Chapter 6: A Difference of Opinion

“Stalking duty over already?” Jax asked as soon as I walked into the house. He stood in the doorway between the living and kitchen, arms crossed.

I tossed my keys on the entryway table. “Kicked it up a notch today. Drove her home. Actually spoke to her this time.”

Jax laughed. “You’re hopeless.”

He had no idea. I eased past him and into the kitchen. Restlessness was setting in again, and I had no real idea what to do with myself. I wasn’t hungry for human food, and we’d hunted last night. While I was grateful it was the weekend and I wouldn’t have to sit through boring classes for the next two days, that also meant no Chloe. I should’ve asked for her number.

“Hey, have you noticed Marc Johnson around school?” I leaned against the counter.

Jax turned to look at me. “Who?”

I sighed. Jax wasn’t stupid, nor was he clueless. He, more than anyone else I’d ever known, was always aware of his surroundings and everyone in his proximity. No way he hadn’t at least heard Marc’s name.

“He’s dating Abby Benson,” I said.

“Abby who?”

“Damn it, Jax.”

He laughed. “Sorry if I’m not up-to-date on all the teen gossip at Keene Central High.”

“I think he’s a witch.”

At that, Jax straightened, and his entire demeanor shifted. His muscles tensed, his jaw clenched, and he curled his hands into fists. Jax loathed witches—and for good reason. After all, our family had been cursed by witches, and despite all the good will Sean had built over the decades, not a single coven was willing or able to help us.

“What makes you think that?” Jax asked.

“Something strange happened with Chloe today. Right before World History, I found her cowering in the hallway. She was terrified, shaking, crying, mumbling about fog…” I shook my head. Just thinking about her like that had rage burning in my veins. “When I drove her home, she said she’d seen Marc in the hallway seconds before all the strange stuff happened. He whispered, “get lost,” and then she literally got lost.”

Jax scowled. “If he is a witch, why the hell would he mess with Chloe?”

I gave him a do-you-really-have-to-ask look. Crossing my arms, I shifted on my feet. “If he’s tied to the Zoya…” I let the implication of that hang heavy between us.

Knowing we had to deal with the Zoya was bad enough, but to think they might be dragging Chloe into the middle of our feud? I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.

“The Zoya have never used a different last name before. Why now?” Jax planted his hands on the island counter and leaned over. The veins and muscles in his arms bulged.

I knew my brother well enough to know he was ready to fight now and ask questions later, and while I’d love to kill Marc for messing with Chloe, we had to be smart about this. If Marc was actually a Zoya, or simply working for them in some capacity, killing him would the first shot fired in a war we weren’t prepared for.

“I don’t know.” I blew out a breath and rubbed the back of my neck. “But we need to find out what the hell he’s up to, because I swear to God, if he hurts Chloe…”

“You realize this is exactly what they want, right?” He shoved away from the counter and once again crossed his arms. “They’re screwing with her to get to you.” He shook his head, a bitter laugh echoing around us. “This is why we don’t get involved with humans.”

Anger sparked in my chest, and I stood to my full height. “Do you think I have any choice in this matter? She’s my soulmate, Jax. I can’t just walk away and let…” My eyes widened.

Crap. The only person who knew Chloe was my soulmate was Sean, and I had not meant to tell Jax, especially not now, and definitely not like this. I tensed for whatever my brother’s reaction might be, though with him, who the hell knew what he’d say or do. Even on a good day he was a hair trigger.

“Your soulmate?” He spoke slowly, brow raised.

I remained silent, tracking him as he moved farther into the kitchen. He circled the island counter, and I moved in tandem, my gaze never leaving him.

“You’re positive?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Does she know?”

“Does it matter?” I shot back. The less information I gave him the better.

A vampire finding their soulmate was a one in million chance, but when it did happen, there was no stopping it. Right now, the only way I could walk away from Chloe is if she told me to. Of course, she had no idea what she meant to me—yet—but that didn’t matter. If she said leave, I’d leave.

But if she said stay…

“She’s a human, Trent,” Jax snapped.

“You think I don’t know that?”

Chloe being human complicated things so much. Not only did I have to tell her what I was, I had to explain the whole soulmate thing, not to mention the curse. Soulmate or not, the curse wasn’t something we could overcome. I couldn’t truly love Chloe the way I wanted to, the way I was meant to.

“I’m telling Dad. He’ll see this for the disaster it is, then we can leave. Tonight.” Jax moved toward the living room, but I grabbed his arm and forcefully jerked him toward me. He yanked his arm from my grip. “Don’t touch me.”

“Dad already knows.”

Jax snarled.

“He said the choice is mine. I can tell Chloe the truth, or we can pack up and leave town.”

“Then why the hell are we still here?” Jax stood toe to toe with me. “Do not tell me you’re this stupid.”

I pulled my shoulders back and jutted my chin. “I’m not leaving her.”

Jax hadn’t found his soulmate, and the one woman he’d ever loved had ended in disaster, so he couldn’t possibly understand what this was like for me. The all-consuming feelings and thoughts.

“You’d risk exposing us on the off chance she might decide she likes you?” His eyes were pure black.

“Yes.”

“Maybe I’ll just kill her. Problem solved.”

