The Renegade Hunter (30 page)

"So she took a bullet meant for you?" Sam asked, and then added, "Why would that woman even try to shoot you? Did she realize you were there to save them?"

"She didn't want saving," Nicholas said grimly. "She's broken. His pet."

"I'll say she's broken," Bricker said grimly, drawing their attention to the fact that he and Anders had arrived and were crossing the room. "She's a mess, Mortimer. She saw her whole family slaughtered by Leonius and his boys. The father was strung up by his heels from the rafters in the barn the night they stormed the farm. They slit his throat over a pail and then passed the pail around, drinking from it while his whole family watched."

"And that was the kindest thing they did to that family," Anders muttered.

"Christ," Mortimer said on a sigh, moving around to slip his arm around a horrified Sam and draw her against his chest.

"She had a mother and some sisters too," Bricker muttered. "Only she and a younger sister survived to leave the farm.

They were raped and fed on by turn until the little sister died. Dee, that's her name," he added, pausing beside the bed to peer down at Jo. "She was pretty near death when Leonius gave her to Ernie to snack on, on the road. He feeds her, hasn't raped her, and bites her rather than cut her up so she's pretty much decided that makes him her hero."

Bricker glanced to Mortimer and added, "She'll need a three-on-one."

"The three-on-one is when three immortals wipe a mortal's mind at once, isn't it?" Sam asked quietly.

Mortimer nodded, but said to Bricker, "That could destroy her mind,"

"There's very little of her mind not destroyed," Anders said dryly. "A three-on-one might be her only chance of anything approaching a normal life now. Wipe her as clean as a slate and let her start over if there's anything to start over with."

"I'll suggest it to Lucian," Mortimer murmured, and then glanced to Nicholas. "I presume you turned Jo after she got shot?"

He nodded.

"Did she consent?" Mortimer asked.

"No. She was unconscious... and dying. I made the choice for her."

Mortimer nodded, but glanced to Sam. Nicholas suspected the other immortal was wishing he'd been given the chance to do that himself with her. Sam would be immortal now as well which was a safer state for her considering the work Mortimer did. Ernie's getting onto the property and attacking Jo must have driven home how fragile his life mate was as long as she refused the turn.

It must be a sort of hell, for the man, Nicholas thought. He couldn't imagine having to have suffered that worry for all the months Mortimer had. After only a couple of days of worrying himself sick over Jo, it was a huge relief to know she was now going to be an immortal... Even if he wouldn't be with her, at least Nicholas would die knowing she would be well...

barring a freak accident or murder, he thought grimly, and then glanced to the phone by the bed as it began to ring.

Mortimer answered, listened, and then hung up. "The drugs and IV have arrived. They just passed through the gate."

Jo's first thought as she woke up and opened her eyes was that she felt like she'd been hit by a Mack truck. Her next was to wonder who'd been driving it.

"Jo."

Her name was a soft, relieved sigh, and she turned her head and managed a smile as she found herself peering at Nicholas. He'd been sitting in a chair beside the bed, but now stood to bend over her, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. He was gray-faced with big bags under his eyes and looked a good ten years older than normal, which was kind of encouraging, Jo decided. It seemed these immortals weren't always pretty people. They too could look like hell.

"Hi stud," she whispered, and frowned when the words came out a dry croak that actually hurt her throat.

"Here." Nicholas picked up a glass off the bedside table and sat on the bed to slip an arm under her back. He lifted her up and pressed a glass to her lips. "Drink."

Jo obeyed the quiet order and drank the water he tipped into her mouth. He gave her only a sip, and then lowered the glass and asked, "More?"

When she swallowed and nodded, Nicholas tipped the glass up again.

"Better?" he asked, lowering the glass when she gestured that she'd had enough.

"Yes. Thank you," Jo murmured on a little sigh as he twisted slightly to set the glass on the bedside table again. When he turned back, she asked, "What happened?"

A concerned frown immediately claimed his lips, but he asked, "What do you remember?"

Jo dropped her gaze, peering down as she did a quick search of her memory.

She grimaced as she found the pertinent

memories.

"Dee shot me," she said with disgust, and then added, "Or maybe it would be more fair to say I got myself shot. She was aiming for you."

