Unable to get comfortable after a night of restless tossing and turning, I finally give up. With a huff, I flip onto my back and cross my arms behind my head. The other occupants of the house have been up for hours. I'd heard them all talking and moving around the house, but I've had no desire to get up and join them. I have no intention of leaving my bedroom today without a very good reason.

When a knock comes from my door, I groan loudly. I should have known they wouldn't just leave me be.

"Yeah?" I call to whoever's on the other side of the door.

It opens slowly, revealing Everett on the other side. Surprise flashes on his face when he sees me still in bed.

"Should I come back?" He asks tensely.

"No. What do you need?" I ask, crossing my ankles and looking back up at the white ceiling above me.

From the corner of my eye, I see him hesitate before stepping into the room, intentionally leaving the door wide open. He comes to a stop in the center of my room, studying the space. The only other time he was in here, we'd been distracted with me writhing in pain.

I watch his eyes scan my midnight blue walls, slowing when they come to the dozen or so sketches that I have hanging above the head of my bed. He eyes the black furniture and the pictures on my bedside table. Then his eyes fall to me, and they noticeably darken before he spins on his heel, scanning my wall of bookcases.

His shoulders rise with a deep breath, and the taut muscles in his back and shoulders relax slightly as he scans the titles packed onto the shelves.

"I wanted to let you know that my friend, Keith, finally returned my calls. He's agreed to try to help us find the coven. He'll be here next week," he says with his back still facing me.

Glad to finally get some good news, I sit up. Sitting cross legged in the middle of my bed, I watch him stuff his hands in his pockets while he rocks on his heels.

"You want to tell me why you're hiding out in here?" He asks, finally turning back towards me. His eyes locking onto mine in a way that makes my breath catch in my throat.

Breaking eye contact, I pick at my fingernails and shake my head in response. I don't plan to tell any of them about my conversation with Dante last night. I need to figure out how I feel about it myself before getting everyone else's insight on the matter. A sudden thought occurs to me, making my eyes flash up to meet his once more.

He'd said his friend Keith loves information. He loves to study and learn, and he knows more about supernaturals than anyone Everett had ever met. I wonder if he could help me. Maybe, just maybe, he'll know more about me than anyone else seems to. Maybe everyone is wrong, and this has happened before.

Everett's eyes flash with his own epiphany before he takes a step in my direction.

"I have an idea," he mumbles, not breaking eye contact, and I raise an eyebrow in question. "Let me start by saying that I can see in your eyes how close to the edge you are right now."

I drop my eyes back to the white and navy comforter beneath me, wanting to hide whatever emotions are currently showing in my eyes.

"I think you need a break from everything," he continues.

My eyebrows draw down in dismay. "Now's not the time for a break, Everett. I can't take a break while Lucien is out there going through God knows what."

Nodding along while I talk, he jumps in as soon as I finish my sentence. "I get why you feel that way. I really do, but there's nothing we can do about that right now. We have no way of finding the coven," he says, staring into my eyes with determination. "I believe Keith will find them, but he's not here yet. He won't be here until next week. So, we can either sit here twiddling our thumbs until he gets here, or we can get away from all of it for a couple days."

"We?" I ask, trying to hide the appeal that prospect holds. Judging by the twitch of his lips, I didn't hide it well enough.

"I mean the whole group. Whoever wants to go," he says with a small smirk. When I hesitate, his determination returns. "You need this, Ari. If you don't take a step back and blow off some steam, you're going to explode, and that could be dangerous for everyone."

Realizing he's right, I nod, but it's more than that. My future is so uncertain. I'm not really worried about the coven or the werewolves, but I am worried about the Locktons. I might be stronger, but there's five of them and only one of me. While that danger isn't looming over me at this very moment, it could very well be right around the corner.

Plus, now I have to worry about my reaction to vampire venom sometime in the near future. Pushing that worry from my mind for now, I look back at Everett with new resolve. He's right. I need this.

"Fine, but I want to do something fun," I say.

