Then she left as quietly as she could.
CHAPTER FIVE
When Robbie woke up for the first time, the pain was excruciating.
It was the kind of pain that took over the body and the mind, rendering him immobile as he clenched his teeth and tried to ride through it. Riding through it was impossible, and the effort made his body convulse and his hands fist tight. He pounded those fisted hands on the surface, which felt soft and was broken down easily.
He cursed the air endlessly.
When the world stopped whirling enough for him to look, his blurry vision gave him a view of shades of brown before he passed out.
When Robbie woke up for the second time, the pain was still excruciating, but his vision was clearer as it focused on a familiar face and a tiny slip of a woman.
“Annie,” he bit out.
Annie smiled grimly. “Hold on, Sebastian.”
She jerked his shoulder, putting a bone back in place. Robbie roared and almost shifted at the pain – and was immediately halted by Annie, who plunged a needle into his neck. Another jerk, another bone back in place. He howled at her, frustration and pain mixing as his eyes rolled over in his head and he passed out again.
When Robbie woke up for the third time, the pain was not excruciating anymore and his vision was better. He eyed the dark ceiling and the bronze chandelier, a familiar sight that had him automatically trying to sit up.
Pain jolted his lower body. Frowning, Robbie looked down and found bandages wrapped around his abdomen.
“I wouldn't do that if I were you.”
Annie stood at the doorway of the room, arms crossed and eyes quietly observing him. A quick sense around told him that they were alone in the area, and a glance around confirmed that yes, this was the headquarters recovery room. A quick search in his mind made him remember everything – from following the witch to the rogue vampire to the bear. Everything after that was hazy, but he remembered her eyes as she asked him for his name. Then, nothing else.
Not entirely comfortable with the lack of memory, his frown deepened as he shifted in bed. He'd never been confined here before, and the feeling wasn't exactly pleasant. Annie approached him and sat at the wooden chair beside the bed.
Robbie wasted no time.
“Tell me everything,” he demanded.
Her tight, blonde curls shifted as she moved closer, as if readying herself to deliver some big news.
“First off, you broke two mattresses in total from thrashing too much.”
Robbie eyed her steadily, not smiling. Annie rolled her eyes and crossed her legs, whipping out a clipboard and studiously looking down at it.
“Let's see...a few broken bones, some gashes, badly-closed wounds, and some kind of poison still in your system. All in all, you did okay.”
Robbie glared. “You call that okay?”
“Aren't we cranky today?”
“I bet all your patients are,” he muttered.
“Sweetie, my patients love me. I heal them wonderfully...although you seem to be a rare case.”
Robbie looked down at his bandaged area again. “Are you telling me it's some kind of poison preventing me from healing?”
“For the last twenty-four hours, yes. I can't seem to get it out. But it's fading – oddly enough – and you'll be good as new in a few hours.”
There were only two people – creatures – who got close enough to touch him last night and poison his blood. Since the bear was dead, it wouldn't be able to give him answers. Thoughts of the bear plunged his mood further down. He knew that son of a bitch; he had passed him in the hallways once or twice when he'd been called here.
“It was Trevor.”
“Hmm?”
“The bear. It was Trevor.”
“We know. Found traces of him in your blood.”
Robbie nodded. “Where did you house the witch?”
“What witch?”
The answer made Robbie's head snap up. “The witch. The woman. She got me here, didn't she?”
Annie stopped scribbling and frowned at him.
“There wasn't a woman with you, Sebastian.”
“Then who the hell got me here?”
“We did. Got an anonymous call and was told where we'd find you. Male voice. You were in a warehouse, unconscious but fine.”
“I'm not healed. That means I'm not fine.”
Annie scoffed. “You will be fine.”
“I need to talk to Masters.”
He listened as Annie told him that Dylan was out with the group searching for the bear. Apparently, there were no signs found of the bear at all and it was driving everyone crazy.
“What about the rogue vampire?”
The blank look Annie gave him had frustration rising up as his mind worked to fit the pieces.
He was pretty sure the witch was alive, and didn't run – which meant she may or may not have something to do with the rogue and Trevor disappearing with no trace of evidence. Then there was the poison in his blood, not allowing him to heal fully...but not rendering him dead, either. His cock ached, standing at attention beneath the blankets so that he wondered how Annie couldn't have noticed. It ached so bad that he suspected one very horrible thing.
Because he should have been dead. Trevor had practically mauled him last night.
And the witch had disappeared.
Robbie needed answers – and he wasn't going to get them lying in bed.
One glance at Annie deduced he wouldn't be getting past her if he demanded to get out before he was fully healed. She was notorious for being the kind of doctor who was very gentle to her patients, but absolutely vicious when need be.
Raccoons were so weird.
A cool cloth on his forehead interrupted his thoughts.
“Now, I'm going to be taking my kids to school and I will be back shortly. I want you to stay in bed to recuperate, okay? I've cleaned you up and you really should rest. No funny business.”
The domesticity of her errand lightened his mood, and he found himself grinning.
“Fine.”
