Hmm. So much for that idea.
“Wait, what did you use of mine? To find me?” I asked.
Victoria’s twisted smile returned. “At least something good came out of you wearing all my clothes. But I have to say … you shed like a dog. All I needed was a strand.”
“You used strands of my hair?”
“Try hairballs.”
“Knock it off, you two,” Cord said, eyeing me. “You still haven’t explained how you cured your pet hybrid. And your story better be good, because I drove across the country to hear it.”
I stood and faced them. My gaze flickered over them one by one, each waiting for my explanation. Behind them all, Professor Flaherty nodded at me, and further back, shadowed by the open door, Astor stared at me, unblinking.
“I gave him my blood,” I said, rushing on amidst raised eyebrows, needing to get it all out. Especially with Astor staring back at me like this was some sort of test, some big moment. “I let Astor draw it and transfuse George with it.”
“Why your blood?” Cord asked, making the words sound like a challenge.
“Because it’s a mixture of both. My blood is the balancer for the hybrid serum. It allows the human side to control the animal.”
“Is it something you could do with the other hybrids?” Victoria asked.
“Probably. If they’d sit still long enough.” I frowned. Did that mean I’d bond with any of them I tried to heal? I hadn’t felt any different toward George yet.
“Maybe we could get them to come back,” Victoria said. We all knew who she meant.
“It sounds like they didn’t want to be helped.” Logan’s tone was gentle but Victoria’s face fell and she nodded. I didn’t bother correcting him.
I sucked in a breath, looking specifically at Alex. Too afraid to look away, terrified of what I was about to see reflected back at me. “There’s something else. I’m immune to metal.”
“What are you talking about? How is that possible?” Cord asked. I could hear the skepticism, the suspicion in her voice, but I held Alex’s gaze a moment longer.
Shock flooded his features, but it didn’t last long. Behind it was an expression that could only be worry.
I scanned the faces in front of me. Professor Flaherty, her hands folded in front of her, watched serenely. Cord stared at me, her expression a mixture of disbelief and awe. Logan, and Victoria, who’d stopped sniffling to give me the evil eye she was so good at. Astor, still hunched in the shadows just outside the door. His eyes sparkled with mischief; he was enjoying the show. And Wes, blinking rapidly over and over again, as if struggling to process the words. Our eyes met.
Then Cord recovered, and so did Logan and Victoria. They all began talking at once.
“I don’t believe you,” Cord said, though her tone implied she was on the fence. “It’s not possible.”
“How exactly does it work?” Logan asked. He didn’t wait for my answer before he began listing scientific possibilities that sounded foreign to me.
And Victoria: “Your blood can work on any hybrid?”
“Yes.” I answered her question since it was the easiest. They all continued to chatter, more to speculate amongst themselves than demand a response. I ignored them and turned to Wes. “You’re freaking out,” I said.
He looked at me like he’d forgotten I was there. “You’re serious. About all this.”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“Astor tested me. I passed,” I said, simplifying it. At some point I’d explain to him how my dad had given me a secret formula to make it all possible. Maybe by then, I’d understand it myself. Wes nodded, still looking lost.
“Astor, can you come in here?” I said.
It took a moment for them to notice him hovering in the doorway. He wore flannel pajama pants and his usual slippers, but over his T-shirt he wore a lab coat that at one time must’ve been white. Now, it was tie-dyed, splatters of red, blue, green, yellow, and every color in between.
“Painting again?” I asked.
“Chaos is good for the soul.”
I laughed. Cord looked at us like we were crazy. “Logan, there’s someone I want you to meet.” I waited until Logan came up beside me and then made introductions. “Astor, these are my friends, Alex, Cord, Wes, Victoria, and Logan. Logan’s very interested in your metal stuff—what’s it called?”
“Metallurgy,” Logan provided, extending his hand. He stared at Astor like I might an ice cream sundae. “It’s an honor, sir. I’m a huge fan.”
“A fan, huh?” Astor shook Logan’s hand and then wiped his palm on his pants, as if the whole thing grossed him out. “What, in particular, are you a fan of?” The question was meant as a challenge, but Logan answered without hesitation.
“For one thing, your theories about analytical chemistries and how it relates directly to extractive techniques. I did a term paper on the differences between liquid and gaseous leaching, and I think your paper on raw and precious metals is spot on.”
“You read that dusty paper? I wrote that thing twenty years ago,” Astor said, though he looked slightly pleased.
“Twenty years ago or twenty minutes,” said Logan with a shrug, “doesn’t matter. It’s still the most forward-thinking theory on metal stimulation and second spirit domination I’ve ever heard.”
“Huh. You just might be able to carry on an intelligent conversation. Unlike these nitwits. I’ve had to explain everything eighteen times till Sunday with them. Come on.” Astor turned on his heel and headed for the door. Logan looked back and forth between Victoria and me like he didn’t know what to do next.
“Go,” I said, waving him out.
“Logan?” Victoria pouted.
“Take her with you,” I said.
“I’ll find you in a bit,” Professor Flaherty told Logan as he left. Victoria hurried after them.
