Chapter Eighteen
Macgrath
When Ava fainted in my arms once more, my first thought was that she was both right and wrong. In the last two days, she’d passed out in my arms three times, not twice.
But I couldn’t argue that I was bad luck for her. The past few days had been full of near death experiences, fires, explosions, pain, and fear. I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle.
I looked down at where Savannah was now lying peacefully in Rhys’ arms, her wounds fully healed and I could hear the steady, healthy thump of her heart. She would be fine. Forever changed maybe, but she survived.
Seeing the way that Rhys looked at her, I didn’t think she would mind the changes either. He would make sure of it.
“We can’t stay here,” I stated, looking at everyone around the porch. I even included Harrison in that declaration. Now that Rhiannon had seen him, she would either try to use him or remove him from the equation.
Kerry straightened and brushed dirt and herbs from her pants. “Do you have someplace in mind?”
I nodded. “I do.” I glanced at Rhys. “How many can you carry when you trace?”
Rhys shrugged. “Four, maybe five at a stretch.”
“How much time do you need to recharge?”
“Another ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go.”
I nodded my head again. “Good. That’s about how much time it will take me to recharge as well.” It would be tricky, but I could take Ava and Kerry. Maybe even Finn if Rhys wasn’t strong enough in that amount of time. I looked at Finn and Kerry. “Gather your things and some things for Rhys and Savannah.”
Rhys studied me. “You can trace?” he asked softly, a flash of anger in his eyes.
“Yes,” I answered shortly.
Ava shifted in my arms as I spoke, but her eyes remained closed. The look he gave me made it clear that we would discuss the revelation further.
Kerry looked down at her. “I’ll grab some extra clothes for Ava as well,” she said. “I think a few of Savannah’s things will fit her.”
I followed Kerry and Finn inside and gently laid Ava on the sofa. Several of the cushions were damaged, but the structure seemed stable enough to hold her weight. The rest of the house looked as though it had been through a war.
Rhys came through the door, shifting Savannah in his arms as he sat in an armchair. Harrison was right behind him, his eyes scanning the front yard as though he feared Rhiannon would return.
I was glad for his vigilance because that would be just like Rhiannon. She would leave and gather reinforcements only to return within minutes to finish the job.
At the thought, I moved to the end of the hall, calling to Kerry and Finn. “Think you can have everything ready in less than ten minutes?”
“I’ll have it done in five,” she replied from within Savannah and Rhys’ room. “Benefits of witchcraft.”
I returned to the living room and stood next to the couch, keeping my senses open and my body ready to defend.
True to her word, five minutes later, Kerry and Finn rushed back into the living room, four bags in tow. She also had Satchel in a small pet carrier. I was pleased she remembered the animal. Without a doubt, Savannah would have insisted coming back for her beloved cat, no matter the danger.
At my raised brows, she shrugged and said, “One of these bags is for my herbs, grimoire, and other supplies.”
I didn’t reply. My power wasn’t back to full force yet, but it was enough to take us where we needed to go.
I turned to Rhys. “I’m going to send you images and the location of the house. I’ll need you to drop your mental guard.” I knew he would hate it but I counted on his love for his mate to override his loathing of me.
To my surprise, he nodded once and did as I asked. I felt his mind open up to me seconds later and I projected the image of the house and the location of the property on a map.
When I finished, I felt his shields rise again.
“If you want to hold on to my shoulder, you should be able to follow me easily,” I offered. It wasn’t exactly a good idea. With both of us moving through time and space so quickly, it could be dangerous to trace while touching.
Rhys shook his head. “I know the area you showed me. I should be able to make it easily enough.”
“Then we should go,” Harrison interjected. “Because I have a bad feeling.”
I knew he was right. The itch I’d felt between my shoulder blades earlier was back. It was a sign that trouble was coming and I didn’t want to be here when it returned.
“Ready?” I asked Rhys.
He nodded.
“Kerry, Finn, you’re with me,” I told them. I glanced at Harrison. “You’ll need to go with Rhys. Have you traced before?”
Harrison grunted what I assumed was an affirmative answer as he walked over to where Rhys was rising from the chair, Savannah still lying motionless in his arms.
“I’ll see you there,” I told Rhys. I looked to Kerry and Finn. “Have you two traced before?” When they both nodded, I instructed them, “Hold on my shoulders and don’t let go until I tell you.”
Finn wrapped an arm around Kerry, pressing the front of her body to his. They each reached out and placed their palms on my shoulders. Taking a deep breath, I envisioned where I wanted to take us and let the magic take me into the darkness.
A blink of an eye later, we emerged from the trace line. I was shaky and breathless, but we’d made it unscathed. We stood in front of the house I’d been staying in for the last few months.
A few yards away, Rhys held Savannah in his arms and Harrison looked around the open area.
“Where are we?” Kerry asked.
“A safe place,” I replied.
