Page 113 of Warrior Unraveled

The three vampires looked at each other, concern and worry traveling across their faces.

“Do you still feel him?” Amaury asked.

“No. I’m not connected to him anymore, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Wesley said quickly. “But I know I saw something important. I just can’t remember it. The injury, you know. Maybe Maya is right and I do have a concussion.”

“Or maybe you just need help remembering,” Gabriel interjected.

Virginia saw Wesley and Gabriel exchange a look.

“I think I do. Would you?”

“If you think it’s important.”

Wesley nodded.

The hairs on Virginia’s nape rose. “What’s going on?”

Wes took her hand. “Gabriel has a gift. He can unlock people’s memories and help them remember what they’ve forgotten.”

She sucked in a breath. “How?” Her gaze snapped to the scary-looking vampire with the ponytail and the large scar that marred the left side of his face.

“Don’t be alarmed, Virginia,” Gabriel said. “It’s absolutely non-invasive. Wesley won’t feel anything, but it’ll help him figure out what he’s forgotten.”

She looked back at Wesley.

“Trust me,” Wesley said.

She’d done a lot of that in the last few days: trusting Wesley, trusting his friends. Slowly, she nodded.

“It’ll only take a few minutes,” Gabriel promised and walked to Wesley, stopping only a foot away from him. “Just close your eyes and relax.”

Virginia watched with bated breath as Wesley followed the vampire’s instruction, and Gabriel laid his hands on Wesley’s head. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Cinead and Barclay exchange a doubtful look. She couldn’t help but agree with them. Who’d ever heard of a vampire restoring memories?

But when she looked at Samson and Amaury, she saw no such doubt in their faces. They were simply waiting in anticipation, as if they were one hundred percent certain that their fellow vampire could deliver what he’d promised.

When a gasp suddenly came from Wesley, Virginia snapped her eyes back to him. Gabriel’s hands were still on Wesley’s head, and he too had his eyes closed, but both seemed to jolt several times as if they were reliving something frightening.

Suddenly, both stumbled back, severing the connection, and opened their eyes.

“That was intense,” Wesley let out.

Gabriel moved his head from side to side. “Never experienced anything like it. You were right about the demon. You managed to extract some of his memories while you tried to fight against him with your witchcraft.”

“It was close.”

“A few seconds more in his mind and you wouldn’t be standing here,” Gabriel said. “You were lucky.”

“What?” Her heart pounding, Virginia gripped Wesley’s arm and made him look at her. “What does Gabriel mean by that?”

Wesley took her hand and squeezed. “I think he’s telling me that if you and John hadn’t pulled me out when you did, Zoltan would have turned my brain to mush.”

A shaky breath tore from her throat.

“So you know it was Zoltan, their leader?” Barclay interjected, stepping closer.

“Yes, Gabriel helped me remember.” Wesley touched his skull. “And my headache is gone. No concussion after all. It was just Zoltan’s memories trying to break through.”

“Tell us what you saw,” Cinead demanded.