Jo smiled with wry amusement, but Nicholas wasn't smiling back. His expression was solemn as he nodded. His voice was equally solemn as he said, "I appreciate what you were trying to do, Jo, but it was a foolish risk. I could have taken a bullet or two with little problem, but you..." He shook his head and closed his eyes briefly as he finished, "You could have died and nearly did."

"That explains why I feel like crap," she murmured, and then turned her face into his chest to nuzzle him as she added, "But I didn't, and we're both safe and well, and you can't dump me with Mortimer and those guys while I'm healing, so it's all good."

When he didn't say anything, Jo raised her head and peered at him solemnly as she said, "I know you were trying to keep me safe by leaving me in the apartment, but bad things happen when you aren't around. Maybe it's a sign we're supposed to stay together."

"Ernie won't be a problem anymore," Nicholas said quietly.

"And Dee?"

"Mortimer is taking care of both of them," he assured her.

She considered that and then asked, "What will they do to Dee?"

"They'll probably wipe her memories and then have her be found somewhere public. The mortal authorities will think her

lack of memories is due to the trauma she went through when she was taken by the people who killed her family. They'll help her start a new life. She'll be fine."

"Good," Jo decided. The girl had probably been a perfectly normal nineteen-or twenty-year-old before Ernie's family had happened on them and subjected her to countless horrors. Hopefully, without the memories of that time, Dee could have something resembling a happy life. Jo didn't bother to ask what Mortimer would do with Ernie. She already knew the punishment for rogues. He'd no doubt be executed, with or without a stake and bake

depending on whether they still did those or not. And while Jo didn't really want to think about that, the knowledge that he wouldn't be a problem again, crashing into her life and trying to take her to his rather horrible-sounding father, was a relief. Besides, it meant they only had one problem left to worry about, she thought, and said, "Then we can concentrate on finding out who really killed that woman all those years ago."

Nicholas hesitated, but then said, "Jo, you were hit pretty bad."

"Yes, I know," she murmured. Recalling watching her own blood gushing from the hole between her breasts, Jo glanced curiously down at her blanket-covered chest. "It doesn't hurt at all. I ache all over, but my chest doesn't hurt any more than the rest of me. Weird, huh?"

"No. Actually, it's to be expected," he murmured, and then scooped her into his arms. Once he had them settled more comfortably on the bed with her in his lap, Nicholas said, "Jo, honey, it was a mortal wound."

Jo tilted her head back to peer at him blankly, the hair on the back of her neck rising as she noted the way he was avoiding meeting her gaze, and pointed out, "But I'm alive."

Nicholas lowered his gaze to meet hers and nodded solemnly. "Because I turned you."

Her eyebrows flew up, and Jo stared at him for a moment and then asked,

"Turned me? You mean you gave me nanos

and now I'm like you?"

Nicholas nodded grimly, and then blurted, "I'm sorry, Jo. I know I should have asked you first, but you were unconscious, and dying, and I couldn't-"

He broke off as Jo suddenly began to struggle in his arms. Nicholas released his hold on her at once, muttering, "You hate me now. I knew you'd be upset at the choice being taken away, but I couldn't see you die."

The moment she was free, Jo rose up and tossed away the blankets he'd scooped up with her. She was completely naked and peered down at her chest, noting with some wonder that the gunshot wound was now a scar that looked a couple of years old. Jo glanced at Nicholas. His expression was apologetic, and he said, "I'm sorry."

"Are you kidding?" Jo snapped, and then crawled to straddle his hips. Once there, she leaned back, spreading her arms wide. "Look at me. No nasty, blood-gushing hole in my chest."

Expression uncertain now, Nicholas slid his gaze down her body, but then returned his eyes to hers and asked, "You aren't angry?"

"You must be joking," she said dryly. "I'm alive, Nicholas. And I'm immortal like you. This rocks!"

Laughing, she threw her arms around his head and hugged him to her breasts, then just as quickly released him and sat back on his legs. "Let's make love and see if it feels different now that I'm an immortal too."

"Jo, no," Nicholas said quietly, catching at her hands as she reached for his belt buckle. "Honey, we have to talk."

