by Kelly Meding
“No.” Kismet swallowed hard. “He’s half-human still. The effects were far worse for him.”
Bladder forgotten, I pushed past her, beyond the curtained area, and stalked down the hallway to the patient rooms. Milo was in the first one, Marcus and Phineas the second. The two Therians were both unconscious and looked like they’d been through a war—all kinds of bruising mottled their exposed skin, all kinds of bandages. Wires and IV lines hooked up in several places.
But aside from the external damage, they looked like themselves again and that was everything.
I hesitated at the next door, reluctant to see Wyatt in another hospital bed. The last time had been during his fight against the Lupa virus—a fight that left him forever changed. I still loved the man he’d become, and I would continue to love whoever I found on the other side of that door.
Then Kismet was there, and she opened the door for me. I took a step inside and my heart nearly stopped.
Wyatt had never looked so still or vulnerable or…delicate, than in that moment. His skin was one large bruise, a palette of blues and purples and greens, like he’d been beaten to within an inch of his life. His eyes were swollen shut. Both of his hands were in splits, all fingers bandaged. His IV stand included a bag of blood slowly dripping into his left arm. Even the rise and fall of his chest barely registered.
I eased onto the edge of the bed and brushed gentle fingertips across his lips, the only spot on his body that seemed okay to touch. “I’m here, Wyatt. I’m here, and I love you so much. So much.”
I didn’t expect a reaction, but the lack thereof still hurt a little.
“We did it, babe. We won. Amalie is dead and this thing she began back in April is finally fucking over. We get to have our happy ending, you and me.” Tears stung my eyes, and I swallowed hard against a rising tide of grief. “We get our beach with fruity drinks and no more hunting. No more fighting.”
Nothing.
“How are the Lupa pups holding up?” I asked after a few minutes of silence.
“They’re terrified of everyone, especially other Therians,” Kismet replied, “so we’re keeping them isolated. We’ve brought them food and water, but they won’t touch it.”
“I’ll go see them soon. Maybe it’ll help calm them down.” They’d need to hear from someone they trusted that Wyatt was still alive. “What’s happening in the city?”
“We pulled all of the Coni out because police and news helicopters were crowding the skies. A few injuries but no fatalities.”
“Good. Squads?”
“A dozen or so still on the ground, mostly cleaning up messes and responding to the occasional report, but overall activity is down to almost nothing. It’s as if the moment Amalie died, her minions stopped attacking.”
“Kind of like the goblins when Nessa died. Guess those queen bitches weren’t so different after all.”
“Guess not.”
“How did we do with fatalities?”
“None, thank God. A few serious injuries, and Nevada somehow managed to get arrested for carrying an illegal firearm. Astrid is still strategizing how to get him out of that mess.”
I couldn’t help it. The image of Seth Nevada, a Handler from the original Triads, being arrested by the police made me laugh. That first peel of laughter turned into a giggle fit that had me on the floor, eyes streaming tears, stomach aching from the force of it. At some point, the laughing turned to actual tears.
Kismet sat next to me and squeezed my arm while I worked it through. The release left me more exhausted than ever, but goddamn, I’d needed that. Needed to get out all of the insanity and fear from the last twenty-four hours. It wouldn’t totally go away until all four men in hospital beds were up and back to their old selves, but it was a good start.
“Feel better?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I stared up at the ceiling, too tired to sit back up until absolutely necessary. “Thank you.”
“It’s what friends are for.”
“You know, growing up I rarely had anyone in my corner. No real friends. Not until Jesse and Ash took me under their wings and made me part of their team. After they died I honestly never thought I’d have real friends again. Friends I’d die to protect.” I sat up on a rush of gratitude and respect. “Thank you for being my friend, Gina Kismet.”
Kismet grinned. “Well, considering I did try to blow you up surrounded by vats of gremlin piss, I’m pretty honored to be your friend now, Evy. You were a mouthy pain in the ass as a Hunter, but you’ve become a strong leader. If you and Wyatt really do leave, this organization is going to miss you. So will I.”
