thing with them happened really fast and I haven’t talked to you in a couple weeks.” There was no recrimination in Cody’s voice. Never was.
He rubbed a hand over his face and slid behind the wheel, but didn’t turn the ignition on. “I’m happy for him,” he said quietly, meaning it with every fiber of his being. Both his brothers deserved happiness and he hoped Cody found someone too.
“We head home tomorrow. Come home with us,” his brother said, sadness in his voice.
“Not yet, but soon.” He heard the lie, but it didn’t matter. Rhys had a feeling he wasn’t walking out of this alive. That when he killed Catta, he would die too. And that was okay.
Cody let out a long sigh. “You can let it go. You can have a life. You’re putting yourself through this purgatory or whatever torture you’re determined to suffer through, but you don’t have to!”
He clenched his fist into a tight ball, forcing himself to breathe in and out. “I respect your life choices. Respect mine.”
“So respect your need for revenge? Respect the fact that this is going to kill you?”
“It’s my life. Hibernation did nothing to quell this driving need. I will find her and I will kill her.” End of story. He couldn’t function until she was gone from this plane.
“Where are you?”
“I’m on the East Coast. I actually am heading to New Orleans soon but I won’t make it before you guys leave.” A lie, since he could make it there in less than two hours. Sooner if he simply flew in dragon form.
“Do you need a place to stay? Lachlan’s mate has family here. They would be more than happy to give you shelter. In fact, I think you’ll actually like it here with them.”
His first instinct was to say no, but he actually could use a place to stay. And since he wanted to get the Alpha of the territory to okay letting him live there temporarily, it wouldn’t hurt if he already had a home lined up. And allies who could vouch for him. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”
“I’ll discuss it with them and make sure it’s okay, but I know it will be. You’ll need to talk to King first, but we can wait to leave if—”
“No. Lachlan’s been away from the clan for too long. He needs to go home.” His brother was linked to their homeland in a way Rhys wasn’t. For Lachlan, the land was part of his soul. Unfortunately Rhys was pretty sure he’d lost his soul long ago.
Cody shoved out a breath. “You’re right. I wish you could meet Star.”
“I never thought he would mate, not after what happened before.” Lachlan had been just as broken as Rhys had been, maybe even more so because he’d lost a female he loved in addition to their sister.
His brother was silent for a long moment.
Rhys glanced at his phone to make sure they were still connected. “What?”
Cody cleared his throat. “Nothing. I just miss you, that’s all. Once we make it back to Scotland, I’m telling Lachlan you’re awake. I can’t keep this from him any longer. Especially if I ask his mate’s family to take you in.”
He nodded even though his brother couldn’t see him, and scrubbed a hand over his face again. An old habit. “Thank you for keeping my secret for so long. I’m close to finding her. I can feel it in my bones. In my blood.” It was true. The farther he’d flown west, the more he’d felt a thrumming beat in his blood. Like something calling him, drawing him to it. He was so damn close to finding that evil monster. So close to ending this.
“I hope you find what you’re looking for. I hope you get some peace.”
It was an echo of what the half-demon had just said to him. But he shook off his brother’s words. Peace was an illusion for now. A far distant hope. “I’ll have peace when she’s gone.” Then he hung up, unable to say another word to his brother as his throat closed up with emotion. He’d avoided seeing his family since he’d woken from Hibernation because deep down he knew they were the only people who might be able to convince him to stop this descent into madness.
Chapter 2
“I can’t believe you’ve trained her to water your fields,” Hazel said as she approached Dallas.
Glancing over her shoulder at her neighbor and friend, Dallas smiled before turning back to watch