“Dylan will be back soon. You can tell him all about that rogue and witch that I have no idea about.”
“So he gets Dylan and I get Sebastian.”
Annie's chuckle trailed the room as she prepared to leave. “Bye, Robbie.”
Robbie waited as he heard the door close, then the footsteps disappear. He waited for a few more minutes after that, until no sound could be heard anymore. Then he sat up, inwardly cursing the pain, and removed the blankets as he tried to stand up.
His cock sprang to life again, and he glared at it.
Once he found some new clothes, he got dressed right away. Then he quietly snuck out.
*****
It wasn't easy locating her.
Robbie had to do some scouting first, retracing the areas they'd been in last night – doing so quietly, in case he bumped into Dylan and the group – and was amazed every time he saw that all was clean, with no signs of what happened at all. The next stop was the bar, closed at the moment, but with the bartender from last night throwing garbage in the dumpster in the back alley.
Very convenient.
The flash of recognition from the man's face while staring at his wounds before his expression turned blank was enough to clue Robbie in. He tried making small talk at first, trying not to be impatient as the man nervously returned the conversation.
Then Robbie went in for the kill.
A bit of begging, some charming, and a promise that he meant her no harm was enough to have a considering look come into the bartender's eyes. Robbie tried smiling, making sure it wasn't the threatening kind.
His answer wasn't exactly what Robbie expected.
“I don't know where she lives.”
Robbie blinked. “What?”
Ted shrugged. “She's very secretive. Probably to dissuade the likes of you.”
The smile disappeared from Robbie's face.
Ted backtracked. “I mean
, vampires and...you. Her job's not exactly easy, you know. And if you want to thank her, I can pass the message on if she ever comes back here.”
One question clicked into place. “You were the one who placed the anonymous call.”
Ted shifted uncomfortably.
“Her number, then. I can thank her on the phone.”
“Private call. I didn't even know how she got my number.”
Ten minutes later, Robbie knew it was useless. Ted was either lying or clueless, and either way, he wasn't going to get any answers from him. With an inward sigh of frustration, Robbie made his move to walk away.
“Don't hurt her.”
The words stopped Robbie short, and he turned his head back to the bartender. The man was skinny and would probably drop on the ground with one punch, but there was a deadly serious expression on his face that had Robbie re-evaluating his opinion.
A short nod.
“I won't.”
Then he was out of there.
*****
His next stop wasn't a place he frequented, because these kind of people weren't exactly on his most trusted list. But this witch had so far proved she wouldn't snitch (for now), and she was one of the best locators in the city.
The craft shop was tiny, but charming enough to have tourists coming in and becoming enchanted with the unique selection – dreamcatchers, charm necklaces and bracelets, lots of books about witchcraft and popular magical stories. He saw a worn out copy of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, one of those books he remembered was a massive hit among children, with its tale of a boy's bravery and evil witches. There were also some crystal bottles that contained “potion” perfumes, in a multitude of colors appealing to the eye.
The store owner stood at the counter, a woman wearing a tank top and sari skirt shortened to mid-thigh. His approach made her look up, and he saw a face of golden-green eyes and red lips. She was beautiful.
And dangerous.
“Mr. Sebastian,” she said in way of greeting. A smile played at the corner of her lip, emphasizing the mole.
“Mya.”
His last visit here had been due to Dylan's orders, to locate an ogre that would kill people at day and disappear at night. He wasn't exactly part of the bust-in after, but last he'd heard, the ogre was dead and in pieces.
“To what do I owe the honor of your visit?”
“I need to locate someone,” he replied shortly.
“What? No chitchat? A quickie, perhaps?”
Her slim hand touched his arm, and it made him remember that this witch's specialty wasn't just in locating spells. He'd heard the stories of the shifters' hookups with this particular witch and the aftereffects. Not necessarily interested, he shook his head.
“I need to find her immediately.”
Her expression soured at his rejection, but she quickly covered it up with a toss of her light hair. She held out a palm delicately.
“If you came here because you can't find her anywhere, it's going to be expensive.”
She spouted off a ridiculously high amount, almost smugly. Silently, Robbie reached into his pocket and gave her what she asked for, plus some extra.
In response, the witch merely raised a perfectly arched brow. Then she shrugged and nodded her head, tone now professional.
“Very well. Follow me.”
A quick lock of the front door and she was gesturing for him to follow her to the back. Robbie did, eyes watchful as they passed a narrow hallway and entered a small room with a table and some chairs in it. There were some bottles filled with liquid and powder inside, and she gestured for him to sit while she prepared the needed materials.
“Do you have anything of the person that we can use to locate her?”
He was externally clean because Annie had fixed him up, but if his suspicions were correct…
“Yes. My blood.”
Mya gave him a sharp look, but said nothing as she sat down, making sure to spread her legs and flash him her red panties before crossing her legs and sliding the skirt higher. He ignored it. She went on to close her eyes and chant without preamble, mixing powder and liquid together in a bowl as she did so. A green stone went in next, turning the mixed goo into liquid form. More chants, then she reached out a hand to him.
