Blood Bond (29 page)

“I’ll find you in a bit,” Professor Flaherty
told Logan as he left. Victoria hurried after them.

“That guy’s the one who told you about your
immunity to metal?” Cord asked when they were gone. “He seems like
a real stable character. You sure he’s for real?”

“He knows about metal. He’s the one who
discovered how it works in the first place. He used to work for
CHAS.”

“And he doesn’t now because …?”

I scowled at her. I knew she wanted me to
say he was insane. I wasn’t going to. Not to her, especially now
that I’d seen the real Astor, the one behind the mask. “Because
CHAS is stupid. And more concerned with killing Werewolves and
stamping out the technology that would save them from your weapons,
than hiring the smartest and the best.” I caught Professor
Flaherty’s eye as I said the last part.

“Are you saying they fired him because he
figured out how to make all Werewolves immune to metal?” Alex
asked.

I nodded, trying and failing to read his
face. He seemed to believe everything I was saying, and he hadn’t
stormed out or looked at me with loathing as I’d expected. “Yes,
they fired him and then stole his research. He’s never quite been
able to recreate it since his partner was killed.”

“That girl who died was his partner,” Cord
said slowly, as if putting it all together.

I nodded again, but didn’t offer any more of
the story. It wasn’t mine to tell. At the back of the room,
Professor Flaherty’s lips were pressed tightly together. She wasn’t
offering it, either.

“Immune to metal …” Cord walked to the
loveseat and sat, sprawling her legs straight out in front of her
and slouching against the cushion. She rubbed her hands over her
face and for the first time, I noticed the dark circles lining her
eyes. She looked tired, but more than that, she seemed exhausted
from the inside.

Bailey. I’d been so wrapped up in George and
what was happening here that I’d barely even thought of him. He’d
been gone, what, a week? And I’d already forgotten. What kind of
person forgot someone so fast? Cord obviously hadn’t. I knew she
wouldn’t ever.

I put my hands on the back of the empty
chair in front of me, not quite brave enough to sit next to her.
“The metal immunity can save others like him, you know,” I said
quietly.

She jerked her eyes to mine, knowing
instantly who I referred to. I sucked in a breath, waiting for her
to scream at me. She didn’t.

“You’re right. Everyone deserves a shot,”
she said. “Especially when it comes to CHAS. They’re corrupt and
bloodthirsty. Which is saying a lot coming from me.”

I didn’t argue with her. At least Cord only
killed those who deserved it. Like Miles. Somehow, that actually
made her better than CHAS. Definitely better than Gordon
Steppe.

“What are you going to do with this, Tara?”
Alex asked.

I didn’t answer him right away because
honestly, I wasn’t sure. For the first time, the pressure of
leadership that Wes was always talking about weighed on me. It
seemed the harder I fought against it, the more I was propelled
into leading a cause I wasn’t even sure I stood for yet.

“I think we should figure out who this
Olivia person is and then we’ll talk. One problem at a time.”

They all nodded, even Professor Flaherty,
and I couldn’t shake the feeling a group had just formed.

I stared at Wes, wanting to say a million
different things, none of which involved an audience.

“Well.” Professor Flaherty unclasped her
hands and the energy shifted. Cord rose from the love seat. The
meeting was over. “Cord, Alex, I’m going to check on a few things.
If you like, I’ll show you to your rooms.”

They both grunted something resembling a
“yes” and filed out.

Cord stopped in front of me, her face a hard
mask. “You fixed your friend,” she said in a hard voice. Her chin
rose and fell so quick, I wasn’t sure what it meant. “Nice job.”
Then she left.

Neither Wes nor I moved, even after the room
had emptied. My hands balled into fists at my sides. I pumped them
open and closed, needing to channel my nervous energy. I waited for
him to say something, anything.

“It’s a lot more than just fixing George,”
he said finally.

“You’re telling me,” I mumbled.

“It’s a lot, Tara.”

“I know.”

He held his arms out and I practically fell
into them. I leaned my cheek against his shoulder and he swayed
gently side to side. His hand smoothed my hair. “Everything feels
better in this position,” I said. He didn’t answer. “Are you still
freaking out?”

