Blood Assassin (The Sentinels #2)(55)

A fine thought that barely had time to form before it was crushed by the sight of Kaede who appeared from the darkness.

The henchman frowned as he took in Fane’s obvious pain and her own disheveled appearance.

“What the—”

With a speed that caught both men off guard, Serra had pulled Fane’s handgun from his pocket and had it aimed directly into Kaede’s face.

“Call your boss and tell him to get his ass out here.”

Kaede narrowed his eyes, but with a surprising lack of protest, he had removed his cell phone and sent a quick text. Then, pretending he couldn’t easily snatch the gun from Serra’s hand, he nodded his head toward Fane.

“We need to get him to the car.”

She wanted to tell him to go to hell. Or just shoot him in the knee.

But Fane was obviously only seconds away from collapse and there was no way in hell she was going to be able to keep him propped up.

“Fine.”

Kaede held his hands up, revealing he wasn’t armed. As if Serra didn’t know he had at least half a dozen weapons hidden beneath his uniform, not to mention the fact he could easily snap her neck.

“Can I help?”

She glanced toward Fane, a shaft of fear piercing her heart. God. She’d never seen him so pale. Or his face clenched with such pain.

“Fane?” she asked softly.

He gave a nod, his breathing ragged. “Yes.”

Keeping the gun pointed at the man, Serra allowed him to take Fane’s other arm and wrap it over his shoulder. She bore the majority of Fane’s weight as they moved along the edge of the pathway to the limo that was parked at an angle to prevent them from being blocked by the other cars.

Kaede managed to pull open the back door and get Fane settled in the backseat. Serra moved to join them only to abruptly jerk to the side, the gun aimed toward the sound of approaching footsteps.

She kept it pointed as she recognized Bas swiftly approaching, his illusion of an English aristocrat fading as he reached her side.

“What happened?” he demanded.

“An ambush, you son of a bitch,” she rasped.

He frowned, his outrage annoyingly sincere.

“Don’t be foolish,” he chided. “Why would I go to such an elaborate ruse? If I wanted you dead I’d kill you.”

“And risk being hauled before the Mave for murder?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” he muttered, turning to glance in the car where Fane was sitting with his eyes closed and sweat dripping down his face.

She blinked in shock at the blunt confession. “What?”

Ignoring her question, he gestured for her to get into the car. Serra didn’t hesitate. Although she knew that Fane had an astonishing ability to heal even the most grievous of wounds, it would take time. And, more importantly, plenty of rest.

Something he wouldn’t be able to get until they were back at the hotel.

Sliding in beside him, she grasped his hand, relieved when he squeezed her fingers in a gesture of comfort.

Joining them, Bas closed the door of the limo then waited for Kaede to take his place behind the steering wheel and pull onto the street before leaning forward.

“Kaede, call for a healer to meet us at the office.”

Fane’s breath hissed between his clenched teeth. “No. Take me to the hotel.”

Bas made a sound of impatience. “You want to be seen in public like this?”

Fane lifted his lashes just enough to glare at the assassin. “The hotel. And no healer.”

“Stubborn bastard,” Bas breathed the obvious. “Kaede, take us to the hotel.” Without waiting for the driver’s nod, the assassin turned in his seat to study Serra with a piercing gaze. “Tell me what happened.”

She hesitated, still angered by the thought the bastard might have been involved in the attack. Then, she grimaced, lowering the weapon she’d unconsciously been pointing at Bas.

He was right.

If he wanted them dead, he could have taken care of business as soon as she arrived in St. Louis.

Hell, he could have killed her with the mysterious package she’d found outside her door and had so stupidly opened without taking precautions.

For now, she had no choice but to assume he hadn’t sent them into a deathtrap.

“We were approaching the house when two men appeared from the shadows and attacked without warning.”

Bas didn’t bother to hide his surprise. “Only two?”

She flattened her lips in annoyance. How dare the jackass mock her? She felt guilty enough that she’d been reduced to a helpless bystander as Fane had fought off the strangers. She’d never been this long without her powers and it made her feel . . . dangerously vulnerable.

Not to mention she was battling a throbbing headache.

“They used a mind-stunner on me.”

He swiftly disguised his shock at her revelation. “Interesting.”

She leaned against Fane’s broad chest, covertly testing his temperature. When she’d led him out of the estate, she’d been terrified by the chill of his usually hot skin. Now she was comforted by the knowledge that it was growing warmer. That had to mean he was getting better, not worse despite his ragged breathing and the sweat still dripping off his face.

She sent the assassin a sour frown. “Someone tries to kill me and you find it interesting?”