The Blood Alchemist (The Final Formula Series, Book 2) (6 page)

“Yes, sir.”

The two men gently loaded Era into the back seat, careful not to jostle the quarrel.

Rowan straightened and pulled out his cellphone. “Go ahead,” he told Marlowe. “I’ll have Donovan meet you there.”

Marlowe nodded and hurried to climb in the car. I retreated to the steps while he backed out.

Rowan spent a few minutes making calls before he finally hung up and turned a frown on me. “What happened?”

“I told you what happened. James’s crazy brothers showed up and tried to take me. Era intervened.”

“Why was Era there?”

“She came to see me this morning.” I released a sigh. “She’d heard about my shop and wanted to check it out. I had an appointment at the hospital that I had to get to. She got upset when I refused her offer of a ride, so I let her drive me. Once there, she wouldn’t leave, insisting she’d wait and take me back.”

“You should have called me.”

I started to speak, but stopped myself. Fire still encircled his pupils. I didn’t fear him—even after everything—but I knew the fire was evidence that he still didn’t have himself completely under control. He wouldn’t listen to reason. Not now. And certainly not where Era was concerned.

“Okay,” I said.

He’d been studying the back of the shop, but his gaze drifted back to me. “Why stop here for Knockout Powder? They could have sedated her at the clinic.”

“That’s not why I stopped here. I intended to counter the X Dust.”

“You have such a potion?” His eyes narrowed in what looked like suspicion.

“I still have a vial of that formula Emil was selling. Remember how it returned your power?”

“I nearly burned myself up. You’re not giving that to her.”

“I was going to dilute it.”

“No.” He continued to study me. “Why didn’t the Knockout Powder knock you out?”

“I took the antidote before I used it.”

“I want some.”

I hesitated. “Do you think I’d use Knockout Powder on you?”

“It does seem to be a favorite among you Alchemica alchemists.” Rowan gestured at my back door, inviting me to go get it.

I turned toward the door, unable to voice a protest. Did he really think I’d use a potion against him? I walked up the back steps, my mind a jumble of hurt and confusion. It wasn’t until my hand gripped the knob that I remembered Ian. Crap.

“Wait here,” I said. “I’ll get it.”

“Wait here?”

Leave it to him to pick up on that. “Yes. I won’t take a moment.” I turned the knob.

“Don’t want to introduce me to your assistant?”

I turned to stare at him. “Have you been spying on me?”

“Not personally, but word gets back.”

Hurt shifted to resentment from one breath to the next. “If you’re so damn worried about me, then why not send in your PIA buddies for a full shake down? As a matter of fact, I keep a record of every formula I’ve brewed. You can have that, too.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Why? Because you already have a list?”

“No.” He joined me on the stoop, towering over me. That was probably by design.

I opened my mouth and closed it. I was too close to breaking down to keep screaming at him, but my hurt and anger still needed an outlet. I turned back to the door and pushed it open. “Come in, Your Grace. Let me give you the tour.”

He didn’t respond, but I heard his footsteps behind me. The bastard. I couldn’t believe he’d resort to something as underhanded as spying on me. And contrary to what he said, he’d clearly been doing just that.

I marched down the back hall, fuming, but came to a dead stop just inside the lab. Ian’s eyes flicked in my direction before returning to the vial he was filling.

Oh God. I couldn’t tell Rowan who my assistant really was. He’d refuse my help entirely. My bullets would go on killing. The Huntsman boys would keep trying to take James. My burn salve would lose its magical support, and Rowan would never let me brew him more of his remedy.

“I told you this wasn’t finished,” Ian said.

“That’s okay,” I said. “My
friend
wanted an introduction.”

“Then let me wash up.” Ian capped the vial and tucked it in his coat pocket before walking to the sink to wash his hands.

Rowan stepped up beside me as Ian shut off the water and picked up a towel. I used the pause to scour my brain for a plausible lie.

“This is my colleague, Dmitri Rey.” I gestured at Ian as he walked over to us, still drying his hands.

“The other founder of the Alchemica?” Rowan asked, his dark brows climbing his forehead.

Ian didn’t even bat an eye. “Nice to meet you.” He offered Rowan a hand.

My breath caught as Rowan took his hand. What if he noticed Ian’s icy skin?

“William Brant.” Rowan left out his middle name. He released Ian’s hand, but didn’t comment if he noticed the chill. “I didn’t realize you’d survived the Alchemica’s destruction.”

“He was away at the time,” I answered for Ian. Had the hot water from the sink warmed Ian’s skin enough to fool Rowan? “Let me get what you came for.” I walked to the bookshelf and selected another vial of Knockout Powder antidote.

