That succeeded in making the doctor laugh. Shaking her head, she forgot about Urian as she began tending to Phoebe’s injuries. Which was more than fine with him.
Satisfied that the doctor wouldn’t hurt her, he left them alone and stepped outside the room to speak with Braden.
Tall and blond, he was almost even in height with Urian. Like almost all Apollites. Since they were direct descendants of Apollo, the blond hair was almost always a staple. Though through the centuries some of them, such as Phoebe’s family, had married humans or other creatures. So it wasn’t unheard of to meet an Apollite with reddish hair or even a brunette. Still, it wasn’t considered normal for an Apollite to be anything other than blond. And they were almost always tall and brown-eyed.
Braden and his kinsmen had been civic leaders here in Elysia since Urian and Davyn had helped them establish the huge underground bunker back in the early days of America. Back when Theo’s daughter had fallen in love with an Apollite who had wanted a safe haven for his family to hide. Because they were Cult of Pollux followers, Urian had known better than to ask his father about bringing them into Kalosis.
Since the night they’d mourned Tannis, the CoP had been banned from their domain and if anyone mentioned it to Stryker, they came up short a pair of fangs.
And testicles.
Because he and Davyn had helped them establish their city, and were quick to come if they had any kind of trouble with Daimons who didn’t abide by their laws, they were given special privileges.
Like being able to come here even though Daimons were banned.
Urian arched a brow at him. “Aren’t you going to ask what you’re going to ask?”
“What do you mean?”
“I know you heard what Phoebe is to me. Aren’t you curious?”
Braden nodded. “That and why you brought her here.”
“Because if I take her home, my father will kill her.” Urian let out a tired breath. “In all these centuries I’ve never asked for anything or any kind of payment. I’m asking now.”
“You know it’s forbidden.”
“So is my helping you. Yet here I am.” He gave Braden a pointed stare.
At least he had the good sense to look shame-faced.
“C’mon, Braden. I know you have the ability to bend some of the rules. Phoebe’s harmless. She’s never taken a soul and she never will, I swear to you. She’s half human. More a babe than the infants here. She’s not even tasted blood to live on. Not until tonight when I forced her to drink mine to save her life.”
His eyes widened. “Half human?”
He nodded. “Another reason I don’t dare take her near Kalosis.”
Braden didn’t say a word—he headed straight into the room.
Urian went after him.
The doctor had Phoebe covered by a sheet. She was still pale, but some of her wounds were beginning to heal. However, the doctor held a peculiar expression on her face.
“Millicent—”
“She’s part human,” she blurted out, cutting him off. She met Urian’s gaze with an incredulous gape. “Yousaved the life of a half-human Apollite?”
“I love her.”
“That’s what she said. And I told her you were a bastard. Then she quickly informed me that I didn’t know you at all.”
He didn’t know why, but those words sent a warmth through him the likes of which he’d never known before. “Is she going to be okay?”
“She shouldn’t be. I don’t know what’s in your blood, boy, but yeah, I think she’ll pull through.”
Braden crossed his arms over his chest. “Do you think she’s dangerous?”
Millicent didn’t hesitate with her answer. “No. Not at all. She strikes me as the kind of person who picks a spider up on a napkin and releases it out the back door instead of killing it.” She jerked her chin toward Urian. “He’s the one who’s lethal.”
