Undying Hope (20 page)

“Wolf,” Ean Maverick said from behind him. “They’re gone.”

“Aye,” Wolf said as he peered under one last table. If Kyros had the use of a Hunter aged enough to cloak a massive amount of power, it would explain why finding the bastard was damn difficult. Wolf righted. The one with a chance to discover another Hunter was Brody. “Take Brody to help you canvas the area again. Ask every rock and blade of grass what it knows.”

“Aye, my lord,” Ean said and left.

Wolf searched the shadows one last time before joining Memphis. “Were any humans injured?”

“No.”

“And you compelled them?”

“I did.”

Wolf left Memphis to deal with the humans and non-human employees. The Storm Warrior was the best choice to meddle with human memories without damaging their delicate brain structure. He stopped to speak with Martin.

Quinn’s club manager was a werewolf. The burly man sat on a barstool. “I should have known there was trouble. This is my fault, Mr. Wolf. I don’t know how to make up for it. An employee lost his life because I failed my job.”

Wolf rested his hand on Martin’s shoulder. “Quinn missed the evil one’s presence. You could not have prevented this.” He narrowed his gaze and focused his power. “Once the humans are gone, you will go home and sleep. When you awaken, you will feel sorrow for the tragedy that occurred here tonight, but you will not take blame for anything you did not cause.” He released a whisper of power. The compulsion would help Martin cope, but unlike what the meirlocks did to their victims, Wolf’s compulsion would not linger and cause the werewolf any problems. He stayed with Martin for a few moments longer before he headed toward the office.

Wolf connected with the dragon, Brogan.
“Keep to the sky. I want to know if anything else changes in this area. Once Quinn and his mate are safe, I will hunt Kyros myself.”

“Aye,”
Brogan said.
“Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I will,”
Wolf said, and then ended the connection.

He paused at the office door. Riordan was so much better when it came to dealing with trauma. Wolf’s life purpose seemed to be aggravating his older brother. This was not a time to quibble over arcane laws. With a deep breath, Wolf pushed open the door. His jaw tightened. Quinn, in a state of weakness, disturbed him, but he shoved it down. Quinn would be himself again soon if he’d ever pull his head out of his ass long enough to convert his lifebond so he could bond to her.

“Wolf,” Riordan said from next to the couch. “We need to get them to the penthouse. Have Memphis open a portal.”

“Aye,” Wolf said. The sooner Quinn and Haven were safe at the penthouse, the sooner Wolf could go hunting.

Haven awoke feeling weak, extraordinarily tired, and like a jackhammer had taken up residence in her head. She struggled to sit up and smiled briefly when she made it. She was on the couch in Donovan’s living room. Nikon was curled up at her feet.

He lifted his head, his blue eyes meeting hers.
“You are awake!”

She dragged a hand down her face. “Is that what they call it?” She swung her legs over the side of the couch and stood up on wobbly legs.

Nikon was beside her a moment later, steadying her.
“You should lie back down.”

“I’d love to, but I have to pee.”

Quinn entered, a mixture of relief and worry on his face. He crossed the room, lifted her into his arms, and carried her into the bathroom. She swallowed back any modesty and embarrassment she had. She did what she needed to do. Quinn held her steady at the sink so she could wash her hands and brush her teeth. When she was done, he gathered her into his arms and carried her to the couch. He settled her, propping her up with an absurd amount of pillows, and then sat down on the coffee table. He reached forward and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “How are you feeling?”

She groaned softly. “Like I was hit with a sledge hammer.”

Quinn winced. “That will fade now that you’re awake.”

“What happened?”

He dragged a hand over his face and stared out the window. “Kyros attacked. I chased him off, but…” He snarled and fisted his hands at his sides. “He poisoned you and I had to give you my blood to counteract it.”

For one second she wanted to be excited, but Quinn didn’t look at all relieved. He appeared pissed. She tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth before saying, “You’re not telling me something. What is it?”

His eyes closed tight. “It takes two exchanges of blood to make you Undying.”

