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Now if only I could get some peace of mind about Jax and Nico before we crossed the threshold…
“Something’s going on between the two of you,” I glanced between them. “And I think you should talk it out — or fuck it out — before we go back to the infernal realm.”
Nothing but silence met my ears as the two of them studiously avoided looking at each other.
“Mel’s right,” Hudson added. “We can’t risk the two of you walking into a fight while compromised like this.”
Jax sighed. “Then I guess it’s up to me? Nico’s not much for talking, and there’s not much to say anyway. We’ll be fine. I’ve learned to compartmentalize.”
Nico stared at Jax, his lips parted, his eyes hungry. His jaw worked, but no words came out.
“See what I mean?” Jax pushed back his chair and stormed over to the kitchen sink with his plate in hand. “He’s had multiple chances. He could’ve talked to me any time after he suggested we form this coven, or better yet — before that.”
The rest of us got to our feet, and I raised an eyebrow at Nico.
“I wanted to, Jax,” Nico said, taking a step toward him as though afraid he might turn and lash out any second. “But you know I’m not good at that.”
“Sure. And so you showed me instead,” Jax growled, violently scrapping residue from the bottom of a pan.
“Last night—”
“Last night showed me everything you never told me, Nico. We really have nothing left to discuss.”
Hudson’s gaze caught mine and he tilted his head to the side. Together, we went into the other room to give Nico and Jax space to talk it out. Of course, with our vampiric hearing, we couldn’t help but overhear everything.
“I feel guilty for all the years I ignored your messages. I wasn’t ready—”
“And now you are. Just not with me. Admit it — the real reason you even entertained the idea of a coven was so you could get closer to Mel. Even if you couldn’t admit it to yourself at the time.”
Hudson’s lips thinned as he silently stared at me. Then he mouthed the word, ‘outside.’
I nodded, and we stepped outside to give them a little more privacy. I could still hear the rapid beat of their hearts, pounding much faster than mine or Hudson’s.
While we waited, I asked, “Do you really think killing Ty will close the portal?”
Humanity had reluctantly gotten used to living alongside the infernal realm. We’d built our walls, sent demon hunters to patrol them, and rebuilt new roads and communities for the ones that had disappeared. Those who’d lost family during the Year of Rending grieved and moved on, learning to live with the shared loss of so many. Humanity hated demons, but we’d gotten used to the reality of them.
Could this really be the end of all of that?
“We’re going to find out,” Hudson said resolutely. I had to admire his pragmatism.
The door banged open, and Nico charged outside, closing it behind him. He met my eyes, then shook his head.
I sighed.
Hudson glared at him. “The two of you better not fuck this up. We need to save Mel’s mother, kill Ty, and close the portal. There’s a lot riding on us.”
“I know.” To my absolute shock, Nico came over and planted a kiss on my forehead. “And we’ll make Ty suffer first, little witch.”
The darkness glittering in his eyes made heat flood my body. Nico got me in a way the other two didn’t. Jax may have been my light, but Nico was my darkness, and I loved that about him.
I wrapped my arms around the big vampire and drew him in for a kiss. When we pulled apart, I caught the look of surprise and awe in his expression before he shuttered it behind cool professionalism. “Let’s end him.”
“But first… let’s give Mel a crash course in being a vampire,” Hudson said.
Chapter Eleven
Mel
