Blown Away (Rogues Shifter Series Book 4) (16 page)

By the time we dragged our weary bodies back to the house, dawn was only two hours away and Garrett had to round up his nest and get them back to Crescent City. I thought about asking him to stay a little longer, but he needed to rest and so did I. I hadn’t stopped yawning since I’d shifted back to human. I curled up in my bed, feeling a little lonely, but quickly fell asleep.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

AT 1:30 the next afternoon there was an unexpected knock on the door. Kaera got up from her spot in an armchair and looked out the window. “It’s the alpha’s son. The heir.” She looked at me for instructions.

Sinc and I glanced at each other and she shrugged, then said, “Let him in.” Sinc leaned back making a concerted effort to look relaxed, although after last night, it was a little tough to feel relaxed arou
nd any of Quentin’s clan. Pretty sure that Gabriel wasn’t there to talk to
me,
I went into the kitchen.

"I'll make some coffee."  Brina was resting in the back bedroom, having taken the last guard shift of the night and Liam was in the temporary lab trailer with Kyle and Ethan. Kaera, ever vigilant, let Gabriel in with a warning scowl and then sat down in the large window seat
across from Sinc.

“Hey, Sinc.”
Gabriel came in hesitantly at first, taking a glance around the room. His keen eyes skimmed over me in the kitchen and then took note of Kaera, but when he saw Sinc smiling from the couch he seemed to relax. She indicated that he should sit in the arm chair opposite the couch and he lowered himself into it with his usual animal grace. He was dressed casually in jeans and a plaid shirt and his dark blue eyes gleamed as they took her in.

“Hi Gabe.” She grinned back at him. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to see how you’re doing. Last night was tough for you. I’m sorry about what happened with Jake.”

Sinc had told me that last night she’d tried to talk to her father, but he’d been cold and
barely civil. Sharon had tried her best to smooth things over between herself and Sinc, saying that maybe she could convince Quentin to give her permission to travel to Crescent City for a visit with Sinclair. She'd acted nervous the entire night, often looking around to see who might be watching her. Sinc told me privately that she wasn't going to hold her breath in anticipation of a visit from her mom.

T
his trip had opened Sinc's eyes to the reality of the life she’d left behind, which compared very poorly to the one she’d built for herself with our team in Crescent City. Watching her face down her demons with such confidence was really cool to see.

“It’s ok
ay, Gabe. I didn’t come here expecting anything. I’ve made a good life for myself with the team. I’m doing fine.”

“You never…” He looked down, hesitant and unsure.

“What?”

He looked back up, still serious, “You never found a mate?” She shook her head
, but I thought she might be thinking about Ethan and the life they almost had together.

“Me either.” He was staring at her wit
h unconcealed longing. Sinc was keeping her expression neutral, so I didn't have any idea how Gabe's attention was affecting her. Karl had mentioned that Gabe was still pining for her, and it looked like he was right.

Sinc shrugged and smiled. “I thought the heir had to choose a mate before he was twenty-five.”

He sighed. “It’s been a constant battle between me and my father. I won’t pick a mate just because he likes her family." He frowned and lowered his voice. "It's BS anyway. Most of them pick a mate and then a mistress." He glanced at his watch.

Sinc's eyes widened in surprise. “I wouldn't have guessed you'd turn into the rebel of the fa
mily. I would've thought that was more Karl's speed." He shrugged and smiled, taking in a long breath of her scent.

She blushed, but tried to cover it up by continuing, "If you pick someone your daddy doesn't like, you may have to choose between her and
the pack."

"I'm well aware of that.
Especially since it happened once already. That time I made the wrong choice." He brushed a lock of hair off his face and said, "You've accomplished so much all on your own. It's rather incredible, really."

"I wasn't on my own. I had a lot of help from Rob and my boss, Garrett. You know, there’s a whole other world, Gabe. You don't have to stay.”

Nodding, he stared at her for another few seconds before he leaned closer. “Your snow leopard was beautiful, like you. It didn't make a difference to me. I wouldn’t have cheated on you.” He whispered it so low that I almost missed it.

