed. Before they head inside, Evan turns to scan the trees, looking for me. He’s probably pissed that I left without waking him up.
While they disappear inside, Rowen and Ivy stay outside, leaning against the railing and talking like it’s just another day, which is all a part of the plan. I close my eyes and listen, praying I’m not wrong. If Rip did follow Evelyn back, this is our only shot to take him down.
A gust of wind comes from the east, carrying a scent of oil and charcoal. A scent I know well. My body recoils with recognition. Rip.
Cupping my hands around my mouth, I make a dove call in the direction of the house. Rowen fakes a cough to let me know he’s heard, then they both turn to look out across the yard. Only a few seconds later, Ivy shifts and takes off running, her clothes falling away in tattered shreds.
At first glance, I don’t see what she’s chasing. But then, from the opposite side of the road, I spot them—three vampires watching the house. Rip is the closest, standing with one hand on his hip. The other two I don’t recognize. One man, one woman.
When they see Ivy shift, they turn around to run.
Rowen runs inside to tell the others while I leap down to follow Ivy, just as we’d planned. The trees pass in a blur as we run, leaping over roots and rocks. When we reach the creek, Rip veers off to the right, heading north, while the other two go in the opposite direction.
“Ivy, go! Don’t let him get away!”
She disappears, yipping loud signals to her pack. Distant yelps and howls cry out in answer.
The male, a tall man with russet-brown hair, catapults off a nearby boulder before turning midair to land in front of me. His eyes are dark, fangs exposed and gleaming. Before lunging, he tilts his head in recognition. “You.”
I grin. “Me.”
Lunging, I grab his face and snap his neck before tossing him to the ground.
The female vampire shrieks. Her dark eyes erupt with hate, but there is also worry every time she darts a glance at her fallen companion.
I stand over the vampire, waiting. He isn’t dead. We both know that. A vampire can heal from a snapped neck in about twelve minutes. Faster if they recently fed. The only question is, what is she going to do about it? If she comes for him, I’ll take her down as well.
Two shimmering red wings appear from between her shoulder blades, unfurling to be twice the size of her body. Beating them fast, she lifts herself above the ground, just out of my reach.
Well, this is interesting. A vampire… with wings?
Hissing, the woman lunges for me, tucking her wings neatly behind her as she dives. I tuck and roll out of the way, but I’m too slow. A sharp nail slices into my arm, hitting bone before I pull away. Fuck!
Gritting my teeth, I refuse to look at the wound, refuse to take my eyes off her even for a second. Her wings glitter like crystals in the morning light. Stunning, but fragile.
Would they break if I got ahold of one?
Sneering down at me, she tips her head at the other vampire. “What’s the matter, newborn? Too scared to finish the job? Afraid of a little fire?”
Fire is the only way to kill a vampire.
“One thing at a time,” I say.
Wolves howl from somewhere nearby, snapping her attention to the left. I take my chance, leaping high to grab her at the ankle. With one quick roll, I spin us and toss her to the ground. The wings shatter on impact, scattering across the dirt like tiny rubies.
But the woman doesn’t seem surprised, only annoyed. And seriously pissed off.
She lets out another ear-piercing shriek before clawing at me again. Her nails must be as sharp as razors because once again, they cut to the bone. I roar and let her go. In an instant, she disappears over the hill.
I’m about to follow her when something terrible bites my thigh. I stumble to the ground in disbelief, and for a moment, I can’t see anything, blinded by the pain. My hands grab a fistful of fur, though I can’t see who is biting me. When I tug, they tighten their jaws.
On instinct, I twist and sink my teeth into the wolf’s hip. The animal yelps and pulls back, but not without taking a large portion of my thigh with him.
Rage and fury rip through me as I reach for the beast, tossing him a good thirty feet away. Undeterred, the wolf gets right back up, running for me at full speed, but someone steps in front of him. Dirt kicks up and a wave of power hits me so hard my skin bristles.
“STOP!” Forest commands. “Xavier, stop!”
