Hell or High Water (Gemini Book 3) (14 page)

“Yes.” His throat worked. “But I can wait my turn.”

Once alone with my sister, I started talking. I didn’t stop until I had given her highlights of all the years she had missed. I told her about the academy, about the pack…about Graeson. When I ran out of topics, I pulled a chair near the bed and told her how much I had missed her, how much better all those events would have been with her around to enjoy them with me, how sorry I was that I hadn’t been faster or stronger or stood up to her in the first place to protect her from her adventurous nature.

A knock at the door tugged me from my thoughts. Theo slipped inside without waiting for me to answer and rested his hands on the silver railing of Lori’s bed. “Your parents think you should take a break. You’ve been in here for two hours, and they say touching her for long periods of time will weaken you faster.”

Two hours? Nodding, I pushed to my feet. Or I tried to. I didn’t make it all the way before wobbling knees sank me back down onto the cushion. I raised my arms and watched tremors ripple through my hands. I stared at Lori, peaceful and unaware, and forced my legs under me.

Theo’s lips thinned. “Can you make it on your own?”

“Yeah.” Voice gravelly, I tried again. “I can get back to the kitchen.”

“Call if you need me.”

He turned his back on me, and I left before I overheard what he said to Lori. They had been best friends, closer in some ways than she and I had been. Both of them had larger-than-life personalities and an unquenchable thirst for mischief. Isaac and I were the sticks in the mud. Theo and Lori… They had been an unstoppable duo. Isaac and I had envied them. I was old enough to admit that now, though I doubted Isaac ever would because his brother would never let him live down the admission. What I wouldn’t give for Lori to give me the same hard time just once more.

I found my parents in the kitchen, Mom with a book and Dad with a screwdriver in one hand and a circuit board in the other. They both dropped what they were doing and raked their gazes over me, assessing the damage that small contact with Lori had done.

“Let’s go outside.” Mom slid a coupon between the pages of the chapter where she left off reading, grabbed a bottle of greenish water from the fridge, and led me through sliding glass doors onto a patio on the opposite end of the house from Lori. “You’ll feel better out here.” She unscrewed the cap and passed the bottle to me. “Drink that. It will help. It’s how I cope being away from Dot for long periods of time.”

I did as she instructed and gagged on the first sip. “That’s horrible.”

“The alternative is worse.” She gestured toward one of the chairs tucked under a patio table. “Sit. Rest.”

I didn’t have much choice since my legs had given up on supporting me. “What will you do now?”

“We’re going to stand and fight.” Dad joined us and shut the door behind him. “We can’t leave Dot and Isaac in the hands of this crazed fae.”

I choked for a different reason. “I won’t endanger you like that.”

“You don’t have a choice.” Mom crossed to Dad and leaned against him. “I can find Dot.” She tugged a familiar necklace from under the neckline of her shirt. “Our parents had these made for us when we were kids. Back then connecting with family wasn’t as easy as pulling out a cell phone and making a call. Letters were slow to be forwarded. They followed a few towns behind, so meeting on the fly was impossible. This helped.” She twirled the simple tiger’s-eye pendant between her fingers, and I noticed it wasn’t so plain after all. A thick metal needle inset its core, and it wobbled as she moved. “Dot is its true north. I can use this to lead us to her.”

“I’ll take it.” I held out my hand. “You should stay here with Dad and Lori.”

“The magic only works between twins.” She shook her head. “You can’t use it. It would only lead you back here.”

“You’re okay with this?” I asked Dad.

“We haven’t been there for you or the rest of the family in a long time.” He kissed the top of Mom’s head. “We can’t walk away from this, and we can’t leave Lori alone.” His gaze found mine, strong and steady. “We’ve talked about this, and we trust you to keep your mom safe.”

I braced my elbows on the table and dropped my face into my hands. “Charybdis threatened you both. His avatar, Marshal Ayer, was here. So he knows about Lori.” I rubbed my forehead. “I would be delivering Mom right into his hands.”

