Nate swore, exchanging glances with Ryan.
“Why the hell would they collect his blood?” Ryan murmured. “Especially if they tried to kill him a few weeks ago.”
Nate shook his head, obviously not having an answer. Then he motioned to my arm. “Let’s check out your wound. I’ll come around and trade places with Alissa. She can finish off the blood transfusion, and once Ryan is done giving him blood, one of the other dregs can donate.”
Nate and Alissa traded places. The other dregs still kept watch outside of the vehicle.
Ryan smiled at me. “Hang in there, doll. You did well. You’re very brave for a girl.”
I quirked a brow. “Is that a compliment?”
His grin widened. “Very much so. As scary as Tony is…I never thought he’d find a woman who wasn’t terrified of him, let alone one who would risk her life for him. He’s not an easy person to get along with. Tony’s a temperamental bastard, and he hates women, or at least we all thought he did.” He winked. “He’s obviously met his match in you. You’re a cool chick. And I mean that. But do you love him enough to give up the life you know in order to be with him?”
I swallowed hard, my eyes filling with fresh tears. I did love him. And yet, I barely knew him.
Then confusion swept through me. Why would I have to give up the life I knew to be with him?
He’s a dreg. And those soldiers know where you live. You can’t go back home now. If you do, they will kill you. Life as you know it is over, Grace.
Oh feck! My job! I was supposed to have gone on duty at five last night. Now it was nearing another day, and I hadn’t shown up for work all night. I hadn’t talked to anyone since I’d made that 911 call. Everyone would be worried. I hadn’t slept in nearly forty-eight hours. I was past exhaustion, especially now that the adrenaline rush was wearing off.
Alissa glanced across the car at me. “You can’t go back to your life, Grace. At least not until the dregs deal with The Company. If you go back, those soldiers will just use you to get to Tony. They’ll probably kill you.”
She was right. But I couldn’t just abandon my apartment, my job, my life. I didn’t even know where I stood with Tony. I seriously doubted he’d be okay with me moving in with him. That would probably freak him out.
“Relax,” Nate murmured, as if he sensed my turmoil. “We’ll work it out all. There’s a couple of vacant apartments where we’re at. You can stay in one of them if you’re not comfortable being alone with Tony. A couple of us will go back to your place and get you some things. For now, let me take care of your injury.”
Not comfortable being alone with Tony? He had it all wrong. Tony was the one would wouldn’t be comfortable being alone with me. Could I somehow change that? Could I take advantage of this situation and use it to force Tony to get used to me being around on a regular basis? Could I somehow convince him that having me in his life wasn’t a bad thing? I didn’t know, but I was in love with Tony, and I was willing to do just about anything to break down his walls and make him open up to me.
I held my arm out to Nate. He inspected the injury, then announced, “The bullet went through.” Then, while I watched, I learned why Nate was called The Healer. He had some kind of magic touch that healed things. The pain in my arm went away. Then he cleaned and cauterized my wound, sealing it closed with some kind of electrical current that came out of his hand. A faint burnt skin smell filled the car. I’d never seen anything like it. It was incredible.
“Wow,” I whispered. “That was amazing.”
Nate nodded, his expression serious. “You’ll be fine.”
“Thank you.”
“You want to tell us what happened?” Nate went back around the car and unhooked Ryan from the IV collection bag. Alissa came back around to my side again. Luke slid into the vehicle to take Ryan’s place.
I told them about everything that had happened with the soldiers showing up, and kidnapping Tony, and killing Officer Johnson, and following after them, and the lab, and Darcy, and Aikens, and escaping...
Alissa wrapped an arm around me, and I sagged against her, giving in to my exhaustion. Nate hooked Luke up to the collection bag. I felt Luke’s stare and glanced over at him. He watched me with a steadiness that made me feel like he was trying to see inside my soul. I’d never been subjected to such unwavering intensity before. I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze. If he was trying to intimidate me, it wasn’t going to work.
“What?”
He shrugged. “Nothing. Just checking your vibe.”
