Charity rolled her eyes.
“Understood?”
“Yes.”
His gaze intensified. He brought up his arms, as though to hug her close, but at the last moment his eyes flicked to the others waiting to the side. He closed his fingers around her upper arms instead. “I’ll see you soon, okay? Be safe.”
He about-faced and stalked away, with Yasmine hurrying to catch up.
“Well, that was weird,” Macy said as she watched the pair. “What’s gotten into him? Since when is he touchy-feely?”
“I think he’s being sentimental about almost dying to save me,” Charity said.
Macy shook her head. “I don’t think he’s got a sentimental bone in his body. Or a romantic one. Devon’s more of a hit-it-and-quit-it kinda guy.”
“Where has Dillon been, by the way?” Andy, Rod, and the girls had stopped in after breakfast to scoop up leftovers and rehash the events of the night before. Dillon had never shown, though, which Charity had thought a little odd, considering it was a pack affair.
Macy shifted uncomfortably.
“Don’t tell me he’s staying away because of Yasmine,” Charity said, eyeing the students entering the lecture hall. Whatever Vlad had done the night before to clear people away was not happening now. She took comfort in that fact. Still, she wasn’t in any hurry to go in. Out here, she could still run and call for help. In there, she’d be trapped.
Macy’s face reddened. “I told him he didn’t have to. I mean, yes, I have a jealousy problem when my boyfriend won’t stop ogling another woman—”
“Not to mention that it’s not cool to ogle women in general.”
“Right. Yes! Why didn’t I think of that?” She frowned down at her shoes. “Anyway, he keeps finding other things to do when Yasmine is going to be around. Despite being a shifter, he’s strangely non-confrontational.”
Charity laughed. “I think he’s against choosing sides between you and another pack member.”
“Well, yes, I guess there is that.” Macy pulled her long hair into a ponytail. “If only she were nice. I mean, look at you. You’re gorgeous, and it isn’t a problem. She just…” Macy shook her head, watching the dwindling flow of students into the lecture hall. It was almost time. “She rubs me the wrong way, but she’s pack. I need to get over it.”
After a moment of silence, Charity took a deep breath. “All right, I have to head in. I’ll text as soon as I can.”
After a welcomed hug from Macy, Charity headed for the door, dread washing through her middle as memories from last night swirled through her thoughts.
She hoped to hell nothing nasty waited inside those doors.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The only nasty things that had lain in wait were Donnie’s friends. Every time she glanced up to check the time, one of them was looking at her. Some out of suspicion, and some in plain anger. She didn’t blame them. The last time they’d seen Donnie, he’d been sitting with her. Now, he was nowhere to be found.
Good thing she was smarter and much more prepared than any of them. She had the test finished with forty minutes left on the clock. She took a quick moment to text Devon on the sly, then hurried to the desk at the side of the stage to drop her test in the basket. The professor barely looked up.
A message awaited her on her phone.
Devon: I’m here.
Nervous butterflies erupted in her stomach. She tucked her computer in her backpack and stood, catching a suspicious stare from Donnie’s best buddy. It would be a long few weeks until the end of the semester—if she made it that long. She’d probably miraculously escape the elder vamp only to be brought up on murder charges for Donnie’s disappearance.
Devon waited just beside the door, his face closed down into a hard mask. Yasmine and Macy stood in front of him, pushed out to the sides like wings. Fierce determination shone on each of their faces.
Full night had descended like a blanket, the soft glow from the light poles splashing the path.
“What’s going on?” Charity asked as they started forward, she the only one not in perfect synchronicity.
No one answered her. They didn’t need to.
Students ambled toward their cars, clutching books or computers, chatting with their friends or classmates. Every once in a while, a group would look up in surprise, their laughter and chatter dying as they caught sight of one of the still figures amidst the shadows. Eyes widened and mouths gaped as they noticed the unearthly beauty of the visitors.
The vamps had shown up.
