Page 4 of Ascension of the Pack

‘Very, very tempted,’ he admitted. ‘But we have eyes on us.’ He pointed to an inspector who was following at a not-so-discreet distance. ‘Jess would kill me if I let them know anything about my abilities. We need to fly under the radar. She’s safe and she’s home. After I’ve seen her I can plot my revenge.’

Sensible man.

Tell him we can help him plot his revenge. We’d be excellent plotters.

‘Esme and I are more than willing to help with your plans,’ I offered.

‘Thanks, but there will be a certain satisfaction in dealing with this myself.’

‘I hear you.’ You needed to do some jobs yourself.

When we climbed into Emory’s waiting car, I noted a black Land Rover move off at the same time that we did. We were being followed with typical Connection levels of competence, which was to say none at all.

‘How did you get that statement from Stone?’ I asked Emory curiously. ‘They said it had been destroyed.’

He looked a little smug. ‘I had access to a willing hellhound.’

I blinked. ‘You went back in time and spoke to Stone?’

Emory sneered. ‘No, I went back in time and photocopied the existing statement, the one the Anti-Crea deleted to fabricate Jess’s arrest and get their hands on my fiancée.’

‘Scummy shits. They deserve to get their asses whipped.’

‘They deserve more than that.’ His lip curled in a sneer.

I almost felt sorry for the Anti-Crea bastards. Almost.

Chapter 3

When we hustled into Jess’s house, Emory was at her side in a shot. Damned vampyr speed. I gave a smile and a finger wave to Nate, who grinned back. He looked relieved to have his bond with Jess back in place.

I waited a good minute before impatience got the better of me. Yes, Emory might be Jess’s future husband, but I’d known her since she was a toddler. Bros before hoes or, more accurately, chicks before dicks.

When I couldn’t wait any longer, I reached out to my best friend. She tried to come to me, but Emory was still latched onto her like a lovelorn limpet. I gave him a sharp prod in the ribs and he let her go – then gave me a real death glare that I merrily ignored.

‘Are you all right?’ I asked, as I looked Jess over. Her eyes were tight and shadowed, like she’d been through some shit. Dammit, I didn’t want her to have gone throughanything. I wished I could have gone through whatever she’d endured for her.

‘I’ve been better,’ she confessed. ‘But I’ll get there. I was supposed to get married today.’ Her voice wobbled.

I hugged her tightly. ‘I know, love. I know. We’ll have another wedding for you, abetterwedding.’ Thosefuckingbastards. I’d kill them.

And eat them,Esme snarled.

‘This one would have been perfect,’ Jess complained. ‘Stupid bloody Randall.’

‘He’s a dead man walking,’ I promised. ‘Esme and I will rip out his throat.’

Jess grinned and the shadows in her eyes receded a little. ‘You guys are the best.’

‘I have dibs on ripping out his throat,’ Emory growled.

‘He burned her,’ Nate interjected, his voice low and dangerous. He looked like a handsome teenager by choice, since vampyrs could choose the age at which they appeared, but the threat in his voice made it clear that he was far older.

‘What do you mean he burned her?’ Emory’s nostrils flared.

‘The bastard burned herhand.’

Jess rubbed her left palm, worrying at the spot that had been blistered. ‘Yeah. That wasn’t fun.’ She shuddered. ‘I’m glad to be home.’

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