Page 28

CHAPTER 28

F eeling slow and disoriented, Cece stepped out from the elevator onto the hospital’s ICU floor. She spotted Bren by the nurses’ desk and hurried toward him, rubbing absentmindedly at her forehead. She’d had a terrible headache this afternoon, one so bad that not even her healing potions could help it. She had lain in her bed with the blinds closed, her head throbbing and aching, until she’d finally fallen asleep. She’d woken six hours later, her headache reduced to a dull throb behind her eyes, to multiple texts and voicemails from Jonah and Bren.

“Bren?”

Bren turned toward her, his face grim, and fear flickered to life in Cece’s stomach. “Where is she? What happened?”

“Elora is… it’s not good, Cece.”

“I want to see her,” Cece said.

“Only two visitors in the room and only family,” the nurse behind the desk said.

“I’m her best friend,” Cece said.

“Those are the rules. Her husband and the police officer can keep you updated,” the nurse said kindly but firmly.

“Her husband?” Cece said.

“Jonah,” Bren said quickly. “He, uh, is home from his business trip.”

“Oh, good,” Cece said, playing along with the lie. “But I want to see her, too.”

“The rules are -”

“Could you do me a favour and make an exception, Gretchen?” A redheaded, curvy woman in scrubs joined Bren. She hugged him tight. “Hi, Bren.”

“Hi, Ava.” He returned her hug, relief washing over his face.

Gretchen studied Ava. “I heard a rumour that you were leaving emergency to work in the ICU. Is that true?”

“Just a rumour. You know I love the chaos of the emergency room too much to leave it,” Ava said.

Gretchen sniffed. “That’s a shame. We could use someone like you up here.”

“I want to see Elora,” Cece said.

Gretchen flapped her hand at her. “Fine, but you have this one to thank for it.” She nodded to Ava, who reached over the desk and squeezed her hand.

“Thank you, Gretchen.”

Cece followed Bren and Ava down the hallway. The redhead smiled at her. “Hi, I’m Ava. I’m a friend of Bren’s.”

“I’m Cece. It’s nice to meet you,” Cece said automatically. Her stomach was in a knot so tight, a sailor would be proud, and she couldn’t stop seeing the look on Bren’s face when he said it wasn’t good.

Bren stopped outside of a room, and Ava gave him another hug. “Text me if you need anything, okay? I’m just downstairs.”

“Yes. Thank you, Ava,” Bren said.

“You’re welcome, honey.” She kissed his cheek before walking away.

Cece pushed past Bren and into the room. She sucked in a breath when she saw Elora lying in the hospital bed. She was hooked up to a bunch of machines that beeped and whirred and flashed numbers on their screens, and her face was as pale as Cece’s white feather hosta plant.

Jonah sat beside her bed, his left arm in a sling and his right hand holding Elora’s. He looked nearly as pale and sick as Elora did.

“What happened?” Cece sank into the chair on the other side of the bed and touched Elora’s arm.

“The witch,” Jonah said hoarsely. “The one who trapped me as a crow. She showed up at my house tonight, and she… she hurt Elora and kidnapped my brother.”

“Oh God,” Cece said. “What did she do to Elora?”

“We don’t know exactly,” Bren said. “But she’s in a coma and her…”

“What?” Cece stared at Bren, who swallowed compulsively. “Her what, Bren?”

“Her organs are failing,” Bren said. “All of them.”

“What do you mean her… oh my God,” Cece said as the hot tears dripped down her cheeks. “She’s dying.”

“Yes,” Bren said.

Cece fumbled for her phone. “I have to text Charissa. She can make a potion to heal her.”

“She’s already been here,” Bren said. “She gave me her three most powerful healing potions, and Jonah and I poured them down Elora’s throat. None of them worked.”

Cece stared silently at him before standing. “No, they have to work. She’s… she’s really good at making healing potions. She’s the best in the city, and if hers won’t work, then...”

Jonah smoothed Elora’s hair back from her face as Cece turned to Bren. “She can’t die. I won’t let her die! There has to be something we can do.”

“There is,” Jonah said before standing. “I need you to stay with Elora while Bren and I get her help. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” Cece said. “What are you going to do? Do you know another witch or warlock?”

“Not exactly,” Bren said as he and Jonah headed toward the door. “But he can save Elora.”

* * *

A somber looking dark-haired man stood at the front door of the office building as Bren parked in one of the visitor spots.

“What is this place?” Jonah asked as he climbed out of the car. They had put his shoulder back into place at the hospital, but it ached and burned like a motherfucker, and he rubbed absently at his left arm as he followed Bren toward the building.

“BKF Securities has their office here,” Bren said. “It’s where Ronin works,” he added before Jonah could ask.