“Is this it?” Charity asked quietly, identifying four independent watchers as they headed toward the closest parking lot. “Are we going to have to fight our way to the car?”
“Not with this many people around,” Devon answered in a low tone, masking a growl. “You were right about that.”
“What about when we get near the car and the parking lot is quiet?”
Devon’s fingers closed around hers. “We won’t be giving them that opportunity.”
His gaze shifted right. Andy jogged in from that side, his eyes pinned to the nearest vampire, who was watching him with a little grin.
Devon squeezed her hand. “We’re going to make it, okay? I won’t let them take you.” Fierce possession rang in his voice.
“You’re pack, Charity,” Andy growled, something she hadn’t expected from him. He fell in on her other side. “We’ve got you.”
Macy and even Yasmine nodded in agreement.
A surge of pure fire lit Charity up from within, exploding electricity out through her limbs. She’d never felt so included in a group of peers. She’d never been this welcomed, and certainly not felt this protected. Something hard and fast took root within her. The song of battle curled through the breeze.
All she could do was nod gratefully. She didn’t have a sword, after all. Tearing through campus, chopping off vampires’ heads, wouldn’t be possible without a sword.
Of all the times to crack up, she was okay with doing it now.
Devon released her hand and drifted further back with Andy. Yasmine and Macy closed ranks, too, the four of them boxing her in. At the bottom of the next set of steps, a beautiful woman stepped out of the trees flanking the path. Her eyes and smile were hungry.
“Why so fast, little puppy?” she asked in a sexy purr. She was talking to Devon.
If only Charity had that sword…
“Mid-level,” Devon murmured.
“Left, eleven o’clock,” Yasmine said in a brittle voice.
A man lounged against a tree, ignoring the furtive stares of two ladies passing him. He only had eyes for Charity.
“Greetings,” he said as she neared. “Nice night, isn’t it? Mmm, you smell fantastic.”
“Mid-level,” Devon muttered.
“Are they going to attack?” Charity asked, electricity crackling from her fingertips.
“Not here,” Andy said quietly. “One waited for me outside my classroom. Followed me to you. They know we’re young and inexperienced—compared to Roger or Jeffry.”
“Who’s Jeffry?” Charity asked.
“Jeffry is alpha of the Hunting pack, which goes after higher-level vamps throughout the region,” Devon answered.
“Calling everyone alpha is confusing,” Charity murmured.
“Leaders like to be called alpha, especially men,” Macy said, her words strangely muffled, like she was talking out of the corner of her mouth for secrecy.
It didn’t matter. Their admirers heard.
“I agree,” a woman said just off to the side, her voice familiar.
One glance was all Charity needed to place her. There was no mistaking that red lace corset paired with the leather duster and spiked heeled boots. She sat on a park bench, looking ludicrously out of place.
“She was at the turning party,” Charity whispered back to Devon.
The woman’s ruby-red lips stretched into a smile. “I long to sample you, my sweet. The pleasure I will give you will tu
rn you off that young pup, I assure you.”
“I don’t swing that way,” Charity replied, fire burning her alive from the inside out, fueling her courage. She opened and closed her fist.
“Hmm, that smell. You will, my sweet. You will.”
“Vampires are really bad at pick-up lines.” Charity shivered.
“Upper mid-level,” Devon said in a growl.
“The lovely thing about wolf pups…” The vampire stood slowly from the bench as they passed, her movements languid. She lifted her heel to take a step, and suddenly she was standing in front of them, blocking their way. Someone behind them gasped. “…is that they love the secluded wilderness. Tell me, little pup—how well can you drive those windy roads to your protective ward? Can you maintain speed?”
They planned to ambush the pack where no one could witness the fight.
“Move, or I will move you,” Charity said, doing everything she could not to push to the front of the pack. Devon would flip out if she did, and it would jeopardize their whole setup. But man, she wanted to. She wanted to wrangle this fire and direct it at that vamp standing in their way, threatening them. She wanted to light up the sky and burn that creature alive.
