Page 3 of For Dear Life

“Still, I reckon it’s his.” Rowan takes hold. “We should wait and see who tries to contact Maxwell. Maybe look at recent texts?”

“Why? How dumb was the witch? Surely he’d delete messages,” says Grayson.

“He might receive a new message,” Rowan replies. “Then we could find some info before others suspect that he’s missing. I’m sure Maxwell would need to check-in with someone.”

“Or maybe he used that phone to contact the shifter?” I ask. “But yes. Definitely. We keep this phone and wait. Use it if possible. Could I take a look?”

Rowan hands the heavy black phone over and I turn it over. “Where’s the camera?”

“The phone’s too basic.”

“Hmm.” I tuck the item into my deep sweater pocket. “I have many plans for this. Try your psychometry on the phone later. We keep this to ourselves.”

“What? But Dorian—” begins Rowan.

Grayson’s eyes go wide as he looks out the window. “Is anybody home?”

“I bloody hope not,” says Leif. “Especially Dorian.”

“Zeke’s car’s outside, but he might not be home. My father has a lot of energy and likes to explore.”

“Does he run around shifted?” asks Rowan in shock. “What if somebody sees him?”

I gesture around. “We live on an estate in the Scottish wilderness. Who’d see?”

“But still, a tiger...” Leif shakes his head. “That’s next level.”

“My father’s fondness for roaming the Highlands as an exotic animal isn’t the issue here,” I say.

“No. I’d say the issue here is why you’re in his house with three blood-covered guys and what appears to be a massive, healing chest wound,” says a familiar voice.

Zeke stands in the doorway leading to the hallway, his pupils still holding the edge of feline from shifting back, capped black t-shirt sleeves stretched across biceps, and revealing his faint but distinct silver and black striped arms.

I haven’t seen Zeke since Dorian dumped me at Thornwood, and never spoke to him since, particularly annoyed with him as he refused to assist me in leaving, even when I impressed on him that Dorian made the decision to send me. Ethan’s and Zeke’s relationship with Dorian has an edge. Not of mistrust or dislike, but, as with myself, Dorian will never be ‘normal’ enough to behave in an acceptable way towards other people.

Others question whether the two guys should trust Dorian, but my family protected and killed for each other’s safety. The trio center around Eloise and that created a strong bond between them all. Plus, they were stuck together on an island in exile for two years and they all survived. That suggests some modicum of fondness for each other.

The guys with me say nothing as Zeke keenly studies each one of them, the muscular shifter made more imposing by the physical traces of his latest shift.

“Why are you here, Violet? What the hell happened to you?” Zeke touches his broad chest and nods at mine.

“I died.”

The words are barely out before Zeke has hold of me, touching my face, hand over my heart in a weirdly invasive but caring way. His Tigris healing saved Eloise’s life once at Ravenhold academy, but that’s not necessary for me. I disentangle myself but he holds my cheeks firm, half-squashing them.

“Violet,” he says hoarsely. “How? Your heart is damaged. Who the fuck did this?”

“A fence post. And my heart is functioning again, as expected for an immortal with self-reviving properties.” Zeke stares at me as if I’m insane. “Not the best way to discover my immortality, but a temporary death is the only way we’d know for sure.”

“Fence post? Did a crazy human student believe stabbing you through the heart would kill you?” His teeth bare, long canines visible and Grayson takes a small step backwards. “Name.”

“Oh. This is Grayson, Leif, and Rowan. They’re acquaintances I’ve made at the academy.”

Another confused look from Zeke, who only glances at the guys. “No, the name of the person who stabbed you!”

“Nobody stabbed me. I fell.” Huffing, I wave a hand. “I’m here because we had to leave the scene.”

“Scene?” Suspicion replaces Zeke’s confusion, his pupils dilating, and he steps into the room. Grayson edges further back and Rowan remains stock still, whereas Leif stares open-mouthed. “That suggests a crime, Violet.”

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