Page 26 of Hitched to the Vampire King
I rolled my eyes, not in the mood to correct them.
We hit the front steps, then carried him down to the waiting van and slid him inside, the blacked-out windows providing extra protection.
I climbed into the back next to Gabriel and placed a hand on his chest.
Avery locked up the safehouse, then hopped into the back with me and Gabriel, while Matthew and Daniel took the front. The second Daniel pulled away from the house, my muscles relaxed and I slumped forward, my head hanging. We were on the move, and heading to a more secure place. One where Sam and Lucy would be waiting for me. We weren’t out of the woodsyet, but we were close enough that my body was starting to shut down. I needed sleep. And more food. And time to recuperate. I hadn’t been tortured like Gabriel or Avery, but I was still exhausted.
The van pulled into the afternoon traffic with practiced ease.
“Well, kid. We did it.”
My head rose at the sound of Avery’s voice. I caught her gaze and nodded. We’d escaped, somehow, but that didn’t mean we were safe. Nash would track Avery down. She knew all his dirty little secrets. As for Adrian? Well, he clearly had no intentions to forgive or forget. And neither did I. Ultimately, this was far from over.
A little over twenty minutes later, we backed into what I assumed was their alpha’s driveway. Matthew killed the engine, then hopped out and came around the back, yanking open the doors.
“We’re here. How about we get this vampire unloaded and get you two inside?”
“Oh, yes please,” Avery said. “I am dying for a shower.”
A shower sounded like the best thing in the world right now. Until this point, survival had been my only concern, leaving little room to worry about our appearances. But now that we were safe, I could see that we needed a little TLC. Dried mud coated us from head to toe, which merely hid the underlying grime from our time spent in the cages. Our clothes were shredded and filthy, hanging off us in tatters, while our hair was a tangled mess. And honestly, the smell…we were far from fresh. The bayou, for all its natural beauty, hadn't done us any favors in the scent department, and combined with our lack of access to showers, we were both a walking, talking testament to our recent ordeal.
Avery gripped Daniel’s outstretched hand and hopped out of the van. I followed quickly after, then turned to take in the alpha’s house. It looked like all the other homes in the neighborhood with its faded pastel exterior and wrap-around porch. Large windows hinted at a high ceiling inside, and a pair of weathered columns framed the front door.
Matthew and Daniel stepped past me, Gabriel in their grasp, and carried him inside. Avery was hot on their heels, so I did the same, climbing the few steps up to the front door.
The instant we stepped inside, people came running to greet us with cheers and relieved cries.
Her pack members crowded around her, each vying for her attention, to touch her, wish her well, hug her, welcome her back. It was a whirlwind of embraces and pats on the back and shoulder, physical proof of their close-knit bond.
I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but it certainly hadn’t been this. Clearly, Avery’s pack had been eagerly awaiting her return, and they were ecstatic to see her home safe and sound.
I hung back, but scanned the crowd for Sam and Lucy. My heartbeat thundered in my ears as I studied each and every face. But when I didn’t see them, I started to wonder: had Matthew misheard? My stomach dropped with the thought.
Just as I was about to excuse myself to follow Matthew and Daniel deeper into the house, to ensure they found an appropriately safe place for Gabriel, the crowd fell silent, and all eyes turned to me, some sparked with curiosity and some with a bit of suspicion. After all, these people didn’t know me.
But then, like a scene straight out of a movie, the crowd began to part, creating a new path. And at the end of this path stood Sam and Lucy. Hot tears sprang to my eyes, and time seemed to slow as my gaze locked with my sister’s. Relief, joy, disbelief—it all crashed into me like a tidal wave.
With a watery hiccup, I staggered forward, each step faster than the last. The moment I reached them, I threw my arms around them both and pulled them into a hug that betrayed my every emotion.
Lucy’s arms were the first to come around me, and I heard her whisper, “Oh, thank god.” Sam was next, his massive frame engulfing the two of us together.
Choked with emotion, my knees gave out, and I sank to the ground, their arms tightening around me as we tumbled into a heap on the floor.
I pressed my face into Lucy’s shoulder, my tears now flowing freely.
“Shh,” Lucy soothed, running her hands gently over my dirt-caked hair in an attempt to offer me some comfort. “You’re safe now.”
Before I could say anything else, a familiar voice called out from behind Sam. “Come on, it’s my turn now.”
I froze in my sister’s arms, a jolt of disbelief catching my breath. Lifting my head, I peered over Sam’s shoulder, and there, leaning against what appeared to be the kitchen doorway, was Jaden. And right beside her, with a rueful grin that could light the darkest night, stood Josh.
For a moment, I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Then, as if pulled by some invisible force, I scrambled to my feet and launched myself at them. I gripped Jaden hard before turning and doing the same with Josh. Their arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace, one I reveled in.
But someone was missing.
My heart dropped when I noticed the empty space next to Josh. Since I hadn’t found Chris at the warehouse, a part of me had hoped that Adrian hadn’t captured him. But if that was the case, then where was he? Why wasn’t he here?
I pulled back and demanded, “Where’s Chris?”