I needed to shift gears before this got too touchy-feely. “Hey, we’ll only be a plane ticket away. Plus maybe a puddle-jump to a tiny island.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I kissed Wyatt lightly on the mouth before leaving the infirmary. A Coni female stood at attention outside of the door to our jail area, which had several reinforced interrogation cells. They’d finally been rebuilt after being blown up a few weeks ago. She let me go inside with no fuss. The boys were huddled in the middle of a silver-treated room, staying away from the walls and clinging to each other.
My heart ached for them, so young and terrified. Even if they looked up, they wouldn’t see me because of the two-way mirror. I un-snapped the deadbolts on my side and opened it. All three of them flinched in unison.
“It’s me,” I said.
Three heads snapped up, and their fear shifted into genuine smiles.
“You’re back,” Peter said.
“I said I’d come back for you. It’s just been a long morning.” I nudged at the tray with sandwiches and bottled water. “Please eat. I promise you that it isn’t poisoned. No one would do that.” No one moved, so I picked up a ham and cheese on white and took a big bite. My own hunger kicked it and I ate half the sandwich before putting it back.
The boys exchanged quick looks, then dove for the food.
“Wyatt’s alive, too,” I said while they ate. “He’s very hurt and he has a lot of recovering to do, but he’s alive.”
“And your friend?” Mark asked, so tentative it made me want to cry. “The man I bit? How is he?”
“Fighting. Fighting hard.”
“Will I be executed for biting him?”
“Over my dead body. You were manipulated into an action because you thought John’s life was at risk. I won’t let the Assembly kill you for that, even if I have to smuggle you out of the country.”
“I don’t understand why you continue to risk so much for us,” Peter said.
“You’re part of Wyatt, and Wyatt is a part of me. Hence, we’re part of each other, so I get to protect you from politicians and big, bad were-cats who might want revenge.”
“Revenge?”
“Milo? My friend who was bitten? He has a Felia boyfriend who was really pissed off when he found out what happened. He’s kind of unconscious right now, so we’ve got some time to figure out how to keep him from flipping his shit. Trust me, okay?”
“We do.”
“Good. I’ll be back in a while. I’ve got something else to take care of.”
John surprised me by standing up and hugging me. A very quick one, but it meant the world to me for him to do that. I locked them back in, then made my way toward the dorms.
Not that a shower and change of clothes was on the agenda. One more errand before I could see to myself. The door no longer had a guard, which didn’t surprise me, and the keys were on the floor nearby. I unlocked it and let myself in.
Stephen and Lori Frost were on opposite sides of the room, both of them silent. Stephen put down a newspaper, and Lori dropped a novel someone must have given her to pass the time. I stepped away from the open door. “Time to leave.”
They exchanged a look.
Stephen huffed. “Please tell me you’re ready to be reasonable and see a therapist.”
I cackled longer than necessary because, yeah, not all out of my syste
m yet. “Pal, if I’m going to see a therapist for any reason, it’s going to be for PTSD, not because I’m delusional about my identity. Chalice is dead. I’m Evangeline Stone. I’m not your daughter.”
“Why are you releasing us now?” Lori asked in a timid voice.
“Because me teleporting? The big cats you saw shifting? There’s no sense in hiding it. Through circumstances of someone else’s making, the city is pretty well aware that there are a lot of creatures out there going bump in the night. You won’t be telling a tale any taller than anyone else on the street.”
“Is that what all that noise was?”
“Yup. That was the sound of the shit hitting the paranormal fan. It’s not fair to keep you here anymore. You two have a daughter to grieve, and a new reality to accept. I’ll have someone drive you into the city.”
Lori stood and took a tentative step toward me. “You can’t do it yourself, Chal-Evangeline?”
At least one of them was starting to accept reality. “No, I have business here. Take care of yourselves, okay?”
“I just…please?”
“What?”