She whispered back, meeting his eyes. “I know, Gabe, but that was a long time ag
o. It just wasn’t meant to be."

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry.” He looked at his watch. “I've been thinking about where the boys might be hidden. Would you like to come with me to check out a few places?”

“Definitely! I’ll tell the rest and we can all go.” She started to get up.

“It’s only a long shot. We’ll just be sniffing around. If we find anything, we’ll call for help.” Gabe stretched out his hand and touched her knee. “Can’t we just go together? I haven’t had a minute alone with you since
you got here. I’d like to talk—catch up.”

Sinc looked at me.
I shrugged and nodded toward Kaera. “I’ll have to take Kaera with me. I can’t go without a fae guard.”

“That’s fine, let’s get going.” H
e got up quickly, holding out his hand to Sinc.

She seemed a little bit surprised at the rush, but she snatched her bag off the couch and took his hand. “Keara, I need you to come with me and Gabe, ok
ay?”

“Of course.”
Kaera looked in my direction. "I've told Liam." When I nodded, she walked out the front door ahead of the other two to check that all was safe.

“Jackie, will you tell Kyle to take special care with the blood work? He tends to rush through things.”

“Sure.” I smiled thinking that Kyle would probably be annoyed when I delivered Sinc's directive. They'd found some blood at one of the sites, so Kyle was running the usual tests.

She and Gabe left through the front door and I followed along right after them, intending to hang a left to our lab trailer to give Kyle her message and see if they wanted coffee or anything else.

Gabe turned to me. “Isn't that your phone ringing?”

I looked at him curiously. “I don't hear anything.” Something was weird.

“Oh wait, shit, I forgot
my
phone. It’s recharging in the kitchen.” Sinc pulled away from Gabriel and ran back toward the house.

“Sinc, no!” Gabe was pushing past me, trying to grab Sinc’s shoulder, but she was already on the porch. At the same time I saw Kaera’s eyes widen dramatically and then flash gold as she spun back toward me in a blur, grabb
ing and twisting me toward her.

Then bedlam erupted.

There were vibrations at first: a chest deep rumble that started in the heart of the house then moved outward in a percussive rush, windows and wood shattering then flying outward in lethal shards and spears. Kaera shouted in fae as she wrapped her body around mine and we were thrown together through the air and away from the house. In mid air she flashed us to the street and out of the danger zone. Large chunks of wood, glass and sheetrock rained down where we’d just been standing only a second ago. The roar of the explosion finally bit into my ears, making me cover my face and cower. I felt sharp pains across my back and arms but still I squirmed in Kaera's grip, trying to see if Gabriel had reached Sinc and if she was okay.

Liam appeared
beside us and, after seeing that we were relatively safe, he disappeared again, reappearing with Brina, unconscious in his arms, his clothes blackened and smoldering from the fire already beginning to rage through the house. Ethan and Kyle had run from the trailer, reaching out to help me stand and dust some of the debris from my clothing and hair. My head was pounding from the assault on my ears and my arms were stinging sharply from numerous bleeding cuts.

Kyle grabbed my hand. “Holy Shit! Are you ok
ay?”

"Where’s Sinc? And Kaera?”
Ethan had a wild expression and Kyle had to grab him before he ran back into the burning house.

“Kaera
must have gone in after her.” Flames shot through the back bedroom windows and were spreading quickly into the main room. Kaera appeared next to us, her clothes scorched, her arms and face reddened with burns.

Sinc was unconscious
in Kaera's arms, bleeding from various wounds. Her foot seemed in particularly bad shape, horribly burned, with blood flowing heavily from a gash above her ankle and dripping on the ground.

Gabriel was starting to groan from where he lay in the grass near what was left of the gate to the yard. He’d apparently been thrown head first into the fence. He was lucky his neck wasn’t broken.

Liam took charge instantly. “Jackie take Sinc to Garrett, she needs his blood immediately.” Kaera, you will take Kyle and Ethan to Garrett’s house. Stay there until you are relieved. I’m taking Brina to Faerie.”

“Liam, I will take Brina—
she is my sister.” Blood ran down Kaera’s face from a gash across her forehead and her clothing still smoked, her usual calm expression was replaced by fear for Brina.

