Unleash the Night (20 page)

There were more of him? She forced herself not to react to that. But to be honest, she'd assumed the ones who hurt him had been human. Given his solitary nature, it would have made sense that he was completely alone in the world.

Stupid her to not be more imaginative.

“Why are they trying to kill you?”

“Because I shouldn't be seeing a human. We're not supposed to have anything more than casual relationships with your kind. They're afraid that by being with you, I'm becoming dangerous to them.”

As much as she hated hearing him say “your kind,” she realized for once that there really was a difference between her and him. She was human and he wasn't.

At least not entirely.

“Are you dangerous?”

“I don't know. You're all I can think about. When I'm away from you, it hurts in a way I wouldn't have thought possible and I don't know why. I shouldn't feel like this for a human woman. I know that. I crave being with you so much that it's like some kind of madness inside me. Maybe they're right. Maybe I should be put down.”

“Or maybe they're wrong. I don't think you're dangerous, Wren. At least not physically. But what you do to my body might be considered criminal in some states.”

He offered her a smile. “Thanks for taking me in and not calling the cops.”

“No problem. Believe me, letting a gorgeous naked man into the house isn't a hardship for most women.”

He gave a short laugh at that. “I can't believe how well you're taking all this.”

“That's only because you were unconscious for the worst of it. I've had enough time to adjust to the fact that there was a half-dead tigard on my floor that had come into my house in the guise of my boyfriend.”

Wren still found it hard to believe how calm she was. He'd expected her to flee and leave him alone at the very best. At the worst, he'd expected her to turn him over to the authorities.

Normally, he would have never trusted anyone with his well-being. But with the trank taking effect, he'd had no choice except to hope that Maggie wouldn't betray him.

And she hadn't. She'd kept him safe, and from the looks of the makeshift pallet he was on, she'd tended to him while he was out.

As Wren started to sit up, she helped him. Her hands felt good on his naked skin, soothing as he leaned back against her couch. He would give anything to keep those precious hands on his body, but unfortunately, she pulled back.

“How long have I been out?”

“Four days.”

He froze at her words. That couldn't be right. Could it? “What?”

She nodded. “I told you, I had ample time to get used to you being a big cat. I've been terrified every day that you wouldn't wake back up.”

Terror consumed him. If she'd left her house …

It was a thousand wonders that the ones after him hadn't already found them both and killed them. “What have you been doing while I was out of it?”

She indicated a small pallet on the floor beside him. “I stayed close by in case you needed something. All I did was clean the blood off the back porch, then I locked the house down. I didn't know who was after you, but I was afraid that whoever they were, they might find you, so I kept the phone ready to call for help if they did.”

Tenderness flooded him over her actions. It was unthinkable that someone would do all that for him. Not once in his life had anyone ever sought to protect him. He'd never had any delusions about Nicolette. Had he ever done anything to endanger her life or those of her family members, she'd have tossed him out in a heartbeat.

But Maggie hadn't. She owed him nothing and yet she had kept him safe even though it endangered her own life. It was inconceivable.

He let out a relieved breath that she'd had the good sense to stay put. “Has anyone else come by?”

“No. I kept the windows and doors shut tight, just in case.”

He was amazed they hadn't found him, but then again, unconscious, he hadn't been putting off his scent or a trail. He had to be careful now. His kind would be sending out psychic feelers. If he used his magic, such as he was doing right now to remain human, they could find him.

Closing his eyes, he masked his powers. But he wouldn't be able to do that long before it weakened him even more.

Sooner or later, he'd have to leave a trail that they could very easily trace.

“We have to get out of here ASAP.”

She looked confused by that. “Why? I have plenty of groceries.”

“I can't let them find me in your house, Maggie. There's no telling what they might do to you.”

“I'm a big girl, Wren. And I have a mighty big gun, fully loaded.”

He scoffed at her bravado. “If you think back to the night we met when I got shot, you'll remember that guns aren't real effective on us. At least not unless you shoot us in the head at very close range.”

She twisted up her face in disgust.

“Yeah,” he breathed. “Like I said, we need to go.”

Marguerite didn't know what to say. She didn't want him to leave. “How many more are there like you?”

“Enough to make the cast of a Cecil B. DeMille film look like a two-man opera.” He reached up and cupped her cheek in his palm. “They'll be coming for me, Maggie, and they won't stop until I'm dead. You've been to Sanctuary and they know it. Sooner or later, they will find you if I leave you behind. They'll use you to get to me.”

Her head swam at what he was saying. “I can't leave. I've got school. Responsibilities.…”

“You can't go to school if you're dead.”

She began to panic as the true horror of her situation dawned on her.

This couldn't be happening.

“I'll go to my father. He can protect us.”

Wren vanished from in front of her. Two seconds later, he was behind her. “He can't protect you from my people,” he whispered against her ear.

“How did you do that?” she asked, unable to believe the extent of his abilities.

“It's easy. My people can travel through time and they can use magic at will. There's no human on this earth who can keep you safe from them. Trust me.”

Anger welled up inside her at what he was saying. She felt powerless, and that was the one thing she hated most of all. She was a grown woman in charge of her own life, and she didn't like the thought of having no way to protect herself. There had to be something they could do.

“If I can't use a gun to protect me and we can't hide, then what are we supposed to do? Am I supposed to give up my entire life because I slept with you?”

Wren pulled back at her words, which struck him like a physical blow. She was right. He was asking too much of her. It wasn't fair. Why should he expect her to sacrifice the rest of her life for him?

It was too much to ask of anyone. Not to mention she'd had a life that had been perfect until he'd entered it. No, she didn't need something like him screwing up her future. He'd never brought happiness or joy to anyone. She'd been one of only a very small handful of people who'd ever really been nice to him. He wouldn't pay her back by hurting her.

