Four-Letter Words by Evans, Gabrielle (top 10 books of all time .txt) 📗

“Torren is going to make us go out in this shit.” Sure enough, only seconds later, Torren announced that they’d be splitting into groups to trek out into the desert. “You don’t have to do this.”

“It’s just a little rain.” Zasha brushed their lips together again and pushed to his feet. “C’mon. It’s not like these witches are just going to walk up to us and surrender.”

“We’re going to split into four groups,” Torren announced before Thane could respond. “Gideon, you go with Lynk and Kieran. Parker, you’re with Raith and October. Jericho, you’re with Thane and Zasha. Raven and Eli, you’ll come with me.”

With the division, each group included a Braddock, a Delaney, and a vampire. It was a smart plan, ensuring they were prepared for almost anything, and Thane found himself nodding in approval. As Leader Tuesday’s second-in-command, it made sense why Gideon was there, but Raven’s appearance had come as a surprise and still remained somewhat of a mystery.

“I’ve acquired four SUVs from a local coven,” October added as they filed out of the jet and down the steps into the driving rain. “There is room for three people to sleep semicomfortably, and the windows have been treated to block out UV rays.”

“Meaning no crispy vampire bacon for breakfast,” Raven called over his shoulder, shouting to be heard above the wailing winds. “I’m driving.”

“Not on your life,” Torren argued. Approaching the driver’s door of the first Suburban, he elbowed the Enforcer away from the vehicle and proceeded to climb in behind the wheel. “If you’re nice, maybe the wolf boy will let you ride shotgun.”

“Yeah, not happening.” Eli Delaney darted around the SUV and practically dove into the front passenger seat. “Have fun riding bitch, bloodsucker.”

Raven simply laughed as he casually pulled open the passenger door, grabbed a handful of the werewolf’s hair, and dragged him from his seat. “Pup, I have almost two hundred years on you. Didn’t anyone ever teach you to respect your elders? Now, be a good little puppy and crawl in the back where you belong.”

“Stop being an asshole,” Torren chastised with a smirk, “and load the gear, bloodsucker.”

By the time the whole scene had played out, everyone was falling against each other and roaring with uncontrolled laughter. “He always was an idiot,” Zasha said with a chuckle as he wiped the rain away from his face.

There was too much familiarity in his tone and too much fondness in his smile when he spoke about Raven. His gaze followed the Enforcer, and his eyes softened at the corners while he chuckled indulgently at the vampire’s antics. There was a story there, a past that held more than just casual friendship. The curiosity was eating Thane alive, along with a twinge of jealousy, but it wasn’t the time or place for him to interrogate his lover.

“Do you want to drive?” Zasha curled his arm around Thane’s midsection, pressing their sodden bodies together as he stretched up on his toes for a kiss.

“You drive.” He didn’t know the area, and his time would be better served sending out feelers for any type of magical energy that lurked in the desert. “Jericho can navigate. I’m going to stretch out in the backseat.”

“I don’t know shit about Nevada or navigating,” Jericho informed them as he pulled his long, dripping locks back and secured them with a band at the nape of his neck. “Follow the taillights in front of you. There’s your navigation.”

Thane didn’t know the young werewolf that well, but he didn’t think Jericho was being caustic with his easy smile and relaxed posture. Still, he remembered Torren saying the Delaneys weren’t exactly fans of the Braddock witches.

“Is there going to be a problem?” Thane didn’t give a damn who liked him and who didn’t. He also didn’t know what had gone down between the witches and werewolves before his arrival. However, he wasn’t about to drag his mate into the middle of some grudge match.

“No problem,” Jericho assured him. “Parker’s the one with a stick up his ass, and before you ask, no. I don’t know what problem he has with your family, and he’s never said.”

Their eyes met, and each man nodded, a silent understanding passing between them. Zasha appeared a little confused by the exchange, but he just rolled his eyes and splashed through the puddles to the SUV.

Thane followed behind Jericho, catching the werewolf by the elbow near the back of the vehicle. “If anything happens, anything at all, I want you to get Zasha out of here. I won’t ask you to abandon your family, but if it’s a choice between me and him, protect him.”

Jericho stared at him for a moment before nodding once. “I’ll do what I can to make sure nothing happens to him.” He paused, glancing over his shoulder to the other three SUVs, and then returned his attention to Thane. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Thane had nothing to say to that, so he just dipped his head, walked around Jericho, and slipped into the backseat behind his mate. “I’m going to zone out and try to connect with Lynk. If you hear or see anything, let me know.”

“I’m on it,” Zasha assured him as he turned the key and revved the engine.

Getting comfortable wasn’t easy when he was soaked to the bone and had water sloshing around inside his boots. As the vehicle began to move, rocking and swaying along the narrow desert road, Thane was finally able to relax enough to clear his mind.

Resting his head on the seatback, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, pushing out any negative energy on each exhale. He imagined himself inside a large movie theater, seated high in the center balcony. The enormous display before him was completely blank, and as he watched, the darkness seeped off of the screen, washing over the rows and rows of crimson seats until the whole of