Warrior (Relentless #4)(222)
*
“How is the girl doing?” Tristan asked.
It was the second time he’d called today. He was genuinely concerned for Emma, Sara’s new charge, but I could tell he was more worried about us staying in Vegas another day, especially after the attack on the first safe house. I didn’t blame him. I felt the same way.
“Better. Sara’s been with her since this morning. Emma’s talking, and she managed to eat something.”
“That’s incredible. When you told me last night what Sara did, I have to admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of recovery. Nate was a vampire for a week, but the girl had been one for decades.”
“Twenty-one years.”
I leaned against the wall by the living room window and watched Jordan walk down the stairs, carrying empty dinner plates. She’d brought lunch and dinner to Sara and Emma, who had stayed in Emma’s room all day.
At first, I’d stayed in the upstairs hallway, not quite ready to trust Emma. But after a while, it was clear she wasn’t a threat. I stuck around long enough to learn Emma had been changed by Eli and to hear what she’d suffered at his hands. I knew it had to be difficult for Sara to hear those things, but she didn’t leave the room once.
“And she’s only seventeen?” Tristan’s voice was full of concern. “We’ll have to make some arrangements to help her. She can’t go home, and we can’t leave her alone in the world without protection.”
“I think Sara’s going to want to bring her home with us, if Emma agrees to come.”
“Good. I’ll have the room next to Sara’s prepared for her so she’ll be more comfortable.”
I didn’t bother to tell him Sara would be moving into my apartment when we got home. I hadn’t asked her yet, but I could be very persuasive. I smiled to myself. I couldn’t wait to get her home and start convincing her to live with me.
“When do you think you’ll leave Vegas?” Tristan asked, pulling me from my more pleasant train of thought.
“Tomorrow, I hope. Day after at the latest.” I’d leave tonight if I could, but Emma was still too fragile to travel.
“And how is Sara holding up? She’s been through a lot in the last two days.”
I glanced up at the ceiling, wondering what Sara and Emma were talking about now. “She’s doing well with all of it. Meeting Madeline was hard on her, but I think it was good for her too. She’s ready to move on now.”
His sigh was audible. I’d called him last night after we got to the new safe house to fill him in on everything that had happened since we arrived in Las Vegas. He was excited we’d found Madeline, but hearing about her reason for leaving Sara and her life since hadn’t been easy for him. Neither was the fact that Madeline seemed to have no plans to reconnect with her family.
“I’m glad Sara got the closure she needs,” he said quietly. “And it’ll be great to have her and Jordan home again. This place is not the same without them.”
I let out a laugh. “You say that now.”
He chuckled. “They are quite the pair, aren’t they?”
Jordan came out of the kitchen and waved to me before she went to join the warriors sparring in the backyard.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about Jordan, actually. She handled herself like a pro last night. Took down two vampires. I think she’s ready.”
“High praise, coming from you.”
Jordan’s laughter floated back to me, and I smiled. “She’s trained with Chris and me for the last two months, and Desmund when he was here. She’s a skilled swordsman, and she keeps her head in a fight. And honestly, I think she’d be bored to death if she had to go back to Westhorne and train for another six months.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I see no reason to hold her back. I’ll inform the Council, and we can have the ceremony when you get home. Do you want to tell her?”
“No, I’ll let you have the honor.”
“And what about Sara? When will she be ready to become a warrior?”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Sooner than I’d like.”
He laughed. “You sound resigned. Has she finally worn you down?”
“More like she proved me wrong. You should have seen her with that vampire, Tristan. She was incredible, even though she scared the hell out of me.”
“I wish I could have seen it.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to get used to the idea of her fighting, but she’s already a warrior in her own right.”
He exhaled slowly. “You’ll never get used to it, but you’ll learn to live with it as every bonded male before you has done. Myself included.”
I nodded unhappily. “Well, I guess it could be worse.”
“How’s that?”
“Can you imagine what the man who bonds with Jordan is in for?”
Tristan let out a bark of laughter. “Well, that’s one way to put it all into perspective.”
Through the window in the back door, I saw Jordan disarm one of the warriors. From the astonished look on his face, he hadn’t meant for it to happen. Boisterous laughter followed as she handed him his sword with a little bow.
Sara was going to miss Jordan at Westhorne. I had no doubt the two would keep in touch, but Jordan wouldn’t be content to stay in one place for long. Sara wanted to see the world, but she would always be drawn back to home and family.