Page 47 of Devotion

Chapter

Seventeen

THORNE

“What do you mean, where’s your fecking wife? You’re supposed to be with her,” I snarled, staring at the disheveled priest in the doorway.

“Me? I’ve just come from Ravenscroft. How the hell could I be with her?” Caleb snapped.

“Nooo...” Alek said, drawing out the word. “We sent you to the cabin with Sunday yesterday. You’re supposed to be keeping an eye on her while we sort things out with the Shadow Court.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Caleb dragged a hand through his hair. “It’s been five fecking days since I heard from her. She’s not answering my calls. Something is wrong.”

“Yeah, the Shadow Court has been trying to kill us all. She’s supposed to be under your protection in the cabin. I can’t believe you left her. Did you hit your head and lose your memory? I swear to God, Caleb, if something happens to her...” Kingston’s voice grew more menacing with each passing second.

As if finally noticing the destruction around him, Calebtook in the room and the book with its carved-out compartment. “What the hell are you doing ransacking my room?”

“We were looking for information on the Shadow Court,” Alek mumbled, sheepish.

Caleb raised a brow and looked purposefully at his upended mattress. “Beneath my bed?”

Kingston made a slashing motion with his hand. “It was pertinent at the time. All that matters now is if you aren’t the one we sent to the cabin, who the fuck is with our wife?”

Caleb’s face went stony. “What do you mean?”

Dread was a stone in my belly. Cold, hard, and certain. “He looked just like you. Sounded just like you.”

“Well, clearly he wasn’t me. I’m standing right in front of you. You three let an impostor take her away?”

“How many Irish vampires who look like you are wandering around?” Kingston asked, crossing his arms.

It was a fair question. “He smelled like you, Caleb. Even his blood.” I thought back to the moment he’d closed the gaping wound in my throat. There hadn’t been a moment I considered him to not be who he said he was. But now... Had his blood held a faintly different scent profile? I couldn’t recall. I’d been too intent on not losing my internal organs to pay much attention one way or the other.

“Smelled like me? But that’s impossible. Unless magic was involved.”

“Are you telling me that there’s some rogue mage with a vendetta against you who is currently alone with our pregnant wife?” Kingston’s voice swelled until he was practically shouting.

“I don’t know why you’re yelling at me. You three are the fecking idiots who allowed this to happen.”

Alek was shaking his head. “It can’t be a magic user.The ward Moira crafted to protect the cabin wouldn’t have allowed him to enter. And no glamour or spell in existence would make someone into a vampire. Appearance-wise, sure, but functioning fangs and vampiric blood? Unheard of.”

“We have to go get her,” Kingston urged. “We can’t leave her with him. She can’t even shift to protect herself.”

“Not until we know what we’re dealing with,” I said.

“But—” he protested.

Alek closed his eyes, focus drawing inward. “She’s upset, but not scared. I don’t think she’s in immediate danger. We have time to get to the bottom of this. Besides, if we’re about to rush into battle, it’s probably best we know who or what we’re up against.”

“I agree,” I said as I returned the photograph I’d been holding to its place in the box, shutting the book before lifting my gaze to Caleb. The look on his face wasn’t one of recognition. It was shock.

“Where did that come from?” he whispered.

“It was in your bookcase.” Alek grabbed it and handed the false book to Caleb. “You’re entitled to your secrets.”

“Creepy though they may be,” I muttered.

“It’s not mine.” Caleb’s eyes were locked on the photograph of the two boys. Then he whispered, “Callum.”

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