“That guy’s the one who told you about your immunity to metal?” Cord asked when they were gone. “He seems like a real stable character. You sure he’s for real?”
“He knows about metal. He’s the one who discovered how it works in the first place. He used to work for CHAS.”
“And he doesn’t now because …?”
I scowled at her. I knew she wanted me to say he was insane. I wasn’t going to. Not to her, especially now that I’d seen the real Astor, the one behind the mask. “Because CHAS is stupid. And more concerned with killing Werewolves and stamping out the technology that would save them from your weapons, than hiring the smartest and the best.” I caught Professor Flaherty’s eye as I said the last part.
“Are you saying they fired him because he figured out how to make all Werewolves immune to metal?” Alex asked.
I nodded, trying and failing to read his face. He seemed to believe everything I was saying, and he hadn’t stormed out or looked at me with loathing as I’d expected. “Yes, they fired him and then stole his research. He’s never quite been able to recreate it since his partner was killed.”
“That girl who died was his partner,” Cord said slowly, as if putting it all together.
I nodded again, but didn’t offer any more of the story. It wasn’t mine to tell. At the back of the room, Professor Flaherty’s lips were pressed tightly together. She wasn’t offering it, either.
“Immune to metal …” Cord walked to the loveseat and sat, sprawling her legs straight out in front of her and slouching against the cushion. She rubbed her hands over her face and for the first time, I noticed the dark circles lining her eyes. She looked tired, but more than that, she seemed exhausted from the inside.
Bailey. I’d been so wrapped up in George and what was happening here that I’d barely even thought of him. He’d been gone, what, a week? And I’d already forgotten. What kind of person forgot someone so fast? Cord obviously hadn’t. I knew she wouldn’t ever.
I put my hands on the back of the empty chair in front of me, not quite brave enough to sit next to her. “The metal immunity can save
others like him, you know,” I said quietly.
She jerked her eyes to mine, knowing instantly who I referred to. I sucked in a breath, waiting for her to scream at me. She didn’t.
“You’re right. Everyone deserves a shot,” she said. “Especially when it comes to CHAS. They’re corrupt and bloodthirsty. Which is saying a lot coming from me.”
I didn’t argue with her. At least Cord only killed those who deserved it. Like Miles. Somehow, that actually made her better than CHAS. Definitely better than Gordon Steppe.
“What are you going to do with this, Tara?” Alex asked.
I didn’t answer him right away because honestly, I wasn’t sure. For the first time, the pressure of leadership that Wes was always talking about weighed on me. It seemed the harder I fought against it, the more I was propelled into leading a cause I wasn’t even sure I stood for yet.
“I think we should figure out who this Olivia person is and then we’ll talk. One problem at a time.”
They all nodded, even Professor Flaherty, and I couldn’t shake the feeling a group had just formed.
I stared at Wes, wanting to say a million different things, none of which involved an audience.
“Well.” Professor Flaherty unclasped her hands and the energy shifted. Cord rose from the love seat. The meeting was over. “Cord, Alex, I’m going to check on a few things. If you like, I’ll show you to your rooms.”
They both grunted something resembling a “yes” and filed out.
Cord stopped in front of me, her face a hard mask. “You fixed your friend,” she said in a hard voice. Her chin rose and fell so quick, I wasn’t sure what it meant. “Nice job.” Then she left.
Neither Wes nor I moved, even after the room had emptied. My hands balled into fists at my sides. I pumped them open and closed, needing to channel my nervous energy. I waited for him to say something, anything.
“It’s a lot more than just fixing George,” he said finally.
“You’re telling me,” I mumbled.
“It’s a lot, Tara.”
“I know.”
He held his arms out and I practically fell into them. I leaned my cheek against his shoulder and he swayed gently side to side. His hand smoothed my hair. “Everything feels better in this position,” I said. He didn’t answer. “Are you still freaking out?”
“Maybe. Aren’t you?”
“Yes.” I straightened so I could look up at him. “But not in the way you think.”
“What way is that?”
“The way you’re probably freaking out. As in, how did we not know this? What do we do now? What else has Steppe covered up? Stop me when I get one right.”
His lips curved. “None of those things bother you?”
I pulled away to pace. I didn’t want to end the contact—his arms around me were a steady strength—but I needed to move, especially to tell him this. “Do you know why I don’t want anyone to know I can shift?”
“Because you’re scared of what they’ll think of you.”
“It’s more like I’m scared of what I’ll think of myself.”
“You already know you’re a Dirty Blood. It doesn’t get much worse than that.”
“Doesn’t it?” I stopped and faced him. The laughter in his eyes faded as he realized how serious I was. “If I can shift, become both a Hunter and a Werewolf, when no one else can—that means something. If my blood can heal a hybrid, give them their humanity back, it means everything Vera said about me is true. I’m special, different. And finding out about this metal thing, that I’m immune, it only makes what she said more real. Is it like she said? I’m supposed to bring peace? Because I have no idea how to do that.”
