Page 23 of Vengeance of the Gods

Bridger jerked away while Vega stood there, as calm as could be. “What the fuck is that?”

When the frog finally cleared through, Vega flipped the switch, and the noise came to a rattling stop. “A garbage disposal. Keep looking.”

Bridger didn’t move, raising a brow as if to ask, Who are you talking to?

“I still haven’t decided if I’m going to ditch you here by yourself or not, so if I were you, I’d be on my best behavior. You’re lucky you found me, and you’re even luckier I have my memories, or this would have been a whole lot more complicated for you. Stop pushing your luck.”

The idea of being stuck here like Vega sent a slow chill down Bridger’s spine, telling him to listen. He moved throughout the apartment, positioning himself in the exact spot he’d seen in his dream. His hands fell to the table, running his fingers against the smooth wood. “Oh?” he asked, peering over his shoulder at her. “What makes you say that?”

Vega paused, standing on her tiptoes to see inside a low cabinet. “Have you stopped to think about what happens now?” She lowered herself back onto flat feet. “About how you get across the world without documentation in a place that loves to know who’s going where at all times?” She came up beside him.

“I did think of that, actually. It’s why I had Marlena make a new portal.” He returned her attitude with a sarcastic smile. “It imploding obviously wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Oh yeah? And what is your plan exactly?” she inquired.

Bridger’s fingers stopped meticulously trailing over the smooth table. The war waging in his mind, the torment he’d gone through once for defying Marlena, was almost enough to keep him in line. Bridger swallowed and turned around to find her scarred eyebrow raised high in question and her arms crossed over her chest.

“To get you home to Tolevarre, of course.” Bridger didn’t feel like he was lying, but he definitely wasn’t telling the entire truth.

Vega went back to searching the apartment, checking small crevices she could only know about because she’d done it before. “I can’t leave until I figure out what’s holding my curse to Earth and end it, or all of this—Arlet getting taken, all my research that’s led to this moment, the last fifty-five years—it will have been for nothing, and I’ll be right back where I started. Cursed, useless, and better off dead.”

“I mean, with the crack in the portal back home, I’d say you’re on the right track.” Bridger realized instantly what he’d done.

Vega’s eyes grew wide. “The portal what?” She gaped, going pale.

Oh shit. He hadn’t told her.

“It cracked. The portal cracked,” he said again.

“When did it crack?” Her voice was so quiet her lips barely moved.

The entire room tensed and felt like even the shadows were waiting for Bridger’s answer.

“We assume when you killed yourself,” he responded, his voice lowering too.

Something clicked in her head, and he watched as it happened. “The portal.”

The sound of keys clattering against a door erected Vega’s spine, and her face paled a shade further. “Fuck.” She practically jumped across the table, pushing her body up against Bridger’s until his back was flush against the window, where they were out of view when the door opened.

“Vay?” a man’s voice called through the apartment.

Bridger’s nose scrunched unintentionally at the stupid nickname.

Vega caught the look with a daggered glare.

He didn’t need to be inside her head to know what she was saying. Shut up.

Her whisper was hushed and fast. “Out the window, down the fire escape, and wait for me by the cafe down the street to the right.” She reached down and unlocked the window, turning her back on him while she hurried through the kitchen. “Coming!”

Vega paused, turning one last time to find Bridger in the same spot against the wall. The look on her face was easy to read—she was terrified what might happen if he didn’t leave. Please, her eyes begged.

Bridger, against his better judgement, ducked out the window and left Vega alone with her husband.

11

The sound of a loud bang coming from the old window falling to a close made Vega jump.

Chase tried to rush past her and investigate, but Vega grabbed his forearm gently, and it immediately stopped him, pulling his attention away from Bridger fleeing. “Sorry, I was letting in some fresh air. I forgot to close the window.” Vega’s voice took a mousy tone, turning into a sad, doting housewife.