Page 25 of The Healer (The Blood of Legends #2)

Chapter Twenty-Five

ENOUGH

“I don’t give a shit how you feel about this, Callie.” Rhys narrowed his gaze on her. “Your presence disrupts the teams.”

Jo-jo’s head snapped up, and her eyes widened. Gabe pushed off the wall, his shoulders squaring as a scowl skewed his face. Dimitri sniggered where he sat in front of the unlit fireplace in the de Winter hold, sipping cognac.

Callie opened her mouth to speak, but Rhys postured, throwing out his alpha vibes.

“Just because you’re a vampire doesn’t give you the right to do as you please.” He sucked in a calming breath when his bear clawed the walls of his confinement, roaring for release. “You’re law enforcement first; everything else is just gravy.”

She opened and closed her mouth on a snap. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. Gabe chuckled, thumped Rhys on the back before kissing Callie’s temple and striding out.

Dimi shrugged and followed, swirling golden liquid in the tumbler.

Rhys arched his brow at Johanna, expecting her to leave too.

She grinned as she leaped to her feet. “You’ve got this.”

Alone with the woman he had crushed on, he sighed and extracted his phone to check the time. Four hours and some change before he could call Ilona.

“You’re right.” Callie’s shoulders slumped. “Thank you for having the balls to confront me, to hold me accountable. I forget I’m a mom, and whatever I do, George watches, learns.”

He nodded then lowered his gaze to his phone. One minute had passed since he had last checked. Hours stretched ahead for him. Each second was the slow scratching of nails on a chalkboard.

“What’s her name?”

Startled, he met Callie’s gaze. “Who?”

“That’s the umpteenth time you’ve looked at your phone.” She smiled. “So, who is she?”

He stilled, vacillating between vague responses, an outright lie, or the truth. Since he planned on introducing Ilona to Callie, it left him one path. “Her name is Ilona Devereaux Strickland.”

Callie arched a brow. “Devereaux?”

“Lona’s grandmother is Monique.” The hope that Callie might recognize the name was a slim one. Still, he had to try.

She unraveled her legs to rise. “As in Aunt Mona?” A slow smile dimpled her cheeks.

As a vampire, Callie would always be beautiful. While he studied her green eyes, sensual lips, he poked his emotions with a mental finger. Affection remained, but when he looked at her, he thought of Ilona. Her quiet determination in the face of her parents’ death, her strength of will when lives were at stake, and her desperate need to shield herself against further pain.

“Are you saying you not only found an unknown cousin of mine but you’re dating?”

He pursed his lips in a grimace. Were they dating? Fuck, he hoped so. “It’s complicated.” He racked his brain often, needing a solution to emerge from the crush of pent-up lust. Hearing Ilona’s husky voice was a sledgehammer pounding at his control. “She’s in Fenneg.”

Callie gasped. “Shit.” Her eyes narrowed while a frown formed on her brow. “Why?”

“She lost her parents within the last month and is questioning her reasons for becoming a doctor.” He reeled from Mona’s revelations.

The Lona he knew was a healer to the core. Her heart would shrivel and die if she couldn’t help people. If he could convince her to choose Inner City, to ‘date’ him, she would make an amazing mate. She would put the welfare of the pack first.

“Ah, so why monitor the time?”

He grinned, allowing his eagerness to swell his chest with warmth. “I call her every night at eight.”

Callie tapped her chin. “You can’t woo her from here, Rhys. Get your ass there.”

“No. I’m giving her space.” His bear growled at his words and hadn’t shut up since Lona drove off. Rhys had promised his bear he wouldn’t lose her, yet he had failed.

“She’s trying to be strong. I had Mike to hug, to talk about my dad into the small hours of the morning. Does she have someone like that?”

Mike? Rhys frowned. “Your partner?”

“Ex. But he’s like a dad to me, and he let me cry on his shoulder whenever I needed to. Without too much snark, mind you.”

Rhys’s breath caught at his double failure. He pressed his phone to his ear, dialing Noah. “Get me a flight to Fenneg,” was all he could say through his clenched jaw. Taking long, slow breaths, he calmed his furious bear and the fire in his veins.

Leaping to his feet, he paused when Callie arched a brow. “Can you handle things this side with the least amount of drama?”

She snorted. “Duh.”

Stilling, he studied her a moment before sighing. “I’ll get Sawyer to babysit.”

“Rhys.” She folded her arms across her chest.