He shook the dark-haired man’s hand. “Hi, Mal. Thanks for meeting us here.”

“You’re welcome.” Mal held his hand out to Jonah. “Malcolm Burke.”

“Jonah,” he said, giving Mal’s hand a brief shake.

They followed Mal into the building. He locked the door behind them before they rode the elevator up to the eighth floor. They followed him silently to a door marked “BKF Securities” in bright white lettering.

They stepped into the office. There were more people than Jonah expected, and he scanned the foyer, sagging with relief when he saw the phoenix shifter, Ronin.

Ronin stood beside a dark-haired woman with bright green eyes. Beside them were two people Jonah also recognized. Judd and Tori. The black bear shifter and rabbit shifter who Elora had helped save the damn world not two months ago.

Judd gave him a slight nod as he rested one hand on Tori’s lower back. He would have been the biggest guy in the room if it wasn’t for the two giants standing near the reception desk. They were both over seven feet tall, and their bodies were thick with muscle. One had nearly white blond hair, and the other had dark hair. Hudson and Briggs, polar bear shifters who’d helped keep Elora safe when she was breaking the protection spell on the crazy antelope shifter’s sterilization machine.

“Everyone, this is Jonah,” Bren said. “He’s Elora’s friend.”

“You’re looking decidedly less crow-like than the last time we met,” Ronin said with a slight grin before putting his arm around the green-eyed woman. “This is my mate, Kat.”

“Why are you all here?” Jonah asked bluntly. “We only need Ronin.”

“It’s always better to have more people than you think you’ll need,” Mal said.

“You’ve told everyone what happened?” Bren asked.

“Yes.” Mal glanced at the others. “Will there be problems with the fae?”

“No,” Jonah said.

“Mal told us the fae was injured as well. Did she go to the hospital?” Kat asked.

“Doubtful,” Tori said. “The fae don’t usually trust humans.”

“She refused to go,” Jonah said. “Members of the fae came and picked her up. She said they would heal her.”

“They’ve gotta be pissed that she was with a human and injured,” Judd said. “You sure they’re not gonna try something?”

“Caleb has been living at the northern fae compound for nearly a year. Nimera is in love with him and pregnant with his kid,” Jonah said. “The fae won’t attack me or anyone who helps me.”

He gave the others an impatient look. “Do you think we could talk about this after Ronin has healed Elora? She’s dying and doesn’t have time for this bullshit.”

“Jonah’s right,” Bren said. “Right now, I don’t give a fuck about the fae. All I care about is healing Elora before she dies.”

“Let’s go,” Ronin said.

He started forward, and Kat took his arm. “Ronin, wait.”

Ronin turned to her. “Kitten, I have to help her.”

“I know that,” she said, “but you also need to be smart about it. Hospitals are busy places filled with plenty of people and cameras. You can’t just go in there and start crying on someone. It’s too high of a risk for someone to discover who you are.”

“Elora is dying, Kat!” Bren snapped.

“I know,” she said calmly. “Bring her to Ronin, and he’ll heal her.”

“How the fuck are we supposed to get her out of the hospital?” Jonah snarled. “Do you really think they’ll just discharge a dying woman without any fucking questions or calling the goddamn cops on us?”

Kat glanced at Ronin. “We could talk to Clay. Have him take her out of the hospital.”

“It’s too much of a risk for him as well,” Ronin said. “The government will dissect him into a thousand pieces if they find out what he is.”

“Clay? Is that the teleporter?” Jonah asked.

“Yes,” Kat said.

“Great! Bring the fucking teleporter in,” Jonah said.

“Ronin is right. It’s too big of a risk for him and Clay,” Tori said.

“She helped you!” Jonah growled. “She brought back your memories, and she helped stop that psycho antelope shifter and saved the fucking world, remember?”

“I remember,” Tori said, “and we will help her. I promise.”

“Not by sitting around here, you won’t,” Jonah said.

“What we need is a distraction at the hospital so we can get Elora out,” Mal said.

“What the fuck kind of distraction can we do that will be enough for them not to notice as I’m carrying Elora out of her goddamn room?” Jonah said.

“Not you,” Mal said. “Neither you nor Bren will be part of this. The nurses recognize you, and it’ll be harder for you to leave with Elora.”

He turned to Kat. “Can you work your magic and kill the security feed at the hospital while we’re taking Elora out?”

Kat nodded. “I’ve hacked into the hospital system before. I can do it again.”

“What? When?” Ronin stared at her.

“A few years ago,” Kat said.

“Why?” Ronin asked.

“I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you,” Kat deadpanned.

Ronin laughed as Mal glanced at Tori and Judd. “Do you think the two of you can provide a big enough distraction for the medical staff?”

Judd’s face broke out into a grin. “I guaran-fucking-tee we can.”