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The crackling of the flames takes over the noise in the room as the three of us fall silent once more. All this talk of regrets—of would haves, should haves—it’s pissing on my already damp mood.
“I’m pregnant.”
We both whirl on Delaney.
“You’rewhat?”Rainey gapes at her.
Delaney’s hand goes to her stomach. “Pregnant.” She smiles softly. “I haven’t told Cole yet.”
“Then what the fuck are you doing here? Delaney, you have to run. You can’t fight!”
“Like hell I can’t,” Delaney snaps. “You are my family, all of you. There’s absolutely no way I am sitting this out.”
“And if it costs you the baby?”
“It won’t.”
“Delaney—”
“No, Rainey. I didn’t tell you because I needed you to come to my rescue. I am perfectly capable of keeping the both of us safe. I just needed to get it out. Otherwise, I was going to implode.” She chuckles then turns to me, eyes misty.
“I think it’s wonderful.”
“Really?”
“I really do, Delaney. You and Cole deserve this wonderful new life.”
“He’s going to tell you to sit out, too,” Rainey informs her. “But for the record, I honestly couldn’t be happier.” She slips off the front of the couch and wraps her arms around her sister in a rare hug. “I’m going to be an aunt!”
“You are,” Delaney laughs.
For a brief moment, sadness rises within me. With Tarnley being a turned vampire, a child is just not in our future. But when Delaney turns to me and smiles, her joy is contagious, and I can’t help but be wrapped up in it.
In the midst of our darkest moments comes a spark of life. And maybe that’s the hope we all need to carry on.
“I have an idea.” I push up off the couch.
“For what?”
“How we can get them to scatter.”
“You want them to go into hiding?”
“If they do, we can track them down one at a time, and I know just who to start with.” Grinning, I look between both Astor sisters.
“What about our army?”
“We can each take one council and a handful of supernaturals, taking them out one at a time. Less risk.”
“And if we can’t find them?”
“They’ll find us,” I tell Delaney. “The moment we step up to the plate as the new council, they will come for us, and our army can stand guard, work for us the way theirs works for them.”
“I am in.” Rainey stands.
“You don’t even know what the plan is.”
She shrugs. “You look excited about it, therefore it must include killing these assholes, so I’m in.”
