The Viper's Nest (Kit Davenport #4)(12)

But knowing she didn’t need my help didn’t affect the magic in me. It wanted to heal her and didn’t understand the concept of secrecy. I’d noticed this happening back at Omega with all the “accidents” that kept happening. Each time someone was injured, it was like I acted on sheer instinct. The magic wanted to restore all supernaturals to their rightful place in the world, and it seized every opportunity it could.

“Wes,” I said from behind clenched teeth. “I can’t not heal her. You need to get me out of here.”

He didn’t need telling twice, and certainly didn’t need to question me. Instead, he adjusted his grip down to my hand, then pulled me firmly along behind him through the gathering crowds and away from the injured girl.

It wasn’t until we’d made it at least three blocks away that the compulsion to heal her faded and I could relax my shoulders once more. My fingers tightened on Wesley’s, and I tugged him to a stop.

“I’m okay now,” I assured him. “Thank you. That desire seems to be getting stronger. I don’t know how long it’ll be before I just go crazy and heal everyone regardless of whether they’re injured.” A shudder wracked through me, and Wes wrapped me in his arms.

“It’ll be okay, sweetheart. You have us, and we will protect you against anything,” he murmured, and I tucked my face into the crook of his neck, cuddling tighter.

“Even myself?” I asked in a small voice, and he chuckled.

“Yes, even yourself.”

We stayed like that for a little longer before I sighed and let him go. “I guess I ruined whatever you had planned, then?”

Wes tilted his head and smiled. “Why do you say that?”

“Uh, near magical disaster? Won’t you want to report back to River?” I frowned, knowing full well what protocol demanded in a situation like this.

“Near being the key word, sweetheart. I say it can wait... don’t you?” His cheeky smile was back, and I was brimming with curiosity.

“Breaking River’s rules? Hell yeah, count me in! Where to?” I grinned and snaked my fingers around his waist to tuck into his belt loop as we began walking again.

“Actually, not far from here,” he said, wrapping an arm over my shoulders and pulling me close. “You’ll see.”





4





The where that Wes led me to was actually the lobby of a fancy hotel. We bypassed check in and went straight to the elevators. He was still being tight-lipped and secretive, so I said nothing and followed when he stepped inside and pressed the button for the fifty-eighth floor.

We stood there in nervous anticipation while the little box carried us all the way to the top of the hotel. Okay fine, I was in nervous anticipation. Wes just looked excited... but a little nervous too, come to think of it.

Then again, that was sort of Wesley’s norm.

Our fingers linked, he guided me down the long hallway to the impressive double doors at the end where he pressed the little doorbell and waited with a small grin on his face.

For my part, I had my eyes narrowed with suspicion. But I trusted him implicitly, so it was just more curiosity than anything. Who were we here to see?

The doors flew open, and my jaw dropped in surprise and confusion.

“Caleb?” I frowned, “What...?”

“Shhh, I’m not here, you never saw me,” he smirked, tossing a magnetic hotel key to Wesley, then grabbing my face for a firm but very thorough kiss that left me a bit breathless and weak at the knees.

“You have no idea how badly I want to stay right now,” he murmured, his lips still close enough to mine that they brushed when he spoke. “But it’s the Crow’s birthday, so I’ll be nice and leave you alone. See you in the morning, Kitty Kat.”

Caleb smacked another kiss onto my lips, then clapped Wesley on the shoulder and took off down the corridor toward the elevators.

“Ahhh,” I was a little lost for words, but Wesley just smiled and tugged me inside so he could close the door.

“You rented us a hotel room?” I asked, looking around the beautiful suite, which was lit by countless flickering candles.

“Not just any hotel room,” Wesley corrected me with an insanely proud grin on his face. “Look.” He lead me through the suite to the double doors of the bathroom, and I gasped when I looked inside.

The huge Jacuzzi tub sat in front of a massive picture window that looked out over the city of Toronto and all its twinkling lights. The tub itself was full to overflowing with jasmine-scented bubbles, and there were even more candles lighting the room. Caleb had been really busy, unless he’d used magic.

“I kinda thought... this is sort of our thing?” Wesley murmured, his cheeks stained pink and his free hand running through his hair nervously. “But is this too presumptuous? I just thought—”

“Wes,” I cut him off. “It’s perfect. I’m just surprised is all. I kind of thought maybe you were...”

I trailed off, feeling like a bit of an ass for making assumptions. “It’s just you have been taking things slowly, so I thought...” Yeah okay, it sounded a bit stupid out loud. Just because he didn’t immediately try to nail me the second he had a chance, I’d assumed he was a virgin?

“I just wanted to make it special.” He shrugged. “But that doesn’t mean I expect anything. If you don’t want to—”