Haven’s eyes went wide, and she scrambled to come up with something—anything—to say to him. “Is that why I hurt so much?”

A dark shadow passed over his face. “Yes.”

She slowly nodded, and then panic hit. “Bastian? Nothing happened to him last night?”

He reached out to hold her hand. “He is safe with Nadia and Riordan.”

Quinn dragged the other hand over his face and gave her a direct look. “Kyros is out for your blood. You will always be with me or one of my brothers until this is over.”

She rubbed at her temples, trying to get the hammering to subside. “Can he kill me as easily if I am what you are?”

“Don’t go there. The pain you are feeling now will be a thousand times worse. I am not going to do that to you.”

She glared at him. “You need to focus on”—she swallowed hard, never thinking she’d ever say this—“killing Kyros, not worrying about what he’s going to try to do to me next. I want you to change me. I can handle it.”

“No, and that is final.”

Haven blinked back the tears that stung her eyes. “You cannot make this decision by yourself.”

He growled at her. “I just did. I have watched women die when a conversion didn’t take. It’s a horrible, painful way to die.”

“Why didn’t it work?”

He stood up. “You need to eat. Riordan left soup for you before he left this morning. I’ll go try to heat it up.” He vanished into the kitchen with Medea right behind him, leaving Haven glaring after them.

“He’s not getting away with this,” she grumbled at Nikon. “Help me get into the kitchen before he blows it up.”

“He won’t be happy with me.”

“I don’t care! He’ll have to get through me to get to you.”

“It’s your head.”

She gave the wolf a scathing look. “Just help me.” She waited until the large wolf was next to her before she got back up on her wobbly legs. After a few moments, they coordinated their movement.

Haven stood at the kitchen door. Quinn was staring at the microwave as if it was the most foreign thing in the world. Medea lay on the floor at his feet with her paws covering the top of her head. He hit a sequence of buttons, shook his head, hit cancel, and then stared at the paper in front of him before he tried again. “You should be resting.”

“With you in control of my kitchen? I don’t think so.” Nikon moved with her as she went over to where Quinn stood. Medea growled at Nikon before she huffed out of the room. Haven looked at the instructions Riordan left, took a hold of Quinn’s hand, and shaped his fingers so he could press the buttons. She showed him which buttons to push, and then had him hit start. The machine came to life with a whirring sound. He tensed as if he was waiting for an explosion and then relaxed when nothing happened.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. He turned to look at her. His face was weary and lined with worry. “Can you at least sit?”

“Yes.”

He moved to help her, but she shook her head and used Nikon to get herself to the kitchen table. She sat down and turned her gaze to Quinn. He looked so…lost. He was trying to put up walls between them, and it tore at her heart. “You’re not alone anymore. Don’t cut me out. I can handle this.”

The microwave beeped. Quinn went to get the bowl of soup but refused to say anything to her.

“Don’t ignore me. This is a big issue, and we need to talk about it.”

He brought her the steaming bowl of exotic smelling soup, set it in front of her, and then rummaged through the drawers until he found a spoon. He set that in front of her, too. She played with the spoon between her fingers and stared into the bowl.

“Is there something wrong with it?”

“No, it just needs to cool off. Why won’t you talk about this?”

He leaned a hip into the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. “Because I am not going to kill you. I’ll die before I put you through that kind of hell. It’s bad enough you are in pain now because of my blood.”

She dipped the spoon into the broth of the soup and blew. The taste was unusual, but Haven suddenly found herself starving. Willing back the desire to wolf it down, she finished what was on the spoon. He had to know what she was thinking just as much as she was able to pick up on him. “I’d be dead if it wasn’t for your blood. Yes, it hurts a little, but it’s starting to fade. You are the strongest. Don’t you think your
treòir
will make sure I survive?”

“That’s not the point.”

“Then what is? If you know people who have survived and people who haven’t, then there has to be a reason it worked for some and not others. We just have to figure out what it is.”

“I am not talking about this with you right now. I almost lost you last night.”

“Then when are we going to talk about it? On my deathbed? Be reasonable and talk to me. I might not have centuries on me, but I’m not a child.”