“Hold,” Devon commanded her, clearly sensing the electricity stretching her skin, begging to be released.
With a lovely laugh, the woman sauntered out of the way, her hips swaying erotically. A younger man off to the side shivered and then bent at the waist before shuffling away in embarrassment. She’d provoked climax without even touching him.
“There’s our ride, bro,” Andy said, taking a knife out of his belt as they approached the road.
Dillon stood beside the open rear door of a black Suburban in a handicap zone, the only space he could have pulled into that wouldn’t block traffic. The front passenger door was open, too, Rod at the wheel with the engine running.
Twenty feet away, lying across a bench like it was a chaise longue, was Charity’s BFF.
Cars slowed down as they passed. People around him gawked.
They’d probably never seen anyone so handsome. They had no idea that a monster lurked on the inside.
When he caught her eye, he smirked and winked.
Electricity rolled through her fingertips. Light fizzled along her palms. Fire boiled her blood.
“My own personal stalker,” Charity said. The pack pushed in closer. Her butt had gone numb. She had no idea why. “I had such a quiet life. You have no idea how much I miss it.”
“I don’t mean to take any chances until daylight,” Devon said in a rough voice. “We’ll go to Rod’s. It’s well warded and still within town.”
“Where’s Roger?” Andy asked, helping Charity into the back seat next to Dillon, his eyes never leaving her BFF.
Devon waited until they were all in and the doors closed to answer. “He’s getting people together,” he murmured, clearly taking no chances with the vampires’ hearing. “He’s going to try to take down the mid-levelers so the elder doesn’t have as many minions in the Brink.”
“What a mess,” Rod muttered from the driver’s seat. “What is it about you, Charity? Do they know you’re a good cook?”
“That’s it, yes,” Charity replied. “They realized I make a mean lasagna.”
“You do? When do we get to sample that?” Rod stepped on the gas, cutting off another car.
“I forgot all the food is at my house,” Devon said miserably, and she belatedly noticed he was clutching a gun.
“So, how did class go, everyone? Learn anything useful?” Andy asked pleasantly, leaning his arm against her seat. It was like the intense scene outside had never happened.
Charity couldn’t help but laugh. She loved the craziness of Devon’s pack.
Dillon shook his head. “Rod, you got enough beds at your house for everyone? We should stick together until Roger tells us what’s next. If I were that elder, I’d pick us off if I could.”
“I got a couple air mattresses, but we probably have to double a couple of people up,” Rod replied.
“I call Macy,” Andy yelled quickly.
Dillon reached over the seat and flicked him in the head.
“He did call me,” Macy said. Charity could hear the strains of humor in her voice. This crew would joke through anything. It was strangely reassuring.
They arrived at a modest three-bedroom house that looked almost exactly the same as the modest three-bedroom houses to either side of it. Also to those across the street.
“Not a lot of originality in this part of the world, huh?” Charity mumbled to Dillon. He snorted.
“I hear better than humans, Charity,” Rod said darkly.
Rod pulled into the garage and looked back at Devon. The lights from the dash were reflected in his somber eyes. “If they pool all those vamps together, they might be able to break through this ward.”
“They won’t chance it in the middle of suburbia. That’s why we’re here.” Devon stepped out and helped Charity after him. “If they were going to make a scene, they would’ve done it already.”
“What were they after, then? Showmanship?” Rod jabbed a button on his visor. The garage door roared to life.
Charity shook her head into the silence that followed that question. She had no idea. The feelings she sometimes got about approaching danger were absent. Which made it that much more terrifying. She had no idea what would come next.
It turned out Rod had a ton of somewhat fresh food in his kitchen—a dream of Charity’s before Devon had bought all that food. Unfortunately, Rod didn’t have enough of any one thing for their whole group. Charity settled for a tapas kind of dinner. Andy called it a buffet, which was also true. By the time they ate and cleaned up, it was nearing eleven o’clock.
