Page 122 of This Blood That Breaks Us

I steadied myself against him and used his voice to help me fight through the fog.

“Yeah,” I spoke in barely a whisper.

Where was She going? She wouldn’t—

“Focus on me. Get a hold of yourself.” He had my full attention now.

Zach was next to me now, shoulders down and more carefree than normal.

“I’ve got it.” I patted Ezra’s hand, and he relaxed. I wasn’t sure why he cared or why he’d be worried. There wasn’t anything else to worry about. We were home.

Zach didn’t skip a beat as he tore me away from Ezra. He laid his hand over my shoulder, and as we descended the stairs, I realized how long I’d been in my dazed state. The room was empty. All other members had funneled out of the cathedral and could be heard celebrating on the lawn outside.

“We’re going out to celebrate at the bar in town. Everyone’s going,” Zach said. My body buzzed from the feeling of Her blood. I looked behind me where Sirius was wrapping Her wrist, suddenly hit with the most powerful fit of worry.

“Sirius will be here with Her. You don’t need to worry,” Ezra said. He was too good at reading me.

I’ll be fine, My Love. Enjoy your time.

She looked over at me with a smile, but Her lips didn’t move. She was in my head this time. Loudly and without prayer. I followed Zach into the driveway where two new Scramble Ducati bikes were parked.

“No way,” Zach said.

“What is this?”

“A gift.” Ezra was smiling too.

“Holy shit,” Zach said.

I lifted a leg over to straddle the bike, then ran my fingers along the midnight-black finish.

“You’re both free to travel as you please over the island. Figured why not in style?”

“Thank you,” I said, running my hand over the handles. I couldn’t believe it. Motorcycles were strictly forbidden in the Calem household because Mom was a nurse who had seen way too much, but we weren’t human anymore, and now I felt like more than a vampire. We were The Guard.

I turned it on and listened to the roar of the engine. It shook me to my core, only adding to the buzzing jolting my veins from Her blood. I was a god.

Two black sports cars pulled up behind us, and Henderson rolled down the window. “Lead the way, sir!”

“You heard him.” Zach gave me a wicked smile and handed me a helmet.

I slammed down my visor and we were off, tearing through the hills. The bikes slid and swerved in the dirt, but we wereinvincible. Untouchable by anyone or anything. I gripped the handle harder, and my bike jolted forward. We were flying in the infinite darkness.

Zach followed me. When I turned to look, he removed his hands from the handlebars and pounded his chest.

We’d entered a new level. Complete euphoria. And it was better than I’d ever imagined it could be.

We reached the town quickly. I wanted to keep riding all night along the dark hills, but people had to sleep, and the bikes were loud.

“Let’s get so drunk we can’t see straight,” Zach said with a crooked smile.

Plus, Zach had a point. I was ready to celebrate this momentous occasion. It was without a doubt the hardest and biggest goal I’d ever achieved. Who needed to graduate college anyway?

We stepped into the little dive bar. It was packed full of bodies. As we entered, the whole bar seemed to notice. It was likely the only place to go on a night like tonight. Probably a Saturday. The whole thing was filled with the stench of old rotting wood, deep mahogany walls, and booths.

“I second that.” I chuckled.

I was positively floating. We headed over to the counter first.