Instead of speaking, he leveled a pointed look on her.

She harumphed, her manner that of a teenager denied the chance to have fun. “Fine. I’ll behave.”

“Good, and kisses for George.” He chuckled as he made his escape.

With his destination the airport, he strode out the de Winter hold without a backward glance. Whatever he needed, toiletries, clothing, he could purchase in Fenneg.

Cupping and releasing the steering wheel, he navigated through the rush hour traffic, praying he didn’t miss the flight, whenever that was. Hell, he didn’t know how long he would be in the air, or whether he could call Lona at eight. What would she think if he didn’t? Would she think he gave up on her? Darkness settled over his soul like a moonless night. No, he couldn’t fail her.

After leaving his SUV in long-term parking, he loped over the pedestrian crossing and jerked to a halt.

“Thought you might need a few things.” Noah waited on the sidewalk outside the domestic terminal with Rhys’s duffel bag in hand. “Flight’s in forty minutes. Checked you in already, and you have time for a quick bite.”

Tears burned behind Rhys’s eyes. He yanked Noah into a bear hug, thumping him on the back. Smiling, he stepped back. “Eat with me?”

Noah grinned. “Sure.”

Over burgers, fries, and an ice-cold beer, they spoke of the upgrades Dimitri and Callie’s money was funding. Dimi had put Noah in touch with a suckblood investor. Things were progressing at a steady pace, except for Rhys’s love life.

“I suppose I have you to thank for bringing Aiden? Will’s been scarce since your return.” Noah winced, then ducked his head to hide it. “Not that I have anything against your brother, Rhys. It’s this whole she’s-my-sister thing and a wolf eager for the Lunar Fest. I’ve got to loosen the reins.” He shrugged. “I suppose Aiden is the lesser of the evils. He’s always had a thing for her.”

Aiden in bed for a few days highlighted what awaited Rhys if he didn’t make himself scarce. Women would be throwing themselves at him, and he wasn’t in a mood to fend them off nicely. Had he not fucked things up with Ilona, his future wouldn’t be so bleak.

“Who are you spending time with?” He was so up his own ass, he didn’t know who his beta was fucking.

“I’ll have to find someone. The Hideout’s the place to be, you know this.”

Rhys grinned, with fond memories of the brawls, the hook-ups, the beer on tap, and at half-price. As alpha though, he couldn’t show his face there. Drunken shifters were more volatile, acting like idiots and challenging their alphas without meaning to. It was a good thing he was off to Fenneg.

“I texted Colt, Fenneg’s alpha, letting him know you’ll be in and out. Oh.” Noah wiped his hand on his paper towel and dug in his suede jacket pocket. With one dirty forefinger, he slipped a ragged paper across the table. “Got you Ilona’s addresses.” He reached into his inside pocket for the boarding pass. “You’ll arrive somewhere past eight. Here is your rental vehicle’s waybill. I got the biggest they had available, so best of luck there.”

Rhys grunted around a mouthful. An abundance of height had its cons. He stared at the printed letters confirming the arrival time. His bear grumbled his displeasure. They would miss calling her. The moment he disembarked, he would phone. A few minutes were fine, right? He hated it though, as if he had lied to her. A man was nothing without his word.

The boarding call for his flight pierced his thoughts. He downed his beer and rose, swiping his boarding pass, waybill, and the ragged paper, shoving them into his denim jacket pocket.

“Go. I’ve got this.” Noah gestured to the table and grinned. “Best of luck, Rhys.”

After squeezing his friend’s shoulder, Rhys jogged to the gates with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. When he slid into his seat on the plane, he grinned. Noah had booked an emergency row, granting Rhys extra legroom. He would have to endure an evacuation lecture, but being able to stretch his legs made it worthwhile.

The kid next to him, as tall, had set his headphones to deafening. And with Rhys’s sensitive hearing, catching a nap wasn’t possible. Instead, with his phone on airplane mode, he watched the seconds tick by, the minutes flip over, as each hour passed. The inflight magazine offered a range of restaurants to try, available exotic destinations from sunset beaches to skiing resorts. He read every article, hoping to keep his nerves and bear calm. What his reception would be when he knocked on Ilona’s door was the main concern. Would this gallant gesture be foolhardy in her eyes?

Fuck, he hoped not. His fingers twitched with the need to hold her, to brush her hair off her temple, to breathe in the fragrance of her skin.

