Page 25 of Hitched to the Vampire King

“Agreed.” Avery hurried to the front door, but didn’t pull it open like I’d expected. Instead, she waited for a soft, and deliberate, knock. Two raps, a pause, two more raps, a pause, then a final knock.

A smile curled her lips, and she pulled open the door to reveal what I assumed were two pack members. Both turned to her, relief flashing across their faces.

“Avery, thank god,” one of them said. He stood taller, his broad-shouldered frame barely fitting through the door. He stepped inside with purpose and gathered Avery into his arms. His gaze briefly flicked to me, his curiosity evident in his arched brows. “We’ve been searching everywhere since you disappeared.”

“It’s good to see you, Daniel,” Avery said before reaching behind him to grab the hand of the second werewolf. Another male, narrower in build but taller than Daniel. “And you too, Matthew.”

“Girl, we had no idea where you were!” Matthew said before wrenching Avery out of Daniel’s arms and pulling her close. “What happened?”

Avery’s face darkened. “I’ll fill you all in later. No point in me retelling the story more than once.”

Both nodded, then turned to face me. “And you’re Sam’s sister-in-law?” Daniel asked.

“Maddie,” I said, offering my hand.

I shook with them both, noting that neither squeezed too little or too hard. I actually appreciated that. Usually, werewolves loved to test their strength against one another, but these two didn’t seem interested in that custom.

“I understand you have a vampire here?” Daniel asked.

“My mate, Gabriel,” I replied. “He’s asleep upstairs. I don’t know how familiar you are with vampires, but?—”

“We can’t let the sunlight touch him. Yeah, we know. New Orleans loves vampires. We do our best to keep informed about them.” Matthew turned and jogged back to the transport van, pulling open the back doors. “We have what we hope is the right equipment.”

“You hope?” I asked, stepping out onto the porch. The sun immediately stabbed my eyes, and I lifted a hand to shield against it. After three days of being kept in a dark, dank prison cell, the daylight hurt.

“Well, truthfully, we’ve never transported a vampire before. Never had a need to,” Matthew said. “But we spoke with Sam, and he assured us this would work.”

My hand flew to my stomach, and I pressed hard to ease the fluttering. Avery had asked someone to call them, but hearing that it’d been done, that they’d spoken to them, quickened my pulse. “You spoke to Sam? And Lucy?”

“Just Sam, ma’am, but he wanted us to pass along his relief that you’re alright. He and Lucy should already be at our alpha’s house waiting for you.”

“Wait, what?” My heart skipped a few beats, and I reached behind me, gripping Avery’s arm for support. “They’re here, in New Orleans?”

Matthew frowned, as though shocked by my reaction. “Yes, ma’am. When Sam heard you were here, he said they’d come immediately.”

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I had to blink them back. The thought that mysistermight be here cracked open a gaping hole in my chest. They’d come. For me.

Sensing my distress, Avery broke my hold on her arm and patted my shoulder. “How about we get your man taken care of, and then we can take you to your sister?”

I jerked a nod. “Yeah. Yeah. That would be great.”

Matthew unloaded a large duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder before heading back inside. I trailed after them, my body trembling with nerves. Lucy loved me. I knew that without a doubt. But she was an alpha of her own pack. And the rules were clear among werewolves—we didn’t stray into each other’s territory. At least, not without just cause. Obviously, her relationship with the New Orleans Pack was quite different considering she and Sam were mates, but coming here meant leaving her pack. She had a rather capable second, of course. But it still meant the world that they’d come for me.

Once upstairs, Matthew and Daniel set to work. They unzipped the duffel bag and pulled out what appeared to be a massive blanket.

“UV-blocking,” Matthew told me as he shook it out and laid it on the floor.

Together, Matthew and Daniel lifted Gabriel off the bed and onto the floor with a gentleness that belied their strength. Gabriel couldn’t feel anything right now, but I still appreciated their care, considering everything he’d gone through the last three days.

They wrapped him tight, ensuring the fabric protected every inch of him from potential sunlight. Then, with Matthew at Gabriel’s feet and Daniel at his shoulders, they lifted him up.

“The neighbors might be watching,” I said as they carried him down the stairs.

“Could be. But vampires are public knowledge, and it isn’t illegal to transport one,” Daniel retorted.

“Here’s hoping they don’t think we’re moving a dead body,” I muttered.

Matthew chuckled as he took the last step. “Aren’t we, though?”

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