Warrior (Relentless #4)(66)

“You are stronger than the demon. I knew that when I met you. But hearing how you fought off the Hale witch, and then last night, watching you with the werewolf, I realized you have power I can’t comprehend. You saved more than one life last night. People here are calling you a hero.”

She stared at the ceiling. “Some hero. Roland wouldn’t have needed healing if I hadn’t almost gotten him killed in the first place.”

She’d made some bad decisions, but I wouldn’t let her blame herself for this. “What happened last night wasn’t your fault, Sara. We found out who was behind all this. His name is Yusri al-Hawwash, and he is a billionaire oil sheik who found out two years ago he has Alzheimer’s. He’s been searching everywhere for a cure, and he was looking for trolls long before you sold that bile. He’s a desperate man with unlimited resources.”

“But he would have looked somewhere else if I had been more careful,” she said miserably.

“That still does not make you responsible for his actions.” I leaned closer to the bed. “Look at me.”

She obeyed, and the torment in her eyes made my chest ache. “Yes, you have made mistakes, but you are not to blame for the greed and actions of another. Your fault lies in taking too much on yourself. You have to learn to trust people and stop trying to take on the world alone.”

I couldn’t tell if my words had gotten through to her or not. She let out a deep breath. “My life was a lot less complicated a month ago. Maybe now things will start to settle down again.”

I’d known this moment would come, but that didn’t make it any easier. “I wish that were true, but after what I saw last night, I think you might be in more danger than we first thought.”

She moved up until she was sitting with her back supported by pillows. “What do you mean? We haven’t seen any sign of vampires except those working for the sheik – which I totally don’t get by the way. And the sheik’s witch only tried to grab me to get to the trolls.”

“Think about it, Sara. The young trolls were taken around the same time you were attacked at the rest stop, which means the sheik didn’t need you to find the trolls. So why did they come after you when they had what they wanted?”

I watched her closely, waiting for my words to sink in and knowing what they would do to her. I’d had all night to think about this, to fit the pieces together.

“You want to know why vampires would risk helping humans kidnap trolls? What if the vampires wanted something and they made an agreement with the sheik – a trade of some kind? You for the trolls.”

She shook her head in denial. “No, the two vamps I ran into tried to kill me, not capture me.” I sucked in a sharp breath, and she rushed to add, “Remy and I took care of them.”

Had I heard her correctly? “You killed a vampire?”

“With Remy’s help. He’s scary good.”

I started to say that Remy could have killed the vampires without involving her, but I wouldn’t take that away from her. What was more important was making her understand the danger she was in. I didn’t want to think about the number of unscrupulous people who would do anything to get their hands on someone like her.

“Even if you are right about the vampires, there is one thing you’re overlooking. You have an incredible ability. If word of it gets out, the sheik will be coming after you, and he won’t be the only one.”

“It won’t do him any good. I can’t heal humans.”

I raised my eyebrows, and she scowled. “My uncle is in a wheelchair. If I could heal humans, don’t you think he’d be the first one I’d heal?”

I believed her, but that would not keep her safe. The fact was she was no longer safe in New Hastings, or in Maine for that matter.

“But no one else would know that. Last night was just a taste of what could happen. They will keep coming and people will get hurt. And don’t forget, we still have a Master to worry about. He could come after you just to use you against Madeline.”

A shiver went through her. “Don’t hold back. I’m not quite paralyzed with fear yet.”

“You need to hear these things, Sara,” I said firmly.

She glared at me. “You’re trying to scare me, to get me to go with you.”

“Yes, I am. But that doesn’t make them any less true.”

I watched the emotions play across her face as she processed what I’d told her, and I saw the resignation when she finally came to a decision.

“I-I need to tell Nate, to explain it to him,” she said hoarsely, looking away from me. “It’s going to be hard for him to understand all this.”

Relief flooded me. “We have some things to wrap up in Portland that will take a few days, and it should give you the time you need with your uncle. I know this is hard for you, but you’re doing the right thing.”

I carried the chair back to the corner and opened the door. “I swear to you that I will keep you safe,” I vowed before I left the room and closed the door behind me.





Chapter 12





“Is it him?”

I studied the features of the dead vampire that bore a striking resemblance to Eli. It had been a month since that night in the alley, but I’d never forget that vampire’s face or the hungry way he’d looked at Sara. The picture Chris had sent had given me hope the bastard was dead, even though I wanted the pleasure of ending him myself. But seeing the body up close, I knew I might still get that chance.