THE CHAINS RELEASED AND I collapsed to the floor, groaning in agony as my limbs and wounds broke open. But they were nothing to the agony of seeing Delara on the floor. I ran to her and fell to floor, picking her up in my arms, placing a kiss on her cold, lifeless lips.
“Delara, baby.”
Her heartbeat was slow and faint and her skin cold. So fuckin’ cold.
Fuck. No.
Fear sat like a lead weight around my neck, pulling me under. Drowning.
My emotions had been smothered by the pills, but when it came to this woman nothing could take away or hide what I felt for her, because she was part of me.
“Baby.” I stroked the side of her face. A drop of blood fell from my raw wrist and landed on her neck. I wiped it away with the pad of my thumb and leaned over, kissing the spot.
“Noooo!” I stared up at the ceiling as I roared.
Gathering her in my arms, I stood, cradling her to my chest.
I staggered a couple steps then managed to gain my balance as I carried her out of the prison. I had no idea where we were or how far I had to go, but I had to get her out of there. She’d not die in this fuckin’ place.
After two sets of stairs, I found the front door and carried her outside into the warm, humid air. Lying her on a patch of grass under a tree, I ran back inside and searched the house for anything I could use to contact someone. I saw Tarek’s body lying on the floor in his own blood.
I glared at the body, wishing the bastard would open his eyes so I could kill him again for what he’d done to Delara twenty years ago and now. Jesus, we’d repeated our past, except this time I had no Healer and Tarek was dead.
“Danni. Jesus, we need a Healer. Danni.”
I tore the sheet from the bed and ripped strips off it as I ran back outside and fell to my knees beside Delara. “Baby, hold on for me.” “Danni.”
Taking the strips, I wrapped them around her waist, covering the wound and slowing the blood, but it wasn’t enough. Red slowly soaked the bandage again.
My only chance was to keep her alive until the drugs wore off and I was able to Trace her to the Realm.
“Delara. Don’t you fuckin’ die on me.” Twenty years, I’d fought to stay away from her. For twenty years I’d fought letting her in and seeing who I’d become. Twenty years, I’d lived in numbness.
For what? To protect her from me? To protect my Taldeburu?
My Ink slowly woke and slithered across my skin, but it was slow and steady. Different. There was no burning or anger in its movements. Instead, like a cool caress it slid down my arm to the back of my hand that cupped Delara’s head. It stayed there as I held her, as if it too wanted to be close to her.
My head snapped up at the low buzzing sound in the distance.
A motor. A boat.
Jesus. A boat.
I wasn’t sure if it was Tarek’s followers or mine until the engine cut and I saw Keir standing on the bow.
“Waleron!” he shouted.
Keir, Jedrik, Ryker, Hack, Xamien, and Anstice ran down the beach toward us.
“Maitagarri,” I whispered, pressing my lips to her neck. “Hope, baby. Hope is here.”
Polluted. That’s what our love was now. Dirty and covered with a film of hatred.
I’d never go back. There was too much hurt inside me. Anger at myself. At Abby for leaving me again.
I’d grieved her death for eight fuckin’ months, sanity on a short, fragile leash as I fought to live a life without her.
And all that fuckin’ time she was alive.
And then the elation, the hope.
The moment I’d seen her, it was salvation. Beauty. And fuck, it was Abby in my arms again. I didn’t give a shit if she drank blood or hissed or had fuckin’ fangs. It wasn’t what made up who she was.
But she didn’t see that. There was so much hate for who she’d become that she couldn’t see past it.
How had I been so wrong about her? I’d trusted her when I removed the spell from the room.
Christ, I’d asked her to change me. To give me her blood and I’d become what I’d hunted, a vampire. Anything to keep her.
But she’d lied.
The bitch had lied as she kissed me, then her fangs punctured my neck and she drank my blood. And I let her. Giving her the strength she needed.
It had been erotic and painful as the rush of blood left me. But she didn’t stop. And when I’d realized what she was doing, it had been too late. I was too weak to do anything except watch her leave me.
She’d betrayed me.
Again.
I smashed my fist into the gas tank of the Ducati. “Bitch.”
I’d never go back to the Talde. Never let myself feel again. Never trust a bitch again. I knew better. I fuckin’ knew better, and yet I fell for the bitch.
Numbness seeped into my veins. A shield encased my heart. She’d done that.
Jasper walked across the parking lot with two coffees in hand. He wore a cocky, knowing grin on his face. I’d realized pretty quick that Jasper was arrogant, deadly, and handled his bike like it was part of him.
“Never take it out on the bike, buddy.” Jasper passed me a coffee, then casually threw a leg over his bike. “You going after her?”
“Nope.”
Jasper nodded, his lips pursed as if thinking. He took a sip of the hot liquid. “Going back home anytime soon?”
“Nope.”
The corner of Jasper’s lip curved up. “Feel like kicking some ass? I could use a hand. Money is kick-ass. Women are even better.”
Assassin? Rogue Scar? Always on the move. Never a place to call home. Everyone was your enemy. Killing for money, and it didn’t matter what they were. Humans. CWOs, vampires. Everyone was fair game for an assassin. Highest bidder won.
No laws. No rules.
“Sounds fuckin’ perfect,” I said.