Page 87 of Incipient

My heart pattered noisily as I cycled through the list of possible late-night visitors, though my mind went straight to my growing list of enemies. For one, I knew that Trace had a key and even if he had forgotten it, he wasn’t due back for at least another hour.

Grabbing my dagger off the coffee table, I made my way into the hallway toward the foyer, searching inwardly for that familiar feeling that usually told me when Dominic was near.

Feeling nothing, I sidled forward until I reached the window and peeked outside.

No fucking way!

Excitement burst out of me as I yanked open the door and all but launched myself at my sister Tessa.

“Oh, my god, Tess! What are you doing here?” I squealed as I pulled back to make sure she was actually standing there before throwing myself right back into her arms.

She laughed against my chest, but it was mostly muffled on account of how tightly I was squeezing her.

“How did you know I was here?” I asked as I pulled back to let her catch her breath.

“How else? I couldn’t find you at the Blackburn Estate, so I called Gabriel. He told me you were staying here,” she explained as I hauled her into the house by her jacket lapel. “The Council called me back,” she added pointedly.

Well, that sobered me right up. Locking the door behind us, I turned and faced her. “How much did they tell you?”

“Enough.” Draping her arm around my shoulder, she pulled me into a side hug and then walked us back into the living room, apparently knowing her way around well. “Why didn’t you call me?” she asked as we both sat down on the couch. She looked genuinely hurt that I hadn’t been the one to fill her in.

“You know why, Tessa.” There was once a time when I’d been offended by my sister’s lack of involvement in my life. When I assumed every missed phone call or unanswered text message was because she couldn’t be bothered to care. But after spending the summer with her on the road, I knew better than that now. “I know what you’re dealing with out there. I didn’t want you to lose focus.”

“I can walk and chew gum at the same time, you know.”

I rolled my eyes at her. “You know what I mean.”

“I appreciate you looking out for me, Jem, but it would’ve been nice to hear this from you and not the Council.”

“Right.” She had a point. “Sorry about that.”

“So, what are doing at Trace’s anyway? And where’s Dominic?” she asked, looking thoroughly confused since the last she’d heard and seen, me and Dominic couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

“I guess Gabriel didn’t tell you.” Pulling up my legs beside me, I relaxed into the thick cushions.

“Tell me what?”

“Dominic’s Sire showed up in Hollow Hills a while back,” I said and then let out a heavy breath, not especially thrilled about having to recount that particular story.

“And?” she prompted when I didn’t add anything more.

I swallowed against the burn at the back of my throat and composed myself, refusing to let myself cry in front of my sister. “And she made him shut off his emotions. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.”

Her eyes widened because she knew exactly what that meant. “Jesus, Jemma. I’m so sorry.”

I went on to tell her about everything that had come after, including what happened in the woods last night. As much as I had tried to block out that terrifying night from my mind, it was right there with me no matter where I went. Oddly enough, it felt good to finally be able to talk about it.

When I was done recounting that whole mess, I moved on to what was going on between Trace and me and how we had been slowly rebuilding what we had, and of course, Nikki’s very open threat on my life because of it. Not wanting to leave anything out, I also told her about my meetings with William and what they wanted me to do, making sure to include the part about how they had no idea what would happen to me if and when I agreed to do it.

Her shoulders dropped as she heaved out a heavy breath. “How long have I been gone?” she asked, looking exhausted just hearing about everything.

“That’s life in Hollow Hills for you. Never a dull moment.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” she said as she sank back on the couch, her mind a million miles away.

“I’m guessing you think I should do it, right?”

“Do what?” she asked, distracted.

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