“So, where are we going?” Shea asked for the fifth time.

Jesse smiled, enjoying her light mood. “You’ll see.” He had an easy kind of peace inside of him. Something he hadn’t felt in…well, never. Not since he could remember.

They had spent the entire day and night in his bed—enjoying each other and talking about little things. They took Cruthú out to fly when the sun went down, then came back inside, neither of them anxious to face the real world again.

But it was time for her to know. Much as he would like to, he couldn’t keep her all to himself forever.

Her cat eyes flicked over to him when they entered the city, but she said nothing, just stroked the raven’s feathers and waited with a patience she only now decided to display.

However, the quiet was short-lived when he pulled into her apartment building and parked the SUV.

“Jesse, what are we doing here?” She kept her voice low, as though she were afraid the others would hear her.

He turned to her, taking her hand in his. “We can’t hide in my mountain forever, love.”

She searched his face, tightening her hold on his hand. “Are you sure?”

He nodded.

“Okay. But I want you to know, I am with you. No matter what. I choose you.”

Her words filled him with warmth, and he had the overwhelming urge to drag her across the seat and take her right there in the parking garage. “Thank you, Shea.”

She touched his face with her free hand, and he turned his head and kissed her fingers. “Come on.” He opened his car door. “And bring that spoiled bird.”

Cruthú clicked her beak at him.

Shea was nervous on the ride up in the elevator, though she tried to hide it. He took the raven from her arm and put the bird on his shoulder, then took her hand. “It will be okay, Shea.”

“Just please don’t kill Luukas,” she said. “Or any of them, really.”

He bit back his smile. “I promise. I won’t kill anyone today.”

Though he wouldn’t exactly call them friends, he and the other vampires had come to an understanding in the clearing. While Grace used her powers to heal those who were hurt, and Luukas fed those vampires who weren’t too far gone to rejuvenate from his blood, Jesse had helped the others clean up the bodies who were beyond saving. He would never be completely forgiven for what he’d done to Luukas and Keira, but they had formed a sort of uncomfortable tolerance for each other’s presence that day.

For Shea.

They arrived at Luukas’s floor, and Shea walked slowly down the hall to his door. She took a moment to get herself together, and when she was ready, Jesse knocked on the door.

Keira opened it, smiling brightly at Shea. “You’re here!” She grabbed her hand. “Come on in.” Glancing up at Jesse, she said, “You, too.”

Shea looked over her shoulder, and he could feel her questions poking around in his head, but he shut her out, not wanting to ruin the fun.

Everyone was there, for Jesse had called while Shea was sleeping and told them they were coming. The witches hugged her and the males welcomed her from a safer distance. Jesse received a few uneasy looks, and even a couple of nods hello, which he returned.

One witch in particular—Ryan—stared at him a bit longer than the others. He played with the idea of telling her why she felt the connection to him that caused her to look at him with such confusion, but decided against it.

I think that will wait for another time.

He smiled at her, and after a few seconds, she smiled back. Jesse had to hold back a laugh when Christian noticed the exchange and bared his fangs at Jesse while pulling his mate into his arms.

Shea suddenly stopped talking and looked around. “Wait, where’s Grace? Where’s Aiden?” Her features were filled with alarm as the rest of the room went quiet.

* * *

Shea felt like the floor had just dropped out from beneath her feet. “Where is Aiden?” she repeated. “And Grace?”

Luukas came out from the office when he saw they had arrived. Shea swung toward him, barely taking in his much-improved appearance. “Luukas? Where is Aiden?”

Everyone looked at each other, anywhere but at Shea.

Her heart stopped as horror filled her.

Oh my gods, the demon took him. He’s gone.

There was no other explanation for the strange way everyone was acting. He hadn’t survived when Jesse fulfilled his deal with the demons.

She felt a scream welling up, when the front door suddenly swung open, slamming into the opposite wall, and Aiden came strolling in.

Shea stared at him in shock.

“All right, Shea?” he asked her. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He waved a finger at Jesse. “Pat her on the back or something, mate. I think she’s choking on something.”

“You’re here,” Shea whispered in awe.

Aiden frowned. Reaching over his head, he pulled Mojo from his hood. “Of course, I’m here. Where else would I be?”

Grace came in and closed the door behind her. Her face was flushed and she was smoothing down her hair. Coming to stand beside Aiden, they exchanged a heated look between them. Grace cleared her throat and looked around. “What’s up? Why’s everyone so quiet?”

Because she couldn’t hug Aiden, Shea hugged Grace instead. “I got here and you guys weren’t here. I thought…I thought…when the demon….” She couldn’t even say it out loud.

Grace hugged her back, saying over her shoulder to Jesse, “Didn’t you tell her? You asshole.”

“Tell me what?” Shea sniffed and let go of Grace. The others were all staring at Jesse.

“You didn’t tell her?” Nikulas asked from the couch where he was lounging with Emma. “What the hell, man?”

It was Dante who finally approached her. “I think what these morons are trying to say is that Aiden is fine. Waano is gone. Back to hell with the rest of the them.”

Shea couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Tell me that again?”

Dante sighed with impatience, but did as she asked. “The demons are gone. The warlock sent them back to hell. With your blood and his.”

Dante wouldn’t lie to her. Out of all of them, he was the one she trusted most to tell her the truth. Overcome with emotion, all she could do was turn and stare at the male beside her.

He cocked an eyebrow. “I’ll expect a full apology when we get home. But first, you promised me that if I sent them back to hell, you would help me remove my father from the throne. We’re here because the others have offered to help.”

Shea stared at the male she had fought so hard to accept, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

And when he stared back, he didn’t hold back his feelings for her. “I don’t give a fuck what other people think, love. Except you. Haven’t you figured that out by now?”

Throwing herself in his arms, Shea whispered. “I think I owe you that apology.”

“I would be more than happy to accept it, in your apartment when we’re finished here.”

She leaned back and touched his beloved face while the others sighed and wandered off to amuse themselves for a while. “I think I need to apologize right now.”

He smiled, and Shea had never seen anything more beautiful. “Your choice, love.”

“I choose you,” she told him, her voice thick with tears. “I always choose you.”