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“Seriously,” she murmured, “as much as I’m sure it totally sucked hanging in the demon realm, you gotta admit . . .”
“Admit?”
“It’s made you one hell of a badass, and you weren’t exactly pleasant before.”
“More like asshole.” Jaden’s whisper surrounded him, and he saw Ana smile.
“Is Father running Blue Heaven?” he asked suddenly, his thoughts turning to the company that up until several months ago, had meant everything to him. Under his care, Blue Heaven Industries had tripled in growth. It was the premiere manufacturer of communication devices in the world, and he’d brokered several huge contracts with the military.
“Your father has made sure that the family business stays afloat. No worries. When this is all over, you can return to your old life.”
Ana’s words sank in, and he settled back into the seat, his eyes drawn to the window and out at the swirling snow. The wind continued to howl, pushing the flakes into a chaotic dance of white. It looked as confusing and frenetic as his life. Return to his old life?
What a fucking joke.
Julian closed his eyes and rested his head against the seat. It would never happen. He was forever changed, and he knew it wasn’t for the better. He was ruined, damaged beyond repair, with a hole inside him that even if he was able to patch, would never fully heal. How could it?
Bleakness sat heavy in his chest, and he felt the burn of his scars bleed through.
“Where are we?” he murmured, caring enough for the first time to ask.
“A few hours north of Toronto. Jaxon has set up his new headquarters near a town called Gravenhurst. It’s a vacation hot spot for the Canucks in the summer. Lots of water, cottages, money.”
“Lots of fucking snow,” Declan observed dryly, and Julian felt a smile tug at his lips. The Irishman was bang on.
The rest of the ride continued in silence, all of them deep into their own thoughts. Twenty minutes later, they turned off of the main highway, and the truck plowed through a snow-covered road that was barely more than a path.
They passed several homes, all of them expensive, large. Some were lit up with colorful display of lights in honor of the impending Christian holiday, most were empty. Julian sat straighter in his seat and gazed ahead, his eyes fixed on the large structure that could barely be seen over the thick stand of trees that blanketed the entire area.
They were weaving along a twisted lane, the elevation dropping, and he assumed they were headed toward a large body of water. He could smell it in the air, the cool crispness of ice. Though the wind continued to howl and throw snow at them, making visibility nearly impossible, the driver had no problem navigating his way through. He was obviously familiar with the area.
A few minutes, later the truck slid to a slow crawl as they made a left and approached a massive gate. They came to a full stop, and he watched with interest as they were approached by two guards.
The driver’s window slid open and after a few words were exchanged, the gate retreated, and they were able to drive through. They took a sharp turn to the right, and several moments later, the trees thinned until they disappeared, and a large home came into view.
It was massive, and he saw several smaller buildings scattered on either side. Julian was impressed. Jaxon had managed to make his new headquarters both a home and a state-of-the-art base of operations.
They pulled in front of the main house, and, as he slid from the interior of the truck, he tried to ignore the nervous energy that pulled at his gut. He blew out a harsh breath, and was startled when he felt Jaden at his side.
“Guess it’s been a while since you saw your family,” she said simply, her voice husky and low.
She looked up at him, her dark eyes like pools of black licorice, and his hand moved before he even knew what he was doing. She flinched when his palm touched her cheek, and as her energy mixed with his, the biting wind and driving snow disappeared, and there was nothing but the two of them.
He stared down at her, hoping the intense need he felt wasn’t reflected in his eyes. He wasn’t used to this, these feelings of want. They confused the crap out of him.
“It’s Jaxon.” Nico’s rough voice cut through whatever the hell it was that held him in his grip, and his hand fell away as he turned from Jaden and glanced up at the house.
Several silhouettes could be seen, their dark outlines eerie shadows against the light from within the house. The two tall ones in front were his brothers. This he knew, yet, there was nothing inside him. No joy. No anticipation. Just . . . nothing.
Julian frowned as he followed the rest of the group up the stairs until he was inches from Jaxon and Jagger. The two brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, united, linked on a level he couldn’t understand anymore.
Jagger smiled, a wide sweeping grin that transformed his handsome face into that of the young boy Julian remembered. He was enveloped in an embrace that was rough, genuine, and still he felt nothing.
“Christ, it’s good to see you again,” Jagger whispered into his ear before letting go. The youngest Castille laughed at him as he pulled away. “Damn, Julian, don’t be so serious.”
Julian arched an eyebrow, his expression wooden. “Well, Armageddon is pretty fucking serious, don’t you think?” He ignored Jagger and turned to Jaxon, nodding curtly before he spoke. “I hear you have intel. Time’s running out, so I suggest you get us up to speed.”
His abrupt manner, the harshness of his words, clearly shocked his brothers, yet he didn’t give a shit. He had no need for hugs and well-wishe
