Page 10 of Resolve
I almostlost her.
Blood pounds in my ears, drowning out everything but the hammering beat that calls on my demons. A haze of numbness seeps through my skin, settling in my chest as the need to spill blood becomes a driving force within me, making my muscles twitch and tremble to act on it. To kill anyone who threatens her. To seek out Charles and burn him alive. Even if he heals, I’ll do it over and over again. I won’t stop until he’s so tired from the pain that he purges Kell’s gift so he can finally end the suffering.
As soon as she’s in my view, my vision tunnels until all I see is her. Her expression is peaceful as she lies half in and half out of the tide pool. I crouch beside her, scooping her into my arms and holding her so tightly that her heat sears through her clothing and my shirt to scald my chest and arms. I don’t have my hoodie to protect me this time, but I welcome the pain. It cuts through the apathy and pins me to the present moment.
I have her.
She’s safe.
Lifting her, I bury my face into the crook of her neck where her pulse thumps steadily, then breathe her in on a long inhale.
The crunch of boots snaps my attention up. I tighten my hold on Raegan as a small burst of wind curls and spins protectively around us, stirring her hair and mine.
Reid pauses when he notices the breeze, his steely gaze taking us in before meeting mine. “Ready?”
I release the surrounding air and nod just as the others round the boulder to join us.
“Bring us straight to the Loft,” Kellan directs, still holding Aiden whose face has color and is breathing more noticeably. Good.
“Unless you have a picture of it, we’ll have to land in the elevator,”Reid replies.
“Close enough.”
“I’ll call Cibrina to meet us there,” Dane offers, lifting his already-ringing phone to his ear. “We got them. Meet us in the Loft.”
Reid holds out both arms. “Grab on.”
A second later, the elevator bounces beneath our sudden weight as the world tilts. I use my gift to keep myself upright while Kellan shoulder-checks the wall to avoid falling with Aiden. Dane and Cassandra each manage to right themselves without falling and then Dane shifts to the control panel to bring us to the Loft floor. He handles the security measures to open the doors until we file inside.
Kell lays Aiden down on one side of the U-shaped couch while Cassandra kneels on the floor next to him. “I’ll heal the rest now,” she says, placing her hands on his chest and closing her eyes.
I sit with Raegan curled in my lap, refusing to let her go. Holding her is the only thing keeping me from losing control.
Dane opens the door for Cibrina once she arrives.
“I’m glad they’re both safe. How are they?” she asks, approaching the back of the couch.
“Cassandra said she would be able to heal all of his injuries,” Dane answers. “Rae’s weren’t nearly as bad, but she overdid it with her gift again. They’ll both need time to recover.”
“It isn’t safe in the Tower now that Charles has been here,” Reid remarks, reminding us that Charles can teleport anywhere he’s been before.
Kellan crosses his arms. “He gave the Guild until the end of the month. As far as he’s concerned, Aiden and Raegan are dead. They should be safe up here.”
“I’ll send out a search party for them on the beach. It should buyus more time,” Cibrina adds.
“The safety for the Guild doesn’t extend to Dane,” Reid argues. “He could come back for him.”
Dane makes a sound of frustration and drags his hand through his hair.
Cibrina pinches her chin in thought. “What if we found a way to block his teleportation? And those portals?”
Kellan’s brows raise. “That’d make things a helluva lot easier.”
She nods. “I’ll get to work looking into that as well.”
“We’ll help you,” Tinsley offers, volunteering Reid with her hand on his. He looks less than thrilled but doesn’t say anything to counter her. She’s only just returned from being with GE—and Vera. Raegan knows more about what happened with her, but we haven’t had the time to catch up on those details before the Tower had been attacked. Only Raegan's apparent trust in her after their private conversation is keeping me from reaching for a knife.
Just as Cibrina turns to leave, Dane steps between her and the door. “Wait.” He shifts uncomfortably, gripping his hair in one hand and staring at the floor. “Is Vera... I mean... where...”
