“I-I’m not sure how you can help.” Alice’s voice drew Sally out of her thoughts. “I don’t even know where ‘here’ is.” Alice’s breath hitched on a sob. “Everything is wrong. Broken. I feel like I’m breaking.”
Heart aching, Sally slowly moved closer. When Alice didn’t retreat, Sally reached out and took her hands.
“I know it feels that way. But you aren’t broken, Alice. Your mind is just lost right now, and we are going to guide you back. Believe it or not, I’ve dealt with something very similar with another healer. Her name is Jewel, and I have a feeling you two are going to be fast friends. She got lost in her mind and her mate was unable to help her, so I did. And now she’s with her true mate, and they’re happy and safe.”
Confusion flashed across Alice’s face when Sally said the words “we are,” but before she could explain, footsteps rang out.
“There you are.”
Sally turned to see a man striding toward them. He was tall, sharp-featured, and had cold grey eyes. She stiffened.
Alice’s face suddenly softened. It was like the woman who’d just been standing before her was someone completely different. “Cain, I was just—” She looked at Sally, but Cain’s gaze didn’t follow hers. Sally shifted, and still he didn’t look. He only had eyes for Alice. Dammit, she’d seen that look before. In fact, she saw it every time she looked at Costin.
“I let you sleep in today. You were very tired yesterday.” His eyes warmed as he stared at Alice, thawing out the icy persona of the man who’d walked into the room. “How are you feeling now? Any new urges?”
Alice shook her head. “Still not craving O positive.” The scientist had looked away from Sally and seemed to be making a pointnotto look back at her.
“She’s a gypsy healer.” Sally spoke up, figuring she might as well get the confrontation over. Costin was going to be pissed. “Alice can’t become a vampire. The healer magic in her would never allow it. Her body will fight it. Her bodyisfighting it. You’ve seen the way her physical form looks.”
“You are correct, Brown Eyes,”Costin growled.“Pissed is a good description.”
“You’ll get over it. Now leave me be. I have to focus.”
Cain’s expression darkened as he strode towards Alice. Though his face was etched with anger, his touch, when he moved Alice behind him was gentle. “I should have known you healers wouldn’t stay away.” He reached behind him and took one of the scientists hands in his and entwined their fingers. “Alice belongs with me,” he lifted his chin in challenge, “and I’ll kill anyone who tries to take her.”
“So she’s your mate?” Sally tried to keep her tone indifferent.
“Yes,” Cain said matter-of-factly. “And just like your male would do for you, I will protect her at all costs.”
“My mate is true,” Sally countered. “Ordained by the Great Luna. Can you say the same? Is this what’s best for Alice?”
Releasing Alice’s hand he moved toward her, radiating menace. Sally’s protective instincts roared to life. Power flared in her blood, and she felt Costin give her a boost of his own power.
“Back. Off.” The words ripped from her in a snarl. The walls shuddered under the force of her will. “You have no power here in the unwoken world. And she is under the protection of Fane Lupei.”
“And me.” Perizada’s voice boomed throughout the room. Sally gasped as the fae suddenly appeared in an explosion of bright light. Peri’s image burned brightly, and it was almost painful to look upon her. Sally knew better than to ask how in the world Peri could show up inside Alice’s mind. The high fae was powerful, ancient, and full of abilities that continually surprised Sally.
Cain pulled up short, shock breaking through the stony mask. Behind him, Alice made a small, startled sound. Sally kept her eyes locked on Cain.
“Vampire king looks good on you, Cain.” Perizada’s voice no longer boomed. “Though it hasn’t made you any less of an ass. That’s a shame.”
“How are you here?” Apparently Cain hadn’t gotten the memo that Peri goes wherever the heck Peri wants.
“I go where I’m needed, vampire,” Peri said coolly. “As all the gypsy healers are under my protection, Alice is mine.”
Cain’s brow rose as he rocked back on his heels. “Is that so? They’re underyourprotection?” He let out a low, humorless chuckle. “And how has that turned out for those females? Should I go over, for Alice’s sake, what happens to the healers under your so-calledprotection?”
“What is he talking about?” Alice asked, at the same time Sally’s stomach dropped.
“Word gets around in the supernatural community. You should know this better than anyone, Peri. I mean, do you honestly believe people are ignorant of what happened to this one?” Cain pointed at Sally. She wished she were a wolf so she could bite the damn finger off.
Sally turned to look at Alice. The woman was now staring at her in a much less trusting manner.Dammit.Her wounds had yet to completely heal, but now Sally was going to have to rip the bandage off anyway. “Damn vampire,” Sally muttered under her breath.
“What about the five new healers? If I remember the gossip, a couple of them wear the mark of a certain high fae that defected from your council.” Cain tilted his head. “How are they doing? Healing up okay?”
Peri’s face remained blank, as if none of the shots he’d fired at her had hit their mark. She actually looked kind of bored. For all Sally knew, the high faewasbored. Peri wasn’t easily entertained. And she’d been MIA for a while, so who knew how long she was planning on sticking around after this shit show?
“Alice.” Peri turned her gaze away from Cain and focused on the scientist. “My name is Perizada. I am a high fae. Basically, that means I’m very old and powerful.”
