Chapter 8
New York, Earth Realm
“What else can we do?” Alex asked, her heart thumping.
“Fuck, I don’t know.” Vane was running his hands through his hair as he looked down at his twin. They’d just brought him back from the family cavern and put him in his bed. “It’s like he’s trapped inside his own mind.” Trying to communicate telepathically hadn’t gotten through. He just stared straight ahead, growling and breathing heavily. He looked furious. And pained.
It was too much.
Alex began running scenarios in her head as she paced on the thick black rug in front of Erik’s carved wood bed. They’d been home for mere moments, but it felt like an eternity. Nothing was helping.
“Taking him away from the apartment didn’t help. Taking him to the family cavern did nothing. We’ve sent him personal energy that he’s sucking down as quickly as we send it,” she ground out in frustration.
She felt helplessness close in around her, and she knew Vane felt the same. Neither knew what this was doing to Erik, physically or mentally.
She and Vane had both hit him with the minor healing energies they had; nothing changed. They couldn’t find anything wrong with him physically. They just didn’t know where the energies were going. The fact that neither of them had seen anything like this was truly freaking her out. Never again would she take her self-healing for granted. Centuries of watching the worst of her injuries heal before her eyes as the norm, then seeing this, had her feeling way too human for her liking.
She continued pacing, likely the rug would have a permanent wear pattern when she was through.
“We need to take him back to the cavern again. At least there we could refuel as we force energies into him,” Vane said as he paced the side of the bed. She went to the other side and put a hand to Erik’s stubbled cheek. He was warm, but she wasn’t sure if he was really any more warm than normal, since his lion DNA had a tendency to make him run on the hot side.
“I agree. We should have just stayed there. I’d just hoped that being home might change something. I know I was grasping, but I’m freaking out.” She breathed.
Vane nodded. “Once we get him settled, I’m going to Conn. We need to get Erik to the Guardians’ healer.”
She stilled; she couldn’t let him do that. The Guardians would be bound to exile her brother and ask questions later. He had a good life here, his motorcycles, the females, the feeling she’d always had that they were needed to do something more to help in the human Realm. She’d rather risk herself than her brother to exile. She might have an advantage he wouldn’t.
Uri’s attraction to her.
“Let’s wait another few hours. Let’s get him to the cavern now and make sure we’re both refueled first. Maybe put him in the hot springs and see if that will do something,” Alex said.
He didn’t look sure, but said okay anyway.
“Go, I’m going to change and meet you there. I’ll be fast.” She didn’t wait for an answer, just turned toward her rooms like everything was normal.
Vane nodded as he picked up his twin. Worry was marring his handsome face and he was just distracted enough not to question her. “I’ll get him in the spring.”
Was she really going to Uri? This was crazy.
This would be her first time actually speaking to him. The thought shouldn’t make her stomach pitch; her brother needed this, not her.
Would Uri’s attraction to her be enough to keep him off balance and give her the upper hand? She had to chance it. A part of her felt far too excited.
Alex shook her head, arriving at the door to her rooms. She guessed she could only hope that Uri would want to take her, carry her off to do dirty things to her as payment for helping her brother. As long as he helped her brother first. The idea of trading her body for her brother’s health held too much appeal.
She made it to her closet and in a blink of the eye changed into something sexier. She’d need all the advantage she could get at this point; any moment’s hesitation in deporting her might be all that was needed.
Low-cut tank in black, with a slit in the already low collar showing even more cleavage. Perfect. She put on the sexiest black lace bra and thong she owned under it and a sleek pair of low-rise jeans that had more stretch than most, in case she needed to fight. She topped the outfit off with four-inch, black, knee-high boots. Louboutin, her newest favorites.
Her hair was staying up in the pony she’d put it in for investigating at Sam’s. She only took an extra second for gloss and mascara; she couldn’t justify any more time. Practically running, she made it out to her personal patio and teleported to Uri’s home in Seattle. She’d stalked him enough through the centuries to know exactly where he lived, and she fully realized how creepy that made her, but at the moment her stalkerish behavior was serving a good purpose.
She peered up at the second-story windows of a beautiful old home with a huge lawn. The smell of salt water cleared her head some. The fragrance of damp ground and moss soothed her, but her heart still felt like it would come out of her chest at any moment. Massive old oaks and pines kept the house hidden from the street and she knew them all well. She hated to admit to having been up on the strong branches more times than she wanted to think about.
Her cheeks flushed with the thought. Please let him be there.
She looked down at her sexy boots, hoping to use the confidence they usually inspired. She had to keep her head while hoping he lost his. It was a tall order. The thought of her brother strengthened her resolve. She didn’t have time for nerves. Vane would question her whereabouts soon enough.
Straightening her already straight clothing, she took a deep breath. She quickly teleported under one of the huge trees in the backyard. The large lawn stretched out in all directions with a beautiful Roman fountain not far from her hiding spot. A trio of nude females were bathed from above; liquid covered silken curves of marble to pool at their feet. Her breath caught every time she looked at the perfection of the carved figures.
Alex swore she felt him there; she looked at the dim lighting in the upstairs rooms, candlelight… it was what he always used. She wasn’t sure if he was alone. She really hoped so.
She’d never seen a female in his home. He seemed to favor using the clubs for his needs. The only entity she had seen in his home was a hellhound. The beast had been living there for the last couple of months, but for the life of her she had no idea why.
Maybe the beasts assisted the Guardians somehow?
Should she look in the windows from the trees? No, better not risk her boots… They were the only confidence builder she had at the moment, and if she scuffed them, she’d be pissed.
Human males always seemed to find her pleasing to ogle. They weren’t the sexy Guardian though and it would totally bite if he deported her on sight. That could definitely knock a girl down a peg or ten.
Taking another deep breath, she looked around.
Her mental skills were nothing compared to Vane’s, but from this distance she shouldn’t have trouble reaching him. Alex sent her telepathic thoughts out… and then she felt Uri’s mind. It was a bright, solid stream of power in her mind’s eye. One shaking hand at her stomach, she attempted to will away her nerves.
Uri, I need your help.