The wolf halts, stumbling on his feet with teeth bared. He’s breathing hard and bleeding from his hip, but he never takes his eyes from me.
“This man is not our enemy!” Forest says using that freaky alpha finality again “Stop.”
When he finally backs away, I collapse on the ground, tears swirling my vision.
A cold, wet nose nudges my ribs, and a silver wolf whines low. When I don’t respond, Jasmine shifts to her human form, cradling my face. Her dark hair falls over her shoulders, covering her breasts. “Jericho! Oh, no.”
“What were you thinking!” Forest says. “We’ve told you he’s our ally!”
The tawny wolf cowers, but bravely snaps at me one more time before running off.
“Sage and Rowen, go with him! Tell his alpha what he’s done. Every pack in our area knows Jericho is not a threat. Taren and Neal, go find Ivy.”
“She went that way,” I say, a little breathlessly.
“We know,” Jasmine says. “We picked up on her scent. They’ll find her.”
I just hope it’s not too late. I never should’ve sent her after Rip alone.
Forest crouches next to me as a few other wolves come close. “Take his shirt off. We’ll use it as a tourniquet.”
“Who the fuck bit me?” I say, trying not to watch as they shred my favorite shirt, a vintage Led Zeppelin graphic tee Evan bought me for Christmas.
“Xavier. He’s the youngest shifter in the Hollow Cliff pack. He’s not supposed to be out here, but with all these threats lately…”
“He knows better,” Jasmine scolds. “He was there when Merebeth introduced Jericho to everyone.”
“He probably just smelled vampire and attacked without thinking.”
It takes three people to get me to a standing position, and two to help me walk. The entire time, I can feel blood oozing from my leg.
“I’m going to go find the others,” Jasmine says. “Hopefully one of them will have a lighter.”
I bristle at the thought of fire and smoke, wincing at the next thought that always accompanies it: watching my childhood home go up in flames.
The walk back to the house is pure agony. Pain burns through my system like liquid magma, igniting a thirst I haven’t felt in many months. My skin heats and sweat breaks out across my forehead. I need blood. It’s the only thing that will stop the pain.
But asking the shifters feels way out of line, especially after all they’ve done for me.
A familiar, addicting scent reaches my nose long before I see the house. No. I stop dead in my tracks.
Grant stumbles forward before looking at me. “Jericho?”
I ignore him, attention zeroed in on Evan’s scent. It’s so unbelievably good. Need.
“I… can’t,” I manage to say.
Forest shifts under my weight. “I have blood for you at the house. It just arrived last night.”
If he’s saying this to get me to move, it isn’t working. My feet are rooted in place as I desperately cling to my control. “No.”
“No?”
I inhale again, lungs burning with desire. Fuck, that scent… There’s nothing like it. NEED.
I grit my teeth. “Ev…an.”
The two men hesitate, then Forest swings out from under me. I sway without his support.
“Stay here,” he demands.
I barely see him as he disappears through the trees. All I can focus on is the smell of delicious, sweet lemongrass. It encompasses me like nothing ever has before, tempting me, seducing me, begging me.
I can’t resist.
“Jer,” Grant warns as I start forward. I ignore him, pushing and dragging and clawing my way forward. I need Evan.
Through the trees, a dark silhouette appears that snaps me to attention. I come to an abrupt stop. What am I doing?
Shit. What the fuck am I doing?
“Where is he?” Evan shouts.
“You need to stay… Evan, don’t!”
The silhouette fades as Evan steps out from the sunlight and into the trees. Branches snap under his feet.
Grant quickly steps in front of me, gripping my shoulders with both hands as he digs his feet into the earth. He pushes me back a few steps, a growl emanating from his throat. “Don’t.”
My heart beats erratically, my vision sharpens. Evan.
“Evan, stay back,” Grant says.
Evan ignores him, rushing forward.
I throw a hand up, an inhuman sound tearing from deep within. It’s all I can muster.
Please don’t come any closer.