Liam spoke firmly but softly. “You will do your job. I need to tend her. Farrell will relieve you in a few minutes.” He said something else in Fae and then disappeared. Her eyes narrowed in anger as she looked at me.

I tried to look non confrontational, not feeling up to arguing with a furious fae warrior in the middle of a crisis. “Keara, please hand Sinc to Ethan and then take Kyle and Gabriel to my kitchen. Tie up that piece-of-shit wolf. He knew about the bomb. Don’t hurt him.” She glowered at Gabriel as she grabbed him roughly by the arm, making him cry out. Then taking Kyle’s arm,  she disappeared instantly.

I took another glance at the house, which by now was a raging inferno, and felt myself tremble. The neighborhood wolves were running in our direction and shouting at us to wait. I saw Jake racing toward me with a panicked expression which I took to be more of a "don't let t
hem get away" look than an "I hope everyone's okay" look. I flipped him off as I grabbed Ethan’s hand and threw the three of us into the ley lines. I heard Ethan gasp, since I hadn't used much finesse, but hell, Gabriel and his pack had wanted me dead, along with the fae and the vampires who he thought were resting in the basement. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

I flashed into Garrett’s room with Sinc and Ethan. Garrett was at rest, not breathing or moving, but I knew that he would wake as soon as I touched his mind. “Ethan please put her on the bed next to Garrett then turn on the light and run out to the supply cabinet outside the bathroom to get first aid supplies.” He laid her down
gently and then left the room.

I sat on the bed and cradled his head between my hands. “
Wake up Garrett, Sinc is hurt and she
needs your blood
.” His eyes popped open and he shivered slightly in an effort to sharpen his wits to deal with the crisis.

“Tell me.” Seeing Sinc next to him, he sat up and moved closer, biting into his wrist and holding it to her mouth. But she wasn’t awake and so she didn’t swallow.

“Shit, I have to go into her head and try to wake her up. Ethan will tell you what happened.”

“We’ll do an intravenous line.” Ethan was back and already ripping the packaging on intravenous needles and tubing. Garrett helped him and then got a line going from his arm, attaching it to Sinc’s after getting the blood flowing with some suction.

“Okay—that’s good. She’s getting blood now. I’ll give you some of mine.” I was shaking as I lifted my wrist, noticing with surprise the blood that had soaked through my shirt and dried on my arm. It smelled like
my
blood.

Garrett gently took my hand and lowered it. “I’m fine, but you’re bleeding. Tell me what happened.” I knew my cuts were only minor, although they hurt like a hundred tiny paper cuts all over my arms and back. Plus my ears were still ringing and it was kind of hard to hear. Ethan was examining Sinc’s injuries looking furious at first and then more worried with every passing minute.

Trembling with rage, I was pretty sure that I had him beat in the anger department. “A fucking bomb is what happened. Brina was burned and god knows what else. She was in the back bedroom, right over the explosion. Liam took her to Faerie. They blew up the house thinking that you were all in the basement—you and your nest. Gabriel got Sinc out with some lame excuse before the explosion but she ran back in to get her phone. He tried to get me to go back inside. He wanted me dead. He probably thought the bomb would kill Liam too. I made Kaera bring him with us so we have a hostage. I want to interrogate him.”

Garrett's bright blue eyes had iced over in an angry silver swirl as I'd spoken. The only thing keeping him in the bed and not vamp-speeding it into the kitchen to rip out Gabriel’s throat was that intravenous line giving Sinc the strength she needed to recover.

Farrell appeared in the doorway looking somber. “I’ve relieved Kaera; she’s gone to Brina. I’ve brought Ashlyn as backup and she has Gabriel upstairs in the common room. The wolf is conscious, tied up and not going anywhere. Kyle is uninjured and on the phone with Peter. What else can we do?” He looked down at Sinc, his brow wrinkling with concern as he moved into the room. He knelt by the bed and took the injured foot gently in his hand, examining it. I was ashamed at myself for looking away, so I forced myself to look again. It was raw, red and blistered, parts of it blackened like burnt meat and twisted in an odd way. I couldn’t even tell if she still had all of her toes.