“Them?”
More tears and hiccupping.“There was another one. We tried again, and the same damn thing happened! We don’t understand why it’s not working like it did with me. And Z and Sly were insistent that we needed to keep trying because if we didn’t succeed, Volcan would flip his lid and oh my, freaking hell, he did. Heflipped.”
Gustavo was no longer aware of what he was doing. His mind was so focused inward on his mate’s voice and emotions that he didn’t really care if he was uprooting trees. He just wanted to get to her, to hold her, and take away every horror she’d been facing,withouthim.
“He had Jewel’s mom. He was going to make Jewel turn her mom into a witch, but Jewel’s mom is some sort of seer or prophet and obviously has some magic, and she wouldn’t let Jewel try, so she did something and took her own life. Right there, holding Jewel’s hand and mine, she just died. She loved Jewel so much she wasn’t about to let her daughter live her life with the guilt of knowing she’d turned her mother into a witch. It was horribly beautiful. But then Volcan thought Jewel had defied him on purpose, and so he went ballistic. He took us down to a creepy dungeon and passed us off to his minion vampire. The creature is branding us. He’s marking us with a fae blade. I don’t understand the significance of that, but I imagine it must be a pretty freaking big deal. He said it was enchanted and that it would take a while for the blade to leave a permanent mark, so he’d just have to keep doing it over and over. He’s going to do it again. Jewel’s screams broke my heart. I couldn’t help her. We are laid out on these damn slabs and can’t move, and all I can do is listen to her screams. The whole time I’m thinking he isn’t going to break me. I don’t care what he does to me. I will go down defiantly fighting, even if all I can do is curse him to hell in my head. I will not give him that poweroverme.”
Gustavo was shaking. Never in all his centuries had he ever felt so many emotions at one time. Never had he wanted to maim a man more than Volcan. His mate, still so young, was enduring what most never would in an entire lifetime. Volcan had forced her to kill, had tortured her, had forced his dark magic into her body, and she felt guiltyaboutit.
“My sweet, strong Ann. You bring me to my knees by your bravery and courage. You are innocent, mí amõr. You have been put in an impossible situation, and I am so sorry that I haven’t been able to protect you.”He wanted to give her something, to show her that she could and would survive this. He needed her to know that he only adored her more for how she was handling herself in such an impossible situation.“I’m proud of you and completely in awe of how resilient you are. Keep saying it, Criña. Keep saying that he won’t break you and believe it. Hold on and do what you must to survive until I can get to you. I will find you. I will never stop hunting. Just hold on for me. Can you do that, porfavor?”
“I will,”she said simply, but with steel lacing her words.“Thank you, Gustavo, for listening. I just needed to getthatout.”
“I will always listen. I won’t always like what I hear, but I will alwayslisten.”
She was quiet and seemed to be thinking about something.“Oh, I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner. We have phones. Volcan didn’t think to take them. As soon as we aren’t attached to a slab, I need to get a number where Jewel can get in touch with Dalton. She needs himdesperately.”
“That is a brilliant idea. I’m sure he needs her just as desperately. Ann, can you allow me a little more access to your mind when you are awake? It’s so hard to feel you but not know ifyou’reokay.”
“I don’t even realize I’m doing it, Gustavo. I think maybe it happens because I don’t want you to know what horrible things we’ve hadtodo.”
“I don’t want you enduring this without me. Let me be with you, even if it’s just through our bond. Don’t shut meout.Si?”
“Alright, I candothat.”
Gustavo let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. They were making progress with their bond, but the circumstances forcing that progress were excruciating. He didn’t want their relationship to be built upon a crisis. He didn’t want to scare her with his violent reactions to her in pain and danger, and it would take strength he only hoped he had to keep her from seeing him lose control ofhiswolf.
Gustavo felt her weariness wash over him. He pictured her face in his mind and imagined himself pressing his lips to her forehead. He heard her sigh through their bond and felt a small amount of relief permeatethepain.
“You are so tired. Can you rest? Can you try and sleep?”Rest would give her strength, and she needed all she could get. If she bore his mark and they’d completed the Blood Rites, he would be able to share his own strength with her. Instead, he’d have to content himself with the fact that their bond was indeed strong despite not having completed the ceremony. He shouldn’t be able to communicate with her at all, but by the grace of the Great Luna, he could. For that, he would be forevergrateful.
“You won’t go away? I mean, I’ll still beableto—”
“I’m not going anywhere, Criña. My mind will remain completely open. I’m yours. I’ll be here waiting when you wake up.”He wanted to meet her in her dream, but he also wanted her to get rest. He could feel the minute sleeptookher.
Gustavo allowed his senses to take in his surroundings after having been so in tune to her that he’d completely blocked everything else out. He turned around and lifted his head to find everyone, except Heather, staring at him with wide eyes. Adam had positioned himself in front of the females and had knives in both hands. Gustavo knew that fae knives were enchanted to never miss their target. Had he lost control to the extent that Adam had felt he’d have torestrainhim?
“We weren’t sure if you were going to stop with the trees,” Adam said and motioned with a nod of his head to the areabehindhim.
Gustavo looked over his shoulder, and he understood why Adam had been ready to defend the females. Every tree surrounding the clearing on the opposite side of the group had claw marks slashed deep into the bark, and some had been uprooted. He hadn’t even realized he’d beenmoving.
He turned back around and met the eyes of each of them. “I apologize for my lack ofcontrol.”
“Is Anna okay?” Stellaasked.
“I am not sure how to answer that,” he admitted. “She is alive. As is Jewel. But they are not in a good situation.” That was a gross understatement, but he didn’t want the healers to know just how bad it was for their counterparts. It would only upset and worry them more. “They are both being very brave,” headded.
Adam’s eyes filled with understanding. Only another mated male could know what Gustavo was feeling—helpless, wrapped in rage and worry. None of it was a goodcombination.
“Are you alright?” Adamasked.
What he was really asking was, ”Are you safe,” “Are the females safe being around you?”, but Adam didn’t want to alarm the girls any more thanGustavodid.
“I will not harm the females,” he said, knowing it was true. “I cannot say the same about you in complete confidence. But I will try to make sure my wolf understands that you are not to be collateraldamage.”
Adam’s brow rose. He hadn’t been expecting that answer. “Uh, that would be appreciated,” the male fae said, soundingskeptical.
Gustavo gave him a small bow—an old-world gesture of respect—and then turned around. “I’m going to go on a run,” he said over his shoulder. “My wolf is feeling a tadfrustrated.”
