Willing (The Un 1)

“If you get to her first,” Raphael says. “I’ll try to contain myself for as long as possible…”

This is the hardest part of this… Raphael is going to be an unknown. He won’t hurt us, but he might not be able to control himself long enough to help. If he heads straight for his soulmarked without providing support, it’s going to be an issue.

“You’ll be able to control it.” Andrei rests his hand on Raphael’s shoulder. “We just need you to take out two vamps then you can go get your girl.”

Nodding his head, Raphael looks to me. “I’ll be good.”

He only needs to kill two vampires to contribute to the mission. Each of us will hopefully be able to take out two. Effectively destroying Nikolaos’s coven.

Closing my eyes, I lean my head back and slowly trail the bond that flows between Chloe and me. My mind is clouded with the lust for blood and destruction, but I can find peace as I sense her soul completing my own.

I love you, my angel. If only I didn’t have to put us through this so soon…

No words come back. Only her acceptance of my love and the absolute certainty of hers for me. She knows the stakes, and what we must do to make certain no more of our soulmarked are taken from us.

“Father, they can’t be certain that I’m with you,” Ambrose says with sudden clarity. “I believe I shall be entering the building ahead of you. Say, perhaps, a minute or two beforehand? I will be a useful distraction.”

Chloe’s eyes widen at the suggestion. “That would be suicide. They’ll question how you found them.”

“She’s got a point,” I agree. “Those bastards would eat you in a heartbeat.”

“Not true,” Ambrose says. “I will simply dance inside and tell them I smell the girl.”

“What about their lookouts?” I ask, looking to the others. “Could we make a hole big enough for him to fit through without getting noticed?”

Frowning thoughtfully, Matthias says, “He would actually be providing us the hole we need to slip in.”

There’s a long silence as we all think about that. If we could slip Ambrose in there without getting noticed, it could be a huge boon for us. But how do we do it?

Chloe must be thinking along the same wavelength as me because she looks at me the second I look at her.

No fucking way.

“I could blink in with Ambrose then vanish right back out,” she says, her voice only slightly quivering. “I could even search around a little for Raphael’s soulmarked…”

“No,” I say, even though I know it’s futile.

Chloe has already made her mind up.

Fuck.

This is not how I pictured our honeymoon.

“How many can you shift with at a time?” Raphael asks quickly.

“I… I don’t know,” she stammers. “I’ve only done it with another person once... I don’t really know.”

Ambrose walks over to Chloe and says, “Let us try then, Mother. There’s only one way to find out.”

“Asher,” Andrei murmurs quietly, being careful not to alert any of the lookouts that could be in position around us. “Calm yourself, she’s going to be okay.”

With the way my rage is boiling inside my gut, I doubt I’d be able to keep myself from tearing out his throat if I turn to look at him.

Nodding my head slowly, I watch as Chloe and Ambrose make their way slowly through the backyard of a house situated away from the bowling alley.

Chloe looks back at me, and I can see the brave look she’s putting on her face.

But in the bond, I can feel the tremor of self-doubt and fear that’s threatening to overcome her.

What a fucking curse this city has become. It’s been nothing but fucking problems. What should have been a simple in and out, a simple taking my mate and running back home to consummate our joining, has turned into an invasion.

The night skies above us will be brightening within the hour. The perfect time for us to strike. Nikolaos and his coven will feel safe this close to dawn. When the sun comes out to keep them safe from us.

Only fools would attack this close to the sun rising.

Fortune favors the stupid, I suppose, and that’s what we are at this point. We’re wagering everything on this. But I can’t let Raphael lose the chance to take his soulmarked any more than I can stop loving Chloe.

I know what it’s like to be incomplete, and the pain it causes.

Ambrose willfully surrendering his life to this mad plan so that Raphael can find his bride is a bitter reminder of what it means to lose a soulmarked.

Sacrifice.

Am I sacrificing my broken son?

Am I sacrificing my Chloe for Raphael?

My only wish is that my beloved could vanish with more than one person. But no matter how many times we tried, she couldn’t. She’s still young, and her powers have yet to reach their full strength.