by Juniper Hart
He crouched at her bedside, raising her hand to his lips.
“I’m so sorry I let this happen to you,” he whispered. “I should have been there for you, Laurel, but I failed you.”
He inhaled a deep, shuddering breath before continuing.
“Before you came along, I didn’t think I could ever feel like this about anyone, Laurel. You took me by surprise, swept me off my feet, and made me question everything I thought I knew about my life. I’ve been hiding out here, in Iceland, trying to avoid feeling anything, but you found me.”
He choked slightly, the harsh reality of all he was losing slapping him in the face.
“I don’t know what happened or why you were targeted but I promise you I will avenge you. I won’t sleep until I’ve made that witch pay for what she’s done to you.”
A slight commotion in the hall caused him to raise his head but as he scowled at the interruption, the door flew open.
“Get the hell out!” Nicoy hissed at the woman who strode toward the bed, her green eyes flashing with resoluteness as she joined Laurel’s bedside. “Leave us alone.”
“No,” she said flatly. “You get out.”
Unease swam in Nicoy’s stomach as the woman leaned over the bed. She wasn’t wearing a lab coat and she spoke English without an accent.
“NICOY!” Xander howled, rushing into the room. “That’s her! Don’t let her near Laurel!”
Nicoy lunged forward but the witch held up a hand, a field of energy surrounding her as she did.
“Don’t be foolish, boy,” she hissed without pulling her eyes from Laurel’s face. “You’re no match for me. Get them out of here, Dex.”
Nicoy turned in disbelief as a huge man entered the room, but Nicoy was not about to leave his mate in the hands of these two beasts.
With a ferocious snarl, he jumped toward the witch again but once more, he was thrown back.
“Dex!” she snapped with irritation. “Would you please get them the hell out? I can’t work like this!”
“Leave her alone!” Nicoy screamed, rage fueling his body. He might not have been a shifter but there was a superhuman strength overcoming him as he again rushed for the woman. This time, a stream of fire exploded between them, Dex unhinging a massive set of dragon jaws to stop him.
Shock and terror overwhelmed him but Nicoy didn’t stop.
“Nic! NO!” Xander howled as Nicoy picked up a steel tray and whacked it full force at the dragon’s face.
Dex’s eyes simmered with rage and he gnashed his teeth.
“Seriously! You need to leave!” the witch screamed, raising both hands. “That’s enough!”
Two orbs of light shot out, sending Nicoy fully back into the wall, and his head hit the plaster with a thickening thud.
“Laurel!” he cried weakly as he lost consciousness and crumpled to the floor.
20
She floated toward the light, Nicoy’s voice guiding her.
“I love you,” he said. “Come be with me.”
“I’m coming,” she assured him. “I’m trying my best.”
“You need to come faster,” Nicoy said, his smile fading, his words growing more urgent. “There isn’t much time.”
“I don’t understand.”
A frown formed over his face and suddenly, his eyes widened as he let out a scream of terror.
“They’re trying to kill you, Laurel! You need to come to me now!”
A gasp of shock forced her eyes open and Laurel looked about in terrified confusion. She was back at the unit, lying on the sofa.
“Preston! Preston found me and is going to kill me,” she mumbled.
Automatically, her hand reached up to touch the bullet hole. She could feel the tender spot of her shoulder but as she peeled down the hospital gown, she could see that the wound was slowly healing.
Wait, hospital gown? Healing from a silver bullet?
None of it made any sense.
She struggled to sit up, the movement making her head swim.
“I don’t recommend you do that,” a familiar voice offered from behind her. “You’re going to fall back down again.”
“Anatoli!” she choked, whipping her head toward the witch. As the director had warned, the movement forced her back down in a wave of dizziness. “What are you doing here?”
Wariness filled her as she darted her eyes around, looking for Preston.
“Don’t worry about Preston,” Dex offered, stepping into view. “He’s long gone with his tail between his legs.”
