Chapter 62

Erin’s POV

“The Slayers?” I asked in disbelief. “That’s not possible. We’ve already defeated them.”

“Not all of them,” Henry said, shaking his head.

“I thought the organization got shut down with the leader perished,” I said, meeting Henry’s worried eyes. “How are they still around?”

“There’s a new leader,” Henry said. “I didn’t understand it at first either. Theo didn’t have all the answers. But they caught on when certain wolves and humans had gone missing. They later turned up dead and drained of their blood. They had abilities.”

My heart fell into my stomach at his words.

“A new leader?” I whispered, feeling the color draining from my face. “The Slayers are back?”

“I wouldn’t be telling you this if it wasn’t true,” Henry assured me. “That’s where I’ve been the last few days. I’ve been watching them. They have Bane under their control, and they have Gavin too. Gavin is only keeping you locked away until the Slayers are able to capture you.”

“No…” I said, taking a step away from him. “I refuse to believe that. Gavin would never set me up like that. He would never—”

“Open your eyes, Erin!” Henry shouted. “When are you going to believe me when I say that Gavin is dangerous? He doesn’t love you… he was after revenge and now he knows exactly how to get it. It’s not safe there. You aren’t safe.”

“You don’t know anything about Gavin!” I found myself yelling. My heart was so heavy in my chest I thought it was going to explode from the pressure.

The thought of Gavin doing something so terrible to betray me wasn’t sitting right in the pit of my stomach.

Henry’s face fell as he processed my words; he stared around my face for a moment, a sadness falling over his gaze.

“When did you stop trusting me?”

I hated that we were once again fighting; he was right. I once trusted him with my entire life; I trusted him with my heart too. We might not have been actually married, but we lived as a married couple for 3 years. He was my best friend. We’ve kissed and said “I love you,” to one another.

It pained me that I didn’t trust him right now.

My gaze fell to the ground; I couldn’t face him right now. Not with how I was feeling. I was glad that he was okay and that he was speaking to me, but I was starting to think it was a mistake to see him.

At least, it was a mistake to come here alone.

“I should go before he figures out that I left,” I said, keeping my tone low.

Henry didn’t say anything for a long while.

“I think it’s a bad idea,” he said finally. “If you have any ounce of trust in me…” his voice trailed off once he realized I didn’t have an ounce of trust.

This feeling was heavy and the silence between us only grew thicker.

I couldn’t bring myself to leave; not yet. Not with how things were with us. I wanted us to part ways on a better note, but it didn’t feel like that was happening.

I might not have trusted Henry, but it seemed as if he didn’t trust me either. I knew Gavin better than I knew myself; he didn’t have a once of vengeance in his body when it came to me. I trust Gavin… I was in love with Gavin.

Admitting that to myself was difficult, but it needed to be said. At least to myself it did.

“Don’t you feel better?” Emily purred in my ear. “Admitting your love for our mate?”

I did feel a little better in a sense, but I also felt terrible for Henry. He knew that I was in love with Gavin, and it was breaking his heart.

I wanted to comfort him; but most importantly, I wanted to prove that Gavin was innocent.

It wasn’t just Henry that thought the worst of Gavin, it was everybody. Until Gavin can prove that the woman of fire is a real person, who set out to make him look guilty, then Gavin will always second-guess. Nobody will ever trust him, and it’ll make his life a living hell.

He didn’t deserve that.

I’m not sure who sent Bane or what he wants, but I had to believe that Gavin had nothing to do with it. I doubt he even knows that Bane is under the control of the Slayers.

The thought of the Slayers returning sent a shiver down my spine.

It couldn’t all be a coincidence. It had to be connected.

“I think I need to speak with Theo,” I said, meeting Henry’s concerned eyes.

He rose his brows, staring at me with a perplexed look in his eyes.

“Why? So you can get a second opinion on someone you trust?”

I wasn’t sure if I trusted Theo, but it would certainly help to know what he thought about this entire situation. He once stopped Henry from looking into Gavin further once he found out he had powers.

He had to believe that Gavin wasn’t a danger too.

Right?

“I just need to speak with him about everything. It’s been too long since we’ve had a proper conversation.”

Henry didn’t say anything more and he didn’t stop me as I went to our bedroom, or at least it was “our” bedroom up until the other night.

I frowned at the unmade bed; it was in the same exact condition as it was when I left the other day.

Had he not been sleeping here?

I couldn’t help but wonder where he’s been sleeping, but quickly brushed the thought out of my mind as I grabbed my moonstone necklace from the lockbox.

Without another word to Henry, who was watching me warily from the doorway, I wrapped the pendant around my neck, allowing it to dangle against the top of my cleavage.

The portal began to open right away. I turned to glance at Henry, meeting his eyes briefly, before stepping into the portal and allowing it to swallow me.

…

Gavin’s POV

It was a sleepless night; Gavin spent most of the evening in his office long after his intimate encounter with Erin. He wanted to find out what Bane wanted with Erin and he wanted to find out who that woman in the red cloak was.

He was more driven than ever to find out this information. It was for Erin’s safety.

It wasn’t right of him to keep her locked away in his packhouse and he knew it. He felt awful.

She felt like a prisoner; but until he knew she was safe, there was no way he was going to let her out of this protection.

Seth was sent to interview more of the hospital victims, including the doctors and nurses. He needed to find out everything he could about this woman.

He should be returning soon though; then, he needs to spend another day watching Erin like a hawk.

As the sun began rising, Gavin found his eyes growing heavy. However, he was way too busy to sleep. He stood from his desk, intending to grab some coffee from the kitchen on the first floor.

He left his office and paused when he reached Erin’s door.

She should still be sleeping; the thought of her naked body pressed against his made a smile tug at his lips. His heart was beating quickly as he thought about the tremble and wiggle, she did when he caressed her arms.

The ghost of her lips still remained on his; he bit his lips as desire swirled through him.

He wondered if she slept naked or if she managed to put clothes on. She was only wrapped in a small towel when she left his office. She said something about taking a shower before bed and not feeling like getting her clothes on again only to take them off.

The curiosity in him won and he opened his door slightly, poking his head inside, he glanced around her quiet room until his eyes fell on her bed.

His eyes widened and his breathing ceased to exist when he saw that her bed was empty.

But her window was open.

Erin had run away.