Page 27 of Hitched to the Vampire King
Jaden’s body stiffened, and the smile fell off her face. I turned to Josh, my chest seizing when I caught the heavy glance he shared with Jaden.
“Where’s Chris?” I repeated, my voice cracking.
Josh’s gaze swung back to me, his eyes now rimmed with red.
I stepped back, my breath quickening as I stared at my friends. They hadn’t said a word, but I saw the truth in their faces, the pain in their expressions, and the tears in their eyes.
“No,” I whimpered.
Josh grabbed my hand and took a breath before he said, “Chris didn’t make it.”
ChapterNine
The next halfhour felt like a whirlwind, the details jumbling in my head until nothing made sense anymore. Sam introduced me to his sister—and the new alpha of the New Orleans Pack—Aimee. Her handshake was firm, but her words were a jumble in my head. I couldn’t focus on anything anyone said, because my mind was elsewhere, tangled in a web of denial and despair over Chris.
Josh’s words echoed hollowly in my head. But he had to be wrong. Chris wasmorethan just one of my best friends; he was one of the Academy’s top slayers. He was strong, adept, and a master of combat. I knew from firsthand experience that he could take care of himself. The idea that he’d fallen and wasn’t out there somewhere waiting to regroup with us was unthinkable.
Someone called my name, but my thoughts were too muddled, murky, andexhaustedto focus on anything else right now.
Jaden gently took my arm and guided me away from the gathering. There was too much laughter, too many happy voices, too many hugs and kisses happening right now. I needed away from all that, which she seemed to understand.
“Let’s get you somewhere a bit quieter,” Jaden murmured, leading me toward the stairs.
My body ached with every step, and not just physically. I felt heavy, as though I was dragging myself through a thick fog. Jaden led me through a door, and I lifted my head, noting the pastel décor and the unconscious vampire stretched out atop the bed.
Behind me, the door clicked softly shut, enveloping me in silence. I stared at Gabriel, desperate for him to wake, if only to hold me. But we still had hours to go until sundown. It seemed cruel, after everything he and I had been through, to be separated from each other again.
Cheeks wet, I turned and stared at Josh and Jaden. Their grim faces haunted me, and my eyes burned with fresh tears.
“It can’t be true,” I whispered, sinking onto the edge of the bed. I reached blindly behind me, my fingers wrapping around Gabriel’s. “Chris can’t be gone. Could it be a mistake? Maybe someone is lying? Or maybe they onlythinkChris is…” I choked on the final word, unable to speak it aloud for fear it would be true.
Jaden sat beside me, her presence the quiet support I so desperately craved. “We don’t need to talk about this now,” she said. “You’re exhausted. I’m sure you’d like nothing more than to shower, eat, and sleep. We can discuss this later when you’ve had time to rest.”
“Rest?” I breathed, my voice incredulous. “You think I could possibly rest right now?”
“It’ll be hard, I know. But sweetie, you look like you’re about to collapse.”
Ifeltlike I was about to collapse. But that didn’t mean I’d be able to sleep. The thought of lying down, closing my eyes, and pretending my world hadn’t just imploded was unfathomable. I’d spent the last three—or was it four now?—days fighting for me and Gabriel. I’d been so focused on our survival and escape that I’d never considered Chris might be dead.
What a fool I was. So naïve. So…stupid.
Of course, the council hadn’t let him go. He knew everything. He’d witnessed our abduction. He’d been there when the council showed their true colors, when we’d learned thatallfive members were corrupt. The truth had sealed his fate the instant we’d stepped foot inside their doors.
“Please,” I murmured, my voice as broken as my heart. “Just tell me. I need to know.”
Jaden slowly nodded. “Okay.” She squared her shoulders as though mentally preparing herself for this conversation. “When the three of you didn’t return from the Academy, we knew something was wrong. We started asking questions to see if anyone had heard anything. The next night, I received a phone call.”
She drew a steadying breath and slowly released it. Then she took my other hand and held it fast. Clearly, I wasn’t the only one hurting here.
“Someone… called and said they’d found Chris down by the river. They said we needed to come see it with our own eyes.”
My breath quickened, and my chest stuttered as I fought to compose myself.
Josh took a step toward us and sat next to Jaden, his jaw tight. “Jaden and I went, hoping it wasn’t him. But it was.”
The room seemed to spin, the pastel walls blurring into a mess of colors as my heart constricted and my tears fell. “By the river?” I choked out. “They just…left him there? Like he was nothing?” My voice trembled. The very idea that the council could treat Chris like that ignited a mix of fury and agony within me. He’d dedicated his life to them. And they’d thrown it away like it meant nothing.
Jaden’s own sob broke through my pain. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace.