When I turned back, I found Rowan still studying Ian. I held out the vial. “Anything else?”

Rowan took the vial. “No.”

I leaned against my bench and crossed my arms. “You’ll let me know if Era needs anything?”

“Yes.” Rowan continued to study Ian. Did he suspect? “How did you find her?”

“The newspaper,” Ian answered. He leaned against the bench beside me and to my total surprise, slipped an arm around my shoulders. “Amelia does nothing by half-measures.”

A muscle ticked in Rowan’s jaw.

I jabbed Ian with my elbow. “Addie,” I corrected.

Ian laughed and took his arm from my shoulders, but he didn’t move away. “Addie,” he amended. The smooth way he embraced our little subterfuge shocked me—and reminded me how little I truly knew this man.

Rowan frowned at us, and I wondered what he was thinking. Would he insist Ian be registered with the PIA, too?

I took a breath, hoping to steer the conversation away from that and noticed a faint sulfurous smell. “Did you leave on the gas?” I asked Ian.

“No.” He gestured at the stove. He was right. The burner was out and the dial was clearly turned to the
off
.

“I smell it, too,” Rowan said.

“Check the—” I didn’t get to finish the statement as breaking glass from the front of the shop cut me off.

“Move!” Rowan caught my arm and jerked me into the back hall before I could even think of responding.

I regained my balance as we hit the back door and just managed not to tumble down the steps.

“What—” I turned to look back in time to watch the building go up in an explosion Rowan would have been hard pressed to rival.

The concussion sent us flying, but my flight was cut short by the wall Era had pressed me against not fifteen minutes earlier. I hit with my back—and head—and then smacked my face. It took me a moment to realize that my face had hit the ground.

I rolled over just before something heavy landed on top of me. I grunted on impact, imagining myself buried in bricks and rubble. My dazed mind gradually realized that what lay on top of me was considerably warmer and more pliable than broken brick. I cracked open my eyes and got a double image of Rowan that slowly converged into one. His eyes were squeezed shut and his forehead wrinkled. I was suddenly back in another alley—the one behind the Huntsman Gun Shop—and Rowan was protecting me from bullet fire.

I reached up and my hand found his warm cheek. His too warm cheek.

“Rowan,” I whispered, trying to remember if I had a vial of his antidote. I used to carry one in my bra.

His eyes opened, the orange stretching from his pupil to the charcoal perimeter of his iris. Gold danced through the orange like actual flame. Scary, but beautiful.

I forgot what it was I wanted to ask and his image doubled again.

“Addie?” He rose up on an elbow and pulled away from me, but didn’t get up. Instead, he cupped my cheek. “Hey, you with me?”

“Where else would I be?” I didn’t think that came out the way I intended, but my head was starting to pound, so I gave up trying to think.

“She needs medical attention,” Ian said, standing over us. His white shirt was splattered with dirty alley water, but like Rowan, he seemed to have avoided injury—not that Ian could be injured.

“My car,” Rowan answered. Had it been damaged? He didn’t sound as devastated as I would have imagined. “Addie, can you sit up?” he asked me.

Water had wicked through my clothes from the wet pavement, so I should probably get up.

“Sure, I—” I pushed off the ground and the world swam around me in a dizzying array of light and color. Darkness encroached on my flashing vision, and I squeezed my eyes closed, praying I wouldn’t throw up.

Hands gripped my shoulders just as the darkness won out.

Chapter
5

I
blinked my eyes open and discovered a tiled ceiling above me. The plastic cover over the fluorescent light was dark. The soft illumination in the room came from a source on the wall behind me. With the way my head thumped, I was glad the lights were on a dim setting.

“And she returns to us,” Ian said from close by.

I started to turn my head and regretted the action. It felt like my brains were leaking out the back of my skull.

“Lie still.” Ian gripped my shoulder.

“Sounds like good advice.” I had to stop and clear my throat. “What happened?”

“Our lab was destroyed.”

I remembered the parking area behind our lab and the explosion. I also remembered Rowan throwing himself on top of me.

“You smacked the wall hard enough to crack your skull. Literally. Anyone else would probably be looking at brain damage.”

My rapid healing was a by-product of the Final Formula. I healed almost as fast as an Element—because it was the blood of an Element I’d designed my formula around.

A door opened nearby, and Ian turned his head toward the sound.

I recognized his tread even before Rowan came into view.

“You’re awake,” he said, gray eyes meeting mine.