I’d found the house by accident and purchased it under a false identity. It was a large ranch-style home with four bedrooms and several bathrooms. It had been converted to function off the grid. Solar panels and a windmill provided electricity and there was a well for water. A woodstove kept the living areas warm and the bedrooms and bathrooms held small propane heaters. It wasn’t luxurious but there would be enough space for all of us and it would keep us warm and dry.
“Whoa,” Kerry said as she approached the house. “There’s some heavy duty magic here.” She turned to look at me thoughtfully. “Did you have a witch cast protection spells and place wards on the property?”
“You could say that,” I replied without elaborating. No one here knew about the rest of my abilities and I wanted to keep it that way for a bit longer. Witches rarely trusted me when they discovered what I could do.
Rhys came over to me, still holding Savannah, and I recognized the strain on his face. He looked tired and haggard.
“Give me a moment to deactivate the protection spells and you can come inside,” I stated.
I walked up the front steps, Ava in my arms, and murmured the words that would allow the rest of them to enter the house. Using magic, I unlocked the front door and shoved it open with my shoulder.
“It’s safe to enter now,” I called over my shoulder, carrying Ava inside.
She didn’t even flinch at my raised voice. She was completely out.
I chanced a glance at her abdomen and saw that the wound still hadn’t healed completely. As soon as I got everyone settled, I would have to see to that.
Rhys came in first and I noticed that his arms were trembling ever so slightly. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, the shakes were setting in.
“Follow me,” I commanded before heading down the hallway.
I would put Rhys and Savannah between the master bedroom and the room where I intended to put Kerry and Finn. We would be close by if Savannah encountered a problem after the binding spell.
I stopped just outside the doorway. “This will be your room. The bath is shared with the other guest room where Kerry and Finn will stay, but the bed is a queen and it’s brand new.”
I’d purchased the furniture with the house and kept most of it because it was well made, mostly new, and comfortable.
Rhys carried Savannah inside and set her gently on the mattress. He brushed her hair away from her cheek with one hand before he looked toward me. “Thank you, Macgrath.”
I nodded. “You’re welcome. Try to rest. We’ll sort out food later. The freezer is fully stocked and there are a few things in the fridge.”
I didn’t wait for his response before walking away. My own arms were beginning to weaken and I knew I would need to lay Ava down soon. I moved to the end of the hall and opened the door to my room.
Though there was an extra room where she could sleep, I told myself that it was best if I kept her nearby while she recovered. Just in case there was a problem.
There was also the fact that I’d vowed to protect her and had nearly failed that task completely, considering she’d been injured by Rhiannon’s creature and might have been killed if it hadn’t been for Savannah running out of the house.
I placed Ava on the bed, unsurprised when she didn’t do anything other than sigh in her sleep. I wanted to lift the edge of her shirt to check the wound on her stomach but the scorched material was stuck to her skin. I would need time and magic to remove it without causing her a great deal of pain.
Satisfied she would be comfortable enough for a couple of minutes while I gathered supplies, I left the bedroom and found Kerry in the hall, looking into Rhys and Savannah’s room.
“How is she?” she asked.
“She’s healing, but it’s slow.”
“I can help her,” she stated, shifting as though she intended to move past me. Then she suddenly swayed on her feet.
I reached out and steadied her, clasping her upper arms gently. “You’re already weak from the spell you cast to bind Rhys and Savannah. She’s already partially healed. I have enough experience with healing that I can help her,” I stated.
Kerry opened her mouth, likely to argue, but Finn appeared behind her. His expression was concerned, but his eyes held understanding as they met mine. He knew what it was like for a vampire with an injured mate. The drive to protect them, to keep everyone away from them while they were helpless, overrode everything.
“Macgrath will take excellent care of her, Kerry,” he said softly. “And I need to take care of you.”
Kerry eyed me for a moment. “Fine, but come get me if there are any issues.”
The corners of Finn’s mouth turned up and his eyes lit up with humor. In that moment, he looked a great deal like Ava and it threw me off balance. I’d noticed the similarities in their eyes, of course, but when he smiled like that, an expression so much like Ava’s, he looked as though he could be her brother.
Or perhaps her son.
My heart gave a hard thump against my sternum at the thought. Like me, Ava had lost her memories of the past. Had she also forgotten a child?
If she had a child, did she also have a husband? Someone long dead?
“Ewan?”
I jerked when Kerry said my name. “Yes?”
“Are you okay?” she asked.
I cleared my throat. “Yes, fine.”
“Okay,” she drawled. “Um, could you tell me which room Finn and I will be taking?”
I pointed to the room next door. “If it’s acceptable, that room. Until Savannah regains consciousness, I thought it best if we were both close by in case there was a problem.”
Kerry nodded. “That’s an excellent plan.”
Finn cupped her shoulders and began guiding her away, giving me a sympathetic look as he walked with her. “I’m here if you need to talk,” he muttered.
“What?” Kerry asked, her words beginning to slur. Like Rhys, now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she was about to crash.
“Nothing,” he replied. Though his back was to me, I could hear the smile in his voice.
Once they were shut in their room, I walked into the living area to find Harrison standing by the kitchen island. He looked shell-shocked. Shit. I’d forgotten about him.
