learn how to protect themselves all the same.”
Bastien looks away from me, his eyes hard and his lips pursed like he’s trying to keep from swallowing something he finds disgusting. No one says anything, but it’s clear they’re fucking pissed.
“We need to leave. If you can grab your passports and pack a bag in twenty minutes, we’ll wait, but we can’t give you more time than that,” Evrin announces, taking control of the decision. Nash and Enoch move for the door almost instantly. Kallan is just a beat behind them, his mouth open like he’s going to say something. He seems to decide against it, and he turns around and leaves. Evrin turns to Torrez, his eyebrows raised in question.
“I have a passport and a go bag, but they’re in my truck about five miles south of here,” Torrez tells him.
“Well, let’s go then,” Evrin announces and heads for the door.
Torrez turns to me and gives me a wink. “I’ll be right back, Witch. Try not to miss me too much while I’m gone.”
I snort with amusement and shake my head. He throws a lopsided smile my way and then disappears out the door.
“Okay then,” Aydin says to no one in particular and then claps his hands together once. “I’ll be throwing the rest of our shit in the cars. We have a couple hours’ drive to the airport, and we will not be stopping to piss or for any other reasons.”
“Yes, mother,” I joke and then laugh when Aydin blows an air kiss at me and then flips me off. Aydin walks out of the living room with a smile, and I turn to deal with the guys. I stop laughing when I meet each of their unamused faces.
“We don’t need them,” Knox insists, his words and movement agitated.
I let out a deep, tired breath. “We need all the fucking help we can get, and Evrin’s right; they’re targets now. We all know that Solace isn’t exactly safe for Sentinels.”
“They’re not Sentinels,” Bastien counters, and I rub at the back of my neck, frustrated that they’re being so stubborn about this.
“I don’t know what the fuck they are, but what would it hurt?” I ask. “More magic and skilled fighters in this situation is the opposite of a fucking bad thing. I get that you’re pissed, but they have runes. They need to be trained just like you do,” I tell them.
“So you would accept them as Chosen if that’s what they turn out to be?” Knox asks, his steely gray eyes bouncing between each of mine, and I’m not sure what he’s looking for.
“Knox, it doesn’t feel like that with them. I don’t know how to explain it. You just have to trust me when I tell you that whatever happened, it doesn’t feel like it does with you guys.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” Knox presses, his gaze dropping away from mine.
I glare at him. “I know there’s history between all of you guys and their coven. I know that makes all of this harder to deal with, but I’m not trying to collect more mates. I was never trying to collect any in the first place,” I tell them exasperated. “Then you five were marked, and we happened,” I say a little softer, gesturing to all of us. “I thought I was good to go, but then the whole Torrez thing happened. I don’t know what you want me to say. I have no control over what my magic does sometimes, and I promise that’s equally as frustrating for me as it is for you guys in this case.”
“Answer the fucking question, Vinna,” Knox grinds out. His tone is pure vitriol, and I’m shocked to hear it coming from Knox and even more stunned that it’s directed toward me. I move to get in his face, and Ryker steps between us. “Fuck you, Knox. How the hell am I supposed to answer that? I don’t know. They don’t feel like Chosen to me, but if somehow they are, I’m—what? Just supposed to turn my back on that? I trust my magic. That’s all I can fucking say.”
Sabin and Ryker are the only two looking at me and not wearing expressions that make me feel like I just told them they can never eat bacon again. I take a couple deep breaths and try to exhale the indignation boiling inside of me.
“I get that this is hard, but I didn’t do any of this on purpose. I mean,