“How observant, Your—” I just managed to stop myself from using his honorific. Ian wasn’t supposed to know who Rowan was. Not Ian, Dmitri. God, my head hurt.

“You’re here,” I said instead. Embarrassed to be caught in such a position of weakness, I tried to sit up, but a hand on each shoulder stopped me: Rowan on my left, Ian on my right.

“Don’t,” Rowan said.

“Why not?”

“You have a concussion.”

“So?” Why I felt the need to argue the point, I couldn’t say.

“Don’t be difficult.” Rowan released my shoulder, apparently thinking the command enough.

Ian on the other hand, didn’t release me. Even at my best, I couldn’t defeat the strength of the dead. I collapsed against the pillow with a sigh.

“How’s Era?” I asked.

“Fine.” Rowan turned to Ian. “Would you excuse us?”

Ian gave him a frown that shifted to me. “She needs to lie still.”

“She will.”

The men studied each other a moment longer before Ian turned and left the room.

“He’s protective of you,” Rowan said.

“He’s my business partner and…” I thought of our business. “The lab’s gone, isn’t it?” I whispered.

“Yes.”

“I lost another one.” I covered my face with my hands. Not again. I was back to square one.

“Addie.” Rowan moved closer.

I didn’t want him to see me wallowing in self-pity, though I wanted nothing more than to lie here and cry. Instead, I rolled onto my side and sat up.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

I gripped the bedrail and squeezed my eyes closed. Bad idea. I prayed I wouldn’t puke.

“Addie?” Rowan moved around to my side.

I knew he’d try to stop me, so I hurried to drop my feet to the floor and tried to stand. My legs didn’t want to hold me, and my arms quivered as I clung to the bedrail.

Rowan caught me by the shoulders. “Sit. Or better yet, lie down.”

“Are you going to command me to roll over next?”

“No, but I am considering withholding your biscuit.”

He was joking with me?

“I have a potion to brew,” I whispered. “Several actually. Do you think Ginny will let me use her lab? Again?” My voice broke on the last syllable, and I hated myself for it. But I couldn’t seem to hold the despair inside. How would I rebuild? It had felt like I’d sold my soul when I traded the Final Formula for Ian’s lab. What would I have to do this time?

“I’m sure Ginny won’t mind,” Rowan said, “but that can wait. Sit.”

When I didn’t comply, his hands left my shoulders for my waist and lifted me onto the bed.

“No fair.” I kept my head bowed, hoping he wouldn’t notice the tears rolling down my cheeks. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

He released me and turned away with a sigh. Maybe he hadn’t noticed. If I could just get control and rub a hand across my cheeks when he wasn’t looking—

“Here.” He’d returned and pressed a tissue into my hand.

Humiliated, I scrubbed my cheeks.

“I’ll find you another lab.”

I shook my head—carefully, in respect to my pounding headache. “I can’t let you do that for me.”

“The Burn Center needs you.”

Yeah, of course. I should have remembered that. He wasn’t doing this for me. “You’re right.” Get a grip, Ad.

“Did Era reveal herself when she came to your defense?”

“She never got a chance. Brian was a little trigger happy.”

Rowan frowned. “Then why the Extinguishing Dust on the quarrel?”

“I got the feeling that Brian wasn’t supposed to be using it.”

Rowan rubbed a hand over his face and turned away. Was he wondering how close Era had come to being abducted again? She would have made a good bargaining chip for the Huntsman brothers to get James back.

Rowan dropped his hand and faced me. “Tell me about James’s brothers. What were they doing that inspired Era to come to your defense?”

“They tried to take me with them.”

“What did they want with you?”

“They…” I stopped to think about it. “They didn’t actually say, but they were asking about James.”

“They intended to use you as bait to draw James out.”

“There’s more. George’s gun was loaded with my bullets, and he knew what they would do…to the magical.”

“What?” Rowan took a step toward me, his eyes locked with mine. “You think they’re behind the shootings?”

“They’re supernaturally gifted hunters. They don’t need magic bullets to kill.”

“Yet they knew what the bullets would do.”

“Precisely.” I didn’t look away.

“They know who’s behind the killings.”

“It’s possible. They’re idiots, but you need to take them seriously.”

“I take every threat seriously.”

I nodded, and cringed as a bolt of pain shot across my crown. “Any news on what happened to my lab?”

“A gas leak is all they can say for certain.”

“But we heard glass break.”

“Yes. I’ve got the PIA looking into it as well.”

“Okay.” It was silly, but losing my lab felt like losing a friend. I slid off the bed, testing my legs again.