The Gates of Paradise by Melissa de La Cruz Read Free Book Online

date.
    “It can’t be,” Lawson said. “No way.”
    “What’s wrong?” Bliss asked, holding her breath.
    “A year,” Edon said. “A whole goddamn year has gone by while we were in the passages.”
    The pack absorbed this information. A whole year of their lives, gone in a blink. Lawson stared at the date on the newspaper. A whole year they had lost, while their enemies were moving, making plans, preparing for battle. How much ground had they lost? Lawson couldn’t speak, and Bliss saw the worry etched clearly on his face—a whole year—what had happened to the wolves who had remained trapped in the underworld?
    “It’s not your fault. Traveling through the passages is unpredictable,” she said.
    “Not this unpredictable,” he argued. “I promised the wolves I would come back, and that was already almost a year ago before this. Who knows what’s happened down there in the meantime?”
    Bliss felt an urge to put her arms around him and console him somehow, but now wasn’t the time, and things had been a little awkward between them since she’d revealed that Lucifer was her father. Sure, she was part of the pack, but it wasn’t the same easy friendship they’d shared before. Not yet, anyway.
    The wolves weren’t their only concern. What had happened to the vampires, Bliss wondered—to her friends? She felt the same urgency Lawson did. She had to know. What if everything was already over? What if the Silver Bloods had already won?
    “We have to find Schuyler,” she said. “Allegra’s other daughter. My…sister.” She wasn’t used to saying it out loud. “I’m supposed to bring the wolves to her. She might know why the passages are closed, or at least help us find a way to open them.”
    “Where is she?” Lawson asked.
    “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “Last time I saw her was at her bonding ceremony, in Italy; but if a year has gone by, there’s no way she’s still there. And without my powers, it’s harder—I have to do things the human way. But there are Conduits who can help us.” She explained the concept of humans who assisted vampires, noting that the boys looked a bit fearful when she talked about her past. Ahramin didn’t seem to care, but that was Ahramin. “The best place to start is New York,” Bliss said.
    “We shouldn’t all go,” Edon said. “Arthur might have answers, too. Some of us should stay behind.”
    “Take Malcolm,” Ahramin said.
    “No—I’ll go with Bliss,” Lawson said suddenly.
    Ahramin raised an eyebrow.
    “You and Edon can take care of things here with Mac and Rafe. I should be the one talking to the vampires,” he decided. “I should speak for the wolves.”
    “Fine,” said Ahramin, as if it didn’t matter either way.
    Malcolm reached out and held Bliss’s hand. “I don’t want us to be separated now that we’re a pack,” he said.
    “Don’t worry,” Bliss said. “My friends will be able to help. Lawson, are you sure about this? I can go alone. It’s not like I haven’t done it before.”
    “Positive,” Lawson said. “I’m coming with you.”
    So it was decided. Lawson and Bliss would travel to find the vampires, while the rest of the pack would regroup with Arthur.
    Bliss rented a car, a subcompact Hyundai, which was a far cry from being chauffeured around in a silver Rolls, but although she still had a working credit card, she had to be careful. After battling hounds and moving through the passages, the ten-hour drive to the city was surprisingly relaxing. Bliss let Lawson take the wheel, even if he drove like a speed demon.
    “Hey, lead foot, give it a break, will you?” she teased. “Sort of following that car closely, aren’t you?”
    “Am I? I didn’t notice,” he said, giving her a sheepish grin.
    For a moment Bliss was keenly reminded of the night they’d spent together, when they had almost…well. No point in thinking of that now. It was just a mistake anyway. Lawson had been mourning Tala, the mate he