120
I stood on the patio and smiled as the two cars pulled into the driveway. I stepped off the last step as Tank picked me and attempted to break my ribs.
“Little Ryder!” he yelled excitedly as he put me down and I was instantly tackled to the ground as Elio rushed towards me.
“Bastard,” I said as I stood up and Elio laughed at me.
“Stop bitching I know you missed us dearly,” he said as Basil walked towards me.
“It’s good to see you Basil,” I said as we hugged and I saw Marlo as she climbed out of the car.
“Ryder!” she squealed as I caught her and we hugged.
“So Marlo tells me there are wedding bells in the near future,” Elio said as he winked at me.
“Nothing gets past you Marlo,” I said as she smiled and we all walked inside.
Elio and Basil zipped upstairs with their luggage and was back in a flash again as I led them through to the dining room where everyone waited. Johnathan was still with us and he was slowly winning Shelley over.
“Sweet little Megan!” Tank yelled as he ran to her and pulled her out of her chair as he hugged her.
“Put her down you big bastard,” I said loudly as Megan laughed.
“That’s Tank, this is Marlo and these two are Elio and Basil,” I said as I pointed to each of them, “that’s Shelley and Sire Johnathan Thomas who’s taken over the Springfield lair.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Elio said and gave a small bow.
“Are they…?” Johnathan began to say as Elio pulled out a chair for Marlo.
“Vampires?” I laughed, “Elio and Basil are vampires, Marlo’s a witch and Tank’s a wolf.”
“Would you guys like something to drink?” Link asked as he stood up.
“Coffee for me and Tank,” Marlo said.
“We brought our own,” Elio said and smiled as Basil produced two blood bags.
“Yes I know it seems odd that the vampire hunter has vampire friends,” Basil said with a grin.
“I heard you guys were instrumental in the take down of those guys getting executed,” Johnathan said.
“Ryder left us a few,” Elio said and I laughed.
“I’m so glad that part of your life is over,” Megan said.
Marlo’s eyes had gone pure white as she looked at Shelley and I could see Johnathan was confused at what was happening. Megan shook her head and looked at me pleadingly, she knew what this meant and everyone was quiet.
“Marlo darling, what did you see?” Elio asked her.
Marlo turned towards Elio with tears in her eyes as she stood up shakily and bowed her head, “call your doctor Ryder.”
“What’s going on?” Johnathan asked as Link took his phone out and called the lair doctor to come to the house.
Shelley gasped and bent forward as she clutched her stomach and Marlo continued to talk, “your baby is already dead but you will have another with him after he kills the father.” She was pointing towards Johnathan as he picked Shelley up with concern on his face.
It felt like everything happened in slow motion as Johnathan took Shelley up to her room with Megan and Emily following him. The rest of us stood there half in shock as Elio comforted Marlo and Link ran to the front door as the doctor arrived and took him upstairs.
After what seemed to be hours the doctor left and Megan came back downstairs looking at us solemnly and I knew Marlo’s prediction was right. I went upstairs with Megan and stopped in front of Shelley’s room and pushed the door open.
Johnathan was sitting on the bed holding Shelley as she cried and I closed the door again as Megan took my hand and we went upstairs to our room.
“Maybe this is a blessing,” I said to her.
“How can you say that?” Megan asked me in shock.
“She can start afresh with Johnathan now, there’s nothing that links her with Alex anymore, Marlo said Johnathan will kill him so maybe this is for the best,” I said to her.
“I understand what you mean but it’s still horrible, that was a life inside her, an innocent child,” Megan said as she sat down on my lap and I wrapped my arms around her.
“I should go check on the others we leave for Chicago tomorrow afternoon,” I said to her and placed her on the bed.
“I’m going to stay here, I feel exhausted,” Megan said and I kissed her forehead before leaving the room.
Basil, Elio, Tank and Marlo were still in the dining room when I joined them again drinking scotch and Elio handed me a glass as I sat down next to him.
“She’ll be okay,” Marlo said and I just nodded.
We sat there in silence for a while until Johnathan also joined us. Basil slid a glass over to him and he took it gratefully and emptied it.
“How is she?” I asked him.
