Page 31 of Winterfall Destiny

But what if the sacrifice you made is too big? I don't say the words, only smile and lay my head on his shoulder, our bodies pressed together, cocooned by the blanket as the day welcomes Andrei.

I spot Ash leaving the house and jogging into the woods, but he doesn't see us. Andrei laughs softly to himself. "I won't be joining him in that morning activity."

Another figure appears, but this time deliberately walks to where he can see us. Tobias pauses, looking up, and I strain to see his expression. Andrei, being Andrei, waves. Before either of us can speak, Tobias shakes his head and walks away towards his car.

Not towards us.

Not racing upstairs to accost us on the roof.

Tobias gives us this moment.

And he gives Andrei his trust.

14

ASH

When I last saw Ethan, we didn't have much chance to speak, all of us focused on finding answers to Gabriella's whereabouts. In the evening, conversation never turned away from discussion over information discovered on Declan's laptop and how that links to that given by the vamp. Jamie continues to delve into everything, deciphering names of those he exchanged emails with, digging around for who has helpful connections for Gabriella.

Following our blood-soaked visit to Declan's club, I've worried about repercussions but also sense that the dragons will keep away. Not only because Ethan demonstrated he's a powerful ally happy to use his violent side, but because they're dragons. Declan and his men are cunning. Strategic. Our visit sent the dragons back into that strategising mode, and while dealing with the Andrei situation, that issue faded into the background.

But Ethan himself can never be in the background and wants to meet me, although unlike Dorian he warned us of his visit first. Thankfully, he arrives without Dorian, Eloise, and their weird kid, but he does bring Zeke.

Without Dorian they can't use blood runes and Ethan's told me in the past he prefers not to. The pair arrive mid-morning in a silver SUV—there's no hiding who they are from any lurking Dominion as they drive up to the estate. We're certain Dominion watch whoever comes and goes. Dorian found a couple of vamps loitering close by when he last visited, and by the time he left, Dorian reduced the vamp population to just Tobias and Andrei.

I take my morning runs away from the estate, secretly scouting, but recently I haven't detected anybody. Are the whole of Gabriella's Dominion army in hiding? Or because there's no sign we're with the First, they don't care to watch? One thing's sure, if they reported back to Gabriella about us, they'd report Andrei missing.

The two hybrid shifters don't have the same uneasy energy around them as Dorian, but they're hyper-normal, even for supes. Before I saw Ethan's power in action, I'd already recognised that energy humming around him, and sensed strength beyond a dragon's. Zeke's often in the background, watching and calculating the way a big cat would—unnerving, unpredictable. Ethan's a taciturn guy, but each time Zeke visited, he's barely spoken at all, leaving that to the others. So why come with Ethan this time?

Ethan climbs from the car and stretches out his shoulders, Zeke appearing from the passenger's side and speaking to his companion quietly. I waited on the stone steps staring at the gloomy clouds threatening rain, as if I'm someone eager to meet a relative they haven't seen for some time. Half-true because since I left Gilgamesh, these guys are the closest shifters to me and however much the witches and vamps try to understand, I'm facing different challenges. Not as extreme as Ethan's and Zeke's issues once were, but enough.

Ethan halts as he walks towards me, then tips his head. Zeke pauses too, and Ethan jerks his head to the side of the house.

"Um. Hey," I say, perturbed by their silent arrival.

"Forgotten to tell us something?" asks Ethan gruffly, and I frown. "I can hear Andrei's voice."

Shit. I thought Tobias spoke to Dorian about Andrei? We'd decided not to tell the hybrids straightway, but after three days we know enough to judge Andrei's temperament hasn't altered much.

Honestly, Andrei may as well still be on his bed upstairs, hiding. All he does is sit outside, lost somewhere in his mind. I quietly ask Maeve what's happening, worried he's psychically communicating with the thing. Andrei isn't, but he's midway between shell-shocked and recovering, and determined not to leave behind the sunshine.

We only see Andrei inside the house when the clouds open and soak him.

"Uh—" I begin, silently cursing Tobias as Ethan strides around the side of the house, towards the lawns that Andrei favours.

I hurry after him and Zeke to where Andrei lies on the grass staring at the sky, one hand on Maeve's leg where she sits beside him, threading daisies into a chain.

"Well, this is cute," comments Zeke.

Maeve drops the flowers and straightens, but Andrei doesn't move.

"Care to tell us why we don't know about Andrei's reincarnation?" asks Ethan sarcastically.

Reincarnation. Hah.

"They're keeping me away from Dorian," Andrei says to the sky.

Zeke snorts. "He wouldn't dare touch you again, mate. The fallout after the incident at Gabriella's was enough."

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