She came a little closer, until I could see the grief etched all over her face. A face so much like mine. “I think I accept what you’re saying, honey, but…may I have one last hug? You still look so much like her.”
What kind of cold, dead heart says no to a question like that?
I let Lori hug me for a long time, and she cried a little bit. I patted her back and allowed her to grieve her daughter. Stephen kept his distance, a skeptic until the end. Their marriage might not survive this, and that couldn’t be helped. My life was with Wyatt, not with them.
We practically tripped over Paul in the corridor, and he agreed to drive them—blindfolded, of course—to their hotel. I walked with them to the parking area, then hugged Paul for the favor, because apparently I was in a hugging mood today. Astrid might rip me a new one for releasing them without using the memory potion, but I didn’t care. Their daughter was dead.
It was time for the Frosts to move on.
It was also beyond time for me to take a fucking shower.
Squeaky clean and finally in new clothes, I swung by the cafeteria for a sandwich and water, then ate on my walk back to the infirmary. As our people trickled back in, more and more faces crowded the corridor and mingled in groups. I got a few cheers and congratulations for taking down Amalie that I politely acknowledged as I passed.
Phineas got all the credit on that one, not me. I was simply the mode of transportation.
The sandwich went down fast, and I’d chugged half the water bottle by the time I got to the infirmary. Kismet surprised me by loitering in the hall outside of Milo’s room. The door was shut.
“Dr. Vansis doing an exam?” I asked.
“No.” Her green eyes were wide and, surprisingly, hopeful. “The elves asked to see him in private. Actually, they kind of insisted.”
“Why? They said they couldn’t do anything for Wyatt.”
“I don’t know, Evy, but if there’s a chance they can help Milo I’m going to let them. I still haven’t accepted that Tybalt’s gone. I can’t lose him too.”
“I know. Anyone else awake?”
“Phin woke up for a few minutes. Said a few words, but he’s in so much pain that Dr. Vansis knocked him out again. He’ll sleep for a few hours yet. Marcus is stirring but he’s likely in as much pain as Phin.”
Wyatt was probably in twice as much pain—or he would be when he finally came back to me.
We took turns pacing the hallway, occasionally popping our heads in to check on our guys. Dr. Vansis slipped past us twice to check on other patients in other rooms without a remark. Close to an hour passed before the door to Milo’s room creaked open.
Sorvin exited first, followed by the elf whose name I never caught. Brevin came out last and he approached us with what probably passed for a smile in his world. “Your friend will be all right,” he said.
“He will?” Kismet squeaked.
“How?” I asked. “You couldn’t fix Wyatt’s infection.”
“Wyatt’s physical form had already been transformed by the Lupa virus. We cannot reverse what nature has already created. In your friend Milo’s cause, the infection had not yet won. His immune system was fighting against it, so no permanent damage had been done. My brothers and I were able to isolate and collect the virus, and then contain it within his body. He has a mark now, in the center of his chest.”
I stared, trying to wrap my brain around that. “You turned the Lupa virus into a magical tattoo?”
Brevin nodded. “You are very colorful with your words, Evangeline. You amuse me.”
“Happy to help.”
“As are my brothers and I. We did what we set out to do, and your peoples were instrumental in breaking the Fey’s hold over this world. My kin’s magic will die with us soon. We may as well use it to help for whatever time we have left.”
“Thank you so much,” Kismet said as she dashed past him.
“Yeah, me too.” I followed her into Milo’s room, my heart in my throat, not daring to hope.
Milo was sitting up in bed, his color normal, staring beneath the front of his hospital gown. He dropped it when Kismet threw herself at him for a hug. I ignored her tears, and then I ignored my own tears when I joined them for a three-way, smushing Milo between us.
“I know a big kitty cat who’s going to be so happy to see you,” I said, then kissed his cheek. “Boring old brown eyes and all.”
“I’ll take brown,” Milo replied. “I was so fucking scared of this thing. Not even of dying from it but of having to live with it like Wyatt does. He snarls at Marcus so much. I didn’t…I mean….”