“Damn it, I know that, but a conversion is a complicated thing.” His powerful shoulders trembled. “I don’t know how to bring you back from death.”

Haven went perfectly still. “Then ask your brother. Do you not want to spend forever with me?”

His head bowed, and his voice was almost too quiet. “It’s not that.”

“That’s the only other logical thing I can come up with,” she yelled.

He started toward her.

“Don’t come near me.”

He roared at her. “Goddamn it! You haven’t the slightest idea of what you are asking for. If something happens, if you don’t live through it, I will become what Kyros is, get that and know it.”

The strain building between them wore at Haven during the next few days. After the pain left her, she’d never felt stronger or more alive.

While Quinn avoided her, Nikon had become her constant companion.
“You need to find something to occupy yourself. You’re going to wear out the baseboards if you keep washing them.”

Haven sat back on her heels and tilted her head as she looked at the gleaming wood. “I have no idea what to do with myself. My life was never my own. I’ve always been told what to do and when to do it. I don’t remember what I did for fun anymore.”

“Yes, you do. Was there some kind of dance you did?”

Haven laughed as she remembered Quinn had said she’d be allowed to open up a studio again. Now was not the time to broach that topic with him. “I think Quinn is under enough stress at the moment.”

“It will do the old man some good.”

“He’ll insist on being there for every class I teach. I’m not sure that would be fair to the students. He can be kind of intimidating, I think.”

The wolf snorted. “
You think? The man is a terror, but he will do it for you.”

She bit her lip, imagining what Quinn’s reaction would be, and decided the only way to get the full vision would be to actually ask him. No—she’d demand it. Or at least have him take her someplace she could dance. “Come on. If he has an adverse reaction, you can distract him while I make a quick getaway.”

“Thanks.”
The tone was dry, but Nikon did rise to follow her into Quinn’s home office. “
Don’t forget I am expecting cubs any day.”

Haven gave Nikon a reassuring pat on the head. He had to know she’d never do anything to put him in danger. They ventured down to Quinn’s office where Medea was laying on her side under Quinn’s desk. He looked so alone, sitting there going over papers. Haven slipped into the room with him and slid her arms around his massive shoulders. He went completely still. “What do you need?”

“For you to stop being grumpy. I am perfectly okay.”

He swiveled in the chair and pulled her into his lap. “You’re angry with me.”

His forlorn expression broke her heart. “No, I just need you to believe in me, believe in us.”

“I do. I swear I am trying with everything in me to find a way to risk you.”

Her fingers moved feather light over the lines of his face. “Then I will give you the time you need.”

His mouth brushed over hers, some of the worry easing from his face. “You wanted something when you came in. What can I do for you?”

She gave an impish smile, complete with batting her eyelashes. “I need to get out of here for a while. I was thinking of trying another one of your clubs—one with belly dancing.”

His look of shocked bemusement followed by searing heat was well worth it. “You want me to take you someplace where you can publicly seduce me?”

She laughed. “I already know how to do that. I just need to brush up on my skills. It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to really dance.”

His growl was low and dark and brought a smile to Haven’s face like nothing else could. He’d been so hopeless the past few days. She was glad to have sparked another emotion in him. “All right, but we do this my way. My club Tribal.”

“Oooh, I haven’t been to Tribal, yet. When can we go?”

His arctic eyes blazed gold at her. “You are trying to explode my head, aren’t you?”

She smiled innocently. “Whatever do you mean? I just like going places with you. Besides, I am Quinn Donovan’s fiancée. You should want to show me off.”

“I do want to show you off, woman, but Kyros has already tried to kill you twice. I am not going to make you an open target.”

“Then you’re just going to have to stay right by my side. I want to go out with you, and you still owe me a dance.”

“I can’t dance to save my own life.”

She slipped off his lap and captured his wrist, tugging him with her. “Nonsense. Everyone can slow dance.”

“You are no good for me. I’ll dance with you, but I don’t want to hear one word when we both look like fools.”