“My vibe?” Luke had seemed like a smartass the few times I’d been around him. Now, he seemed more serious. That unblinking stare made me uncomfortable.
“Don’t you know it’s rude to stare?” I demanded, glaring at him.
His brow shot up. “You didn’t seem to mind Tony staring at you that night at the bar.”
Heat flushed into my cheeks. “That was different.” That was Tony.
Luke smirked. “Obviously. Anyone could see the powerful sexual vibe bouncing between the two of you. But you’re a cop. Which makes me wonder, how long before you decide you’re done playing with Tony and turn him in?”
I gasped, lifting my chin. “I’m not playing with him. I saw what those people were doing to him back there.” My breathed hitched. “You obviously don’t know how to read vibes correctly if you think I’d ever do anything to hurt him, you eejit!”
“That’s enough,” Nate chided, sending Luke a look that silenced him. “Can’t you see the girl’s in love with him? Leave her alone.”
Alissa gave me a reassuring hug. “Don’t mind him,” she whispered. “That’s just Luke.”
Luke cleared his throat. “I apologize, Grace. It’s just a habit of mine to automatically seek out a person’s vibe to try to decipher their intent. But your vibe wasn’t bad. You give off nothing but good vibes, which is actually pretty rare.” Then he smiled. “If there’s a woman alive who can manage Tony, I would say she’s probably you.”
That definitely sounded like a compliment. “Thank you.”
Luke nodded, his lips twitching. Alissa had said the same thing. So at least two people thought I was good for Tony. What about Tony? What did he think?
Finally, Tony’s color started to return to normal. Relief swept through me. Did this mean he was going to make it?
“Let’s get him back to the maze,” Nate said. “I think he’s stable enough to travel now.”
The maze? What was that?
They all disbursed, going to their own vehicles.
I dozed on and off during the drive back to Eatonton, cradling Tony’s head in my lap.
When we reached Eatonton, the dregs drove through the dark forest to an abandoned plantation home. Was this where they lived?
Alissa glanced back at me from the front passenger seat. “This is where the dregs live. Where I’ve been staying. And where you’ll be staying for a while. Unless you want to go somewhere else. I trust you to keep this place a secret.”
I sat up straighter, suddenly more awake. “Of course. I want to stay close to Tony,” I admitted. “But I should probably call my boss, so he doesn’t think something happened to me.”
Alissa handed me her phone. “Go ahead.”
“Make it quick,” Nate urged from the front seat. Then he drove into a hidden garage that was attached to the back of the plantation home. I stared, wide-eyed, as the other dregs pulled in, all driving fancy vehicles. Tony wasn’t the only one with a fancy car. I spied a Lamborghini. The red Camaro Luke was driving. A big black truck that Logan drove, and several other vehicles.
I quickly called the station and left a message with the chief’s secretary, telling her I was okay, but that I would be out for a few days, and that I would call soon with an update. I didn’t know if I would have a job when I got back, but I had more important things to worry about now.
Like Tony.
The dregs all came around and helped lift Tony out of the car. Then they headed acro
ss the dark forest.
I was about to learn where Tony lived. Would he be pissed when he discovered the other dregs had let me come here with them?
Didn’t matter. I would never tell anyone where they were. Their secret was safe with me.
Right now, I just needed sleep.
An eerie feeling crept down my spine as we entered a tunnel beneath the mansion. I shivered.
Alissa squeezed my arm. “That’s just the ghosts. They can’t hurt you.”
Ghosts? O-kay. I was too tired to even want to tackle that.
We moved through a maze, the dregs moving forward quickly as a group, seemingly able to see in the darkness just fine. Left. Right. Tunnels everywhere.
Then we reached a corridor lined with doors.
The dregs carried Tony to the last door on the right. They went inside, and Alissa and I followed. They took Tony into a bedroom and set him on the bed. Was this Tony’s apartment?
While Nate checked Tony’s vitals, the other dregs moved off.
“Noah and I will go back to your apartment and get you some things,” Logan offered. “Anything in particular you want us to bring?”