“Maybe. Aren’t you?”

“Yes.” I straightened so I could look up at
him. “But not in the way you think.”

“What way is that?”

“The way you’re probably freaking out. As
in, how did we not know this? What do we do now? What else has
Steppe covered up? Stop me when I get one right.”

His lips curved. “None of those things
bother you?”

I pulled away to pace. I didn’t want to end
the contact—his arms around me were a steady strength—but I needed
to move, especially to tell him this. “Do you know why I don’t want
anyone to know I can shift?”

“Because you’re scared of what they’ll think
of you.”

“It’s more like I’m scared of what I’ll
think of myself.”

“You already know you’re a Dirty Blood. It
doesn’t get much worse than that.”

“Doesn’t it?” I stopped and faced him. The
laughter in his eyes faded as he realized how serious I was. “If I
can shift, become both a Hunter and a Werewolf, when no one else
can—that means something. If my blood can heal a hybrid, give them
their humanity back, it means everything Vera said about me is
true. I’m special, different. And finding out about this metal
thing, that I’m immune, it only makes what she said more real. Is
it like she said? I’m supposed to bring peace? Because I have no
idea how to do that.”

“Even if it does mean something, that you’re
a part of a bigger purpose or whatever, you have nothing to be
afraid of, Tara. You can handle it, whatever it is.” He closed the
distance between us and cupped my face in his hands. His eyes were
deadly serious. “You are capable of anything. Whatever you set your
mind to. There’s no reason to be afraid. Even if all of those
things are true, you being a Werewolf, or immune to metal, or
whatever—if you don’t want it, I’ll walk away with you. We’re in
this together.”

“You would do that? Walk away?”

“Of course I would. Doing something just
because you feel like you have to or you’re supposed to, that’s not
destiny. Destiny is doing something because you know you couldn’t
do anything else.”

“For me,” I whispered, “that’s you.”

He smiled a slow smile, transforming his
features and shifting them from determined to triumphant. “Being in
love with you is more than I ever thought possible. You’re my
family, my soul mate, the one I was made for. I’m not going
anywhere,” he said as his mouth met mine.

The kiss was soft and deep, a perfect match
for the words he’d spoken. It was a promise of forever. By kissing
him back, I’d accepted his promise. Still, reality crept in at the
edges, inching me back well before I wanted to. He didn’t argue,
only raised his hand to smooth my hair and waited for me to go
on.

“I could never run, you
know,” I said. “Not because it isn’t tempting, but because I can’t
outrun
me.
If it
were only about facing CHAS, stopping them, or changing them, I’d
do it. In a second. Or I’d try. Facing myself is a different story.
How can I demand they accept me when I don’t know who I
am?”

“I can’t answer that for you. I can only
tell you what was told to me by someone very wise: ‘Your blood
doesn’t define who you are. Your choices do.’”

“Who said that?”

“Fee.”

“Very wise,” I agreed.

“No one said you had to rush into anything,
and no matter what you decide, you have me. You’re not alone.”

“I know. Thank you.”

“One step a time, right?”

“Right. And I think the first step should be
to test you against the metal.”

“You think I’m immune as well?”

I shrugged. “Our parents were friends. I
wouldn’t put it past them to experiment on both of us.”

“Good point.” He rubbed his chin. “Skills,
huh? So if I’m immune too, does that mean I have no metal skills or
mad metal skills?”

I laughed and took his hand, leading him
toward the door. “I think Cambria’s vocabulary is rubbing off.”

I paused at the doorway and stared up and
down the hallway, trying to remember the way to the lab.

“You know where we’re going, right?”

I bit my lip and chose a direction. “Right,”
I said. I really needed to mention my idea about color-coding the
carpet.

“I do have one question, though,” he said,
as we walked. “Did you really have no idea Alex was coming?” His
brow rose but there wasn’t any force behind the words. Still, I
groaned.

“He really did show up just before you. I
had no idea he was coming.”

“I believe you,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes. “You do?”

“Sure, but you had to know when you asked
him to lie for you that he’d come.”

I stopped walking. We were at a fork in the
hallways and I had no idea which way to go.

