Page 32 of Hitched to the Vampire King

“Jaden,” I growled.

She winced, then took a step back, as though trying to put some distance between us. I’d never seen my friend respond to me like that before. So I stopped pacing and took three deep breaths. Only when my pulse started to slow did I open my eyes and lift a brow.

“Maybe what?” I repeated in a far calmer voice.

She swallowed, then glanced at Gabriel. “Maybe it would be better if you went home.”

A brief, but heavy, silence blanketed the hallway.

“What?” Gabriel finally asked.

Jaden sighed, then leaned against the wall and tipped her head back. “I don’t mean forever. But maybe you should consider it. You’re the Vampire King. You belong in England. If you stay here, we can’t guarantee your safety. And I would hate to see you hurt. Or worse, killed. It would kill Maddie if you died. I know it hurts to hear, but maybe you should go.”

“I’m not goinganywhere,” Gabriel snarled. It was the first time I’d ever heard him take such a tone with one of my friends.

“I know, but I felt like someone should suggest it.” Then Jaden shot me a sad glance. “Maybe youbothshould go.”

My anger evaporated in an instant. I stumbled forward a step, the pain in my chest almost unbearable. “You want me to leave?”

“No. Never. But we don’t always get what we want. This is big, Maddie. Bigger than anything you or I have ever taken on before. We can handle a few vampires here and there, sure. But the Academy has unleashed all their slayers on you. And not just the best in Jackson. The entire country. You’re going to have people hunting you from all over. When they find you, they won’t hesitate. They’ll slay Gabriel and take you back to Jackson to hand you over to the council.”

“Jaden—”

“I love you, Maddie. You’re my best friend. My sister. If something ever happened to you…”

I crossed the hallway and dragged her into my arms. The second we came together, her body began to tremble and she started crying. I couldn’t blame her. We’d just lost one of our best friends. Of course, she wanted me somewhere safe. Somewhere far, far away from the Academy.

“England isn’t so bad,” she whispered. “And those loyal to Gabriel would protect you there. Protect both of you. You’d be safe.”

“England isn’t my home,” I countered.

“I know. But you could make it your home.”

I stuffed all my emotions down, then drew back to meet Jaden’s gaze. “I’m not going anywhere. This is my home.Youare my family. You, Josh, Lucy, Sam, the kids. Gabriel and I belong here with you. Okay?”

Jaden looked dubious. Guess my speech hadn’t been all that inspiring. But she eventually nodded, clearly realizing I wasn’t going to budge on this. Most people dreamed of traveling abroad. I, however, did not. I wanted to be here with those I considered my family. After all these years, I deserved that, didn’t I? I sure as hell wasn’t going to run simply because my former employer had deemed me a traitor.

Jackson was my home. And I wasn’t going anywhere—Academy be damned.

ChapterEleven

After sendingLucy and Jaden to their respective rooms—and respective partners—for a little shut-eye, Gabriel and I retreated into our bedroom. I closed the door behind us and leaned against it, breathing a heavy sigh. A quick glance at a nearby clock revealed that it was half-past two in the morning, which meant I’d managed a decent night’s rest, though I was hardly refreshed. I guess that was to be expected though, considering the circumstances.

Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed and ran a hand through his rumpled hair—a clear sign of agitation. I couldn’t blame him. It’d been a hard week. A hard month. And there was no sign of things getting any easier any time soon.

Pushing off the door, I took a seat next to him, our shoulders touching. Just being near him soothed me, and I hoped I offered him the same comfort. Lord knew we needed it.

After a moment’s silence, I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Gabriel snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me tight against him. “There’s nothing to talk about, luv. I survived the Academy’s bounty last time, and I’ll do it again.”

“You only survived because I kidnapped you,” I replied, hoping to add a little levity to the situation.

An attempt he rewarded with a chuckle. “Fair enough.” He leaned down and kissed my head. “I certainly wouldn’t complain if you decided to kidnap me again.”

Despite our situation, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. “Mm, I bet. With the chains too?” I asked, referring to how I’d originally restrained him to the couch. Damn, that all seemed like a lifetime ago. I couldn’t believe everything that had happened between then and now. Witches, demons, the Academy, Adrian and Elias, Chris…our lives had become so complicated. A rollercoaster of emotions.

“For what it’s worth, I really am sorry about all this.”

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