He was on her before anyone could stop him, his hands wrapped around her throat. He muttered something and terrifying veins popped up on her face, her eyes widening as she clawed at his hands.

Charlie didn’t think.

He just reacted.

His legs took him across the lab faster than he knew he could move. His fist wrapped around the silver coin that hung from his neck and the image of a silver dagger Jack had in his weapon’s trunk filled his mind until cold metal filled his hand. Charlie’s breath brushed the back of Dalí’s neck, his elbow swung back and then he plunged the blade deep into him, ripping bumpily through flesh and muscle. Dalí stiffened. Fallon’s gasping, choking breaths filled the air. Charlie pulled his hand back, warm with blood and the murder weapon that withdrew from Dalí's heart. The sorcerer fell against Charlie and he jumped back in shock, letting him thump to the ground. Dalí’s lifeless eyes stared up at him.

“Charlie,” a hoarse, familiar voice whispered.

He’s dead.

I killed him.

Charlie eyed his hand. Blood.

It had happened so quickly.

“Charlie.” He was shaken, and Fallon’s face appeared in front of his. “Charlie.” She brushed a hand over his face. “It’s okay. You saved me. Okay? It’s okay.”

Nausea rolled over him and he wiped his hand hard against his jeans, trying to get the blood off.

“Charlie, it’s okay.”

“He’s dead.”

“You saved me.”

What? He looked at her carefully, at the red blush around her throat where Dalí’s hands had been. “I saved you.”

Fallon smiled sadly. “Yes. Thank you.”

As Jai focused on freeing Ari, he had to shove the fact that Charlie had just killed a sorcerer to the side. He knew Charlie had the look of a war victim; the trauma glazing his eyes, but Jai could only deal with one thing at a time, and Ari needed him. The Red King finally freed her limp body from the chair and Jai scooped her up into his arms, worry tightening his gut at the way she lolled lifelessly.

“I have a car waiting outside,” Red said, brushing Ari’s hair off her face, his eyebrows puckered with concern. “My healer is in it.”

Leaving the Red King to clean up the mess they had made and Fallon to lead Charlie out of the building, Jai cradled Ari against his chest, his eyes glued to her face, waiting for any sign of her waking up. “Ari, come on,” he whispered in her ear as the elevator climbed. “Wake up, baby, wake up.”

The doors opened and he stepped over the carnage they’d made, rushing out toward a small limo. The back door opened and the young healer who had fixed them before got out, his pale silver hair gleaming in the moonlight. “In here.” He directed with long graceful fingers, and Jai carefully slid Ari inside, clambering beside her and easing her across his lap.

Charlie and Fallon climbed in next, Charlie’s eyes seeming more focused now as they fell upon Ari’s lifeless body. “Is she going to be okay?” he asked hoarsely.

The healer shut the door and the car moved off. Kneeling at Jai’s feet, the healer placed his hands over the air above Ari and closed his eyes, magic crackling at his fingertips. After a moment, his pursed lips relaxed and he gave Jai an encouraging smile.

“She will be fine. The drug will leave her system within a few days and leave her unharmed. She just needs to rest and you must all have patience. Give her time to wake up. She will wake up when she is ready.”

Relief crashed through Jai, and he pulled her closer to him.

A sound, a cracked breath, caught his attention and Jai’s gaze collided with Charlie’s.

“Does she know?” Charlie asked, his jaw clenched with emotion.

Jai felt a flash of guilt as he realized Charlie had guessed his feelings. Jai didn’t want to hurt anyone. He shook his head. “Not yet.”

“Not yet…” Charlie murmured and looked out the window, shutting them all out as he dealt with everything the only way he seemed to know how. Jai could understand that. He’d never been very good at talking things out, either.

Ari’s hair tickled Jai’s hand and he looked back down at her. All the love he should have let her see before now blazed in his eyes.

He was suddenly very impatient for her to wake up.

Chapter

Thirty

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY LEADS TO A TRIAL

Ari woke during the night in an unfamiliar room. Panic overtook her as images of a man and a woman’s face collided with images of blood and chemicals and feelings of impotence and despair. A soothing hand pressed against her forehead, and Ari locked gazes with Fallon. The young woman explained everything. Dalí had taken Ari and he’d been trying to siphon her blood to use with a talisman to recreate the seal. Fallon, Jai, Charlie and the Red King had launched a rescue mission. Dalí had almost killed Fallon. Charlie had killed Dalí rescuing Fallon and was now having a difficult time dealing with it, but Fallon and Jack were trying their best to help him come to terms with what had happened. Anxiety for him flooded Ari, but Fallon didn’t take a breath to let her process the information. Jai wouldn’t leave Ari’s bedside, and Fallon had to threaten him with a kick to the nuts to make him leave so she could get some sleep. They were in a different hotel. The guild waited for her to wake up. They worried about her. That was nice. Ari was so tired, though. Her eyes fluttered closed and she vaguely thought how nice it was to feel her limbs again…

Tags: Samantha Young Fantasy
Source: readsnovelonline.net