Addict (Hunter #2)(110)

I needed Marcus for now.

And yet, I stared over his shoulder, watching Gray the entire time.





Chapter Twenty-Three



I knocked on the door to the hotel room, knowing damn well who the current resident was.

It took him a moment. A few really. I stood out in the hallway like an idiot before knocking again.

“Gray, I know you’re in there.”

Three days had passed since Abbas Hiberna had attempted his coup. The wolves had been spared thanks to Gray and a couple of halflings who donated blood Henri had mixed with the king’s. They were all healed, though Trent had claimed he’d never been in any actual danger and Quinn had fired too soon. Like I was buying that.

Ether was getting back to normal, but the kids were in lockdown and Donovan was currently reevaluating most of his political decisions concerning the demons.

With the exception of one.

He wouldn’t be moved on the demon he called Stewart or Nemcox.

I was going to have to kill Gray’s brother.

Gray had disappeared shortly after his blood donation, and Jacob had shown up on my doorstep this morning asking me to find him. I was fairly certain the prophet knew where he was and had an agenda sending me out, but I already missed Gray, so I went to the one place I knew he would be.

Gray opened the door. He was wearing a pair of pajama bottoms and nothing else. His dragon tat glowed, and I could have sworn it winked my way. “What do you want, Kelsey?”

So he was in a good mood. I didn’t let it get me down. I smiled at the dragon and resisted the urge to reach out and touch it. So tempting. I’ve come to believe that tat is the pure demon portion of Gray and it’s not evil. Like Jacob said—we make the choice. The dragon is neither good nor evil, but animated by the choices Gray makes every single day. So it wouldn’t be wrong to lean over and kiss the damn thing.

“Jacob’s been looking for you.” It was better than saying I’d missed him.

Gray opened the door wider and allowed me in. “Then Jacob should have come for me himself.”

I entered the room that was so all-fired important to the rest of my life. It was a nice suite, done in earthy tones and with very elegant furnishings. It bespoke of a wealth I would never have, though Quinn had mentioned riches for saving his boy.

I’d turned him down. I did that stuff for fun.

And love. I was kind of learning that saving the people I loved was the ultimate rush.

“So this is the famous room.” I stopped in the middle and took it in. It was the way I’d seen it, though I’ll admit the recollections weren’t exactly perfectly clear. It felt like the right room. This was the room where my life would truly be decided.

“I can’t see it anymore.” Gray sat down on the couch. “I can see everything but my own future. During the transition, I got threads of it, but now it’s all unclear.”

“Jacob told me it would be hard to see your own future. It would hurt.”

“It gives me a migraine that hurts like a motherf*cker and still I try. I was happy here.”

Longing filled me. I couldn’t see their faces now, but I knew my children existed on some potential plane. “I was, too.”

“Not always.” Gray’s head dropped forward. “Kelsey, I’ve done you a grave disservice.”

“We’re all alive. I think we’re good. Though you should know I plan on spanking that Bellamy bastard.” The billionaire with the extra-planar tech had gone underground. Like he wouldn’t pop up again—and when he did, I would give him something he wouldn’t forget. On any plane.

I didn’t mention the fact that I meant to kill Gray’s brother.

Gray’s head came up. “I saw enough during my transition to know how things could go for you. Kelsey, please believe me. I never meant to hurt you.”

I sat down beside him. When I’d left today, I’d told Marcus I was looking for Gray. I didn’t want to lie to my lover. I’d spent more than forty-eight hours with Marcus beside me or inside me and holding me. He’d driven all my stress out, but it was coming back because of this discussion with Gray. “I know that. Gray, I told you I don’t blame you. You’re not your family. No one believes that more than I do. I was raised by a man who hated me. I came here to ask you to come back to Ether with me. The king wants to open talks.”

“The king sent you?”

“Actually, everyone sent me. The king asked me to bring you back. Jacob wanted me to find you. Quinn and the queen would like to thank you. I know your biological family turned out to be crappy, but that’s not the only family we get. We can choose. Jamie would really like it if you came home.”

“Jamie would?”

He was pressing me and I caved. “I want you to come home, Gray.”

“I don’t think I have a home.”

Had he listened to a word I said? “All you have to do is choose.”

He shook his head and turned to me, violet eyes darkening. “I always choose you, Kelsey. You’re my home, but I don’t think that’s what’s best for you anymore.”

“It’s not our time, but I’m starting to believe that there will be a time for us. Gray, I still love you. I never stopped. I love Marcus, too. I don’t know how or why or if any of it lasts, but I’m going to take all the honest love I can get in this world.” I might have to choose one day. Between my love for Marcus and his needs. She was out there. That woman Marcus would die for existed and she wasn’t the queen’s toddler. I’d felt her. Would I love him enough to let him go?