“We can find Dot and—” Mom argued.

“It’s not that simple.” I explained how Charybdis operated, how his hosts worked, and my parents fell silent. “Even if we get to them, they run the risk of being tainted, and we run the risk of being infected.” I dropped my hands and sat back in my chair. “How do you capture a fae who’s incorporeal like that? Without harming his avatar?”

“Fae who require an avatar integrate fully with their host.” Mom was slow to add, “To kill the fae, you would have to kill the body he occupied.”

“Except he’s proven he can hop from person to person as it suits him. There’s some proximity involved. He must use his current avatar to get in range of his new host.” That was how he took Bianca. He used an avatar, most likely Harlow, to get close enough to possess her. “There’s no way to know who he has under his control. We can’t kill everyone and hope we take him down in the process. There are too many innocents involved.”

Dad mulled over the problem. “It sounds like we need to isolate him.”

“Isolation works.” The fewer bodies in a given area, the less chance he had of leaping into a host in time to escape. “I don’t see us luring Charybdis into an obvious trap. He’s smart. There’s no way he’ll go into an area at our request without a backup host or an escape plan.”

The sliding doors parted, and Theo emerged wearing a thoughtful expression that made me curious about how much he had overheard since he had obviously been listening.

“So eliminate the variables,” he said, taking the chair beside mine.

“Wow.” I snorted. “The answer was right in front of me this whole time. How did I not see that?”

“We have something he wants.” He tapped my hand where it rested on the tabletop. “Bait, coz. We have bait.”

“He could have taken me at any time, yet he hasn’t.” I shook my head. “He’s not going to end his game early just because I’m tired of playing.”

“He will if we rescue Mom and Isaac. Your parents are safe, I’m safe. The pack is safe, and Graeson knows how to protect them.” His smile grew. “Take away his leverage, and what has he got? Nothing.”

“A fae with nothing to lose is a dangerous fae.” I considered it. “Who makes the sleep charms for Lori?”

“A dryad your dad gave computer lessons to back when they first got popular.” Mom rubbed her thumb over a gold ring she wore with empty settings. “We send her precious stones, and she stores magic in them. The charms can then amplify any emotion or sensation. We chose calming energies to keep Lori comfortable.”

I turned to Dad. “Do you have any spares on hand?”

“A few, but not enough I can afford to give up even one.” He reached for Mom’s hand. “We can get more. It would take a day or two.”

“Do that.” A plan began forming that just might get us all out of this in one piece. “I’ll pay whatever fees are involved for the raw materials and the casting.”

At least when it came to simple charms, witches tended to accept cash just fine.

My jaw stretched on a yawn, and Mom shot me a worried frown. “You should get back to your hotel. You’ll need your rest if this is going to work.”

“I think that’s best.” I stood on aching legs that twinged with every step. “I don’t feel so hot right now.”

Dad circled the table and wrapped his arm around my waist. “Lean on me, Cammie-Lammie.” He held me tucked against his side. “I’ve got you.”

It was a group effort to get me outside and into the car. Dad kissed my forehead and shut the door. I was asleep before the car stopped rocking.

“
W
hat the hell
is wrong with her?”

Wincing at the noise, I shifted onto my other side and curled up tighter in my seat.

“You need to calm down.” Glass muffled Theo’s response. “This is not what she needs right now.”

“Either move out of my way,” a dark voice promised, “or I will move you out of my way.”

The car door opened behind me, and hot air rushed over my back. A warm hand, rough with calluses smoothed down the length of my arm.
“Ellis?”

Sunshine poured into my head, bright and pure and tinged with rich emotion that buoyed my spirit. My eyes cracked open, and I couldn’t stop my grin from spreading. I also couldn’t reach back through the bond. The connection was thin, wobbly. “Graeson.”

“Hey, sweetheart.” His knuckles caressed my cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired.” I leaned into his touch. “Better now that you’re here.” I lurched upright. “What
are
you doing here?” My gaze tagged his chest, and my hand rose to cover the site of his wound. “How are you?”