Slowly this time, Laurel sat up and peered at the duo in confusion.
“How did you know to come back?” she demanded. “Do you know what he did?”
Dex and Anatoli exchanged a look that she didn’t understand.
“We never left,” Anatoli finally confessed. “We stayed close by.”
More confusion rocked Laurel’s body and the combination of pain and exhaustion was taking its toll on her.
“Why?” she demanded. “Were you spying on us?”
“Actually,” Anatoli chirped, “we were spying on you.”
Disbelief colored Laurel’s face and she glowered at them.
“Why? What have I ever done?”
“Nothing, apparently,” Anatoli said smoothly, rising from her chair to amble into the common area. “My focus was on the wrong scientist.”
“You knew that Preston was up to something all along?” she demanded dubiously.
“I thought it was you,” Anatoli confessed. “I see the error of my ways now.”
Laurel scoffed.
“A little late for that, isn’t it?” she demanded.
“You’re not dead, are you?” Anatoli shot back. “Although that’s in no part thanks to your friends.”
She looked at Dex and shook her head.
“I knew that little jerk knew more than he was saying.”
“Wait, what? What did you do Nicoy?” Panic overwhelmed Laurel and she tried to stand but the effort was too much.
“Laurel, you were shot with a silver bullet and mere seconds away from dying. You’re going to need more than a few hours to heal,” Dex told her dryly. “Just sit down and listen.”
“Not until you tell me what happened to Nicoy!” she yelled, mustering every last ounce of strength she could. “What did you do to him?”
“Those idiots took you to a hospital,” Anatoli grunted. “I was almost too late getting to you.”
Laurel’s mouth parted but no words came out.
He came for me. He tried to save me.
The understanding was bittersweet, not knowing where Nicoy and Xander had ended up overshadowing everything else.
“Where are they?” Laurel managed to rasp. “What did you do to them?”
“They’re fine,” Dex offered, shooting the director a questioning look. “They needed to be restrained while Anatoli worked on you.”
“They seemed to have the impression that I was out to hurt you,” Anatoli conceded. “I can’t imagine why.”
Maybe because you kidnapped Xander, you wretched woman! Laurel wanted to scream but she wisely held her tongue, knowing that Anatoli had saved her life in the end. Even if it’s her fault I was in danger to begin with.
“How much of your research did Preston get?” Anatoli asked. Laurel frowned.
“You’re worried about the research at a time like this?” she spat. “I want to see Nicoy.”
“You can say goodbye to your friends after you tell me what I need to know,” Anatoli said flatly.
“Say goodbye?” Laurel repeated. “What does that mean?”
“Laurel, you can’t stay here. The mission has been compromised now,” Dex explained when the director didn’t. “You’ll come back to the compound and you’ll be reassigned.”
Laurel was aghast at the prospect.
“We can’t leave Iceland without Preston!” she cried. “He might come after me or Nicoy. I’m not going anywhere!”
“We’ll deal with Pr
eston and you don’t need to worry about yourself. Your next placement won’t be anywhere he can find you.”
“I’m not leaving Nicoy and Xander here!”
The look of annoyance on Anatoli’s face was tangible.
“You don’t have a say in any of it, girl,” she growled. “Now, answer my questions before I reverse the healing spell I put on you.”
Laurel’s eyes popped, and she looked helplessly at Dex but the dragon turned his head away. Miserably, Laurel hung her head.
“He didn’t get my research,” she muttered. “I caught him talking to a demon in the woods. The demon was part of the Cabal and buying Preston’s research.”
“I knew someone was selling it,” Anatoli said with a smugness she had no right to possess.
“You thought it was me!” Laurel reminded her.
“You did disappear for two days,” Anatoli snapped back. “What was I supposed to think?”
“That maybe I was hurt?”
“Well, I certainly didn’t imagine that you were shacking up with a mortal,” Anatoli chuckled. “I had higher hopes for you, Laurel.”