“We know what you mean.” Being half-Lupa could have blown apart the delicate thing that he and Marcus were trying to create.
Happiness and love.
We let him sit up, and it was the best sight in the world. He flexed his bandaged shoulder, then peeked beneath. “Hey, that’s fixed too.”
So was the gash on his forearm, apparently. And the lingering pain from his torture session.
“If Brevin is your type, I’d say he deserves a big wet one for all this,” I said.
Milo laughed. “I feel better than I have in ages, to be honest. And look.” He pulled down the hospital gown, showing off what looked like a cat’s paw inked in brown.
The virus.
“Not how I’d have suggested going about getting your first tattoo, but it works.” I wiggled my eyebrows. “Marcus is going to love it.”
“Can I go see him? Please? I feel fine, I swear.”
“Of course.”
He scrambled out of the room faster than either me or Kismet, and he was already by Marcus’s bed, gently holding one bandaged hand in his, by the time we got there.
“Hey, big guy,” he said. “I defied the odds and got better, so it’s your turn. We got this far. Time for us to see what’s next, yeah?”
I tugged on Kismet’s hand, and we left. Milo was fine, and he deserved some time alone with his guy. Well, as alone as they were with someone sleeping in the next bed. I went to sit with Wyatt for a while. There was absolutely nothing else on earth that I needed to be doing besides that.
And it felt wonderful.
Chapter Seventeen
Phineas was out of his hospital bed and hobbling around the Watchtower corridors less than twenty-four hours after expelling the Tainted, and completely against doctor’s orders. The stubborn ass didn’t surprise me. He wanted in on everything going on, including the decision of six of the Coni warriors—Pike included—to stay in the city.
Aurora was returning to Greece by the end of the week to be with Ava, and when Ava was of age, she would be allowed to decide where she lived. But for Ava’s mother, this city was no longer home.
It no longer felt much like my home anymore, but I kept that to myself.
Marcus sprung himself from the infirmary about eight hours after P
hineas, and I think he only hung around a little longer because he secretly loved the way Milo pampered him—and only left his side for food and personal hygiene reasons.
Not that I could fault Milo his dedication. I did the same thing with Wyatt, by his side as often as possible, reading books and just talking to him. Waiting for him to finally wake up and show me his beautiful silver-flecked black eyes.
On the second day, I left the Watchtower to appear before the Assembly of Clan Elders.
The Voice of the Assembly, a Cania man named Olso, picked me up at noon and drove us east, into a low-rent residential area. Crumbling row homes, weedy front lawns, cars on cinderblocks. He pulled into a parking lot that serviced several discount stores. Everything about this moment was familiar. Months ago, Wyatt and Michael Jenner had accompanied me here to speak to the Assembly for the first time.
Funny how they still met in the exact same location.
I followed Oslo into a flooring emporium. The sharp smell of new carpet and the waxy smell of tiles and wax tickled my nose. Like the first time, we navigated our way through the cavernous space, past rolls of linoleum and shelves of remnants, to the very back. Through a door marked Employees Only. Past a break room that still reeked of cigarette smoke and grease.
To a big gray door marked Private.
The entire way, I’d tried to put out of my mind the reason for this audience. Now that I was faced with it, my pulse raced and my palms went clammy.
I was here to argue for three lives.
Oslo opened the door and held it so I could enter ahead of him. As before, a bright light shined down at me, making it difficult to see the men and women of the Assembly. Many I already knew, but not all of them. And I couldn’t resent them their privacy.
The door shut with a hard clink.
“Evangeline Stone.” Elder Rojay. “This is twice you have come before the Assembly of Clan Elders. A record for a human, as only three others have ever come but once.”
“I am honored that you have given up your time to hear me today,” I said.
“You know why you are here.”
“Yes.”
“The three Lupa you protect were given leniency by this Assembly under the express promise that they infect no more human beings,” a familiar voice said. Deep Throat. He was the Kitsune Elder. “One of them broke that promise two days ago.”