“I was going crazy without you.” He reached in and helped me out of the car. “And I’m fine. Doc says I’m at ninety-five percent and rising.”

“What about the pack?” I wrapped an arm around him to gain my balance. “Who’s watching them while you’re gone?”

“We’re all here.” His smile gentled. “Once I told them where I was going, I couldn’t have paid them to stay put.”

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I hid them against his shirt. “I missed you.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” He nuzzled the top of my head. “I kept trying to reach you through the pack bond, and it was sending my wolf into a frenzy hitting that blank space. Even though my head knew it was impossible to span across great distances, my heart wouldn’t give up.”

Breathing in his mix of scents, pine and wood smoke and man, I relaxed for the first time since leaving him. “Where are the others?”

“In an RV park across town, nothing fancy. It’s jammed with humans, but we’ll make do.”

“Do you two want to take this reunion inside?” Theo grumped. “You’re causing a scene.”

The sidewalks were empty from what I could tell, but his scowl cut deep. Apparently he hadn’t forgiven me for not confiding in him about Graeson, or maybe he was just pissed at Graeson for existing, and seeing the alpha in all his glory had reminded him of that fact.

“Let’s go up to my room,” I said, not caring how suggestive it sounded. “I can explain there.”

The trip, short as it was, exhausted me. The chilling truth of my parents’ warnings was evident in every heavy step it took me to reach the bed and drop onto the mattress.

“I’ll swing by later.” Theo rapped on the doorjamb. “You kids behave.”

“You’re going out?” His twitching fingers told me he was already miles away. “Are you sure that’s safe?”

“I need to get some air.” He rolled his head on his neck. “After today…yeah…I need a breather.”

Air not being what he meant. “Okay.” I leaned forward as Graeson stuffed pillows behind my shoulders. “Watch your back.”

“Enjoy yourselves.” He smirked and began closing the door. “I know I will.”

Graeson checked that the door was shut and locked it before pulling the task chair from under the desk to the side of the bed. He dropped into it and examined me toes to hairline. “If you were a warg, I would think this was separation sickness. It can happen in pups and juveniles when they leave the pack for the first time. After going their whole lives with that connection, losing it can be traumatic.”

“It kind of is,” I admitted, and filled him in on all that he had missed.

“Put that way, I can understand why they did what they did. Even if I don’t agree with how they went about doing it.” He laced his fingers with mine. “Seeing you this way proves they were right to worry.”

“The funny thing is, I really do feel better now that you’re here.” I rolled onto my side so I faced him. “It’s not just some mushy romantic thing, it’s the truth.”

He made a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat. “I can sense the pack from here, but I know what to look for. It’s possible you’re tapping into the bond through me.” A frown cut his face. “I tried reaching you earlier, in the parking lot, and I hit a wall.”

“It’s been a while since I took blood.” I rubbed my thumb over the spur hidden under my fingernail. “Do you think that could be it?”

“It might be.” He noticed my hand and traced the edge of the nail with his fingertip. “I hoped that binding you to us would mean you didn’t need to take blood to remain connected.”

“I’m a Gemini,” I said softly. “We have to exchange blood regularly, even with our siblings, to maintain our reset. Otherwise, we end up with one like mine that was crafted from memory and not a true reflection of its current state.”

“Then you’ll take blood as often as you need it.” He made it a decree befitting his station. “The other pack members can volunteer or not. It’s your choice.” A pleased rumble vibrated his chest. “I wouldn’t mind being your only donor.”

I laughed at his possessiveness. “I’m still not sure how I created my own warg aspect. She ought to be a direct reflection of yours or Aisha’s or Dell’s wolves, but she isn’t. I’ve never taken blood from several people of the same species at all, let alone in such a short timeframe, until I returned to Villanow. Maybe that’s the reason why she carries different attributes from each of you.”

