Blood Assassin (The Sentinels #2)(114)

She nodded, allowing Fane to pull her to her feet as they both tried to slap the dust off their bodies.

The explosion had only done cosmetic damage, but it’d given Bas the opportunity to escape.

“Yes, but he’s getting away,” she said.

Fane gently plucked a piece of plaster from her hair, his gaze remaining locked on her upturned face.

“Let him run.”

She blinked at his surprising lack of interest in the fleeing assassin.

“I thought you were so determined to kill him?”

“I will . . . eventually.” His thumb brushed a smudge of dirt from her cheek. “Now all that matters is getting you back to Valhalla. I want the healers to check you out.”

Serra released a shaky breath, still trying to wrap her brain around the fact that the hideous days of constant fear and danger were in the past.

Really, truly in the past.

“Is it over?” She needed to be reassured. To know that this wasn’t some dream.

“The toxin is gone.” He leaned down to place a tender, lingering kiss on her lips. “Molly is safe, the majority of the mercenaries are being held at the lab, and there’s nowhere Bas can run where I can’t find him,” he assured her softly.

Her lips parted as she was struck by a sudden thought. “What about Anna?”

“I received a text while I was scouting the building from Wolfe,” he assured her. “The Mave managed to transport her to Valhalla. She’s safe in a magically enhanced room.”

She released a shaky breath. “We’re going home?”

He pressed another kiss to her lips. “Together.”

Fane stood in Wolfe’s office, his arms folded over his chest as the Tagos studied him with a furious expression.

“What the hell do you mean you’re leaving?”

Fane shrugged. It’d been nearly two weeks since they’d returned to Valhalla.

Since then Serra had been taken to the clinic so she could be thoroughly checked out by the healers. From there she went to her foster family who’d fussed over her before her biological parents had rushed to Valhalla to lavish their daughter with endless attention.

Eventually she’d returned to her private apartments, but she hadn’t been left alone for a minute as her friends, ex-boyfriends, and assorted high-bloods who’d insisted they needed to spend time in her company crowded into her home.

Fane had frankly come to the end of his patience.

He wanted to be with the woman he loved.

Alone.

This morning he’d awakened and set into motion the one certain way to have Serra to himself.

“Serra’s been given a clean bill of health,” he said with a shrug. “We want some time together.”

“Then take a weekend at Vegas,” Wolfe snapped. “There’s no need to travel to Tibet to be together.”

Fane studied the Tagos with a lift of his brow. The man was always aggressive. Hell, he had enough testosterone for three men. But, over the past two weeks he’d been prowling through Valhalla like a man looking for a fight.

Not surprising, the residents had swiftly learned to flee when he stepped into view.

“Is there a particular reason you’re so reluctant for us to go?” Fane demanded.

“Let me see.” Wolfe leaned on the edge of his desk. “I have a high-blood in stasis who’s a potential time bomb just waiting to happen. I have a dungeon full of traitorous high-bloods who are waiting for their trial. Bas is on the run. The Brotherhood is obviously becoming a threat,” he growled. “Do you need any more reasons?”

Fane studied his companion. Wolfe was dressed in the same casual style as Fane. Jeans, T-shirt, and combat boots. But there was an unmistakable tension etched into the lean face.

“Just the real one.”

Wolfe shoved his fingers through his dark hair. “I’ve had word from the scholars who’ve been translating the hieroglyphs on the ancient temple.”

Fane frowned before realizing Wolfe was referring to the temple in the deserts of the Middle East that had been revealed by the necromancer.

“And?”

“And some of them imply a destined time of trouble for our people.”

Fane rolled his eyes. “Prophets always claim there is going to be some future disaster. It keeps them in business.”

Wolfe held his gaze. “I agree that most of the time it’s foolishness.”

“But?”

“But the clairvoyants have begun to see blood in the future.”

“Blood?” Fane repeated, not particularly impressed. Was there something else going on with Wolfe? Something that could explain his restless tension besides a vague threat of future trouble?

“That’s all they can give me.” Wolfe waved a hand toward the stack of files on his desk. “But several have had the same vision. That alone is highly unusual.”

“Fine,” Fane grudgingly conceded. Dammit, all he wanted was to take Serra to a remote Tibetan mountaintop and live out his life in peace. Was that so much to ask? “If this mysterious trouble reveals itself I’ll return. Until then I intend to enjoy my beautiful woman.”

Turning to head to the door, Fane was halted as Wolfe straightened from the desk.

“So when are you two going to tie the knot?”