Dangerous Games

As Kingsley's body slumped to the ground, Rhoan stepped fully into the room.

'Why will you bad guys never listen?' he said, talking to Kingsley as if he were still capable of hearing and thought. And I guess if the silver-threaded knife had done its job and trapped his spirit inside his lifeless body, then he was still capable of understanding. He just couldn't reply. 'I keep warning and warning, and nobody seems willing to listen. One of these days someone is going to wake up to the fact that I'm serious when I say never to attack my sister without looking over your shoulder for me.'

I dragged myself into a sitting position and leaned wearily against the wall. 'Maybe you should send out a pamphlet to bad guys' headquarters. It could be the only way to make sure they know.'

'Now that sounds like a plan.' He hefted the weapon onto his shoulder, and gave me a grin. 'And thanks for saving the good bit for me.'

I laughed. At the irony in his words. In sheer, bloody relief at still being alive.

Laughed until the tears started flowing and the pain hit full force.

Laughed until I knew no more.

Chapter Thirteen

Rhoan plopped down on the roadside curb beside me and offered me one of the two coffee cups he held. 'It's only regular.'

'I couldn't give a damn.' I wrapped my hands around the cup, letting the hot liquid chase the chill from them. 'How's the cleanup going?'

He shrugged. 'Same as usual. How's your hand?' I glanced down. My little finger stuck out at an angle, all swollen and angry looking. Shifting shape had stemmed the bleeding, but it would never, ever replace what was taken. I'd have a permanent, stumpy reminder of my time with a dark god. 'It's sore.'

'Jack wants you to be checked out in a hospital.'

'Jack's already been told what he can do with that suggestion.' I glanced at him. 'So he's sent you to try and con me?'

Rhoan sipped at his coffee, then nodded. 'He thought it worth the try.'

'Hospitals suck.'

'That they do.'

'And they stink.'

'Yes, they do.'

'And I will heal without going there.'

'Eventually.'

I grinned. 'Not pressuring me won't work either, you know.'

'I can but try.' His gaze met mine, gray depths filled with so much concern my determination wavered. 'You lost a lot of blood, sis.'

I grimaced. 'Nothing a good steak won't fix.'

'Not according to Quinn, and he is the expert in all matters blood related.'

I took a sip of coffee as my gaze found its way to the house across the road. According to Rhoan, Quinn had arrived in the downstairs chamber about five seconds after I'd fainted. He'd ordered my brother to carry me out and had slammed the metal door shut behind him.

Finally finishing what his family had failed to finish so long ago.

I understood his actions, understood his need to complete what had been left undone for so long, and yet, at the same time, part of me was angered by it.

If he'd cared for me as much as he said, shouldn't his first instincts have been to take care of me himself? Take me upstairs, look after me? To hold me, kiss me, reassure me that the dark one was trapped, that he could never escape, that nothing of him lingered within me? The chamber and the dark god weren't going anywhere, after all. The silver knives had done their job, and his spirit was trapped, as Quinn's sister had been trapped.

But no. It was always business before pleasure with Quinn. Always mind before emotion.

I sighed and rubbed my good hand across my eyes. What was the good of dwelling on it? Quinn wasn't going to change, any more than I could. And I was never going to find what I wanted with him. Because what I wanted was my soul mate, and kids, and a quiet life.

Some of that dream might have disintegrated, but not all of it. And I had every intention of hanging on to the little that did remain as fiercely as I could.

There was still hope for me. And right now, I had a wolf ready and willing to explore those options with me.

He deserved a chance.

We deserved a chance.

I took another sip of coffee. 'Is Kingsley going to be mummified and sealed away like Caelfind?'

Rhoan nodded. 'Deep in the vaults of the Directorate. Quinn will magically seal the coffins and vault doors. They won't ever get free.'

'Good.' I looked beyond him, studying the sky. The softest of pinks was beginning to infuse the night, heralding the beginning of yet another day.

'A new day, a new start,' I said softly, then met his gaze again. For no good reason, tears formed. 'I wish I could begin again.'

He put down his coffee, wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and drew me close. For several minutes, he didn't say anything, just held me against his chest and hugged me tightly. My rock, my island. The one bit of sanity left in the insanity that my life had become.

'There's nothing done that can't be undone,' he said eventually, his breath stirring the hairs across the top of my head. 'Nothing so wrong in your life that can't be changed.'

I snorted softly against his chest. 'There's lots of things that can't be changed and we both know it.'

'But it isn't lots of things causing you grief. Only one.' His hand slid down my arm, rubbing gently. 'I think what you need is a break. A nice long holiday to regain strength will do you wonders, I think.'

I half laughed, half sniffed, as I pulled away from his grip. 'Has Kellen been in your ear?'

He smiled. 'No. You're the one that mentioned he wanted to take you away on a holiday. Why not extend it? Why not explore the depth of your relationship with him? You've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain.'

'I don't think Jack—'

He held up a hand, forestalling my argument. 'Jack's agreed to give you time off.'

'What?' I stared at him blankly. 'How did that miracle occur?'

Rhoan smiled. 'It's wonderful what the threat of losing his best two guardians can do. You have six weeks.'

'Six weeks?'

'Yes. Use the time wisely, young pup.'

I smacked his arm. 'I'll use it to harass and annoy you if you're not careful.'

'Which is what you normally do, and the aim of this time off is new directions.'

New directions. A new start and the time to explore dreams. Just the possibility had a smile breaking out. Six weeks of doing nothing except what I wanted to do. Six weeks of exploring new horizons, new places, new people.

Six weeks of finding out if Kellen and I really could be soul mates.

Excitement bubbled through me. I wanted that. Wanted it badly.

But new beginnings also meant endings, and there was one thing I needed to do before any fresh start could truly begin.

Quinn chose that moment to come out of the house. His gaze swept the darkness and came to rest on mine. Even from this distance, I could feel the turmoil in him.

It pretty much matched the turmoil within me.

I held out the coffee cup to Rhoan. 'Hold this for me. I won't be long.'