He was all kinds of a fool.

Yet, abandoning her wasn’t in his DNA. Everything within him, on a molecular level, wouldn’t walk away from her.

He nursed his soda, nibbled on the complimentary dried fruit, and listened to the bop-bop of the kid’s music. There had to be something he could say to Ilona to convince her to move.

Granting her the full use of his laboratory hadn’t made an impact.

Being close to Mona should have had her packing already.

Because he wanted to fuck her wouldn’t go down well.

He shifted in his seat trying to ease a growing hard-on. His jeans wouldn’t hide it, and his jacket wasn’t long enough. Think about Noah, Jase, Will, anything but Ilona and her soulful hazel eyes, her wide smile, the sweetness of her lips. Shit…Noah, Jase, Dimitri, Mike, Jo-jo… His erection eased. He released a slow breath, ran his palms along his thighs, and gripped his knees.

The pilot mumbled something about the weather in Fenneg, the arrival time, and ordered the attendants to prepare for landing. Eagerness swept through Rhys and thumped his heartbeat. His bear knocked against the confines, as excited to see their…mate.

Striding with his duffel bag, he veered toward the car rentals, then queued as he waited to reach the counter. Minutes later, he climbed into an SUV that catered for his height. He grinned, activated the GPS, and punched in Ilona’s parents’ address. She would be there, of that he had no doubt. If by some reason she wasn’t, he would head to her apartment.

He clipped his phone into the handsfree and dialed. Twenty-two minutes later than planned. She answered on the second ring but didn’t speak. “Ilona?”

A sobbed greeting was all he got.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?” He put his foot down and raced along the highway, staying just this side of legal.

“I found my mom’s photo albums, Rhys. Who keeps those?” She sucked in a shuddering breath. “I was so determined this afternoon, to finish, to be done, then this.” A loud blast followed as she blew her nose. “And now, it made me realize I have all their devices to go through, whether I have to, what about passwords…?”

“I can help. Whatever you need, Lona.”

Her breath caught, and she whimpered. “You’re so sweet to offer.”

“Sweet? Fuck, woman, I want to be there, holding you, helping you, not stuck in Inner City.” He winced. It was the truth a few hours ago, but he wanted to gauge her reaction before he intruded. If he had to kill days in a hotel, he would. His bear thumped against the walls, roaring in frustration.

She sighed. “I’d love a hug, Rhys. I find I need them now more than ever.”

He released the steering wheel to fist pump the air. “Feeling better?”

“A little.” She hiccupped.

“Good. Have you eaten?” He turned onto the street, driving along beautiful houses, each unique, well-kept. The expensive suburb showcased wealth and class.

Her laugh was breathless. “You have no idea. Sashimi for breakfast and apple pie for lunch. Do they count?”

“Sashimi?” He arched a brow at his phone.

She sniffed then chuckled. “I had a weird craving for salmon.”

The GPS intoned, “In one hundred yards, your destination is on the left.”

“Where are you?” Something shifted in the background as if she was finding a more comfortable position.

“I’m sorry I was late to call.” He parked the SUV, unplugged his phone, and climbed out. Taking the paved path alongside a manicured lawn, he admired the wide porch, the huge front door, and the lanterns mounted to the brick wall. “I had to wait until I had service.”

He rang the doorbell—an antique thing hanging to the side and forced himself to stand still when the urge to pace, to ease his nerves threatened to overwhelm him.

She grunted as she rose to her feet, casting her shadow across the curtained front windows. “Hang on, someone’s at the door.”

“Did you order salmon again?” he teased, hoping his nervousness didn’t reach his voice.

“I wish. I could eat—”

She gaped at him, one hand holding the front door open, and the other gripping the phone to her ear. In low-waisted jeans and a tight white T-shirt that bared her toned stomach, she had never looked more beautiful.

“Hi, Lona.” He ended the call and pocketed his phone.

“Rhys.” Her bottom lip trembled, then she threw herself at him.

He caught her but lifted her off her feet to better bury his nose in the curve of her neck. His bear rumbled in contentment. She smelled so good, like a sweet breeze carrying the scents of flowers and pine needles. “I’ve got you.”

She sobbed, trembled, and tightened her hold around him, sliding a hand from his shoulders to his neck.

Filling his arms with her softness, her warmth, he rubbed his chin across her temple. “I hoped surprising you wouldn’t piss you off.”

She shook her head.

