TheHealers (26 page)

Alexander was the head Guard at the Conservatory. He was the best of the best. The fact that he would be assigned Guard detail on me said something. There were a lot of things he still had not told me. Maybe he knew more about me than I still knew. Suspicion plunged its way into my veins. Focus. I needed to focus on how crucial my abilities could be in this rescue. My ability to sense the Hunters was uncanny. I was their best bet at an alarm system. The distance of my radar had not been tested, but surely any warning was better than waiting for face to face contact.

Alexander finished talking and I jumped up to stand with him. Scared and frightened were not going to be words used to describe me.

We descended onto the grounds toward Iostus’ office. Immediately I noticed the formation the Guards took around me. I shifted my head to Alexander in question and he started speaking softly.

“Everyone has not been made aware of the specifics of your powers, but they do know that keeping you alive could save many, many lives.” His eyes shifted around in a militant gaze that seemed commonplace on his face.

“Why would I need protection here? I thought the Conservatory was safe. Marissa said that magic users cast spells to keep this place protected.” I wanted to feel safe
—
please, help me feel safe again
.

“I don’t know all the details yet, but Shane was told there was a breach in one of our safe houses.” The hurried pace of our walk made it hard for me to breathe and talk at the same time.

“Breach? What does that mean?” Urgency spilled from everyone’s face, but no one around us spoke.

“There was an attack at one of our safe houses. The Guards are the only ones that know those locations. We need to get in and heal the dying ones and keep away any more Hunters that are thirsty for their blood.” Vengeance colored his tone. I understood now.

We had a leak among us. Gazing around the Guards that surrounded me, I wondered if the wolf watched now. The cold trickle of reality settled over me.

It could be anyone.

The comfort I had taken for granted in my short time here melted away. Left in its place was fear. I glanced sideways to see Alexander slow down his pace to make sure we were together. Our hands gripped each other tighter and power surged through me. He was my protector, he saved me. I would take comfort in him. This burned with real emotions unlike any other human interaction in my life. I would do anything for him and our people. Calmness settled over me as I realized I had to go on this mission. This is what I had been born for. A little bit of pain sliced through me at knowing the reason for these attacks most likely involved me. It was a good thing my parents had gotten rid of me. They had tried to protect our people and now my coming back made it worse. I had to help stop this.

The long silent walk came to a halt in front of the building that housed Iostus. At that moment I wondered why no one had been out on the grounds when we paraded across the yard. It was eerily quiet in a place usually filled with calm, busy voices.

“Where is everyone?”

“They’ve gone into lock-down mode. We need to keep everyone else safe and we still don’t know where the leak came from.” Shane was the voice that responded to me. It was then I noticed he shielded me on the left while Alexander was on my right. Nothing could get through those two men.

Iostus stepped out of the front door to meet us on the covered area in front of the building. His gaze locked with Alexander’s and then a swift nod to the others.

“The time has come. You are divine in your skills and I have no doubt you will bring our Healers home. I am sending a Healer for every four Guards. I don’t know the extent of our wounded but I want to be prepared for the worst. Have all your teams been assembled?” Strength in his voice commanded. It was clear why this was the leader we would follow.

“We are ready, Iostus.” Confidence laced Alexander’s tone. I could feel the strength he was projecting to us all. We needed it.

“The vehicles are ready, your Guards may go.”

Silence. No one moved and no one spoke. Alexander’s voice broke the silence.

“Layna will stay with us. She needs all of our protection right now. I cannot consent for them to leave without us. Especially, when we don’t know where the traitor is.” The formation that caged me stayed in place.

“You need me.” It was my voice, but it still shocked me. “I saw Marissa today, Iostus.” Surely, he knew what I implied. There was no way I would get specific in this crowd, but I wanted him to know I had not lost my mind. I was capable of helping. If Marissa was right, they couldn’t do it without me.

Iostus carefully eyed Alexander. The pressure of the decision was apparent in his strained jaw. Black silky strands of his hair fell wispy on his ears. I was so absorbed in staring at Iostus, it was an interruption when Alexander spoke.

“Teams one and two get to the vehicles right away and wait for my next instruction. Shane and Talon, stay with me.” He had chosen his two best. Talon intimidated the hell out of me, but I was able to appreciate his choice. Long and slender, but lethal. God help any man that tried to seduce her. He might end up bloody and swollen on the floor. Although, there were some guys that were into that.

Alexander wrapped his arm around my waist with an air that radiated possession.

“I can’t leave her. She won’t be safe enough.” That angered me. I was going to protect everyone else, not to be protected.

“That’s not what this is about, Iostus, and you know it. This is why you searched for me, sent Alexander to find me. Let me do what I was born to do.” The words were mine but they still tasted foreign as they came off my lips.

Iostus cupped his hands around my cheeks. Alexander bristled next to me. Why did Alexander insist on believing every man that touched me was out to invade my panties? It was ludicrous.

“You are so much more than just that, Layna. I would not risk your life to save others. This is your home and you belong with us. I want to take care of you.” Soft words kissed my ears. It would be simple to stay here where it was safe. I leaned in to press my lips onto his cheek.

“I am a strong Healer. At the very least I need to try and help them. I can’t stay.” I stepped back towards Talon. “Let’s go.” Silent prayers for her to give me some much needed female support amongst this group of highly strong men.

Talon and I walked a few paces before she spoke.

“I respect what you’re doing. It’s normal for them to underestimate your abilities because you’re not a man. Most of them are too smart to do that to me anymore. I’ve seen you fight with Alexander and I’m not blind to what I saw. You can fight and you can heal. Let’s go kick some ass. I, for one, am glad to have you on our team.” This girl was badass. She reminded me of someone else who could do some damage. Where was Scyrus?

