Page 94 of Tethered Fates

Bran lifts one nonchalant shoulder.

“Elio, ignore him,” I tell the young mage, pulling out my phone to make a call. “Kate, how far away are you?”

“Depends,” she answers, “from the mansion or the creepy cult surrounding it?”

“You certainly have always had good timing.”

“Lucky me,” she deadpans. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Stay right where you are. I’m sending people out to you.”

“Is this for that soulmate of yours?”

I count his lashes, trace his full, small lips. I feel him tug on our bond. I’m not sure which of us he’s trying to reassure, but I do know there isn’t a line I wouldn’t cross for Teagan. “My everything.”

She curses.

“Take them somewhere safe, Kate. Nowhere remote.”

Summer and Emma might be bold, but not even they’d risk drawing the swift, deadly attention of every supernatural leader by exposing themselves to the outside world. So hiding among humans will keep Teagan and the others safe.

Kate has questions, but my no-nonsense detective always knows where her priorities are. “I’ll keep the car running.”

I hang up. Teagan—my brave boy—is scared. Not for himself, however. God, how could I love him more? “Teagan, Golden, Kai—”

“I’m going with them,” Apollo jumps in. He might be a crazy vampire, but I’m glad they’ll have another layer of protection.

“Sen,” Teagan says my name in his quiet rasp, and within four large steps, I’m closing the distance to pull him into my arms.

“You aren’t allowed to do anything stupid, slick,” he whispers, hugging me back.

I want to kiss him, but if I start now, I’ll never stop. “I love you, sweetheart, and the only person who gets my heart is you.”

He nods, and I see it in his unwavering gaze—he doesn’t doubt that I’ll win. I don’t know if I’m worthy of his complete trust, but I’ll make sure not to waste it.

“I have an idea on how to get past the crowd.” Elio looks at Bran. “Can I borrow some blood?”

“When am I not accommodating?”

Elio scoffs. He pulls a flip dagger from the back of his waistband to toss it to Bran, who catches it with ease to slice open his forearm. Bran’s darker-than-normal blood flows like a river into Elio’s cupped palm, swirling like a murky crystal ball before Bran’s skin knits back together.

“I can incapacitate them all,” Elio tells the room. “But they can’t see it coming, or they’ll shield against it.”

“Someone has to distract them,” I supply. “I’ll do it. I want to have a chat with Summer, anyway.”

Teagan’s hold tightens, but he stays silent.

“So Sen distracts Summer,” Ramy says. “Elio knocks those bastards down, then once the others make their escape…”

“Wholesale fucking murder?” Luc growls.

“Wholesale fucking murder,” Vidar agrees.

Slowly, painfully—I release Teagan.

We share a look, and I promise him without words that this isn’t the last time we’ll see each other.

Teagan understands; he’s always heard what goes unsaid.