Page 6 of Short, Lethal & Claimed

She’d never been more terrified of anything in her life.

And now, she was going to do whatever it took to get that mark removed from Jill’s neck and give her a chance to live her life and if she couldn’t, then she was going to change her. She didn’t care what the Council said, she wasn’t about to let Jill spend the rest of her life on a Sentinel island or forced to look over her shoulder for the rest of her life because of Logan.

When he marked Jill, he’d destroyed her life, ensuring that she would spend the rest of her life being hunted and if they ever found her…

Forcing herself to think about something else before she lost it, Madison slowly exhaled and focused on the fact that she was only a few hours away from pulling Jill back into her arms as she adjusted the box of baked goods in her arms. She was going to have to use sex to distract her husband, Madison decided, feeling her lips pull up into a smile that slowly died when she caught the unmistakable scent of gunpowder.

That was followed by the scent of her husband’s blood mixed with the sweet scent of Sentinel blood. Swallowing hard, Madison made her way inside the large mansion in time to watch as Eric, who was covered in blood, pale, and clearly broken, was carried into the infirmary.

“I need Sentinel blood!” Noah yelled as they placed Eric onto a stretcher while Madison stood there, trying to make sense of what she was seeing as she watched Ethan stumble past her only to have his legs give out and drop him onto the hardwood floor.

“Fuck,” the vampire bit out as he struggled to get back to his feet while Madison stood there, feeling her stomach drop as she absently noted that his arm had been ripped off before the sounds of Jessica crying drew her attention. When she caught the scent of her son’s fear, Madison dropped the box of baked goods in her arms on the floor and ran up the blood-stained stairs, terrified of what she was going to find as the sounds of Marc’s heartbeat pounding against his chest grew louder and-

“Oh, my god…” Madison mumbled weakly when she spotted Ephraim lying in a pool of blood on the hallway floor.

Swallowing hard, Madison watched as Kale rolled her mate’s body over and yanked his arms behind his back before her gaze shifted to the left to find Marc sitting in the corner, looking completely lost as Izzy pulled Jessica out of his arms. Shewatched Izzy run trembling hands over Jessica, making sure the little girl was okay before she took in the small woman standing between her son and Ephraim and-

“Dad went into bloodlust and came after us,” Marc said hollowly. “I don’t know what set him off, but he wouldn’t stop.”

“Thank you for keeping them safe,” Madison said hollowly, watching Indie worry her bottom lip between her teeth while she stood there trying to figure out what could have sent her husband into bloodlust.

With all the children in the house, Ephraim would have fought this, Madison told herself as she glanced back at her husband to find Kale watching her through silver eyes as he yanked Ephraim’s arms behind his back and cuffed his hands before movement to her right drew her attention to find Drew struggling to get to his feet. She watched the shifter’s gaze turn pitying when he saw her standing there and-

“Madison,” Chris said, drawing her attention to find her best friend making his way towards her.

“What the hell happened?” Madison mumbled weakly as she glanced back at Marc to find her son standing over his father’s body, looking completely lost as she struggled to wrap her mind around what was happening.

“We’re supposed to get Jill today,” she said hollowly, knowing that Ephraim wouldn’t let anything stop him from seeing her. She was his little girl and…and…

“Everything’s going to be okay,” Chris said, swallowing hard as he moved closer.

“He wouldn’t want Jill to go to the island alone,” Madison mumbled absently, knowing that there was only one thing that would send Ephraim into bloodlust today and-

“She’s fine,” Madison bit out as everything took on shades of red. “Jill’s fine,” she bit out more firmly as she watched a muscle in Chris’s jaw clench and-

“Just tell me that she’s fine,” Madison said again, shaking her head as she struggled to remember how to breathe.

“Madison,” Chris said hoarsely as he reached for her, but she couldn’t do this.

Not today.

Jill needed her.

“I-I need to pack,” Madison said, shaking her head as she stepped back. “I need to go pack my bags. Ephraim can’t go now, not until he’s healed, and that could take hours and…and she’ll be waiting.”

“Madison,” Chris said, moving to take her hand in his again, but she couldn’t do this.

Not now.

Not when she was struggling to hold it together. If she let him touch her or get the words out, then it would be real and she just…

“I have to check on the babies and pack,” Madison mumbled hollowly as she stumbled back. “Ephraim wouldn’t want her to go alone.”

“Madison, please,” Chris said as black tendrils began chasing away her vision, letting her know just how close she was to losing control.

She just needed him to tell her that this wasn’t happening.

She needed him to tell her that the last time that she saw Jill wasn’t really the last time.

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