Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood 10)

As Xhex stepped out of the shower, she knew John had returned, because she caught his scent as well as the smell of something frickin' delicious. Reapplying the cilices she'd removed to get cleaned up, she wrapped a towel around herself and padded out into the bedroom.

"Oh, man, turkey," she said as he set up a lap tray for her.

Glancing over, his eyes lingered on her body like he wanted to eat her instead, but then he just smiled and went back to his ministrations with what he'd brought them both.

"This is perfect timing," she murmured as she got on the bed. "I'm starved. "

After everything was set up properly, from the napkin to the silverware to the glass and covered plate, he brought the tray over to her, placing it across her thighs. Then he retreated to the other side of the room to have his own food at the chaise lounge.

Would he rather be feeding her by hand? she wondered as they ate in silence. Vampire males liked to do that. . . but she'd never had the patience for it. Food was energy for the body, not something to get all Valentine's Day about.

Guess they were both capable of closing each other out, weren't they. And something was up: His grid was conflicted, to the point where his emotions were nearly frozen.

"I'll leave," she said sadly. "After I check in on my mother, I'll go - "

You don't have to, he signed. I don't want you to.

"You sure about that. " When he nodded, she had to wonder, given what his grid was up to.

But come on, a couple of hours in the sack were not going to close the kind of distance they had been rocking lately -

Abruptly, he took a deep breath and stopped playing with what was on his plate. Listen, I need to tell you something.

She put down her fork and wondered how bad this was going to hurt. "Okay. "

Layla fed Xcor.

"What the f - I'm sorry, did I hear you right?" As he nodded, she thought, Right, she'd known there was drama going down in the theater district, but she never would have guessed it was that serious.

She didn't know who it was. Throe tricked her - he reached out and found her and brought her to Xcor.

"Jesus. . . " Like the king needed another reason to kill that motherfucker?

Here's the thing. She wants to help find him - and with her blood in his veins. . . she can. She knew where he was last night - sensed him clear as day. She could really help you.

Xhex forgot all about the food, adrenaline rocketing through her body. "Oh, man, if I can just get her in range. . . How long ago did she feed him?"

The fall.

"Shit. Time's wasting. " She burst up and went for her leather pants, picking them up off the floor. Damn it, they were split in half -

There are some others still in the closet.

"Oh, thanks. " She went over and tried not to get depressed as she saw their clothes lined up together. God. . . "Ah, do you know where she is?"

Down in the kitchen with Qhuinn.

As John's grid shifted, Xhex stopped in the process of pulling a fresh set out. Narrowing her eyes over her shoulder, she said, "What aren't you telling me. "

Wrath and Phury don't want to involve her. She offered to help and they shut her down. If you use her, they can't ever know you did - I can't state that more plainly.

Xhex blinked, her breath freezing in her lungs.

No one can know, Xhex. Not even Qhuinn. And it goes without saying that you've got to keep her safe.

As John met her stare grimly, she didn't care about any of that shit. Didn't even hear it.

With this piece of intel, he had just chosen her and her quest over both his king and the Primale of hi