Warrior (Relentless #4)(239)

“They were in there a few minutes before the wall came down. Sara walked out of it, and Elena was dead. Sara cut her head off somehow. I didn’t see a weapon, and Sara was too out of it to tell us what happened in there.”

“Khristu.”

Chris grew somber. “Sara told us Elena killed you. What happened?”

In a low voice, I told him what I could remember from the time I woke up here to when I thought I was dying. The only part I skimmed over was when Elena gave me her blood to start the change. It wasn’t something I wanted to remember, let alone talk about.

He swore softly. “If we’d found this place a day sooner…”

“It’s not your fault, so stop blaming yourself.”

I looked down at Sara. I’d give anything to save her from what she’d suffered here. But she was alive and safe, and the Master was dead. Despite everything, I felt incredibly blessed.

He stood. “You look like you could use some rest too. I’ll be down the hall if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Chris.”

“Anytime, my friend.”

I pulled the blankets up over Sara’s shoulders and held her close, thinking about what Chris had told me. After the torment and grief Elena had caused her, it was fitting that Sara had been the one to kill Elena.

I couldn’t believe all of this had started because of some warlock’s premonition. A premonition Elena had set into motion when she’d killed Sara’s father. By doing so, she had brought about her own destruction. And she’d set me on the path to finding my mate.

Sara jerked awake. “Nikolas!”

I rubbed her back. “Shhh, I’m here.”

“I thought…” She hugged me tightly. “I thought I dreamed it and you were…”

I brushed my lips against her forehead, and she turned her face toward mine.

“I’m never leaving you again, remember?” I said softly. “You’ll be so sick of seeing my face you’ll tell me to go away.”

Her sad smile made my chest ache, and I knew it would be a while before both of us healed from this. But we were together, and we’d create so many happy memories there would be no room for the bad ones. I’d make sure of it.

She looked at the window, and a shiver went through her.

“Are you cold?”

“No. I hate this place.”

“So do I.” I sat up, lifting her into my arms as I stood. My muscles were still a little weak, but I had more than enough strength to carry her.

“What are you doing? You need to lie down.”

I smiled at her. “I’ll lie down when we get home.”

Her face brightened. “Home?”

“Home.”

I kissed her and carried her from the room.





Chapter 47





I opened the refrigerator door and studied the contents. No milk, no eggs, no bread. We really needed to order some groceries today. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to help me with my current dilemma.

I pulled on some clothes and quietly let myself out of the apartment – and tripped over the massive body lying in the hallway. I smothered a curse and managed to catch myself before I hit the wall and woke up the whole floor.

Hugo raised his head and stared at me. He and his brother had been beside themselves when Sara came home almost two weeks ago. At first, they’d refused to let her out of their sight, and I’d had to endure two hellhounds sleeping in our bedroom.

After three days, even Sara agreed our apartment was too small for them, and she’d made them sleep outside the door. They didn’t like it, but they had the run of the whole place now, and people no longer jumped when they ran into one of the hounds in the hallways.

“Morning, boy.” I walked past him, and a few seconds later, I heard the scratch of his claws on the floor as he followed me. Woolf stayed in his spot on the other side of the door.

It was early, so not a lot of people were on the go yet. The few I saw looked amused when they spotted my furry companion. No matter where Sara and I went on the grounds, one of the hellhounds was with us. It was like the pair of them had decided I was Sara’s so I belonged to them too. Sara thought it was adorable. Whatever made her smile was okay with me.

I entered the dining hall and went to the buffet to pile food on a tray. Soon I had enough French toast, waffles, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, and hash browns to feed a family of four. I added some fresh milk and orange juice because Sara liked them both, cutlery, and a blueberry muffin.

Hugo whined. When I looked at him, he licked his chops and wagged his tail so hard his whole body moved from side to side.

Shaking my head, I grabbed half a dozen sausages and tossed them to him one at a time. When he was done, his tongue hung out and he gave me a toothy grin that would make a vampire wet his pants.

“Is this some kind of male bonding thing?”

I spun to glare at the blond faerie standing several feet away.

Hugo growled, and Eldeorin waved a hand at him. The hellhound sat back on his haunches, staring straight ahead as if he were in a trance. One of Eldeorin’s “waking dreams,” if I wasn’t mistaken.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, not happy to see him but not entirely surprised he was here. He’d shown up immediately after we got home, having gotten word somehow that Sara was in trouble. He hadn’t stayed long, but he told us he’d be back when it was time to resume her training.