Carefully, he allowed a finger to shift and a claw to appear. He used that claw to puncture his thumb, a singular movement that drew blood. Mya took the hand without blinking and dropped the blood into the bowl.
Nothing happened for the first few seconds, and he almost sagged in relief that he’d been wrong – her blood wasn’t inside him after all. He tried to think of what else to offer her to look for the woman.
Then the liquid glowed, turning red. Then yellow, and green. It glowed and glowed, unbelievably bright.
Robbie froze, his suspicions confirmed.
The liquid finally stopped shifting colors, turning clear like water. Mya looked up at him.
“Give it a few seconds,” she said. “It looks like you're looking for someone powerful.”
Robbie nodded, not saying anything. They waited in silence as the water started swirling again, blurring as if there was smoke in it. Then an image appeared inside – that of an apartment building, with cemented steps leading to the front door and a sign that said Riverson.
It was a few blocks from where the bar was.
The image blurred, then swirled again as he was shown another image – that of a wooden door, with the number 23 at the top.
He got her.
“I know who you're looking for,” Mya said once the liquid cleared again and the glowing stopped. “Not a good idea.”
Robbie's gaze shifted from the bowl to her, and saw that her expression was unreadable. “Care to elaborate?”
Mya opened her mouth, shut it, then shrugged elegantly. “She deals with powerful people. Hard to cross. I'm sure Mr. Masters wouldn't want any trouble with them.”
Meaning it was either the vampire clan or the demon ones. Judging from who the witch hung out with, he knew exactly who Mya meant.
Robbie inclined his head. “Thank you for your feedback. Much appreciated.”
She shut her mouth after and didn't say anything else.
Robbie paid her again to find the bear, but Mya couldn't locate it, even with the blood – an indication that it was either completely gone or had been disposed of thoroughly. Not liking the answer one bit, he went on to thank the witch and advised her it would be best not to tell anyone he'd been here – advice Mya took in stride as she batted her lashes at him, body coming closer.
“You know I don't kiss and tell,” she murmured, tone sexy.
A heady scent filled the air, seductive and impossible to ignore. She moved even closer, putting a light kiss on his cheek and enveloping him in unbelievable warmth. He gritted his teeth as a wave of desire flashed – not necessarily natural, he knew. Her hand slid along his arm, playing with the biceps there.
Forcibly, he stepped back.
“I need to go,” he bit out.
A flash of surprise crossed Mya's face, then disappointment. Then, nothing, as her expression became unreadable again.
“All right. Kindly unlock the door on your way.”
Robbie nodded, then left. Once he was outside, the scent and the sensation cleared, and he shook his head in disgust.
Then he went off to his destination.
CHAPTER SIX
Sophia woke up to a multitude of aches in her body and loud pounding in her head. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and saw her alarm clock flash 5:00 pm in red led lights. Frowning at the lateness, she made a move to stand up from the bed – and winced as a flash of pain brought her back down. She looked at the area where the pain occurred and saw purple spots developing from the bruises on her stomach. Great. Apparently, the healing spell she used earlier hadn't worked, either.
How long had she been asleep?
Refusing to let the pain take over, Sophia stood up again – gingerly this time, feeling
every bone in her body practically creak at the movement. A quick look at her phone made her see the two missed calls from John, and everything that happened bombarded her all at once. Then she glanced at the calendar and almost winced.
She'd been asleep for more than twenty-four hours. Great. A more worrisome question arose.
Why weren't her bruises healing?
That was the question of the day. But first, food. Then, dealing with John.
Then, the headache.
She rubbed her head to clear the pounding before realizing that the sound wasn't coming from there.
There was someone at the door. Knocking.
Suddenly alert, Sophia began to move. Still in her underwear, she threw on the nearest clothes she could find – a pair of pink, cotton pajamas and a gray camisole that felt whisper-light on her bruise. Next, she picked whatever weapon was the nearest – a silver fire poker. It was a new investment, bought just last week to replace her old one – a bit expensive, but very durable when it came to spreading the coals in her fireplace.
And stabbing unwanted strangers knocking at her door.
Cautiously, she moved to the living room, careful not to make any unnecessary sound. Her apartment was safe from any unwanted entrance due to a protection spell she placed on it when she first moved in, so whoever was outside wouldn't be able to get in without her permission. Now, if she could just silently slide to the door and look into the peephole–
“I can hear you from here, you know.”
She froze at the muffled, familiar voice. She didn't make a sound as she tried to figure out what to do. Damn. How did he find her?
“I can still hear you breathing.”
Suddenly not feeling so stealthy, she dropped the silent act and approached the door.
“State your name and your business.”
“It's Robbie, the person you saved. Remember? I've come to thank you.”
“Well, you're welcome!” she tossed back, trying to sound cheerful.
Silence, then a sigh.
“Can I come in, please? I wanted to thank you face to face.”
It was a dilemma, really. Her practical side was telling her that he had no cause to harm her, but her instincts were telling her opening that door was more trouble than it was worth.
Dragon: The Clan Legacy Series Page 4