“Good.” While stroking her back, he closed the door behind him and settled on the couch, rearranging her limbs so she sat sideways.

She offered a smile while wiping her eyes and cheeks. “I’m glad to see you.”

The vice around his chest eased. He tucked a curl behind her ear and trailed his finger along her jaw to her chin. “I’m happy to see you too.”

What he wanted was to kiss the tip of her red nose and settle on her lips. Wrangling his urges into submission, he tugged her closer and wrapped his arms around her.

She cuddled into him, wriggling her ass across his lap. He gritted his teeth against lust’s fiery demands. Then she stiffened and leaned away.

She tilted her head. “You didn’t think I would let you in.”

“I hoped.” He ran his gaze over her and cupped her cheek to stroke her chin with his thumb. “You’ve lost weight. Pizza?”

She smiled. “Bribery?”

“No, hungry.” He grinned.

“Why did you come, Rhys?”

His breath hitched. “I thought we might eat first before you hit me with the hard questions.”

He gripped her hips, then fell back, sprawling along the length of the couch. She squealed when she splayed across him, but he rearranged her until she nestled against his chest.

“You sounded alone, scared, sad. I was too worried to sleep.” He hoped the dark circles under his eyes confirmed this.

“Oh. Where are my manners? Coffee, tea?” She twisted to meet his gaze.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to hold you a little longer.”

Her cheeks flushed pink, now matching the fading glow of her nose. But she said no more, just rested her temple on his shoulder.

“Need me to do anything for you?”

“No. I tackled Dad’s study and their bedroom this afternoon.” She released a shuddering breath. “I was doing so well until I found the stack of photo albums.” With a flick of a finger, she gestured to the bookshelf lining one wall. A few minutes later, she sketched invisible circles on his shoulder.

“Okay, spill.” He laughed when she snapped her head up to meet his gaze.

“I have a job interview.” She scrambled away to remove an orange card from her back pocket. The bandage around her hand snagged his focus. “It’s in Inner City.”

He growled and grabbed the card, blinking at the colorful lettering: Heartstone Pediatrics. Unable to stop the slow spread of a smile and the warmth engulfing his chest, he crushed her in a hug. “This is…wonderful.”

“Thought you might like that.” She squeezed and released his biceps with her nails grazing him through his jacket. “I’ll need your help finding a place to stay.”

“That’s sorted. I—”

“Of my own, Rhys.”

He laughed and pinched her chin. “I have cabins. You can pick one.”

“Oh.” Her cheeks flamed pink again. This time, he caved and pressed his lips to the faint glow, relishing the softness of her skin.

“Now explain the bandage.” He leaned back to scoop her hand into his.

“I sliced my palm.” She shrugged, but it was stiff, indicating there was more to the injury than an accident. “I’m doing research.” On a slow sigh, she slid off him. “I tested my blood this morning, hoping to document what effect Dane’s blood had on mine.”

“And?” Rhys tugged her beside him to unravel the bandage.

“It’s like a newborn’s.” She bounced, excitement flowing off her wide smile and sparkling eyes. “I mean, if we can discover the healing gene in your blood, we can help children with cancer.”

His breath caught, and he stilled, staring at the neat gash across her palm. “Ilona, I—”

“I know I’m asking for much, for trust. I would never exploit shifters or—”

He silenced her with a kiss, the intense emotion flooding his chest demanding he succumb, to taste her and absorb her essence, her very soul. “It’s a noble cause,” he whispered, resting his temple against hers.

She blinked, her eyes wide. “You’re not upset?”

He shook his head, bit his thumb, and swiped his blood across her palm. She froze, her shoulders stiffened, then she moaned in a decadent huskiness. He hardened in an instant.

“Rhys.”

His name on her tongue drew a shudder from him with his nipples pebbling in reaction.

“Wow. With Dane, his blood had burned like the fires of hell.” She curled her fingers and opened them while staring at her cut. “Yours… Yours aroused me. How is—?”

He dragged her onto his lap and snatched another kiss, unable to resist rubbing his lips across hers, flicking his tongue out to taste her bottom lip, to test its texture. Groaning, he delved in, swiping across her tongue, relearning the crevices of her mouth.

She kneaded his shoulders with her small hands, calling him from the depths of desire to reality. He crushed her to him, pinning his cheek to her temple on a muted growl.

“I didn’t come here to make love to you, Lona, but if you don’t stop wiggling that sexy ass of yours…”