“You touch her, and so help me God, Jax, it will be the very last thing you ever do,” I warned, my tone lethal.

Jax shoved me hard enough to send me sliding across the kitchen floor. I growled and lunged at him. He clipped my jaw with a hard jab of his fist. I swung back, but he managed to dodge me. I hurled myself at him, and we landed in the living room, punches flying as fast and furious as our insults.

“Hey!” Sean grabbed the back of Jax’s shirt and hauled him away from me, then he slapped his hand against my chest so I wouldn’t attack again. “What the hell is going on?”

“Dumbass is going to expose us to some stupid human girl,” Jax spat.

I attempted to reach for his throat, but Sean once again slammed his hand against my chest, and I swore I heard a rib or two crack. I winced in pain.

“He threatened to kill Chloe.” I wanted to kick myself for the sheer desperation in my voice.

Jax blamed me for what happened with Hannah—maybe he was right—and he’d been biding his time, waiting for a way to get even, to make me feel the same type of pain he now lived with every day. And by slipping up and telling him about Chloe, I’d basically loaded the gun and handed it to him.

“You will not lay a hand on Chloe.” Sean glared at Jax. “Do you understand me?”

Jax sneered but eventually nodded.

“And you will not expose any of us until you’re absolutely certain you can trust her not to tell anyone.” Sean turned his attention to me. “Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” My tone was clipped.

Slowly, Sean lowered his arms, his gaze darting from me to Jax. “No more fighting.” He pointed at each of us in turn.

I gave my brother a dirty look, and he responded with an infuriating smug smile.

“Besides, we have bigger issues to deal with. I have it on good authority that the Zoya are headed back to Keene Valley.” Sean took a step back, though his movements were hesitant, as if he expected Jax and I to start fighting again, which was a real possibility.

“One of them is going by the name Marc Johnson,” I said, then I explained about the situation in the hallway with Chloe and how Marc was getting close to Chloe’s cousin. “This can’t be a coincidence.”

“No.” Sean sighed and shook his head. “It’s not. Sounds like Marc is using Abby to get closer to Chloe.”

“And through Chloe, he’ll get to us,” Jax said. He’d moved to stand near the fireplace. Rage still poured off him, but I no longer felt like it was all directed at me. The seriousness of our situation was finally hitting him.

“We need to keep an eye on Marc, because if he does anything else to Chloe, I’ll kill him,” I said.

Sean let out another heavy sigh. “We’re not killing anyone. Not yet. But keeping an eye on him is a good idea. The last thing we need is for Chloe, or anyone else, to get caught up in this.” He pinned me with a fatherly look that was a combination of compassion and warning. “Make sure Chloe stays out of harm’s way.”

I grinned. “Gladly. And I won’t hesitate to kill anyone who goes after her.”

Jax snarled low in his throat, and I gave him a taunting smile. Totally childish, but so what. He deserved a hell of a lot more for even thinking about killing Chloe, let alone speaking it out loud.

“And you.” Sean pointed at Jax. “You’ll help him figure out what’s going on with this Marc character. And you will stay away from Chloe.”

I laughed, and Jax turned toward me with all the fury of a really pissed off vampire. I clamped my lips shut. As much as I took pleasure in knowing Dad was on my side with this, I needed to tread carefully with Jax. He had a really short fuse, and when he blew up, everyone in his path suffered.

“I’ll see what else I can find out.” Sean raked his fingers through his hair before shifting his gaze back to me. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but if the Zoya are moving back to Keene Valley, we’ll have no choice but to leave.”

My heart sank. Leaving meant no more Chloe, and that was a terrifying thought. I had no idea how I was going to survive the weekend without seeing her, and Sean expected me to just pack up and leave?

After a moment’s hesitation, probably to ensure Jax and I weren’t going to kill each other the second Sean left the room, he did just that. He turned on his heel and disappeared downstairs. Jax and I stood on opposite sides of the living room, glaring at each other. Tension stretched between us, tightening with each second that ticked by.

“I’ll kill Marc and every other Zoya that steps foot in this town,” I said.

“Well, at least we agree on that.” Then he vanished in the blink of an eye.

My shoulders sagged, and I sank down onto the couch. I rubbed my hands over my face and blew out a shaky breath. Simply being near Chloe had put her in danger. Maybe leaving was the best thing for her. At least then I knew she’d be safe. Not just from the Zoya, but from Jax. And me.

But then I thought of how she’d been so kind to me today, taking the punishment for something she hadn’t even done. She’d been the victim of some dark magic, yet she was more worried about doing the right thing. She was a bright light in a world full of darkness and evil, and she was my soulmate.

I had no idea what I’d done right for the universe to reward me with such a beautiful, smart, amazing soulmate, but I owed it to her—and myself—to stay in Keene Valley and fight. I’d keep her safe from my enemies, and in doing so, I’d make sure the light shining inside of her didn’t dull.

“C’mon.” Jax strode through the living room, each step more purposeful than the last. “Let’s go.”

“Go where?” I stood and followed him. Despite our differences, I trusted Jax with my life, and based on the determined set of his jaw, he had a plan that wouldn’t violate any of Dad’s rules.

“We’re gonna put your newfound skills to use.” He yanked open the front door, then grinned at me over his shoulder. “We’re going to stalk some Zoya.”