“Ana,” Dex said warningly, sensing the fire in Laurel’s expression.
“Right,” Anatoli sighed, turning her full attention back to the injured fox. “What else do you know?”
Laurel’s mouth twitched at the corners.
“I’m not telling you anything else until you let me see Nicoy,” she insisted. Anatoli scowled.
“You’re in no position to negotiate, Laurel.”
“Then I’m not going to tell you what else I learned,” Laurel shot back. “And trust me, you’re going to want to hear this.”
“We should have let her die,” Anatoli grumbled at Dex.
“Ana…” Dex sighed. He cast Laurel a soft smile. “She doesn’t mean that.”
“The hell I don’t. This group of recruits is the bane of my existence. This one falling for a human, the other one selling our secrets.”
Anatoli stared at Laurel, who folded her arms squarely under her chest.
“Fine,” Anatoli glowered. “I’ll take you to your boyfriend but after that, we’re heading out of here.”
Worry seized Laurel at the thought.
“Are you sure I shouldn’t stay?” she insisted. “Preston will come back for me and we can set a trap—”
“You’re not staying,” Dex and Anatoli intoned simultaneously.
“Why not? It’s perfect. I’ll be the bait.”
“The last time you were the bait, you almost got killed,” Anatoli shot back. “Now, if you’re done arguing with me, let’s get us the hell out of this country.”
She didn’t bother to knock on the door. After scampering up the steps, Laurel threw herself into the entranceway and called out to Nicoy and Xander, her weakened state growing stronger with each step.
“Laurel!”
Xander appeared first and Laurel almost collapsed with relief to see him.
“You’re okay!” she cried, embracing him tightly. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”
“You too!” he choked, the emotion in his voice palpable. “We thought you were going to…well, we thought…”
“I know,” she told him gently. “But I’m fine. Everything is fine now. Where’s Nicoy?”
“He’s having a shower,” he said. “That witch and dragon left a nasty bump on his head, but the doctor cleared him.”
Anger spiked through Laurel but she held her smile.
“I’m going to check on him,” she told Xander. The skinny man smiled.
“I think he’ll like that,” he agreed, releasing her.
Not caring that Dex and Anatoli waited for her in the Jeep and had urged her to hurry up, Laurel rushed to the master bedroom with one thing on her mind—being with Nicoy one last time.
As Xander had said, he was still in the shower when she let herself in silently, hastily disrobing to join him in the steamy bathroom.
“Laurel!” he gasped when she stepped in behind him. “I—”
She silenced his words with a kiss, sweeping his muscled body against hers, and savoring the sensation of his slippery skin against her lithe frame.
Their lips intertwined, tongues jutting out to tease as the hot spray of the shower fell over them both, encompassing them in a rain of warmth.
Nicoy’s hands slid along the curve of her body, his hands cupping her breasts as he spun her around to face the glass, hands splayed forward.
“I thought I’d lost you,” he murmured, positioning himself behind her. She arched her back against him, the urgency inside her growing as she willed him inside her. One hand found its way onto her hip and with a gentle thrust, he was part of her again, their forms melding into a perfect rhythm.
Small cries of pleasure escaped Laurel’s lips, her hips meeting his until their movements were hot and frenzied, driving them both to the heights of their release in unison.
With a spasming gasp, Nicoy fell forward, his body still part of hers, and she pressed herself close to him.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he whispered when he’d found his breath. “I was sure that witch had hurt you. I tried so hard to protect you, Laurel, but—”
“You did protect me,” she assured him, slowly turning to cup his face with her open palms. “You got me out of the forest. Preston would have come back to finish me if you hadn’t taken me out of there.”
“What the hell happened out there?” Nicoy asked. “I know you don’t want me questioning your work, but I think I deserve an explanation.”
She nodded.
“Let’s get out of the shower and I’ll tell you everything,” she promised. “You deserve to know the truth.”