“All right,” Rod said, dropping a pile of blankets on the couch as they all gathered in the living room. “I got a king-sized bed in my room. One bedroom has a queen, the office has room on the floor for an air mattress. One full-sized couch—”
“Does it pull out?” Andy asked, eyeing the piece of furniture as though it might have hidden delights.
“It’s leather…”
“Yes, Captain Obvious. It sure is. And your head? Is that made of cotton candy and gumballs? Roger bought your way into school. Didn’t he—”
“Leather doesn’t pull out, you jackass!” Rod punched Andy in the chest.
“I feel like this is a prime time for a dirty joke,” Macy intoned.
“You guys,” Devon said.
“Anyway, so if we double up, that’s six for the beds and one for the couch.” Rod glared at Andy.
Andy put up his hands in surrender. “I’m not going to comment on your ability to do simple math. Whoever said you were dense surely didn’t know you very well.”
Rod puffed up like he was about to lunge.
“Macy and I will take the air mattress. We don’t hang on pretension.” Dillon grabbed Macy’s hand and looked anywhere but at Yasmine.
Macy smiled and stepped closer.
“Charity and I will take the queen,” Devon said.
Yasmine’s mouth dropped open. She hadn’t seen that coming. Neither had Charity.
Into the shocked silence, Andy said, “So, Rod, you and me? I sleep naked and I like to spoon—is that okay?”
Yasmine pouted beautifully as Rod’s face turned an angry shade of red.
Andy laughed merrily. “Just kidding, Yasmine. You can have him. I like my men small and mousy.”
After a smirk at Andy, Devon took off toward the spare bedroom. Charity stared after him in trepidation before glancing at Andy with wide eyes.
Andy laughed again. “I think I got lucky with the couch, bro. Kind of ball shriveling when you make a woman look like she just swallowed a slug.”
“I hope you’re talking about Rod,” Devon yelled from down the hallway.
“I was talking about Dillon,” Andy yelled back.
Charity stared after Devon for a moment, not sure what to do. A
lthough they’d slept in the same bed before, this was a public display. It whispered of a kind of closeness Devon wasn’t exactly known for, and screamed of a different kind of closeness he was entirely too known for.
But what choice did she have?
Not to mention that a part of her was glad he picked her. That he’d continue to extend the comfort he’d given her the last couple nights. That he’d opted to keep her wrapped up in his safety like a blanket.
Sighing and shoving a smirking Andy out of the way, she trudged to the bedroom. She paused at the threshold, her gaze glued to Devon as he stripped out of his shirt.
“I don’t want to…you know,” Charity said shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Last night I just needed some comfort. And, you know, those other nights, too.”
“And you don’t need that tonight?” Devon kept on his boxers as he climbed between the sheets.
“Um…well, tonight you aren’t in a self-induced coma.”
“I will be soon. Chastity, I won’t bite. Unless you ask very nicely.”
She shook her head, wondering why she suddenly felt like a virgin being asked to take off her clothes. She was excited and scared and wound up and eager…
Get a grip, Charity. You’re just sleeping in the same bed. It’s no different than those other times.
But oh God, something about this time felt different.
With a big sigh, she flicked off the lights but kept the door open. She wanted everyone to know there would be no shenanigans going on in here. She wanted no rumors, and definitely no temptation.
She shed her socks and stepped out of her jeans. After discarding her hoodie, she slipped her bra out from under her loose T-shirt. She climbed into the sheets and huddled in a ball on her side.
“C’mere,” he said into the darkness.
“We probably shouldn’t, Devon. That’s a bit…close.”
“Chastity, we did this last night. Nothing happened. I’ll keep my hands in safe areas, I promise.”
“Do you guys want this door open?” Rod asked from the doorway. Yasmine was behind him, looking into the gloom with squinted eyes. Charity hated that she was living up to what Yasmine suspected of her. She hated that it mattered.
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