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Turning his head against the pillow, he looked at River. His cheek was pressed to Wyatt’s chest, while one arm was thrown over his waist as if he were trying to make sure Wyatt couldn’t escape him in his sleep. They’d been running and hiding for so damn long. It was time to stop. It was time to declare that they’d move no more. River deserved a chance at a normal, happy life. A place to set down roots. At the very least, if he lost the fight, there was no doubt in his mind that Bel would take care of River. All the Variks would.
Bel lay stretched out beside River, the sheets twisted about him as if he’d been fighting in his dreams. His handsome face was lined and tensed even in his sleep. His mind was likely trying to find a better, safer solution to their problem.
The vampire would march straight into the sun if it meant protecting him and River from harm. Never had he expected to be on the receiving end of such love and devotion from a vampire. His experiences with Brett and the MacPherson clan had been uncomfortable, to say the least. After ten years, he’d begun to believe all vampires were cold and cruel.
But that night in the woods when the MacPherson and Varik clans fought, he’d seen something in Bel and his brothers. There was something about the way they cared about one another, how they protected each other. And then Bel’s gentleness with him and River, even when he thought they were just animals. He hadn’t wanted to hurt them if he could help it.
When he convinced River they should seek out Bel as a new protector, Wyatt figured that their situation might be slightly improved over what they’d found with Brett.
But to find such depth of love and compassion, it was a treasure unlike any other.
Wyatt would give his life to protect it. To protect them both.
A soft thump on the roof had Wyatt turning his attention away from Bel. It was the same noise that had woken him from his doze. At first, he’d thought it was maybe a squirrel landing on the roof, but this time the thump was followed by another sound, as if something were rolling down the tiles.
Very carefully, Wyatt slid out of the bed, trying not to wake River, but he should have known it was useless. They’d both learned to be light sleepers over the years. Only Bel slept like the dead.
“What?” River asked, his voice rough from sleep. He blinked slowly, holding his head up as he looked around the room.
“I heard something. I just want to check it out.”
“Want me to come with?”
Wyatt shook his head. “Stay with Bel.”
River grunted and rolled over, wrapping his body around Bel. A small smile teased Wyatt’s lips as he watched Bel’s face smooth and one arm curl around River’s hips. It was like Bel had been born to sleep snuggled with them.
Grabbing his sweat pants from the floor, Wyatt glanced at the clock on the bedside table as he pulled them on. Noon. The sun was high in the sky, and Bel was at his most vulnerable. Wyatt’s heart sped up as he crossed the master bedroom to the hall. He just needed to make a quick sweep of the house to reassure himself that he was overreacting. The talk of attacking the pack, of attacks from the Ministry, were playing too freshly in his mind. It was all making him paranoid.
They were safe.
They had to be safe in Bel’s house.
Wyatt had just reached the stairs when he heard the first massive bang against the metal front door. A second echoed through the house a heartbeat later at the side of the house. One of the metal plates covering a window, maybe. Or the back door off the patio.
They were under attack.
Wyatt turned on the balls of his feet and raced to the bedroom as the metal bangs were punctuated by the scream of the smoke detector. A thin haze of smoke was starting to fill the second floor. The thuds on the roof were likely Molotov cocktails. Not only were they trying to break inside, but they were also attempting to set the place on fire.
He had to get them somewhere safe, but he didn’t know where or even how he was going to get Bel out of the house without him burning up in the sun.
When he reached the bedroom, River was already on his feet, pulling on a pair of old jeans from the floor. Bel groaned and rolled over in the bed, dragging a pillow over his head.
“What—” River started to ask, but Wyatt didn’t give him a chance.
“Find some clothes for Bel. We have to protect him,” Wyatt ordered as he crossed to Bel’s side of the bed.
