Garrett took a closer look at the knife. Even now, he couldn’t see how the blade could separate. The weapon was expertly made. “I want to talk to her alone.”
Talen shook his head. “Shit, G. For all we know, she can spit fire from her fucking eyes. Nobody should see her alone, even if there are bars keeping her from striking.”
Garrett made it through the door, his chest heavy and his body wearing evidence of their night together as well as wounds from her homicide attempt. “She tried to kill me,” he mused, striding down the hallway. What did that mean? He’d had her on the back of his bike, she’d tried to kill him, and that tumor in her head was going to end her and take her away.
“She is not your mate,” Talen snapped, on his heels.
Dage nodded from his other side. “I have no doubt there are many females who’d like to kill you, G. They can’t all be your mate.”
“I mated her,” he said quietly, holding up one hand when they tried to protest. “The marking landed and then faded. I don’t know why.” But he was going to find out.
Talen and Dage uttered the same expletive at the same time.
Why exactly had he come home? Garrett ignored them both. They were worried, and they were pissed, and they were terrible at expressing emotions. Not that he was much better. “Fuck you both and leave me alone.” As expected, they ignored him and escorted him down the three flights of stairs to one of the underground tunnels.
By the time he reached the rock landing, sweat was dotting his forehead, and his left side felt like it was on fire.
“Should’ve taken the elevator,” Talen drawled.
“Don’t make me hit you with my bad arm,” Garrett snapped, in no mood. He gave up shrugging them off and walked down the tunnel to a secured area, not surprised to find Emma taking Dessie’s vitals in a small cell with guards surrounding them. “For God’s sake,” he muttered. “Everyone get the hell out.” He inched toward Dessie, who was lying quietly on a cot with her eyes closed and her breathing calm.
As he approached, she stirred.
Dage instantly grabbed Emma and thrust her behind him, protecting his mate as always.
The guards tensed.
Garrett shoved one to the side. “Destiny?”
Her eyelids fluttered open in her too-pale face. “Garrett?” Then all color leeched from her face, and she sat up, grabbing her head. She let out a scream that clawed right through Garrett and then shut her eyes again, dropping her head and shrieking in an agonized tone that gave him chills.
“What the hell?” He moved to her. “Emma. Help.”
She tossed him a syringe. “Sedative.”
He manacled Dessie’s arm and shoved in the needle, plunging quickly. She went limp again.
Chapter Seventeen
Dessie was wrapped up in cotton and comfort. She stretched, lazily coming awake. A rock ceiling was above her. She jolted upright, looking frantically around a stone cell with iron bars. Blinking, she noted the rough cot with its surprisingly warm plush blanket. As her vision cleared, she spotted Garrett sitting on the floor with his back against onyx-colored rocks. “Garrett?”
His gaze was a tumultuous gray, and a bandage covered his left shoulder and arm. He wore white scrubs on his legs, and his feet were bare, as was his torso. Marks from her nails were evident down his ripped abs. “How are you feeling?”
She rubbed her temple, which ached as if she’d been punched. “My head hurts.” Swallowing, she winced as her dry throat protested. “Why are we in a cell?” How did she get there? What was happening? Panic tried to take hold of her, but the entire world seemed so fuzzy. “I don’t understand.” Then she focused more fully on him. “You’re hurt. Were we attacked?” Why couldn’t she remember?
He scanned her, the open humor of that morning long gone. “You attacked me.”
She snorted. “Right. I attacked you.” The idea was preposterous. She was half his size and not immortal. Then a throbbing in her wrist caught her attention, and she looked down to see her right wrist bandaged and iced. “What’s wrong with my wrist?” She shoved off the ice pack and stretched her hand.
“I broke it,” he said curtly.
Why was he lying to her? She studied her hand and wrist, which looked slightly red but unharmed. “It’s not broken.”
“I gave you blood, and the bone mended. Again.” For some reason, he sounded even angrier now.
She couldn’t handle whatever charade he was playing with her. This was too freaking weird. “Seriously. Tell me what happened.” Why were they in a cell?
“Dessie? You’re going to want to level with me. Right now, you’re viewed as a threat to the Realm, and I’m the only thing standing between you and a very quiet death. Why did my mating mark fade to nothing and why did you attack me?”
