“Hmm. We’d have to clear that with Nick, but since you said he’s the one who learned about the compound in the first place, I’m guessing it won’t be a problem. I bet Nick will want to speak with him in person about that, to try to find out where the leak came from.”
“True.”
Something was eating at him, and he had to get it off his chest. “Ro, you know I’d move to L.A. with you, if that’s where you want to be. I mean that.”
“I know, and I love you for it.” She kissed his cheek. “But my home is here now, with you and the Pack.”
He was about to say something else when Sariel came around the corner. The Fae prince stopped and gave them both a blinding smile, rustling his blue wings. Aric thought those were kind of cool, but he’d never say so.
“Congratulations on your mating,” he said to them both. “Will you have what humans call a wedding?”
Aric glanced at Rowan, who shrugged. “I don’t think either of us has thought about it. But to me we’re already married, as shifters.”
“True,” the faery mused. “It’s the same with my kind.”
Before Aric could open his mouth, a deafening blast shook the hallway. Aric and Rowan were thrown to the floor, and as he fell, Aric saw the blast catch the prince high in his chest. Sariel flew backward, slamming into the wall with the sickening sound of the wall giving way and the crunch of breaking bones. He slid to the floor and didn’t move.
In an instant, Rowan shifted. To his horror, she ran, attacking Beryl from the side. He had no time to wonder what the fuck the witch was doing loose. The bitch spun and sent a bolt of light at his mate, which struck her in the shoulder. His mate spun with a sharp yelp and crumpled.
Rage suffused him, and the shift happened with no conscious thought on his part. He was a killing machine, bent on the one goal of killing the bitch who’d harmed his mate. There would be no more reprieves for Beryl.
She saw him coming, smirked, sent another blast. Aric dodged it and it sailed harmlessly to his side, smashing into the wall behind him. He had one split second of immense satisfaction when her eyes widened and she knew death had finally come to call.
Then he leapt, was on her, sending them both crashing to the floor. Shouts sounded, the cavalry coming, but no one was going to stop him. Beryl grabbed at him, tried to shove him off her, but he lunged.
His big jaws closed on her neck and he sank his teeth deep. Her screech of pain was abruptly ended when he ripped out her throat.
This time, she really was dead.
But Rowan—
Shifting back to human form, he wiped his mouth and crawled to the small brown wolf’s motionless body. He was hardly aware of the rest of the team pouring into the hallway as he gathered his precious mate into his arms.
“Rowan? Wake up, baby. Open your eyes for me.”
“Aric!” Jax shouted. “What the fuck happened?”
“Beryl got loose somehow,” he choked out. Tears pricked his eyes. “She hit Sariel. Check on him, please.”
His friend went to do just that, and others joined him in tending to the Fae prince. Aric was worried about the guy, but his mate took top priority. She stirred some, and he could feel her breathing, lungs sawing in and out. Relief nearly undid him, but he tried to remain calm. For her.
Then her eyes opened and she blinked slowly. Her pink tongue poked out to tentatively lick his arm, and he laughed with profound joy. “My God, when she blasted you, I thought— Forget that. You’re okay. Shift back, honey. For me?”
It took several moments, but at last he had a lapful of gorgeous naked woman. Who just grinned weakly and tried to make a joke out of the whole thing.
“After little things like drug dealers and gangbangers, witches, demons, and all that other shit are going to take some adjustment.”
“You crazy woman,” he said hoarsely, kissing the top of her head. “Don’t do anything like that again.”
“Um, I’m on the team now, Red. Job hazard.”
“Damn. Well, promise you’ll be more careful.”
“Avoid magical blasts from the bitch witch. Check.”
“Well, not
“Good,” she said fiercely. “Wait—how’s Sariel?”
“Let’s help you on with your clothes and I’ll check.”
Together, they got her dressed. She was still shaky, but insisted she was fine. He helped her limp over to where everyone surrounded the faery. Everyone but Kalen, who stood several yards away, his head hanging low, looking like he’d lost his best friend.
Aric turned his attention back to the prince. Melina, Mac, and Nick were crouched beside him, Melina holding a compress to his shoulder. Blood the color of a brilliant sapphire soaked the towel, and Aric’s own blood ran cold. How the fuck were they supposed to replace Fae blood?
Noah and Sam, the heavyset nurse, came around the corner fast, wheeling a stretcher. Nick and the nurses lifted Sariel on the count of three, placed him on it, and strapped him down.
“Let’s go!” Melina shouted. They set off at a rapid clip.
Nick turned to the Pack, leashing a barely controlled rage that Aric had never seen before. “Someone cover the witch’s body until we can deal with it.”
“I’ll dispose of it,” Kalen offered quietly. When no one objected, he turned Beryl’s body to ash. Then the ashes swirled and vanished.
“Good riddance,” someone muttered. Sounded like Jax.
Nick sighed. “Meeting in the conference room. Right fucking now.”
Aric felt sick. He should’ve been faster, blocked the shot meant for the prince. Now all they could do was pray that he would survive.
Before he headed off, Nick paused to look Rowan over. “Maybe you should get checked out?”
“No, no. I’m just sore and I’ll be bruised. Nothing that won’t heal.”
The boss nodded and walked off. The Pack trailed him, no one celebrating Beryl’s demise. A good, gentle being they’d come to think of as one of their own was fighting for his life.
In the conference room, someone shut the door behind them. No one bothered to sit as Nick began. “How the fuck did Beryl get out of Block T?” he asked, his voice low and ominously calm.
For a long moment, there was silence.
“I let her out,” Kalen admitted, voice catching. “God, I’m so sorry—”
“Why? Did she seduce you, or was it Malik?” There was no question that one of them must’ve gotten to the Sorcerer.
“Not her. Malik.”
You could have heard a pin drop.
Nick’s gaze was hard. “He gained control of your mind long enough to make you let her out?”
“Yes, sir,” Kalen whispered. “I think Beryl spelled me, back at the house where we caught her. My defenses are… crumbling. I can’t keep him out for very long at a time.”
“Jesus,” Aric said with a shudder. He wouldn’t want some Unseelie creep fucking around in his brain.
Nick cursed viciously, rubbed his eyes. “Okay. We’ll figure this out. At least now we have Malik’s human name—Evan Kerrigan. Grant is tracking him down, gathering intel. With any luck we’ll have his location and a complete profile soon.”
Just then there was a knock, and Mac stepped inside. Her gaze went briefly to Kalen, and Aric saw real agony there, quickly covered as she addressed the group.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but we knew you’d want word of Sariel. We believe he’ll recover.” Sounds of relief went around the room. “But he was already weakened from some health issues stemming from being in our world, so healing will take time. He’s stable, though, so I wanted to pass the good news along.”
“Thank you, Mac.” Nick gave her a tired smile.
She returned it and left. Without looking at Kalen again, who stared with longing at the place where she’d