I stared at him, unable to keep the
defensive note out of my tone. “I didn’t expect to ever see him
again, actually. He had his place with Kane.”

He shook his head, his lips curving. “You
don’t know anything about guys. He was coming to see you from the
second you called. I don’t care how much he loves killing
Werewolves.”

I frowned. I didn’t want to argue—about
Alex, especially.

“It’s all right,” he said, catching sight of
my expression. “I told you, I’m not mad.”

I tilted my head. “You’re not playing nice
about this because you’re afraid to fight in front of Alex, are
you?” I said. “Because you said you’re not mad. So you can’t be mad
later, either.”

“Relax. I’m not playing nice because of
Alex,” he said. “Not completely, anyway.” I glared at him and he
laughed and pulled me against him. His lips moved against my ear
and when he spoke, his breath left chills where it slid down my
neck. “Mostly, it’s because I can’t stand to be in the same room
with you and not touch you,” he whispered. “Being angry is
counterproductive to that goal.”

I shivered as he pressed his lips against my
neck, then lower, against my collarbone. Then lower, moving my
shirt out of the way to kiss my shoulder, then lower still …

My back hit the wall with a thud, the heated
tingling vibrating through me at his touch. My control slipped and
passion rose like that day at the lake …

“Wes, we’re in the hallway,” I managed to
whisper.

He sighed and the pressure of his mouth
against my neck disappeared. “Dammit. We pick the worst places for
this sort of thing.” He stepped back and swept his hair away from
his forehead. “All right,” he said grudgingly, “which way to the
lab?”

“I don’t …” My words faded away as a strange
sensation washed over me.

I looked around, instinct telling me we were
no longer alone. I expected to find Mathias lurking, but the
hallway was empty.

“What is it?” Wes asked. His expression
quickly went from curious to concerned.

“I don’t know. I thought someone was there,”
I said. The feeling in the back of my mind exploded. I squeezed my
eyes shut against a searing pain in my skull.

“What is it?” Wes repeated, alarm in his
voice now.

My heart raced from the pain. I closed my
eyes against the sudden glare of the light. “I don’t know. My head
hurts,” I managed.

“What can I do?”

His voice sounded loud, like the beating of
a bass drum. I winced.

“I need to sit.” I slid down the wall, eyes
closed, and pulled my knees in, trying to block out the glare that
burned my eyes through my lids. I could feel Wes hovering in front
of me, his fingertips brushing over my legs.

The stillness reverberated,
a beat that pulsed and pounded against my skull. Underneath it all
was the
presence
of something.

“Tay?” I looked up at the sound of George’s
voice, breathless and panicked. I pried my eyes open, squinting up
at where he stood, his entire body shaking. His form shimmered at
the edges, and he looked ready to shift at any second.

“George?” I managed. It came out on a sob.
The pain. I couldn’t handle much more.

“What’s wrong with her?” I heard him ask. I
squeezed my eyes shut again, and grabbed Wes’s hand, hanging
on.

“I don’t know. Her head started hurting all
of a sudden,” Wes said. “Where’ve you been?”

“It wasn’t as easy shifting back as I
thought.”

I heard George shuffle closer. It sounded
loud; everything was magnified—painful beyond anything I’d ever
felt, including my bite from Leo.

“Well, do something,” George insisted in a
shaky voice.

“Back up. And don’t you dare shift in here,”
Wes said to him. “Get a grip.”

“I can’t help it. I feel protective.”

“If you shift this close, you’re the one
she’ll need protecting from,” Wes snapped. “Which way back to the
others?”

“I don’t know. I was in my room.”

“Well, how did you find us?” Wes asked,
irritated. I squeezed his hand harder.

“I just felt something. I don’t know. I knew
Tara needed me.”

“How the hell would you know that?” Wes’s
tone was clipped, bordering on fury. “Never mind, we don’t have
time. Find Professor Flaherty. Which way to your room?”

“Um, take a left at the end of the hall and
its right there,” George said. “How about I’ll take her and you get
the professor? I can’t—I can’t leave her.”

“You can’t leave her? What the hell, George!
Just get the professor already, and hurry up!”