"Later," she said, grabbing his shirt and tugging it up his chest instead.

"Enough talk for now. I'm immortal and want to celebrate."

"But-"

"No buts," she said firmly, pausing to peer into his face. "I thought I was a goner, Nicholas. I thought I was missing the chance to be with you and off to meet my Maker. But I'm alive. We still have a chance. Celebrate with me. Make love to me and make me feel alive. We can talk about all our worries and what we have to do later. But for now, make love to me... Please."

"God, Jo. You don't know how much I wish I could," he said sadly. Eyes closing, he bowed his head to rest his forehead against her chest. "You don't know how much I wish for that, but..."

"But?" she asked with a frown, and then stiffened at the sound of a door opening behind her. Twisting in his lap, she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening in shock when she saw Sam standing in the open doorway.

"You're awake," Sam said with relief.

Jo tore her gaze from her sister to finally take note of the room she was in.

Her eyes widened with horror as she

recognized the guest bedroom.

"We're at the house," she said weakly, turning back to Nicholas. "What are we doing here?"

Nicholas lifted his head and swallowed. "You were turning. It can be dangerous without the drugs to help you through it.

Others have been known to go mad or die. And to make it worse, you'd suffered a gunshot wound. I didn't know if that would cause problems, weaken you enough that the turn might finish what the gunshot had started. I needed to get you help."

Jo stared at him blankly, and then asked, "But why are you here? Why didn't you just have Mortimer and those guys come and get me? You-"

"I didn't know how long I had to get you to the drugs before the turn could do you damage, Jo. Besides," he added with a sigh, "like you said, bad things happened every time I left you alone. I couldn't risk that Leonius hadn't followed Ernie north and might grab you, or some other damned thing might happen. I had to get you here and see you through it myself and be sure you were going to be all right."

"Leonius is laying low in South America," she said furiously. "And how the hell am I going to be all right now? They have you here. They'll judge you and execute you and I'll be all alone."

"Jo," Sam said gently, approaching the bed. "He did what he thought best."

Jo turned on her sharply. "Sam, you have to help me get him out of here. He didn't do it. He didn't kill that woman. We have to-"

"She can't help you get him out of here. There are guards on the door and the balcony outside the window."

Jo peered to the door where Mortimer stood, and then glanced down as Nicholas grabbed the sheet and pulled it up to cover her.

"I'm sorry, Jo," Mortimer continued, moving into the room. "But there is no getting him out of here. We'll be checking every vehicle that leaves the house, and the men have orders to call the house and have someone check to be sure Nicholas is present before any vehicle is allowed to leave. He isn't leaving here."

"Not alive," she said bitterly, and then climbed off Nicholas, Dragging the sheet with her, she stomped over to sway before Mortimer, glaring. "He didn't kill that woman. If you kill him, it will be murder."

"I just catch rogues," Mortimer said quietly. "The Council will judge him. If he's innocent, they'll find out."

"Forgive me if I don't put my faith in them," she snapped, and then asked.

"How long?"

"How long?" Mortimer asked uncertainly.

"How long until he's judged and executed?" she asked impatiently.

"Oh." Mortimer grimaced. "I promised him he could see you through the turn and have one night with you before I call Lucian."

Jo glanced out the window to see bright sunlight shining in. They had until tomorrow morning. Less than twenty-four hours, she thought, and turned to peer at Sam. "Where are my clothes?"

"Jo?" Nicholas stood up and moved to take her arm. "Come back to bed.

You need to rest."

"I don't have time to rest," she muttered, shaking off his hand and glancing around. "You saved my life, now I have to save yours. I'm going to find Carol and find out what Annie wanted to tell you and prove you didn't kill that woman."

Spotting her jeans lying in a heap beside the bed, she moved to collect them.

"Jo," he said wearily. "Carol was mortal. She was in her forties. She'll be dead by now. She can't help us."

Jo paused abruptly and turned to stare at him. "What?"

Sighing, he shook his head. "It's true. You were so hopeful that we could get to the bottom of things that I didn't want to tell you at the apartment, but Carol will be long dead. There's no way to find out what Annie was up to now."