He nods and drops down into my hammock chair that hangs in front of the bay windows. Shooting a relieved smile in my direction, he pulls his phone out.

"You got any ideas?" He asks.

Shaking my head, I shrug. "Not really."

"Well, it's winter. We could try a ski lodge. Have you ever been skiing?"

With a shake of my head, I give him a disbelieving look, unable to believe I'd never told him how solitary my life had been up until recently.

"I've basically never done anything outside of the house aside from ice skating," I answer. Remembering how that little outing went, I shoot him a nervous look. "It's not like ice skating, is it? Maybe winter sports aren't my thing."

Laughing quietly, he continues to mess with something on his phone.

"A ski lodge for the whole group sounds expensive," I say, only just realizing that since I've never had to think of such things before.

His eyes flick up from his screen momentarily, giving me a strange look.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," he mumbles, eyes already back on the screen.

"You can't pay for everyone."

"Why not? It was all my idea, and I'm going too," he says like it makes perfect sense.

Staring at him incredulously, my curiosity takes over.

"What do you do?" I finally ask the question I'd been wondering about lately.

"Have you ever heard of 'Strings and Things'?" He asks, eyes flashing between me and the phone.

Not fully understanding his question, I nod thinking about the store that sells all kinds of music equipment and instruments.

"Yeah. Some of the stuff in my music room came from there."

"It's mine," he says, shooting me a smirk.

Blinking, I stare back. "One of them is yours?"

"No, I don't mean I run one of the stores. What I meant is I own the chain. They're all mine," he says nonchalantly. As if it's no big deal that he owns a chain of music stores spared out across the country. The big house and all the nice cars make a lot more sense now.

"That chain must have started decades ago to grow to the point it's at now. How do you manage that when you don't age?" I ask, confused.

"Yeah, I started them about thirty years ago. I'm not seen often at all, and usually not by the same people. I usually do my work from the computer at home or over the phone. I have employees that manage almost everything at this point. Plus, you'd be amazed at how different you can look with a new hairstyle and a few accessories. Like glasses for instance. It's not hard to go in and pass myself off as a younger brother or son or something like that. I've been going into the corporate office in New York City a little bit recently since it's only a little more than an hour flight from here, but I'm currently passing myself off as Alexander Halterman, Everett's son who is the spitting image of his father."

He shoots me a grin when he finishes, and I can't help but chuckle a little.

"Where did the name Alexander come from?"

"It's my middle name," he mumbles, attention back on his phone. "Okay, we've got a private cabin that'll sleep all of us at a ski lodge a couple hours from here. We check in tomorrow morning and will stay for two nights. They have skiing, snowboarding, ice skating," he pauses, snickering, "zip lining, a trampoline park, climbing walls, all kinds of stuff. Looks like it'll be fun for everybody."

Pursing my lips, I think for a minute. "I should probably go shopping. I need a jacket. I don't think my leather jacket is exactly skiing attire."

"You're probably right," he says with a nod. "I would say get a swim suit too, because they have a heated pool, and our cabin has a hot tub. I doubt you'll be able to find one this time of year though."

"We should probably let everyone else know and see who all wants to go," I mumble.

Nodding, he stands, and I follow him out of my room. Seeing Micah, Oliver, and Julian in my living room, I wave for them to follow us.

"Come on, guys. I need to talk to everyone," I say.

Micah has a huge grin on his face when he looks over. "You guys left the door open, and me and Oliver have werewolf hearing. We already know. I'm so in!"

"Me too," Oliver says immediately.

"They filled me in, and I think I'm going to stay here," Julian says.

Pausing on my way to the stairs, I look over at him. "You sure? This could be just what you need right now."

Not taking his eyes off the TV he shakes his head. "I'm not in the mood, Ari. Maybe we can take another trip when all this is over."

I bite my lip to stop the words that want to escape. After the other night, I'm more worried than ever that we all might not make it through this. That worry is only compounded by Dante's revelation. Even if I do make it through all of this, I won't be the same at the end of it. Not if his theory is correct.

