Page 39 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Four

“Why?”

“He thinks I can help unseal the gate to the fae realm.”

Bran goes still.

I refocus my eyes on him and find his gaze suddenly distant and his brow furrowed.

“What is it?”

His frown deepens. “The witches want to unseal the gate too.”

“The Renshaw witches?” He nods. “Why?”

“Apparently they were using Julian as a means to an end. Tabitha lost a brother to the fae realm when it was sealed off.”

“So she wants us to open the gate to rescue her brother? Why would we care enough to do that? We already won against them.”

Bran looks up at me. His jaw flexes. Not with anger, but anguish. “She linked the spell she used on my brother to the fae side. It cannot be undone without opening the gate.”

Numbness runs through my limbs, and the flame at my core immediately extinguishes.

“So Kelly…”

“Same spell,” he confirms. “Same solution.”

I climb off of him and sit on the cushion beside him. A car drives past on the street outside the front windows. One of the neighbors calls for their dog.

I want to scream.

If I were playing a game of chess, I have already lost, backed into a corner with no escape in sight.

I feel so fucking stupid.

And helpless.

Bran threads his fingers through mine and gives me a squeeze.

“If I can open that gate,” I start, “and more fae come through and they realize I exist…”

“I know,” Bran says.

“What if they want me dead?” My voice pitches with panic.

“They’ll have all of Duval House and the Pack to get through.”

I snort. “You really think the Alpha would put his pack on the line for me? There’s no way—”

“Yes,” he interrupts. “I do think he would.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re his fated mate’s best friend. If Sam didn’t hate him enough already, she’d murder him if he let anything happen to you.”

Okay, he may have a point.

“Even if you’re right, will that be enough? What if the entire Autumn Court comes through the gate?”

His grip on me tightens, pulling my attention to him. “I am not afraid, Mouse.”