Duncan (The Protectors #3)(67)

“No, Pam.” Nicole shook her head but took Daniel.

“What are you doing?” Duncan grabbed her arm, but she shook it off walking to Jared, who stood talking to Damon and Sid, trying to come up with a plan.

“He isn’t lying.” Pam stopped in front of Jared. “If he even thinks you guys are anywhere near he will kill her. He wants me.”

“We are not making a trade, Pam,” Jared replied, his anguish clear in his eyes, a hardness she had never heard in his voice.

“Then you’ll never see her again.” Pam tilted her head. “Can you live with that? I sure can’t.”

“Just tell us where she is and we will get her.” Sid cracked his knuckles.

“You’re not going anywhere near that place,” Duncan growled.

“Then she dies. I can’t live with that.” She felt her eyes welling up. “How can I face any of you, especially Jared, when I know I could have done something?” A mixture of fear and determination laced her words.

“No!” Duncan shook his head, refusing to listen. “It’s not happening. You’re going nowhere near him, Pam.”

“I want my life back, Duncan. Don’t you get it? This is a no win situation for me. If I stay, Tessa dies, and that is on my head, my conscience, and I will have to live the rest of my life with that. I can’t do it.” She shook her head. “If I go…” Pam looked up at Duncan, her face filled with pain, and then she turned to look at Daniel in Nicole’s arm. She knew what would happen if she went and was sure so did everyone else, but this wasn’t about her getting to live the life she wanted. This was Kenny shoving his will down her throat again, and it had to stop. “If I go, then Daniel has a chance of a normal life. With Kenny after me, he never will get that. Right now, Daniel and Tessa are what’s important. This needs to end, and it can end.”

Pam wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all, but in order to have the life she wanted, her past had to be put to rest. If that meant her giving up to Kenny, then so be it. Hopefully, she could find her way back to where she belonged, with Duncan and Daniel.

Duncan cursed, pulling her away from everyone and into the kitchen. “You are important to me and Daniel,” Duncan hissed. “I won’t lose you.”

Pam’s heart fractured a little at Duncan’s words. She knew there was no other choice, but the one she had decided upon. The love and fear radiating from Duncan swelled her heart. Walking up to him, Pam wrapped her arms around Duncan’s hard body. “This has to end.” She kissed him, a soft small kiss on his lips. “I love you, but this has to end.”

“We can get her out,” Duncan argued, not willing to give an inch.

“Can you promise me Tessa won’t be hurt or killed?” When he just stared at her without making that promise, she laid her head on his chest. “I have to do this, Duncan.”

Jared walked in with Sid and Damon hot on his heels. “We have a plan.”

Adam followed moments later. “Count me in.”

“Shit is about to get real.” Sid smiled, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

*****

Sloan dragged Jeff out of the house ignoring his screams of pain. He made sure to run him into a wall when Jeff started screaming threats at Jill.

“What am I going to do with you?” Slade turned Jill’s face to his, keeping her focus off Jeff.

“Why?” Jill frowned. “I didn’t do anything.”

“I keep fixing you, and you keep getting broken,” he teased, shaking his head when she snorted. “I need to get that bullet out of you.”

“Ugh…really?” Jill looked down at the hole that had already started to close. “It doesn’t hurt as much. Can’t I just keep it as a war wound…a conversation starter?”

His right eyebrow rose as he looked at her, a slight smile forming on his lips. “We’ll see.” He stood. “We need to get an x-ray though. I want to make sure it’s not close to anything important. You are half human, you know.”

Jill let him help her up; her human legs started to shake, making her wobble. “Believe me, I know.” She tried to take a step, but her leg gave out. He caught her picking her up. “Sorry.” Her voice hitched as his strong arms held her carefully, holding her with ease.

Slade carried her outside to Damon’s car he had left for them. Putting her gently in the passenger seat, he walked around and climbed in. “You okay?” He looked her over before starting the car.

“I’m good.” She frowned. “Shouldn’t you be helping them find Tessa?”

“I’m a doctor first,” Slade replied, turning the key. “They don’t need me.”

Jill stopped him before he could put the car in gear. “But Tessa might. If they find her and she’s hurt, then she is going to need you.”

“You have been shot, Jill,” Slade growled at her in frustration. “We need to see where that bullet is.”

“But I’m half vampire,” Jill shot back. “Tessa is human, and she was beaten up pretty bad.”

“Dammit!” Slade slammed his hand on the wheel. “I can’t just choose whom I’m going to help and who I’m not.”

“You’re not making the decision,” Jill replied. “I am, and I’m refusing treatment until this is over.”