“Toiletries. Enough clothes for a few days.”
Logan jerked his head in a nod. “We’ll be back in an hour.”
“Thanks, guys.”
I sank into the edge of the bed with a sigh. Tony was still passed out. How long before he came to? He was so lifeless. So…not Tony.
Nate cleared his throat. “There’s an empty apartment across the hall. It’s Tracker’s old apartment. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you stayed there.”
I hesitated, exchanging a glance with Alissa. “Can I stay here with Tony?”
Nate smiled. “Sure. Go ahead. I just, well, wasn’t sure if you were comfortable staying with him.”
I held Nate’s gaze. “I’d rather be close by in case he needs me.”
Nate grinned. “That’s good.” He grabbed Alissa’s hand and drew her against his side. “Well. Feel free to use Tony’s shower and help yourself to any food in his fridge. At some point, I’m going to need to have a talk with you about him. But for now, get some rest, Grace.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, swallowing back the sudden lump that formed in my throat.
At some point, I’m going to need to have a talk with you about him.
What did that mean?
Alissa squeezed my hand, then they left me alone with Tony.
I took a quick shower, washing the blood and gore away. Until Logan and Noah returned with my clothes, I’d have to wear some of Tony’s. I found some sweats and a T-shirt in his dresser, tiredly pulling them on. Then I settled next to Tony on the bed, too exhausted to worry about food.
At some point, I’m going to need to have a talk with you about him.
What did Nate want to talk about? Should I be worried?
With those last thoughts swirling in my head, exhaustion finally pulled me under.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Tony
The souls haunted me in my sleep, filling my dreams with their tortured cries. Though I had learned to detach myself from death over the years, trying not to let it affect me, trying not to let myself be moved by taking someone’s life, every death affected me. Every soul haunted me. I couldn’t escape them. They not only spoke to me in my dreams, but also when I was awake. It was no wonder The Company shrink had called me loco. How many people had heard me talking to myself over the years, not knowing I was actually communicating with a ghost? Sometimes even I believed I was loco. Sometimes the souls were so persistent, they made me feel like I was crazy. I couldn’t escape them, no matter how hard I tried. Inflicting violence on myself, taking harsh beatings from the other dregs, was the only way I knew how to punish myself for my sins, for taking lives. For killing. But it wasn’t enough.
Nate knew how I felt. As my dreg partner, he experienced my physical and emotional turmoil, though not as strongly as I felt it. And through our connection, I experienced what he felt, though to a lesser degree. Lately, all he’d been giving off was joy. He was obviously happy with Alissa, and I was more than happy for him. He deserved to be happy. But his extreme happiness just made my misery more apparent. And made me feel even more alone.
Those brief moments in Grace’s arms had filled me with a temporary peace, a calmness and a joy I hadn’t expected. The time I spent with Grace helped me forget the demons and the horrible things I’d endured. Being with Grace soothed me. I craved her now with a fierceness that overwhelmed me. Grace. Before Grace, the souls had been overwhelming. Now, when I was with Grace, they were nearly nonexistent.
I woke with a start, the feel of a warm body curling into my back making me tense and slowly roll over, turning to see who it was.
Grace.
I jerked in surprise.
Then everything came back at me in a rush.
The Company was back in operation. And Darcy was helping them. She’d used Grace to get to me.
Grace.
I stared at her for a long moment, my heart racing. That fissure in my chest, the one that had cracked open wide and splintered apart, grew wider now as I silently stared at her beautiful face resting in slumber. The cute freckles sprinkled across her nose. Her pouty, sexy lips that had driven me mad, lips I now admitted I loved to kiss.
Grace.
Alissa had said that Grace was so brave that she believed Grace would take on an entire army by herself. And Grace had done just that. She’d bravely faced Aikens and his soldiers back at her apartment, trying to save me, but she’d wisely seen the wisdom in backing down before they killed her. Then she’d followed them. She’d come after me. She’d saved me. If she hadn’t loosened those buckles binding my hand, I wouldn’t have been able to escape on my own. Then she’d helped fight them off. I remembered passing out just as we made it outside. And then, somehow, she’d gotten me out of there. She’d alerted the other dregs and gotten me home. How else would I be here safely in my own bed now?