“She’s asleep now but it’s a loss that’s hard to describe,” he said without looking at any of us.
“Shit Johnathan did you lose a child?” I asked him.
“When my bonded half died, the baby died with her,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” I said to him.
“Once this passes you’ll be happy with each other, I see a long future in your life filled with much happiness,” Marlo said to him.
“She was born with foresight,” I said to him.
“When you take her home tomorrow, you’re going to have a flat tyre just as you leave Princeton’s borders, that’s where Alex will wait for you to take her,” Marlo said.
“I’ll be ready for him,” he said with a coldness to his voice that gave me goosebumps.
It was past midnight when we all went to bed and I slid in behind Megan and held her tightly. Sleep evaded me for a few hours and I felt like I hadn’t slept at all when Megan stirred next to me and turned towards me as she sighed.
“You look tired,” she said as I turned my head towards her.
“I don’t think I actually slept,” I said to her.
“It’s still early, close your eyes and sleep some more,” she said to me.
“I’m already awake now,” I said.
“Do you want coffee?” she asked me and I smiled.
“Actually you owe me something else,” I said to her.
“What do I owe you?” she asked me with a frown.
“Good make up sex for everything you did to me yesterday,” I said to her as I pinned her against the bed and climbed on top of her.
“Not a chance, you had all that coming,” she said and tried to push me off as I laughed at her.
“The water was payback for your wet hair, but messing with my coffee, that’s a new low that I can’t forgive,” I said to her.
“If you let me go now I’ll let you wash my back in the shower,” she said and pushed me off of her. She jumped up and ran into the bathroom as I followed her, pushed her into the shower, and switched the water on.
“That’s cold!” she yelled as I started pulling her wet clothes off.
Our shower took longer than usual and I was smiling as I walked downstairs and found everyone in the living room. Tank smiled at me knowingly and I cursed his wolf hearing as he winked at me.
“Did you have a nice shower?” Tank asked me as I laughed.
“Piss off,” I said to him as Elio and Basil laughed at me.
I was surprised to see Shelley in the dining room and Johnathan was more attentive than before and did everything for her but she drew the line at him trying to feed her. Marlo smiled at me as she caught me looking at them.
“Shelley and I’ve spoken a lot over the last week and she’s decided to come back to Springfield with me,” Johnathan said as soon as we sat down.
“That’s great,” I said with a smile.
“We’ll be leaving when you guys leave for Chicago,” he said and Shelley took his hand.
“Watch your back when you’re changing that flat,” Tank said to him and Johnathan smiled.
“I’ve never been as ready for someone,” he said and I believed that come nightfall Alex Redford would be dead.
“Good morning Megan, you have quite the glow this morning,” Elio said and Tank sniggered behind his hands.
“Why thank you Elio, it’s called good sex,” she said and I started coughing as I choked on the coffee and looked at her as Tank laughed loudly at Elio’s red face.
“Game, set and match,” Basil said as everyone laughed.
“I do believe I’ve just met my match,” Elio said as he bowed his head at Megan.
“Damn Megan,” I said to her as she blushed as well.
“You deserved that one Elio,” Marlo said.
Breakfast was a friendly bickering between Megan and Elio as he tried to push her buttons and Tank’s roaring laughter. Shelley laughed a few times too and I was glad that she had found someone good to take care of her.
“Thank you for your hospitality Ryder, I look forward to our alliance growing and a blooming new friendship,” Johnathan said as we stood on the patio.
“Thank you for everything, I’ll never forget what you all did for me,” Shelley said as Johnathan stood with his arm around her shoulder.
“Drive safe and know that you’re welcome any time,” I said.
“Give that bastard a proper beating,” Elio said.
“Take care and call me if you need anything, my coven’s not far from your lair,” Basil said as they shook hands.
“It’s a comfort to know you’re close by. I never thought coming to meet the famous Ryder will result in having a chosen mate and so many new friends and allies,” Johnathan said.
We waved as they drove off and I kissed Megan in front of everyone as Elio whistled and Basil slapped him behind his head.
“Drive safe,” Megan said as we climbed into the two cars.
“I’ll see you tonight,” I said.
“Don’t get kidnapped again,” she said as we drove off.
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