Page 575 of Shadowblood Souls
A shiver runs down my back. “You think the rogue shadowbloods will see that and take the challenge?”
Rollick offers me a small smile. “I wouldn’t be surprised. They do seem to be rather impulsive. And Chicago is along the trajectory they were already on. I’d imagine our best strategy would be to check for other similar declarations in the area and then monitor which direction the kids you can track start heading in.”
And then we attack. I drag in a breath, repeating to myself that we’re doing the right thing, that this is the best option we have.
Then I reach toward the bedside table for my phone. “I’m going to call Toni and see what she can tell us about Balthazar’s tech. He used us in plenty of ways. Now we might as well use whatever we can from him.”
Twenty-Two
Jacob
I’m starting to realize that I have a love-hate relationship with watching Riva in action.
Nothing can compare to the fire that comes into her bright brown eyes when she focuses all her determination on a goal. She lights up with the energy that carries through every brisk movement, turning her seemingly delicate body into a force of nature.
It’s a hell of a lot better than the deflated hopelessness that’s come over her at the worst of times. Seeingthatalways makes me want to tear the rest of the world apart until I reach whatever’s hurting her.
But gearing up for a fight involves more than just determination and energy. As she stalks through her new hotel room, tension hardens the set of her shoulders and the curl of her fingers. Her eyes burn with worry as well as resolve.
This woman cares so much about so many people. I can’t complain about that, since I’m lucky enough to be one of those people.
But the stress of wanting to protect them all, save them all, digs into her with each passing minute when she hasn’t accomplished it yet.
Now, she spins on her heel toward the door with a swing of her braid. “I should check in with Rollick’s people again. Go over the plan one more time.”
That’ll just remind her of how much time we still have to wait before we can actually do anything. And how little we can be sure that what we’re going to do will work out all right.
I get up from the chair where I was studying a map of the city on my phone. “You just talked to them a half hour ago. They probably won’t like it if you act like you think they’re all idiots.”
The shadowkind seem to be a pretty sensitive bunch for beings that’ve existed for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Riva lets out a strangled sound that brings up both Dominic’s and Griffin’s heads where they’ve been sitting on the end of the bed, checking the latest news reports on the TV. “I don’t like just waiting around. Maybe I should confirm the shadowbloods’ location again.”
“You just didthatfifteen minutes ago,” I remind her, as gently as I can while staying firm. “They’ve barely moved since they got to the city a few hours ago.”
Dominic nods. “They’ve never attacked before it started to get dark before. The hunters don’t even start patrolling until then.”
Riva sighs, but she knows he’s right. We figured out that the rogue shadowbloods were heading to St. Louis, presumably to target a vocal group of hunters who’ve made the news recently here, and made it to the city ourselves this morning. But evenafter solidifying our plans for tonight, we’ve still got hours left before evening.
Despite that, Riva starts eyeing the door again as if she’s inventing other reasons to go stalking through the halls. An ache that’s both love and frustration reverberates through my chest.
She always takes so much onto her shoulders, as if it’s her job alone to conquer every evil in this world. To make sure the rest of us are where we need to be to help that happen.
She isn’t alone, though. She’s got all of us and the allies we’ve gathered. If we win, a lot of it will be thanks to her—but if we lose, there’s no way it’s her fault.
I know she trusts us to stand beside her and have her back. She just needs to get better at letting us take care of her as much as she watches out for us.
My mind trips back through time to a much more anguished moment when I came to her and she needed me. When I helped her shake all the guilt and worry that was gripping her.
Riva steps toward the door, and I move to intercept her. “Nope,” I say. “You’re staying right here. Sit down on the bed.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Are you giving orders now?”
I smile and wave my hand to usher her in the right direction. “Only because you obviously need them. You have no jobs to do right now. So I’m making it my job to protect you from stressing yourself out.”
Riva folds her arms over her chest with a defiant expression, although the gleam in her eyes looks more like a challenge than real irritation. “I don’t feel like sitting down.”
“You haven’t tried it yet.” I aim my gaze past her to the other two guys in the room, who are watching us in bemusement. “A little help, anyone?”