The fissure in my chest deepened, grew wider, spreading…until it was wide open. Aching. Throbbing.
Warmth seeped into the hole, filling it.
I gasped softly, trying to breath. What was happening to me?
Emotion clogged my throat, pushing its way up out of my chest, spreading outward, consuming me.
Panic seized me. Then terror slipped in, wrapping itself around the hole, pushing it closed, shoving the warmth and the emotion out. Letting the coldness return. The emptiness. The nothingness.
Grace stirred next to me, snuggling against my side. I bolted upright, wincing at the pain in my leg.
She had to go. Now.
She shouldn’t be here.
I wasn’t ready to deal with her yet. I hadn’t had time to even think about her and what her presence in my life could mean.
“Grace!” My voice came out sounding harsh, cold. “Get up!”
She stirred, then blinked at me. “Tony?”
And as I gazed into her eyes, my fears and my panic disappeared. “Yeah.”
“Am I dreaming?”
A chuckle rumbled through my chest. “If you’re dreaming, then so am I.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “You’re really okay?”
“It appears that way.”
She lowered her gaze, taking stock of the situation. Her gaze traveled down the bed, over our bodies, noting how close together we lay. Strangely, I no longer wanted to push her away. Instead, I had the sudden desire to hold her close. To never let her go.
She lifted her gaze back to mine. And I melted, relaxing against her. Grace and me…it just felt right.
A knock came at my apartment door. Then Nate strolled into my bedroom. He halted when he spied me lying there with Grace. Heat crept into my face. I narrowed my gaze at him, daring him to say something. I didn’t like him witnessing my vulnerability, though I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as if he would do anything about it. In fact, he would likely encourage it. He and Alissa ha
d both thrown many not-too-subtle hints about Grace at me, urging me to go to her. And now he’d witnessed my weakness for her.
He grinned, looking pleased. Bastard.
I glowered at the smug look on his face, wanting to throw something at him.
Nate paused beside the bed. “Glad to see you’re awake. Let me check your wound, make sure it’s healing okay. Then you can tell me what happened.”
I didn’t protest as he moved the blanket aside and inspected my leg wound, then tossed the covers back over me. “Looking good. You’ve proven once again to be a miraculous healer. You lost a hell of a lot of blood. If it weren’t for Grace calling Alissa and telling us where they’d taken you, you would have died before we found you.”
I flicked my gaze to Grace, who was gazing at me with wonder. Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine.
Right in front of Nate.
Shock rolled through me. Heat swept up my neck and settled into my face. Burning hot.
I jerked my gaze back to Nate, who was now grinning widely.
I sat upright, pushing Grace away. She was being highly presumptuous, taking too many liberties. I hadn’t asked her into my bed. I’d just woken to find her here.
Speaking of which, why was she here?
I turned my confusion, my feelings of betrayal toward Nate, letting anger take hold. “What the fuck is she doing here?” I growled out.
Nate hesitated, glancing from me to Grace and back. “She isn’t safe anymore, so we had to bring her here.”
“I don’t want her here. You shouldn’t have brought her here.”
Grace flinched beside me. Her gaze was cautious as it met mine. “Well, that’s too bad,” she announced, “because I’m already here, you big arse!” She lifted her chin, the hurt in her eyes making my chest squeeze. “And I can’t exactly go back to my home, my job, my life now, thanks to you!”
I blanched, swallowing hard. She was right. I’d brought danger to her door, and she was no longer safe. But I couldn’t have her here. I wasn’t…ready. “When I said I needed some space to deal with this, that didn’t mean you just jump into my fucking bed without asking! Jesus, Grace! I can’t…I’m not ready for…” I waved at her. “This…us…whatever the fuck this is.” I groaned, panic sweeping in, and rubbed a hand over my face. “You can’t stay here. Not with me. Not…right now.” I couldn’t deal with her right now. This was too much.
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