“Even if it does mean something, that you’re a part of a bigger purpose or whatever, you have nothing to be afraid of, Tara. You can handle it, whatever it is.” He closed the distance between us and cupped my face in his hands. His eyes were deadly serious. “You are capable of anything. Whatever you set your mind to. There’s no reason to be afraid. Even if all of those things are true, you being a Werewolf, or immune to metal, or whatever—if you don’t want it, I’ll walk away with you. We’re in this together.”
“You would do that? Walk away?”
“Of course I would. Doing something just because you feel like you have to or you’re supposed to, that’s not destiny. Destiny is doing something because you know you couldn’t do anything else.”
“For me,” I whispered, “that’s you.”
He smiled a slow smile, transforming his features and shifting them from determined to triumphant. “Being in love with you is more than I ever thought possible. You’re my family, my soul mate, the one I was made for. I’m not going anywhere,” he said as his mouth met mine.
The kiss was soft and deep, a perfect match for the words he’d spoken. It was a promise of forever. By kissing him back, I’d accepted his promise. Still, reality crept in at the edges, inching me back well before I wanted to. He didn’t argue, only raised his hand to smooth my hair and waited for me to go on.
“I could never run, you know,” I said. “Not because it isn’t tempting, but because I can’t outrun me. If it were only about facing CHAS, stopping them, or changing them, I’d do it. In a second. Or I’d try. Facing myself is a different story. How can I demand they accept me when I don’t know who I am?”
“I can’t answer that for you. I can only tell you what was told to me by someone very wise: ‘Your blood doesn’t define who you are. Your choices do.’”
“Who said that?”
“Fee.”
“Very wise,” I agreed.
“No one said you had to rush into anything, and no matter what you decide, you have me. You’re not alone.”
“I know. Thank you.”
“One step a time, right?”
“Right. And I think the first step should be to test you against the metal.”
“You think I’m immune as well?”
I shrugged. “Our parents were friends. I wouldn’t put it past them to experiment on both of us.”
“Good point.” He rubbed his chin. “Skills, huh? So if I’m immune too, does that mean I have no metal skills or mad metal skills?”
I laughed and took his hand, leading him toward the door. “I think Cambria’s vocabulary is rubbing off.”
I paused at the doorway and stared up and down the hallway, trying to remember the way to the lab.
“You know where we’re going, right?”
I bit my lip and chose a direction. “Right,” I said. I really needed to mention my idea about color-coding the carpet.
“I do have one question, though,” he said, as we walked. “Did you really have no idea Alex was coming?” His brow rose but there wasn’t any force behind the words. Still, I groaned.
“He really did show up just before you. I had no idea he was coming.”
“I believe you,” he said.
I narrowed my eyes. “You do?”
“Sure, but you had to know when you asked him to lie for you that he’d come.”
I stopped walking. We were at a fork in the hallways and I had no idea which way to go.
I stared at him, unable to keep the defensive note out of my tone. “I didn’t expect to ever see him again, actually. He had his place with Kane.”
He shook his head, his lips curving. “You don’t know anything about guys. He was coming to see you from the second you called. I don’t care how much he loves killing Werewolves.”
I frowned. I didn’t want to argue—about Alex, especially.
“It’s all right,” he said, catching sight of my expression. “I told you, I’m not mad.”
I tilted my head. “You’re not playing nice about this because you’re afraid to fight in front of Alex, are you?” I said. “Because you said you’re not mad. So you can’t be mad later, either.”
“Relax. I’m not playing nice because of Alex,” he said. “Not completely, anyway.” I glared at him and he laughed and pulle
d me against him. His lips moved against my ear and when he spoke, his breath left chills where it slid down my neck. “Mostly, it’s because I can’t stand to be in the same room with you and not touch you,” he whispered. “Being angry is counterproductive to that goal.”
I shivered as he pressed his lips against my neck, then lower, against my collarbone. Then lower, moving my shirt out of the way to kiss my shoulder, then lower still …
My back hit the wall with a thud, the heated tingling vibrating through me at his touch. My control slipped and passion rose like that day at the lake …
“Wes, we’re in the hallway,” I managed to whisper.
He sighed and the pressure of his mouth against my neck disappeared. “Dammit. We pick the worst places for this sort of thing.” He stepped back and swept his hair away from his forehead. “All right,” he said grudgingly, “which way to the lab?”
“I don’t …” My words faded away as a strange sensation washed over me.
I looked around, instinct telling me we were no longer alone. I expected to find Mathias lurking, but the hallway was empty.
“What is it?” Wes asked. His expression quickly went from curious to concerned.
“I don’t know. I thought someone was there,” I said. The feeling in the back of my mind exploded. I squeezed my eyes shut against a searing pain in my skull.
“What is it?” Wes repeated, alarm in his voice now.
My heart raced from the pain. I closed my eyes against the sudden glare of the light. “I don’t know. My head hurts,” I managed.
“What can I do?”
His voice sounded loud, like the beating of a bass drum. I winced.
“I need to sit.” I slid down the wall, eyes closed, and pulled my knees in, trying to block out the glare that burned my eyes through my lids. I could feel Wes hovering in front of me, his fingertips brushing over my legs.
The stillness reverberated, a beat that pulsed and pounded against my skull. Underneath it all was the presence of something.
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