I don't say any of that though. I just let it go. If he wants to continue sitting here, moping about Emily, then I won't force him to go with us.

Me and Everett head down the stairs with Micah and Oliver trailing behind us.

"Cal, Annie, Lawrence, and Lizzie, meet me in the living room," Everett says at a normal volume.

"Can they really hear that from all over the house?" I question, and he nods. "I thought my hearing was good, but I don't think it's like you guys."

"Probably not," he says with a shrug.

Reaching the first floor, I find Uncle Ben sitting at the kitchen table going through paperwork for the bar. I ask him to text Dante to come over, and he follows me to the living room. When we all enter the room, I find River and Lizzie already sitting on the couch watching a rerun of The Bachelor.

They both turn to glance at us when we walk through the doorway, and I bristle at the way River's eyes seem to make a slow perusal of Everett. Gritting my teeth, I try to ignore my tumultuous feelings, reminding myself that I have no claim on him.

Purely out of curiosity, I glance over my shoulder to see if he's returning her stare, but his eyes are locked on his phone, seemingly oblivious to the attention he's receiving.

"Cal and Annie ran to our house to get some stuff," Lizzie says to Everett causing him to glance up from his phone, giving her a nod.

"That's fine. I'll just text them and see if they want to go," he responds.

"Go where?" Lawrence asks as he strides into the room.

Before anyone can answer, the front door opens and Dante walks in. I bite my tongue to hold in a smartass comment about knocking. There's really no point. Our house seems to be an open house for all types of supernaturals at this point.

"Yeah, go where?" Dante asks as he casually leans a shoulder on the doorway, crossing his ankles.

"All of the stress of everything is getting to me. After my little breakdown last night, I think everyone can agree on that," I say, seeing multiple people nod in agreement. "Everett has a friend coming that might be able to help us find the coven, but until then, there's really nothing we can do. I want to take this chance to take a step back from all of it. I need a break to regroup. Hopefully, I'll be a little more stable after a little fun to blow off some steam."

Everett side-eyes me when I use his own words, but I ignore him, focusing on everyone else's reaction.

"I think it's a good idea," Uncle Ben says, and Dante nods along. "Where are you going?"

"A ski lodge a couple hours from here. We check in tomorrow morning," I say.

"Who all is going?" River asks.

I hesitate, not missing the way her eyes are still lingering on Everett.

"Whoever wants to go," I say, having to force the words out.

"I'm staying here. I've been skiing a million times before," Lizzie says dismissively.

I watch as River's eyes seem to ping pong between Lizzie and Everett. She's clearly trying to decide if she'd rather go with Everett, or stay with his sister. Narrowing my eyes, I cross my fingers behind my back, hoping and praying she doesn't want to go. I have no idea how Lizzie is even still friends with her after River stood with the coven against their family.

"I've got to work," Uncle ben says, not sounding disappointed at all.

"I'll stay and help him get the bar open," Dante mumbles, eyes bouncing between me, Everett, and Lawrence worriedly. I narrow my eyes at him in warning, but he purses his lips, narrowing his eyes right back at me.

"Cal and Annie want to go," Everett mutters quietly.

"Me too, obviously," Lawrence says cheerfully, his eyes locked on me.

"Can we invite Hazel?" Micah asks. "We haven't hung out in a couple weeks, and she's been asking about you at school the last few days."

Everett nods when I cut my eyes in his direction. "Sure. Why not," I respond to Micah with a shrug.

"Is Julian going?" River asks, and I shake my head. "I think I'll stay too," she says when she realizes that her only allies are staying here.

"Okay, now that that's settled, everyone that's going should pack tonight. We'll be leaving really early in the morning. I need to run to the store for a few things. Anybody else need to go shopping?"

Micah and Oliver both indicate that they need some things, and we head to the store together. For the first time in a couple week, I feel a spark of real enthusiasm for something. Hopefully, this trip will turn out to be just what I need.