Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“Hey, Bjorn,” Ambrose called before I could get very far. “Congratulations.”
I grinned.
“Things are good now?”
“Getting there,” I replied with a nod.
“Good. She’s the other half of you, brother. Protect that.”
“I know.”
When I got back to my room Reese was already off the phone and was waiting impatiently.
“All set?” I asked as I pulled my suitcase out of the coat closet.
“Rena is jealous as hell, and Mr. Miranda said to make sure my passport is still valid.”
“Is it?”
“I don’t have one,” she muttered, her cheeks pink. “I’m sorry. I’ve never needed one. This screws up our plans, right?”
She shifted nervously, waiting for…What? Did she think I’d be angry? Fuck, we still had so much to learn about each other.
“You’d need a new one anyway,” I said, dropping the suitcase so I could reach for her. “You’re considered part of the Vampire Federation now, remember? Your passport should reflect that.”
“But this time we could’ve just used my old one if I had one,” she said, wincing. “I know we’re in a hurry.”
“I should’ve thought of it before,” I assured her, brushing her hair back from her face. “Ambrose is across the hall. Go let him know that we need to stop in Vermont on the way to get your papers.”
“Vermont?”
“Headquarters,” I murmured, leaning down to kiss her. Now that I knew what I’d been missing, it was hard to be so close without the contact.
“I didn’t know your headquarters were in Vermont,” she said, pulling away. “Are you sure he’s not going to be pissed?”
“That’s by design, and no, Ambrose won’t be pissed. He’ll be annoyed that he didn’t think of it first. I’m going to get my shit packed, and we’ll leave for your place in fifteen.”
“If your brother gives me shit, I might sling it back,” she warned, stepping away.
“Make it sting,” I replied, tapping her on the ass as I headed toward my bedroom.
I felt lighter than I had in longer than I could remember. We were getting close to finding the last piece of Zeke. My brothers and I would find Charles Franklin and his sister. Command was searching for the people who’d gone after my baby brother, and I knew they wouldn’t stop until they got answers.
Reese and I were falling into the bond that I’d imagined when I was a kid and my parents promised me that she was out there somewhere—a mate that was made just for me. She didn’t trust me yet, and she had every reason not to, but I’d prove myself. I had no doubt that we’d get to that place eventually. I just had to be patient.
I thought about Zeke’s other half as I threw clothes into my suitcase and grabbed my Dopp kit. It was wild to think about my baby brother’s other half. All of us probably felt that way. Knowing that your sibling had a match out in the world somewhere had always been something that the five of us wondered about. Would Ambrose’s mate be as serious as he was? Would Chance’s be sarcastic and borderline rude? Would Danny’s be as easygoing? Would Zeke’s mate be like Reese, full of piss and vinegar, or would he be quiet and gentle?
The protectiveness I felt when I thought about Charles Franklin was almost as strong as when I thought of my brothers. He was one of us even if he didn’t realize it yet.
“Danny wants to come with us,” Reese announced, storming into the room. She looked at the zipped suitcase. “You’re already done?”
“I’ve been a soldier since before your great-grandfather was born,” I reminded her, lifting it. “I know what I need to pack.”
“I hope you’re not expecting the same when we get to the apartment,” she said, hurrying over to her bag. She haphazardly stuffed back in the clothes that were spilling out. “Because I have no clue what to bring.”
“Anything you forget we can just buy when we get there,” I told her, setting my hand on her lower back as we left the room.
“Yeah, okay, moneybags,” she replied dryly.
“Danny’s coming with us?” I asked, bringing the conversation back around.
“I think he wants to scope out where I live,” she joked, glancing over her shoulder at me as we left our rooms. “I told him it’s nothing special.”
“He probably wants to make sure we don’t take too long.”
“I’ll take as long as I take,” she replied formally. She hurried down the stairs, belying the words.
I was glad that no one was around as we headed out to the garage. After the scene at the table, I wasn’t in a hurry to deal with any of the older generation. I’d dropped it, and Reese was right, we’d worked shit out, but I wouldn’t forget what they’d done any time soon. They hadn’t always been so intrusive, but after I’d walked away from Millie, they’d worried.