“So you’ll have to continue taking from me and Dell if you want to maintain the aspect as she is.” I nodded, and he grunted. “I can live with that.”

“I’m glad you’re so accommodating.”

“Starting now.” He offered me his hand. “I want you back in my head where you belong.”

“Ah. Now that’s more like it.” Bossy to a fault. “For a minute there, I thought you’d lost your touch.”

Considering my mate was equal parts bark and bite, I did as he asked. This time. My fingernail wobbled, and my spur emerged. I clasped hands with him and pierced his skin. The rich flavor of his blood hit the back of my throat, and the pack bond crackled up my arm and sizzled in my head the same as if I’d gripped a live wire. I jerked forward, coughing as the energy suffused my cells and urgent voices banged on the door of my mind. Graeson grasped me by the shoulders and held me steady until I got my breathing under control.

“Cam?”
a hopeful voice prodded me.
“Is that really you? Are you back?”

“Hey, Dell.”
I laughed out loud.
“I’m back. You didn’t miss me, did you?”

“Cord has been nuts without you. I mean certifiable. As beta, I made the executive decision to get you two back together before the dominance fights got more out of hand and he ended up battling it out for omega status just to take the edge off since he’s fought everyone else.”

“You’re
beta
now?”
I clasped my hands in front of me, earning an odd look from Graeson.
“That’s great. I’m so proud of you. There isn’t a better warg for the job.”
Then I slitted my eyes toward the alpha beside me and asked out loud, “Dominance fights?”

“Dell,”
he growled inside my head.

I was never going to get used to conference calling warg style.

“Gotta go,”
she squeaked in an un-beta-like fashion, and her presence faded.

“Wasn’t this separation meant to prove you were a healthy and capable alpha?” I slid my legs over the side of the bed, no longer the least bit tired. “Yet it sounds to me as though you started picking fights as soon as I left. If you were going to beat them into submission,” I joked, because he had been forced to harm his people before, “you should have come with me in the first place.”

“I’m not saying Doc was wrong but—”

“He was wrong,” I supplied helpfully.

“You’re fae, and allowances should be made for that.” He wrapped his hands around my calves. “You can’t be expected to know or follow all of pack law, not where it conflicts with your morals and your instincts.”

“Mmm-hmm.” I didn’t struggle when he used his grip to haul me closer to the edge of the bed. “That’s very big of you, considering how I’m not the one who broke down and chased after you not even twenty-four hours later.”

A faint slash of red burned in his cheeks, and I cupped his face between my hands to show how much his devotion meant to me.

“I missed you,” he grumbled. “You leaving was like cutting off an arm. I had these phantom twinges, but the limb was no longer there. It drove me insane.” He thumped his chest. “My wolf was foaming at the mouth. You know how much he loves you.”

I raised my leg and traced the inseam of his jeans with my big toe. “Is he the only one?”

“You know I love you.” A baffled expression settled over him. “I’d shrink you down and carry you around in my pocket if I knew a witch handy enough to pull off the spell.”

“I do know.” He had pursued me too hard for it to be otherwise. “I just like hearing you say it.”

After the day I’d had, I needed that reaffirmation that someone out there loved me and would stand by me no matter what. Not to minimize the sacrifices my parents had made, but being loved that much from afar was almost as bad as not being loved at all. The heart couldn’t tell the difference, that much was for sure.

He scooted his chair closer, until his knees hit the mattress, and tugged me onto his lap. Smug grin wreathing his face, he kicked back until I had to straddle him or fall on the floor.

“Graeson.”
I clutched his shoulders to keep my balance. “What are you doing?”

He craned his neck, wrapped his arms around my waist and caged me against him while his lips burned a hot trail up my throat, across my jawline to my ear. “I love you, Camille Ellis.”

I melted against him, nuzzling my face against his neck, and whispered, “I love you too, Cord Graeson.”

The words had barely left my lips before he gripped me around the rib cage and lifted me away from him, the better to see my face. “No, you don’t get to hide that from me. Not the first time. I want to hear it again. I want to see you speak the words.”