Dressed and sitting in the living room, the trio sat back after Laurel’s lengthy explanation.
“Wow,” Xander finally breathed. “You weren’t kidding—this is a lot to absorb.”
Laurel pressed her lips together. She still hadn’t told them the worst part of it all—the part where she had come to say goodbye.
“So, Anatoli is a good witch?” Nicoy asked, sounding mildly perplexed.
“That depends on the moment, I suppose,” Laurel replied shortly. “She’s sneaky and withholds secrets, but I guess she has to.”
Laurel sighed.
“But you won’t like what I have to say next,” she went on. Both sets of eyes were on her.
“What’s wrong?” Nicoy asked instantly.
“I’m leaving Iceland,” she breathed. An identical look of shock covered both their faces.
“You’re what?” Nicoy demanded. “No, you can’t!”
“I don’t have a choice,” Laurel said miserably. “Anatoli is waiting outside for me right now to leave. It’s too dangerous with me here and Preston on the loose. I’ll be reassigned.”
“It’s not dangerous! I’ll keep you safe! We both will!” Nicoy insisted. “Tell her you don’t need to go, Laurel. I almost lost you once. I can’t lose you again.”
Regret and sadness overwhelmed her.
“I know exactly how you feel,” she promised. “And if I could do something about it, I would.”
“You could tell Anatoli to screw herself!” Xander exploded.
“You must know it’s not that simple. This isn’t just quitting a job,” she said softly. “And if I try to break out, who knows what that will mean for you?”
The roommates were silent, processing what she’d said. Despite their indignation, they knew she was right. She had to go.
I shouldn’t prolong the inevitable. I better go before the director comes knocking on the door.
She rose, watching the pained expression in Nicoy’s eyes.
“Thank you for everything,” she told him hoarsely. “In another time or place…”
She faltered, not wanting to fill him with platitudes but not knowing what else to say.
“Wait!” Xander said, hopping up from where he sat. “I have your bag. It has your laptop and a phone in
it.”
A spark of excitement shot through Laurel as she realized that the burner was still in her bag.
We can still communicate, she thought, knowing how severe the punishment would be if she was caught. She just didn’t care. Leaving Nicoy behind was the most difficult thing she had ever done in her life and she knew she couldn’t do it knowing that she might never hear his voice again. Without a word, she found a pen and scrawled the number onto a scrap piece of paper.
“Don’t use this until I tell you it’s safe,” she whispered as Xander returned with her bag. Nicoy swallowed and nodded, embracing her tightly. With great reluctance, he let her go and Laurel gave Xander a hug too.
“I’ll never forget you two,” she promised.
And if fate continues to smile on us, I’ll see you again soon, she thought optimistically.
21
The nights grew longer for Nicoy in more ways than one.
Over a week had passed since Laurel had been again taken out of his arms and the black hole in his heart only seemed to be growing.
He often eyed the phone number she’d given him, the temptation to call and hear her voice suffocating him, but he dared not, lest he put her in danger. He had seen what the director and her minions could do. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Laurel because of him.
She’ll send word when she’s able to talk, he thought confidently but as the days rolled by, he was beginning to lose hope that he would ever see her again.
“I’m going into town for a drink,” Xander told him on Friday night after a grueling day on the fjord. “Want to join?”
Nicoy shook his head.
“Nah. I think I’m just going to read a book and head to bed early.”
Xander eyed him warily.
“You can’t mope around here for the rest of your life, Nic.”
“I’m not moping,” Nicoy shot back.
“I miss her too, Nic, but she wouldn’t want us hanging out here, not living our lives, you know?” Xander pressed. Nicoy gave his roommate a patient smile.
“I’ll go out with you tomorrow night,” he promised. “I’m seriously exhausted.”
Xander accepted the compromise and snatched the keys off the kitchen counter, waving goodbye as he headed out of the house. The moment he left, and silence filled the cabin, Nicoy suddenly wished he’d gone with him.