“Is Scyrus coming with us?”

“She’s in one of the other vehicles with team two giving us support.” That gave me comfort. I was pretty confident Scyrus was not the traitor. If there was a traitor among us, wouldn’t I be having visions of the serpents? Or was that only when I came close to Hunters? Uugh! I wish I’d had more time to talk to Marissa or anyone that could guide me through understanding all my quirks.

Talon and I stopped at the vehicle we would be riding in with Shane and Alexander. It looked exactly like the vehicle that Alexander had brought me to the Conservatory in. Black, big, and truck like. I was still unable to label it with a name of a car I was familiar with.

I caught his scent before he reached me. It was wild and untamed, laced with rough man. Nothing about his smell allowed me to stay away from him for even a moment. Just as my body angled back I was clutched to his hot and sculpted body.

“When this is over, I’m going to strip you naked and gorge on you until I pass out.” Fire burned up my thighs from his words that came to my ears alone. My hand clutched onto his chest and the breath caught in his lungs. It was beautiful to me to see the reaction I incited in this man. His body towered over me for a moment and then leaned in to capture my mouth. Those warm lips crashed onto me without any apologies. His rough tongue brushed over, forcing my lips to part and take his tongue into my mouth. It licked and probed demanding that I give him every part of me. So close. I was on the edge of doing just that.

Chapter Twenty-five

Alexander
and I sat in the back seat with Talon and Shane in the front. Of course, Shane drove. I think he was a little too dominant to allow Talon the wheel, unless he was dying, of course.

“The coordinates are not that far from here.” Shane’s eyes spoke something else to Alexander through the rear-view mirror.

“Why don’t you just tell us what the hell you mean, Shane? We can all hear you.” I didn’t understand the point of keeping secrets now.

“He’s trying to say that they’re close. Isn’t that right?” From the look on Shane’s face, Alexander’s words rang true. Why didn’t I realize it sooner?

“Are they at our Vineyard?” Panic gripped my muscles as I thought about Irena and Trevor and the safety they had given us there.

No one answered me.

I grabbed onto Alexander’s shirt with both hands and demanded.

“Tell me the truth.”

“It’s on their property. I’m not sure if they were hurt or not. I do know that it seems like the Hunters are tracking you.” Right there in his lap I crumbled. Tears were streaming down my face, but I did my best to control the sobbing. I only hoped Talon and Shane couldn’t hear.

“Look at me, Layna. You are my life.” Alexander pulled me into his lap. “You belong to me now and I won’t let anyone else have you.” Soft touches wiped tears from my face. “I’ve still got a lot of plans for our life together, don’t leave me. You have to fight and stay with us. You are a fighter, I see it growing in you everyday. When we find them, this will be over.” I clung to the power in those words and it calmed me. We were going to get out of this. There was no way the world would be cruel enough to show me such love and devotion from a man and then take it away. At least I hoped not.

Trees and cattle blurred through the window as we flew by. I pondered a nice life in the middle of the country. Lots of grass and a ranch style house. I took another look at the people in the car and shuddered as I doused that dream with cold water.

“What’s going to happen when we get there?” I knew we were close from my recollection of the drive to the Conservatory I had done with Alexander.

“Our first job is to make sure that the Hunters are gone. Normally, we would have to hunt them out, but you should be able to sense their presence when we get there.” Talon and Shane both shifted their bodies simultaneously at those words. Well, now they knew. I had known it had to come out eventually.

“What if I sense them? What if they’re still there?”

“Then we take em’ out.” Conviction and Shane’s slight southern dialect filled the car.

Alexander reached behind us to pull out a black heavy duty box. This I was familiar with. The box popped open to reveal the metal behind this mission. It was a fine looking tac gun. Instinctively, my hand went out to touch. This was a serious weapon. Sig’s were carried by some of the most elite shooters and they never missed their mark.

“You are staying in the car, Layna.” These words came from the man next to me.

“What? How can you even be serious?” My hand continued to stroke the metal. I had never shot an X-5 tac gun, but I was sure thinking about how that would feel now. Confusion cascaded around me, Alexander wouldn’t leave me. He would always protect me. I needed to be with him to be safe.

I was about to start arguing my point some more when the vehicle started to slow down. We were close to the property line. No visions yet. I met Alexander’s eyes and he knew as much.

“All seems well.” I spoke for the Shane and Talon’s benefit.

Alexander passed out the weapons to everyone but me. He gripped the sig in one hand and pulled on my hand with the other.

I spoke words for his ears alone while Talon and Shane talked strategy. “You can’t leave me. I have to be with you.” Shame poured itself over me in waves, but self preservation still came out on top. I had never bared myself to another man like this, but I needed him. It broke me open in a surgical way and I still begged. “Please. Stay with me or let me come with you. I need you.”

His gaze on me wavered against his strength. Alexander saw the way I weakened myself by pleading and knew that I did it anyway.

“I have to go. These are my soldiers. How would I send them into battle alone?” His words lay on deaf ears. I only wanted to hear we would be together.

“You don’t have to send them alone, take me with you. Don’t leave me.” Indecision crossed over every line in his face. I knew he contemplated it, but then determination crossed over those sexy dark brows and I lost. He would leave me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call you for help with James. I promised I wouldn’t do that again. We go together, remember?” I closed my fingers over his and glanced out the window. All the cars waited behind us for direction. I sat back, waiting for the inevitable. He would leave me behind. If he felt the way I did, how would he be able to function without seeing me and knowing I was alright? Doubt percolated its way into my heart. Maybe my feelings were more intense, and he could live without me.