Warrior (Relentless #4)(165)

“Will she be okay?” Roland asked anxiously.

The faerie smiled down at Sara. “Yes, but she needs proper care.”

My eyes met Sara’s, and relief coursed through me to see hers free of pain. I’d do whatever I had to do to keep them that way.

“What kind of care?” I asked the faerie.

He looked up at me, and I was surprised to see real concern in his eyes. “She will need to be near our kind, at least until she passes through the most difficult stage. The best place for her is Faerie.”

I didn’t want to ask, but I had to know. “For how long?”

“I cannot say. It may take weeks or months.”

Pain pricked my chest, and my Mori wailed at the thought of being separated from Sara for that long. “Do whatever it takes to help her.”

Sara shook her head weakly. “No, I don’t want to go to Faerie.”

I crouched beside her. “You’ll get better faster there.”

“I can get better here. Eldeorin will stay here with me.” She looked at the faerie. “Won’t you?”

He smiled at her. “I will stay if that will put you at ease, Cousin.”

“Thank you,” she breathed, trying to sit up.

I stood and helped her up. Eldeorin sat close to her and took her hand in his. Instinct drove me hard to tell him to take his hands off her, but I knew his touch was easing her pain.

Sara gave me a weary smile and reached for me. I took her hand, and she pulled me down to sit on her other side. She laid her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes.

I looked over her head at Eldeorin. “It’s not safe to stay in this apartment. Can you come to our stronghold?”

He pursed his lips. “That would be unwise. I and others of my kind will have to be near Sara for weeks. I don’t think a prolonged Fae presence at a Mohiri stronghold would be received well. And we don’t know yet how Sara’s liannan might affect your people.”

He was right. We’d have a lot of very moody warriors if they had to be exposed to a bunch of faeries for any length of time. Even now, the presence of the faerie was causing my Mori aggravation, and not just because of his closeness to Sara. Chris and Jordan were keeping their distance from him, but I wasn’t leaving Sara.

Chris frowned thoughtfully. “None of our safe houses are big enough to hold all of us. We could take a large house for a few months and bring in some people to help with security.”

“That is not necessary,” Eldeorin said. “I have a place we can use, and it is big enough to accommodate all of us without Fae and Mohiri affecting each other.”

It would take more than a big house to stop the Master. “Is it safe?”

He narrowed his eyes at me as if annoyed I would question his security. “It is glamoured and well-fortified with faerie protections. No vampire would dare attack it.”

“Where is this place?” I asked him.

“It is near Santa Cruz.”

“We can be there in an hour on the jet,” Chris said.

I stood and started issuing orders. “Chris, call the pilot and tell him to be ready to leave within the hour. Jordan, pack your things and Sara’s.”

“We’re coming too,” Roland declared.

“Be ready to leave here in five minutes,” I told him and Peter, knowing Sara would never leave her friends behind.

I looked around the living room. We had six warriors, Jordan, two werewolves, and Eldeorin. That should be more than enough to protect Sara until we reached the faerie’s house.

“The pilot said the plane will be ready when we get there,” Chris called.

Eldeorin stood. “Now, Cousin, let’s get you ready to travel. I could have the two of us there in seconds, but I have a feeling neither you nor your warrior would be happy with that.”

He was right. I wasn’t letting her out of my sight unless I had no other choice. I watched quietly as he laid his hands on her face, and they glowed like hers did when she healed someone. She let out a small sigh and visibly relaxed against the couch.

“This will keep you comfortable for the journey,” Eldeorin said. “I won’t need to be in physical contact with you the entire time, but I will stay close.”

That was all I needed to hear, and I picked her up, cradling her in my arms.

“I can walk,” she protested weakly.

Not a chance. I smiled and held her closer.

Exhaling softly, she rested her head against the crook of my shoulder, her hand touching my chest. Jordan opened the door, and I carried Sara outside where Seamus and Niall waited for us beside two white Escalades. The twins turned to grin at us as we approached.

Sara looked up at me, and I could see the question in her eyes.

My lips twitched. “They volunteered to come. I think they found Westhorne too tame after you left.”

Niall started toward us. “Never a dull moment, lass.”

“What’s this I hear about you giving a beatdown to some gulak demons?” his brother teased.

Sara suddenly went rigid in my arms. I opened my mouth to shout for Eldeorin, but she rasped, “Vampires. Eight.”

No one questioned her. Seamus and Niall drew their swords and spun to face the road. Eldeorin appeared beside me, and I thrust Sara into his arms.

“Get her out of here,” I commanded, ignoring the protest that burst from her lips.