The Viper's Nest (Kit Davenport #4)(80)

“Fitting,” Austin snickered from across the room, and Caleb flipped him off.

“Okay, I think that’s just about enough for one night,” I announced before the twins could start bickering. “I’m fucking wrecked, and Caleb should spend some time with Sam. River?” I looked over to my sexy British lover, who was watching the whole snake interaction with fascination. “Can we just quickly run through our next steps? I need sleep, but don’t think I can until my mind finds some order.”

“Of course, love.” He snapped his fingers in front of Wesley’s screen to break his concentration, then glanced around to ensure everyone was listening.

“All right, so we were unable to confirm those agents who shot at you were Omega; however, given the coincidental timing with our meeting Director Pierre, it does seem like the obvious answer. For now. Wesley has been gathering more information about the doctor who has been conducting experiments using your blood and has suggested we may need to keep closer tabs on him as a precaution. That’s not an urgent matter though. Now, as far as I am concerned, our top priorities need to be helping you stabilize your bonds, which I believe you have some help with already?” River arched a brow at me, and I nodded, holding up the wrist with my fox amulet.

“Good,” he continued. “Then the next thing is helping Wesley with his magic. We’ve been doing some extensive research and think we have located someone who might be able to help. He’s located in a town called Glenganen in Ireland.”

My brows shot up, and I looked to Wesley, who really did look like shit. He had huge dark shadows under his eyes, and his cheeks were sunken. The lack of sleep was surely going to kill him soon. It seemed like for every night he was permitted a decent sleep, there were two or three that his mentor would torment him.

“Amazing,” I enthused. “When do we leave?”

“Well, that was the next thing. This gentleman has agreed to meet with Wesley and one other only. We can’t all go with him.” River’s eyes tightened, and I could tell he was as pleased with this as I was.

“That’s...” I shook my head. “That’s fucking stupid, but if that’s what it takes to get this creepy dream-stalker out of Wes’s head, then so be it. I’ve never been to Ireland before.” I gave Wesley an encouraging smile, and his face flooded with relief.

River’s controlled expression cracked for a second, and he looked at me with surprise. “You’d go without us, love?”

This gave me pause. When he’d said Wesley could only take one person, I’d just assumed it would be me. But then that meant leaving my other five guardians behind to keep dealing with the shitstorm that was my adopted father and mad scientists trying to replicate my magic and my unhinged mother who looked like my twin.

Could I really do that? Leave my dianoch behind and travel halfway around the world while every man and his dog were still out to get me?

When I met Wesley’s eyes, the answer was clear.

“Yeah, I think I have to. Wesley needs to figure out what he is, what I made him, and if there is anything I can do to help him with that... then that’s what I need to do.” I glanced at River, catching his golden eyes, which were swirling with so much raw emotion I couldn’t catch what was what. But I was firm in this decision. “I’d do the same for you, if you’d let me.”

River held my gaze a long, tense moment before giving a terse nod. Protests rose from all four of my other guardians, and River held his hand up to silence them.

“This is Kit’s choice,” he snapped at them in a voice like steel. “Wesley isn’t due to leave for another week yet, so perhaps she might change her mind. But it will always be Kit’s choice. She is our Ban Dia; we must support her in every decision.” Under his breath, quiet enough that I only heard it by how close I stood, he added, “Even if those decisions suck.”

Reaching for his waist, I tugged him close and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

“Thank you, sir,” I whispered the words in his ear. “I meant it. I will do the same for you.”

He didn’t reply, simply gave my waist a quick squeeze, then headed to the door and grabbed his jacket. “I’m heading out to sort some things. You know how to reach me.” He gave me one final, heated look before leaving, and I knew he was not happy. He was, however, understanding.

The other guys grumbled various complaints, but all started filtering out as well—even Caleb, carrying Sam like he was a scarf made of acid. Poor thing.

“All right, I’m going to get Caleb’s familiar tattoo sorted,” Austin told me as he made to follow his twin. “Gives him a chance to rest Sam before they literally murder each other.” He paused as he was about to leave the room, and turned to look back at me. “I think it’s a fucking dumb move to separate right now. So don’t think we won’t try to change your mind in the next week. Both of you.”

With that ominous warning, I found myself alone with Wesley.

“Well, what the hell do you think that meant?” I asked him, pulling out a chair at the table opposite him and propping my head on my hands.

“Uh, pretty sure it means a totally different thing for me than it does for you, sweetheart.” He smirked, then took off his glasses to rub at his bloodshot eyes. “But for me... unless they can find a bona fide dreamweaver here in the states, I don’t have another choice. Even waiting a week to meet this guy is going to be hard enough.”