Dark Stranger Immortal (The Children of the Gods #3)(51)

“What?” Kian eyes shot to her.

“I have Michael in the next room, suffering like a trouper through growing venom glands and fangs. I offered to knock him out and spare him the pain, but he refused. Told me he wants to witness his change. I wonder how long he’ll hold out on the painkillers when he realizes it may take up to a month for these beauties to grow.” She beamed proudly—as if she had just delivered two new lives into the world. And in a way she had.

“I’m so happy…” Syssi sniffled, returning Kian’s gentle embrace.

“Can I take her upstairs now?” Kian asked. If he never had to see the cursed sick room again, it would be too soon.

“Let me just take a few blood samples, and then you’re free to go, Syssi.

But take it easy until you feel stronger. Small liquid meals to start with, and then nothing heavy for the next twenty-four hours. After that, eat as much as you can stuff into your stomach. You’ll need the fuel.”

Kian brushed his hand over Syssi’s hair. “I’m going to step outside for a minute and tell everybody the good news. They all kept vigil for you, sweetheart. None of the Guardians left this corridor unless they absolutely had to…” He smiled at her and kissed her hand. “It looks like they all have fallen under your spell…” He paused. “My mother flew over to be with you as well, and she wants to meet you as soon as you’re up…” He stopped when he saw Syssi’s terrified expression.

“She is here?” Syssi whispered. “I can’t see her now! I must look like a wreck… Oh my God! She already got to see me looking like this, didn’t she?”

“You’re being silly. She said you’re lovely…”

“I don’t care. I want to shower and get dressed before I meet her. Please, Kian, don’t let her see me before I do…” Syssi pleaded.

“I won’t. I promised to let her know as soon as you were awake, but I’ll tell her you want to freshen up… Deal?”

“Thank you!”



Later, after Bridget was done with her tests and released Syssi into his care, Kian carried her all the way up to his penthouse, despite her protests that she was okay to walk on her own.

Then when he let her down in the bathroom, she shooed him away like some annoying pest. For some inexplicable reason, the mulish woman refused his offer to wash her, insisting she was well enough to do it by herself.

As if that had anything to do with it.

He wanted to take care of her… needed to…

Eventually, he dropped the argument only because he didn’t want to upset her so soon after all she had been through.

Waiting, Kian sprawled on his bed, stretching his stiff body as he listened to the sounds percolating from under the bathroom’s door; ready to jump to her rescue in case she needed him after all.

But his worry for Amanda pressed heavily on his chest, preventing him from getting any measure of rest, and as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket, he quickly fumbled to pull the thing out; hoping for some good news. “What do you have for me?”

“Kian, we have a situation down at the lobby,” Onegus told him. “Martin, the dayshift’s security supervisor, called. There is a guy down there, Andrew Spivak, claiming to be Syssi’s brother. He demands to see his sister or either Amanda or you. He is making a scene and threatening to bring a SWAT team to storm the building if refused. What do you want me to do?”

“I’m on my way. Tell Martin I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Kian dropped his legs down the side of the bed and hung his head for a moment.

He was so depleted that he couldn’t even bring himself to be angry with Syssi for disclosing their location to her brother.

Just another situation for him to handle, he sighed. What else could go wrong? Pushing off the bed, he trudged to the bathroom and opened the door.

At the sight of Syssi’s delicate body wrapped in a big blue towel, and her long wet hair dripping on the floor, his frustration flew out the window. She looked even smaller and more fragile than before.

With a muted curse, he took her in his arms, and a sense of profound gratitude washed over him as he realized that despite how frail she looked, she was here, alive, and practically indestructible.

Oddly, though, as he held Syssi he felt as if her small, soft body was infusing him with renewed energy, and instead of him lending her his strength, she was his power source.

He kissed the top of her wet hair, filling his lungs with her unique fragrance. “I don’t want to rush you, but I just got a call that your brother is down in the lobby and is demanding to see you. I’m going down to talk to him,” he said softly.

Syssi seemed just as surprised as he’d been. “How did he find me? Had he had me followed? He must’ve… after I left the restaurant. I’m so sorry…”

“Well, somehow he has found you. The question is, why is he here? What does he want?”

“He is probably worried about me. I began feeling sick at the restaurant, and he must have called to ask how I felt, then had a conniption when I didn’t answer his calls. He is very protective…” Syssi chewed her lower lip, looking troubled. Though Kian wasn’t sure what disturbed her more; being the cause for the breach in security or the source of Andrew’s angst.

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. I’ll deal with him. Everything is going to be all right.” Kian wasn’t sure how exactly he would accomplish that, but while she was recovering from her ordeal, he didn’t want her upset over anything.