Nausea rolled through Dessie, and she shifted her weight, trying to keep from gagging. “What kind of tests?”
“Well, let’s see what triggers you. We know that seeing Garrett’s back does it. What if you just see a picture of his back?” Emma began to pace and continued as if she was talking to herself. “And then there are other people with the same markings. Would you react the same way to one of them?” She started speaking faster. “They’re all mated now, so we can’t conduct a true A/B testing. Garrett will just have to be A and the rest B. It’s too bad they’re all mated except for him.” She shook her head.
“Emma, this is too much.” Dessie had never felt so alone in her entire life, and that was saying something, considering she hadn’t had family after her parents had died. Not really. “I’m not a killer. Please tell me I didn’t kill anybody.” She’d already been in that cell when she’d attacked. How had she gotten there?
Emma patted her arm. “You haven’t killed anybody that I know about.”
Thank goodness. She’d never imagined she could be so violent. Her mind replayed what she’d seen. “Garrett remained totally in control, even as I fought him so hard. How did he do that?” Not once had he lost his temper or hurt her, and he’d been injured and bandaged. God. Had she hurt him?
Emma’s face softened. “Garrett’s been an adult since he was in diapers. He’s strong and smart, and he’ll be the king someday.” She must’ve caught sight of the confusion on Dessie’s face because she continued to explain. “When he was just twenty, most of the males in our family contracted a virus we thought would kill them. Most females were weakened from the virus as well. Garrett stepped up that day to lead, and I don’t think he’s ever taken off that mantle of responsibility. Not once.”
Dessie swallowed, and her heart swelled. It was crazy, but she needed him there with her. “He was wearing bandages in the video. Because of me?”
“Yes,” Emma said gently. “Your knife is deadly. Did you know that it splits in two once embedded in flesh? That it can behead immortals?”
Dessie jolted. “No. I had no idea.” Unwilling tears pricked the back of her eyes. Why would her professor give her a blade that could kill immortals? “Did I hurt him badly?”
“No. He’s fine by now.” Emma finally stopped moving. “I should tell you something else. The attacks you made on Garrett had an effect on your tumor. Both times it shrank noticeably, and the tendrils retreated somewhat.”
Dessie’s mouth dropped open. “What does that mean?”
Emma spread out her hands. “My best guess is that the tumor was created on purpose by whoever programmed you to kill.” Sympathy darkened her pretty eyes. “So buckle up, sister. Your life is about to be turned upside down by one very pissed-off vampire.”
* * * *
Garrett sat on the floor in the medical hallway, flanked by two of the three Kyllwood brothers. Sam, his Grizzly motorcycle-club brother, was on his left. On his right sat Logan, Garrett’s best friend and the youngest of the Kyllwoods. He was also a member of the Seven, and they’d forged blood and bone together in their fight to survive the devastating ritual to bond their torsos, creating a brotherhood from pain and survival. At the moment, they were silent, each staring at the innocuous gray wall and the wide window across from them that showed the examination room.
Emma and Janie bustled around an unconscious Destiny, obtaining another brain scan while she was out.
Logan broke the silence first. His black hair was cut short now, and his green eyes were shades darker than Sam’s. Both were built hard and tough. “Your woman is fierce when she wants to kill.”
Garrett sighed. “Thanks for going in there and showing her your back.” Logan’s torso was fused much the same as Garrett’s. Although Dessie was secured in the chair, the second she’d seen Logan’s marking, she’d lost her mind the same way she had earlier. Emma had been forced to sedate her again.
Sam shrugged. “Well, I guess the good news is that her trigger requires seeing the marking on a live body?”
“That’s something,” Garrett muttered. Dessie hadn’t reacted to pictures or drawings of the markings, so at least she was safe from somebody sending her an unwanted email or text to provoke a reaction.
Sam stretched his long legs out. “You know, I don’t think I’ve seen you date a woman under six feet tall in years. You normally like them broad and dangerous.”
Garrett just watched to make sure Dessie didn’t awaken and find herself strapped to a table again.
Logan nodded. “I guess it’s not a surprise. I mean, look at them.”
Garrett frowned as his aunt and sister bustled around. Both petite with blue eyes. Just like his mom, who was also a brunette. Just like Dessie. “I thought my mate would be a strong immortal woman I don’t have to worry about breaking.” He caught himself and glanced at Sam. “No offense. Honor is tough.” But she had been a human, which meant no immortal strength or speed.
Logan scratched his ear, which had a clear bite mark on it. Probably from his mate, Mercy, who was a crazy-assed fairy. Garrett adored her. “I don’t think you get to choose who you fall for in this life,” Logan mused. He leaned slightly forward to share a look with his older brother.
“Shut up,” Garrett said mildly.
Logan kicked out his legs to cross his ankles. “Just think about it. You’ve had dreams for years, and except for being human, Dessie fits the description. She has ridden on the back of your bike, is dangerous, and has tried to kill you.”
“I know.” Why hadn’t his mating mark stuck? Frustration blew through him. “Our life is a tough one.” It was only going to get more dangerous, and the fact that somebody had programmed a human to kill him was proof of that. The Realm was still at war, no matter what the leaders of the species wanted. “If I can’t get the mating mark to stick and increase her chromosomal pairs, I can’t make sure she’s protected. She won’t be immortal.”
Sam shook his head. “I don’t understand what was done to her, but it seems like a shitload of a mess. She has to be enhanced somehow. Maybe whoever assaulted her mind somehow screwed with her on a deeper level than we can imagine.”
Garrett had already considered that fact. But Dessie was also not telling him the whole truth. There was no way she’d spent years being trained to fight as she had that morning and not know it. He’d have to question her, and it wasn’t going to be enjoyable for either of them. His phone buzzed, and he lifted it to see his father’s face. “Hey. What have the scouts found?” Garrett asked instead of a greeting.
Talen’s eyes were a deep gold in the light by the lake. “The teams have met with each of the doctors Dessie consulted on her trek west. As expected, the medical tests they ran on her were legitimate, but the way each sent her farther west to another doctor was because they were under threat from some soldiers who scared the hell out of them. They steered her toward you, G.”
