Page 28 of A Bloodline Redeemed

Zhong didn’t open his eyes.He just lifted a hand and gave the big cat some sleepy scratches at the back of his neck.River startedpurringlike a giant house cat and snuggled even closer to the gargoyle as they both relaxed back into sleep.

“That’s so ridiculously fucking cute,” I breathed to myself.

Then I shook my head and quietly left the room to find my jinn.

Aahil was hurting.Of course he was.He was probably so afraid without Hasumi there to help him manage his overwhelming emotions and keep his power in check.And I had completely ditched him to wallow in my own pain and fear.I could feel him now, along the thread of our magical bond, and I berated myself for not checking on him sooner.

Iknewhe had the propensity to turn his anger and pain toward himself when he was upset.But he had seemed to be doing okay the last couple of days.Or, as okay as any of us were.I should have checked in on him though.He had a bad habit of pretending he wasn’t falling apart inside when in reality he was in shambles.I felt like a terrible partner, and now I was talking myself into a panic, afraid he was going to hurt himself like he had threatened to so many times before.

I turned my focus inward and followed that faint sense of him, surprised when it led me to one of the last places I would have ever expected.Ambrose’s room.The door wasn’t fully latched, so I tiptoed over and pushed it open just a bit wider to peer inside, not surewhatI would find.

Ambrose’s red eyes met mine from where he lay on his bed, with a small blanket-covered bundle lying half on top of his chest.I took in the sight and my chest swelled with a bittersweet feeling of relief and love.“Is he okay?”I whispered when the blanket-covered jinn didn’t stir.

Ambrose gave me a soft smile.“Sleeping,” he whispered back.

Of course.If there was one person left in this messed-up house who could ease his pain and make him rest, it was Ambrose.The man literally devoured nightmares.“Thank you,” I whispered, knowing the words didn’t do my feelings justice.It was… Goddess, it was such a warm, safe feeling, knowing that no matter what, everyone in our odd little family had each other’s backs.

Ambrose lifted his free hand to crook a finger at me, beckoning me inside.I smiled and snuck in, easing the door closed behind me.Then I carefully settled onto the bed beside Aahil, curling myself around him in the big spoon position.

The jinn sighed in his sleep and snuggled his face more securely into Ambrose’s shoulder, while simultaneously wiggling his butt closer to me.I chuckled softly and managed to get the edge of the blanket free so I could slip underneath and soak up the heat radiating off the fire elemental.

“Stop wiggling around,” he murmured, his sultry voice heavy with sleep.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” I said softly, nuzzling my face into his silky hair.

He huffed, and I knew if he was sitting up and more awake, he’d have his nose in the air and his haughtiest expression on.“I don’t know what you’re blathering about witch.Shut up.”

I chuckled again.He knew exactly what I meant.“Love you, jerk.”

He gripped my hand under the covers, where it lay on his stomach and gave it a squeeze.“Gross.Less talking, more sleeping.”

I snuggled into him, meeting Ambrose’s gaze over the top of his head.The boogeyman grinned and kissed the top of Aahil’s head.“Yes.I was much enjoying my cuddle, witch.Don’t you dare ruin it with yourawfulaffection.”

Aahil snorted.I rolled my eyes.And we all began to relax.

A sudden storm of alarm erupted inside me and raced through my aura, making me jerk upright with a yelp.

Ambrose and Aahil sat up too, though much more slowly, to stare at me—Ambrose with concern, Aahil with irritation.

I groaned and tried to tone down the magic flowing through me as I scrambled off the bed.“The wards,” I muttered.“The fucking wards are going crazy.”

“I’ll—” Ambrose started.Aahil vanished from sight in a shower of sparks, and he paused before continuing his sentence, “go check things out,” he said dryly.Then he also dematerialized, both of them off to see what was going on.

“Fuck,” I muttered as I hurried toward the door.It must be nice to be able to just poof off to wherever the hell you wanted on a second’s notice.Ihad to huff and puff my way down a couple flights of stairs, damn it.

The others joined me along the way.They weren’t as intimately tied to the house’s security as I was, but they were all tied to me, in one way or another, which let them sense when there was a problem.And there was a huge problem.

An intruder was standing in the middle of the grand entry.Bella.But she wasn’t alone.A man knelt on the marble floor in front of her with his hands tied behind his back.Her hand was fisted in his hair and she held a knife to his throat.

“Bella?What the hell?”I demanded, finishing my descent and coming to a halt with the others in a ring around my crazed-looking sister.

Her wild eyes darted around the room, then came back to rest on me, and I saw burning fury there.“It’s time to stop hiding, little sister,” she snarled.“I need your help.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at her.“Myhelp?You need a long stay at a fucking insane asylum.Why in the realms did you just blast through my wards dragging along an enemy?”The only reason the wards would react so strongly in alarm was if someone with harmful intent tried to cross the barrier.So, this guy was either SA or cult.And the only way he had been able to actually get into the pocket world was because someone of Lovell blood had brought him in.

I was fuming.Howdareshe violate my sanctuary this way?And now that he was inside the wards, how would that affect their ability to keep others of his kind out?“You’d better fucking explain yourself in the next five seconds,” I growled, “or you’re dead.”

She sneered at me.“As dead as Junaid?As dead as your pretty little elemental?For once in your life, stop being so fucking stubborn and listen to me!”Her voice rose to a shout before she got a grip again and spoke in a tone of forced civility.“I need to know what’s in his head.Now.I know your people can find out.And then you can help me stop this shit once and for all.”

---