“Are you going to tell Amaia?”
I looked at my brother and frowned. “Of course. There will be no secrets between us.”
Jareth nodded. “Good.”
“Now that I have Amaia, I feel even more lucky because what I feel for her could never be compared. I already love her more than I thought possible. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, consort or not.”
He snorted a laugh and grinned. “I’m happy for you, brother. But a word of advice. Don’t tell her that today, or you’ll spend eternity trying to top it every Christmas.”
I rolled my eyes, and he laughed, glancing toward the doorway I’d gone back to staring at.
The contentment I felt when Amaia was near had begun to dissipate, and it made me wary. “I think I’ll go check on my mate and make sure she hasn’t lost her way. I haven’t given her a tour of the house yet.”
Jareth followed me from the room, and when we entered the kitchen, I felt something crunch under my foot and looked down to see that I’d stepped on a gingerbread cookie. “What the hell?” I grunted as I glanced around for clues as to what had happened. There was a plate of food on the counter, undoubtedly the one she’d made up for my brother. She must have dropped the cookie when she returned to the kitchen, but I didn’t understand why she hadn’t brought the snack into the den.
Unless...shit. Was it possible she’d come to the room while Jareth and I had been discussing Barbra? If she’d only heard part of the conversation, I could easily see how she would misinterpret what we’d said.
“Do you think she heard…” Jareth trailed off, but it was clear he’d come to the same conclusion.
The back door slammed open with a gust of air, making me realize that it hadn’t been shut. I sprinted to the entrance and out into the multi-acre backyard.
The gate in the fence that opened to the side of the house was also swinging in the growing wind. A snowstorm was headed our way. I’d been looking forward to being confined to the house with my consort for a few days after completing our bond.
Right now, though, Amaia was still human, so this weather could make her sick. The miracles of modern medicine meant she would most certainly recover, but having lived as long as I had, I couldn’t help picturing my sweet girl as she would have been a centuries ago, lying in bed, sick and dying. The thought sent me sprinting once again. I ran along the side of the house until I reached the front and glanced around the circular drive, hoping to see her waiting or, better yet, heading back to me.
This relationship was still new, so I couldn’t blame her for not waiting around for an explanation, though I desperately wished she had. When I found her, I wasn’t going to wait any longer to make her mine forever. All of this could have been cleared up immediately if I’d taken that step before tonight. We’d have the ability to share a mind once our bond was complete, and she’d never need to doubt my feelings for her again.
“Where do you think she went?” Jareth asked as he jogged up next to me.
“My best guess is Everleigh.” I squinted up at the moonlit sky as fat flakes of snow began to fall. “But I’m not sure she had her phone. Which means she’s out in this weather, running from me, trying to find a place to call her sister.”
Jareth sighed as the wind whipped the snow into our faces. Our blood ran colder than most, so this weather didn’t affect us unless we had very prolonged exposure with very little clothing. But that didn’t mean the sensation was pleasant.
“I’m going to send help, then go to Marshall and Everleigh. I’ll explain what happened so he doesn’t kick your ass. Then they can look out for her and let you know when she contacts them. If she had her cell and Everleigh already came for her, then I’ll make sure she stays put until you can get there to explain.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled before taking off down the long driveway, keeping my eyes peeled for any sign of my dark-haired, violet-eyed beauty.
Stephan and Braedan popped in a minute later, immediately keeping pace with me. “When we get to the road, we’ll each take a direction,” Stephan informed me. “Ren is on an assignment, but Cian and his brothers are at Kieran’s for the holiday. They offered to help if we don’t find her soon.”
I nodded, grateful that I came from such a robust family. Cian and his two siblings were the sons of my father’s youngest brother.
Braedan handed me a belt that held a sheath with a stake and three little pouches, one filled with garlic, another with a cross, and the last held a vial of holy water. I had tried not to think about her encountering any nightwalkers, but Braeden thought rationally, and I gave him a grim smile in thanks. Armed, we jogged to the main road, and I went straight, while the other two split in opposite directions.