There was only one way to settle this.…

Marguerite frowned as Wren kissed her lips tenderly.

“I'm sorry I fucked up your life, Maggie,” he said in a low tone as he pulled back to stare down at her. His eyes burned her with their sad resignation.

With regret.

He stroked her cheek with his fingers as he stared at her as if trying to commit her features to memory.

Then two seconds later, he vanished from in front of her.

The heat from his hand still lingered on her cheek while the rest of her felt cold from his sudden absence.

“Wren?” she called, looking around the room for him. Surely he would pop right back like he'd done a minute ago … wouldn't he?

“Wren? Where are you?”

Someone knocked on her door.

What is he doing now?

Sure it was him, she went and swung open the door to find Dr. Alexander standing on her front porch.

“Hi, Marguerite,” he said. “I've been—”

“Not now, please, Dr. Alexander. I've got a serious problem.”

“Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Disgusted, scared, and frustrated by what was happening to her, she spoke without thinking. “No. Not unless you know some way to track a vanishing tiger.”

She saw the color drain from his face. “Then Wren really is here.”

It was then she knew.…

That was why Dr. Alexander and the others had shown up to bail Wren out of jail. “You know what he is?”

“Do you?”

His defensive vagueness was starting to piss her off. “Why are you here, Dr. Alexander?” she asked in a cold tone.

“You haven't been in class for four days and you haven't answered your phone.”

Her stomach tightened in reservation. “How do you know that? You're not my advisor anymore.”

His handsome face was grim. “No, I'm not. But I knew you were most likely the last one to see Wren and I have to find him.”

“Why?”

“Because he's dead if we don't.”

Marguerite shrieked at the deep voice behind her. She turned to see a tall, blond man dressed in black. “How did you get into my house?”

He didn't answer as he went to where Wren had been sleeping. “He was here,” he said to Julian. “His scent is all over the place.” The man pierced her with an angry stare. “Where did he go?”

“Who the hell are you?” she demanded.

“Fury,” he snarled, “and it's not just a name, it's my temperament. So stop being defensive, human. I don't got time or patience for it. We're here to save your boyfriend before he gets himself killed.”

Dr. Alexander cleared his throat in a warning gesture. “You know me, Marguerite. Believe me when I say that we're on Wren's side. Do you know where he is?”

She hesitated as she considered her options. Wren had called for Dr. Alexander and Bill when he'd been locked in jail. But then, he hadn't sought them out while wounded.

Did that mean they couldn't be trusted?

Or did it just mean that he had trusted her more?

Unsure of the answer, she decided that the only way to help him now was to take a chance and pray it was the right decision.

“No. He vanished a second ago.”

“What did he say before he left?” Fury asked.

“I don't know. He told me I needed to run with him and I told him I can't just leave. He got this weird look on his face and then he apologized for screwing up my life. Two seconds later, he was gone.”

“Shit,” Fury snarled as he met Dr. Alexander's gaze. “He's headed you know where.”

Dr. Alexander looked disgusted.

“Grab Vane and have him meet me there.” Fury had barely finished those words before he, too, vanished.

Dr. Alexander cursed as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed a button.

“Vane,” he said after a few seconds, “we found where he's been. But we just missed him. Literally. I think he's headed back to Sanctuary to confront them.”

Dr. Alexander frowned at her as he paused to listen. “No. I have the woman he's been with. I'll keep her with me for the time being. Can you and Fury handle the others?”

Marguerite chewed her nail as she waited.

“I'm taking her to Jean-Luc's. Let me know what happens.” He hung up the phone. “Pack an overnight bag.”

“Why?”

His gaze was severe and cutting with its intensity. “They know who you are, Marguerite. It's why I'm here. I checked with your professors, who told me you'd been missing classes. I was terrified that they'd already found you and were holding you to bait Wren. You're both damn lucky that they haven't tracked you down yet, but believe me, it's only a matter of time until they do. It's imperative that we get you to safety. Now.”

Still, she wanted some answers. “Who are ‘we'?”

“Look, I'll explain all this later. Right now, I need you to get the hell out of here before I have to kill people who I generally consider my friends.”

He was right. She was being stupid when she'd already seen what they were capable of.

Nodding, Marguerite turned and ran to her room, where she grabbed a small bag that she quickly filled with a change of clothes, underwear, some makeup, and a nightgown.

By the time she returned, Bill Laurens had joined Dr. Alexander in her living room.

She arched a brow at the lawyer.

“Yeah, I know,” Bill said. “I look like a mild-mannered corporate attorney. But I can wrestle a bear or tiger any day. C'mon, we need to get you out of here.”

“How long will I be gone?”

Bill exchanged a nervous look with Dr. Alexander. “We don't know.”

Agitated at how fast her entire life was changing and how powerless she was to stop it, she grabbed her cell phone and charger from the counter. She led the men out of her house, then locked the door.

“You don't really think Wren went to get himself killed, do you?” she asked Dr. Alexander as he led her to his black Land Rover.

Both men answered at once. “To save you? Yes.”

Marguerite had never felt more selfish in her life as she climbed into Dr. Alexander's car. “I can't believe this is happening.…” She wasn't even aware she'd spoken aloud until Bill spoke.

“Welcome to our world. It's not a pretty place. But then, it's never boring, either.”

She sighed as pain swept through her. “I keep thinking this is all a dream and tomorrow I'm going to wake up in my bed and wonder what the hell I had for dinner.”

Bill laughed at that as Dr. Alexander pulled out of her driveway. “You want a real rude awakening, ask your classics professor how old he really is.”

By the tone of Bill's voice, she could tell it was going to send her over the edge. “I don't want to know, do I?”