Elle was quiet.
“But I can contact someone else if Fane has you busy on a mission,” Dalton offered.
“No, we are in the planning stages at the moment. Why did you choose me?”
“Because I actually need you to bring me Anna, and you’re just rebellious enough to do this without letting Peri know. Or anyone else, for that matter. The healers have been around you and trust you.”
“What about Gustavo?”
“I expect he’s going to want to come.”
“I expect a full explanation before I agree to anything. Where are you?”
Elle looked from the building to Dalton. “Why are we standing in front of a whorehouse?”
When she’d asked where he was, Dalton had pictured in his mind the last location he and Jewel had been and had hoped Elle would know the location. She was old after all. Surely she’d seen it at some point in her long life. He hadn’t been wrong.
“What?” Anna’s eyes widened, and Gustavo pulled her body slightly behind his. It was a fair action, considering the type of supernaturals that frequented places like this.
Sorin shifted restlessly as he glared at Dalton.
Nausea churned in Dalton’s stomach as the bile rose his throat. This was beyond humiliating.
“Dalton,” Anna said, gently. “We’re your friends. We care about you and Jewel. You can trust us. You know that or you wouldn’t have asked for us.”
“That or we’re his only option.” Elle raised a single brow at him, folding her arms across her chest. “Spit it out, Black.”
“Jewel has been going to these types of places for weeks,” he finally admitted.
Elle’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry. What?”
Anna was already shaking her head. “She wouldn’t. I mean,whywould she? Not that she would, but I mean,why?”
Dalton knew they would have trouble believing him. Hell, he could barely believe it himself.
“You’ve …allowedthis?” Gustavo’s voice was confused rather than accusatory.
“Have Iallowedmy mate to go into a place where supernaturals hook up for uncommitted sex? What do you think?”
Anna held up a hand. “Okay, we get it. We know you wouldn’t permit anyone to go in there if you had a choice, especially not Jewel. So, whatisgoing on?”
“Have you been going in with her?”
Dalton made a noise of disgust. “I can’t get in, Sorin.”
“Why the hell not?”
“I can answer that, Gustavo. He doesn’t have enough darkness in his soul. You see, the only people that can enter these dens of iniquity are those that have a strong darkness within them … or have been greatly changed by darkness.” Elle cut her eyes over to Dalton. “I imagine that a year ago he would have waltzed right in with no problem. From what I understand, he was pretty far gone when Jewel came along. But through their bond, she has driven the darkness back. Now, the big man here is as pure as the driven snow.” She jerked her thumb at the shack. “Places like this are off limits for those filled with light.”
“But Jewel is a healer,” Anna said in an exasperated voice. “She’s good, pure. She wouldn’t?—”
“She has,” Dalton snarled. “I’ve tried to stop her. I’ve questioned her. I’ve begged her. I’ve all but tied her to a damn chair and put her in a cage. She won’t talk to me. She won’t let me tou—” The words got stuck in his throat, but he swallowed down the emotion. “She won’t let me touch her, and she’s completely shut down the bond.”
Anna’s hand came up to cover her mouth, her shocked expression only adding to Dalton’s anguish.
Both Sorin and Gustavo looked as pained as he felt, as if they could imagine their own mates doing that to them and how it would tear them up. There was no judgment in their looks, which let him breathe a little easier.
“Why didn’t you tell someone sooner? We could have helped. We’re pack, Dalton. When one of us hurts, we all hurt. Jewel is obviously hurting or going through something that’s pushing her to do something so drastic.”
