Page 32 of Dark Destiny: The Fates' Bargain

Julian had patched up Petrov's wound and had taken care of him until they landed in the clan's airstrip. From there, the physicianwent with the chests to the immortals' village, leaving Anita to take care of Petrov's recovery.

"Thank you," she said.

Mattie winced and shifted her weight to her other foot, which meant that her legs were cramping. She'd been sitting for too many hours, and hadn't done her stretching exercises, either because she'd been too exhausted or embarrassed to do them in front of the Guardians. That her right hand was cradled against her stomach indicated that it was hurting as well. It was mostly healed, and despite having been mercilessly crushed by an immortal's boot, it looked whole again. She hadn't regained full range of motion yet, though, and probably never would.

She caught him looking and smiled. "I'm just tired. A shower and proper bed will do me wonders." She flexed her fingers experimentally, wincing again when the motion cost her. "The bones and ligaments have healed, but the pain receptors didn't get the memo yet."

He wanted to ease her pain, and he hoped that the clan would provide him with what he needed to produce more of the salve he'd prepared for her legs before.

They entered the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, it shot up, not stopping anywhere on the way as Robbie had promised. The display didn't show any of the floor numbers they were passing, so Dimitri couldn't tell how high up the penthouse was, and, given that they had arrived after dark, he couldn't estimate the high-rise's height.

As the elevator came to a soft stop, the doors opened into a vestibule that made all four of them gape.

A round granite table dominated the center of the space, its surface reflecting the intricate mosaic patterns inlaid in the marble floor, and atop it stood an enormous vase overflowing with vibrant fresh flowers.

"Look at this." Petrov made a low sound of appreciation. "It's a palace."

"You are getting the royal treatment," Robbie said, pushing open one of the two sets of doors. "This used to be Kian's residence, and across the vestibule is the one that used to be Amanda's. Now that they have homes in the village, we use these penthouses to host important guests."

By now, Dimitri knew who Kian was but not who Amanda was.

"Are we important?" Mattie asked.

"Very," Callan said.

Dimitri didn't know whether he really meant it or was joking. He didn't know many Americans, and he wasn't familiar with their sense of humor.

The living room was even more impressive than the entrance. Leather couches, the kind that looked expensive just by the sheer size of them. Those weren't apartment-sized. The Persian rug that somehow didn't look out of place in all the contemporary decor, and the original modern art on the walls, looked like they cost more than Dimitri had earned throughout his life. Still, none of it, not the furniture, not the art, and not the rug, could compete with what lay beyond.

An entire wall of glass spanned from floor to ceiling, and beyond it was a terrace with a lap pool. Loungers and small tables were arranged in intentional groupings, planters were spilling overwith greenery, and past all of that, spread out beneath a warm night's sky, the lights of Los Angeles stretched to the horizon.

The four of them drifted toward the glass, and one of the Guardians must have remotely activated the sliding doors because they opened soundlessly.

Warm air rolled in, carrying the city's distant hum, and Dimitri stepped out onto the terrace with Mattie's good hand in his.

They stood there for a long moment, letting it settle over them.

It smelled like nothing in particular, warm concrete and chlorine and live plants, and it was one of the best things he had smelled in a very long time.

"Come inside when you're ready," Callan said, from behind them. "We'll show you your rooms."

"Let's go." Mattie tugged on his hand. "We can come back to the terrace later."

"Primary suite," Robbie said, opening a door onto a room that was, by any reasonable measure, the size of the entire lab building back on the island. "This one's Doctor Petrov and Anita's."

"Oh, Jesu." Anita's hand flew to her mouth. "This is like the presidential suite in the hotel, only better."

Petrov looked at Anita and smiled. "Told you I would take care of you."

"Yes, you did." She pulled him into the room.

"There are clothes for you in the closet," Robbie called after them.

"Now you two," Callan said, leading Dimitri and Mattie to another door down the hall.

The room was smaller than Petrov and Anita's, but it was still huge by any standard either of them had lived under before. It was more space and more comfort than they'd ever had.

"There's a closet through there." Robbie gestured. "It's also stocked with clothing for you both."