Addict (Hunter #2)(61)

Marcus looked into my eyes, studying them carefully. “I believe the concussion is gone.”

My head was perfectly clear. I was able to think straight and reason. The vampire blood had done its job. It healed everything it could.

Unfortunately, it didn’t bring back the dead things of this world.

“Bella, why are you crying?” Marcus’s hand cupped my cheek. His dark eyes were filled with concern. “It’s all right now. Everyone is well. I want a report on what happened, but otherwise it’s fine.”

I shook my head. There was nothing to do at this point except to show him. I pulled my dead right hand out of my jacket where I’d kept it cradled to my chest. I didn’t need to look at it to know it was completely f*cked, but the sight of it made me nauseous anyway. It was black and withered, as though it had been dead and gone for weeks, not mere minutes.

Marcus gasped as he caught sight of the withered thing that used to be my dominant arm. He never gasped. His breathing was almost always steady as a rock. “What did this to you?”

“Kelsey…” Gray’s eyes were wide with horror. He blanched. He turned to the vampire as though he couldn’t look at me anymore. “Give her more blood. It didn’t work.”

Marcus gently touched my dead hand. Not that I could tell by touch. I was watching him so I knew. His voice was laced with guilt and sadness. “It won’t work. The flesh is dead.” His eyes slid past me to the lieutenant. Now they were coldly furious. “You did not mention you were dealing with a duke of Hell, Lieutenant Sloane. There is only one I know of with the power to freeze objects with a mere touch of his hand.”

“It was one of his servants.” I explained what had happened. The whole time I had stupid freaking tears that wouldn’t stop running down my face. My voice was still shaky as I finished. “He said he had his master’s power. He said something about Jack Frost. Isn’t that some old faery tale?”

The vampire squeezed my good hand in his. “No. That is merely one of the demon’s names. Long ago, he took on the powers of the elements. He specialized in winter. This particular demon is extremely old and powerful. I would never have allowed you in the same city with him had I known he was here.”

“Isn’t killing demons my job?” I asked stubbornly. I didn’t like being told I couldn’t do something even when the effects of the bad idea being discussed were right in front of my face. It was a perverse part of my nature.

“I would never have let him touch her.” Gray’s hands tightened on the wheel.

“You are both children, idiotic children, to believe you can take on one such as him.” His voice was low and controlled, which told me he was truly angry. “I can forgive Kelsey. She’s young. It’s in her nature to be arrogant. She could not have known this could happen. I blame myself. I’ve given her too much latitude. I preferred to be her lover rather than her trainer.”

“It isn’t your fault.” I tried to soothe him. I used my good hand to rub across his neck.

“And I blame you, Lieutenant,” Marcus continued, obviously unwilling to be comforted. “You knew who he was.”

“I can handle him.” Gray slapped at the dashboard. He wasn’t as good at controlling his anger as Marcus. When he turned our way, his eyes were turning violet. “My brother and I can handle Winter and I can protect Kelsey.”

“How can I possibly know this is true? Would you like to give me your brother’s name so I might be familiar with his strengths and abilities? He is a full blood?”

“He is.” Sloane turned onto the road that would take us home. “And you know I can’t give you his name. He’s going by Matthew on this plane for now.”

Marcus huffed, an aristocratic dismissal. “Yet you expect me to trust my Hunter with you? It will not happen. The deal we made previously is done, Sloane. I will be taking my Hunter back to Italy in the morning.”

“Marcus!” I couldn’t leave. Twenty-four hours before I would have given anything to be back in Italy. Now it sounded like the worst idea ever. I couldn’t leave things the way they were. I have a real thing about starting something. I had to finish it.

Something dangerous was going on, and I was the one to deal with it. It was kind of the point of me.

“No,” he said firmly. “I’m your trainer. This is a job I would be hesitant to send a seasoned Hunter into, much less a green girl.”

“Vorenus, I need her.” Sloane sounded almost savage. “Winter is expecting that I’ll bring Kelsey to his house. I can’t walk in there tomorrow without her.”

“You’ll have to handle it yourself.” Marcus’s arm tightened possessively around my waist. “She won’t be here.”

“Do you understand what’s at stake?” Sloane asked in a tight voice.

Marcus shook his head, and he was all arrogance himself. “Lieutenant, you make a mistake if you believe that I care. Do you have any idea the horrors I’ve seen? This world is filled with them. There will always be wars whether it’s humans killing each other or demons slaughtering vampires. I’m finished with all of it. I protect what is mine. What happens to the rest is none of my concern.”

Sloane turned into the parking garage. “You can’t mean that. You can’t mean to take away the best weapon we have to fight him. Do you understand what’s going on? That drug can hurt the entire supernatural world. It might start here, but don’t think it won’t get to you eventually. She has to live in this world, too. It’s her fight.”