At least now I had a valid excuse for putting Ava in my room.
“How is she?” he asked, sinking down onto a barstool.
“Healing and unconscious,” I answered as I moved to the cabinet where I kept herbs and other magical supplies.
“Do you need my help?”
I bit back the growl that rose in my throat. I knew the shifter was offering out of concern for Ava rather than a doubt in my ability to care for her, but that didn’t change my instinctive reaction.
“I can handle it,” I replied, pulling small glass bottles of liquid and canisters of herbs from the shelves. When I turned around with my hands full, I noticed that Harrison looked pale and shaky himself. “You look like you’re about to fall down,” I stated bluntly.
He barked out a harsh laugh. “I feel like it.”
Placing my supplies in a set of three nested bowls, I reached into the refrigerator and grabbed three bottles of water. I gave one to Harrison.
“I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping,” I said as I shoved the other two bottles beneath my arm and grabbed the bowls.
The last free guest room was separated from the master bedroom by a linen closet and a bathroom. Unless he pressed his ear to the wall, he wouldn’t be able to hear anything said in my room. The original owner had been a shifter who liked his privacy and he’d had the interior walls insulated, making the rooms nearly soundproof.
I gestured to the door. “That will be your room while we’re here.”
“Thank you,” he murmured as he opened the door, his shoulders slumping.
It seemed the short battle with Rhiannon and the creature had taken a great deal of strength from all of us.
Without another glance at me, he went inside the guest room and shut the door. I put the wolf out of my thoughts as I walked back into the master bedroom to find Ava exactly as I’d left her.
I shut the door behind me and carried the herbs, potions, and water to the side table. My hands began to shake as I lined everything up. I wanted to believe it was the adrenaline crash, but I knew better.
In my mind, I could see the moment Ava collapsed on the ground and the pain in her features as she tried to hold off the creature. I could see the slow, measured steps the man had taken toward her and I knew that no matter what I did, I would be too late.
I could have lost my mate.
When my trembling fingers knocked over a bottle, I fisted my hands and took a deep breath. I had to regain my calm or I wouldn’t be able to help Ava heal.
The thought steadied me.
My first priority was to take care of my mate. She was here and still alive, but in pain. And I could do something about that pain.
With that purpose filling my mind, I set to work, my hands once again sure and steady. In the smallest bowl, I made a healing tea with herbs and a bottle of water. I would use magic to heat the water before I woke Ava to drink it.
In the largest bowl, I mixed a poultice to place on her wound. A spell would heal her, but the poultice would ease the burn as the spell worked to knit her flesh back together.
I carried the medium-sized bowl into the bathroom and filled it with lukewarm water. Grabbing a washcloth from the cabinet, I carried it back to the bed and sat down next to Ava.
This part would be the most difficult.
Placing a gentle hand on her forehead, I whispered the incantation that would keep her asleep as I removed the burned garment from her upper body and separated it from her wound. I knew from experience that this would hurt like hell and I didn’t want her to suffer that kind of pain if I could prevent it.
When I was sure she would remain unconscious, I set to work. She remained still and serene as I used my pocketknife to cut the shirt from her body, leaving on the burnt square.
Once that was done, I gently lifted one corner, wincing as it tugged at her skin. Ava breathed a bit deeper but gave no indication she felt pain.
And even though she slept through the entire process, I took as much care as possible when I peeled the fabric from the burn. Sweat tricked down my face and neck as I tried my damnedest not to hurt her any more than I had to, even though I was certain she couldn’t feel it.
The cloth finally came free and I nearly groaned at the sight of the damage to her body. Dark purple bruises bloomed along her ribcage and down to where the charred skin from the electrical burn spread over her skin.
I had to fight back the wave of murderous rage that filled me as I took in her injuries. Rhiannon would die the next time I saw her and so would the abomination she created.
I used the damp washcloth to remove the dirt and dried blood from Ava’s abdomen so I could clearly see the extent of the damage. I gritted my teeth and plucked up the bowl of poultice. I would place it on the bruises and burns first before I used the healing magic.
The tea would have to wait. I wanted Ava to sleep through this part of the remedy because it would be agony if she were to wake.
Moving swiftly, I used light touches to pack the poultice on her ribs and stomach. Once all of her injuries were covered, I held my hands a few inches above her body and let the magic fill me. The invocation tumbled from my lips as I focused on the damage done to her body. I could feel each of the broken capillaries, fractured ribs, and deep burns as separate entities.
Using magic to “see”, I watched them heal, one by one.
It took over an hour for me to remove the last bruise from her body. I couldn’t believe that she’d been able to remain conscious after taking the hit from the creature. Not only conscious but lucid.
Most of the vampires I knew would have been incoherent from the pain, but she’d only cared about Savannah. And instead of using her abilities to heal herself, she’d funneled that power into Kerry so that she would be able to save Savannah.
As much as it pissed me off, this selflessness of hers, it was one of her most admirable qualities. When Ava Amaris loved, she loved fiercely and completely.
And I desperately wanted her to feel love that all-consuming for me.