A flush heated my cheeks, and it took every ounce of gumption I had to meet his molten-gold eyes when I said, “I love you, Cord Graeson.”

Scooping me against his chest, he stood and folded my legs around his waist while he spun us around the room. I laughed until tears leaked from the corners of my eyes, a release I sorely needed, and held on while he danced us through the tiny living room before returning to the bed.

“Hop down,” he ordered, when I made no move to let go. “You need your rest.”

“No.” I tightened my legs around him as I linked my arms behind his neck. “What I need is you.”

“Are you sure?” His eyes widened a fraction, and his throat bobbed. “You had a rough day, and I don’t want you to regret this in the morning.”

“The roughest days are still ahead.” I ran my fingers through his hair. “I have a lot of regrets, but this—being with you—could never be one.” I leaned in and dropped a slow kiss on his lips. “We’ve been mates in name only for too long.” I shimmied my hips against him, and his answering growl vibrated my chest. “I’m ready to own my title.”

His mouth crashed into mine, bruising in its intensity, and I whimpered. Lightheaded, I didn’t register him setting me down on the mattress until my shoes thudded to the floor and cool air brushed the soles of my feet. His nimble fingers shimmied my pants down my thighs. He peeled off my T-shirt and flung it over his head, ringing one of the lamps fixed to the wall. All that stood between me and Graeson were my panties and bra…except…he hadn’t undressed himself yet.

“Stop right there.” I threw one hand up to postpone his advance. “Don’t even think about climbing in with me while your clothes are on.”

He glanced down at himself. “You’ve seen me naked a
lot
.” He gestured toward me splayed on the bed. “You naked, now that’s something special.”

“I’ve seen you naked when you were shifting.” I sat up and braced on my palms. “That doesn’t count.”

Furrows creased his brow as he flipped the button on his jeans and lowered his zipper. He tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it aside then stood there as if I had stumped him.

Fighting the urge to reach for him, I fisted the sheets. “You haven’t gone shy on me, have you?”

A cocky grin broke across his mouth. “No.” But its edges softened. “I’ve never been with someone who wasn’t a warg.” He ducked his chin. “It’s nice that you want to see me, that you haven’t…”

“Sneaked a peek?” I laughed so loud I clapped a hand over my mouth. “I never claimed that.”

“That’s not what I meant. You’re not half as subtle as you think you are, and I don’t mind it.” His answering chuckle liquefied my girly bits. “I mean I like seeing you like this. That you haven’t shared this part of yourself with the rest of the pack.” He shrugged. “It’s just for me.”

As much as I hated to correct him… “Actually, thanks to the purification ceremony, the girls have already seen the free show.” He made a dismissive gesture, and I got it. “Oh. That’s not what you meant. You don’t want the guys seeing me naked. That’s a double standard, you know, and that’s not okay. The women get to see you naked every day. Sometimes several times a day.”

“I’m a warg.” He hooked his thumbs in the band of his jeans. “It’s my culture. You not sharing the sight of your beautiful body with anyone but me, that’s your culture.” He shoved his pants down and kicked out of them. “And I like that. It’s another of those compromises we discussed earlier. I’m fully willing to embrace it and respect that about you.”

My answering snort tapered to a whimper. I might have admired his backside to my heart’s content, but I had done a decent job of avoiding eye contact with the free-range trouser-snake I had once wished a bad case of poison ivy on. Until now.

“Am I allowed on the bed now?” He angled his head. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed the wolf doesn’t have to ask permission first.” I patted the mattress, and he joined me. “Let me help you with that.” My bra slid down my arms with a flick of his wrists. “There. That’s better.”

My stomach fluttered, but in that uncanny way of his, Graeson set to soothing me. His kisses were soft and gentle, even if they held a hint of teeth. Soon I was pliant in his arms, and totally naked if the panties twirling around his finger was any indication.