John cocked a brow, and then nodded.
After all, blood sense didn't lie - although unfortunately, it was a sword that cut both ways. The good news was that the mhis V threw up around the compound would keep anyone on the outside from finding her - which was the reason Throe had been fed in the first place. And at least that connection with Layla was fading with every passing night, even with the Chosen's blood being so pure.
"I've got nothing of my own," Layla said roughly. "Nothing. Even my service can be taken away from me. "
"Shhh. . . ain't going to happen. I won't let it. "
Man, he prayed that wasn't a lie. And they damn well had to tell the king and the Primale right away: Their first stop, after they took her to Doc Jane's, was going to be Wrath's study. Those two just had to understand where she'd been coming from - she'd been manipulated by the enemy, exploited like any other resource into doing something she never would have volunteered for in a million years.
He wished he'd killed Xcor when he'd had the chance. . .
A good thirty minutes later, John turned off onto the rear road to the training center, and it was another ten before they finally pulled into the parking garage.
The first clue something was off came when Qhuinn stepped out onto the curb: His skin tightened up in a rush, his blood heating to a boil in his veins for no good reason. And then he popped a giant, throbbing erection.
Frowning, he glanced around. And John did the same as the guy cracked his door and got out from behind the steering wheel.
There was. . . some kind of mojo working in the parking lot. What the fuck?
"Ah, right, okay, let's get you to Doc Jane," Qhuinn said as he took Layla's elbow, and made sure the front of his hips was covered by the tails of his leather jacket.
"I'm fine. Honestly - "
"Then that's just what the good doctor will tell - "
As John opened the door to the place and they all stepped inside, Qhuinn lost his train of thought as a wall of hormones smacked right into him. Looking down at his pelvis, he couldn't believe he was suddenly about to orgasm.
"Someone's in her needing," Layla announced. "I don't think you two should go in - "
Far down the hall, Doc Jane all but jumped out of one of the examination rooms. "You have to leave - Qhuinn and John, you've got to go - "
"Who's - " Qhuinn had to close his eyes and slow his breathing down: The motion was causing his cock to rub against his button fly, threatening a messy explosion. "Who is - "
As some kind of wave intensified, he lost the ability to speak.
Fuck, it was like he'd just come through his transition and was surrounded by naked females in all-access positions.
"It's Autumn," Jane said, running toward them and ushering them back out into the parking lot. "Are you okay, Layla?"
"I'm fine - "
"She needs a quick physical," Qhuinn mumbled as he turned for the Shadow's car. "Just came close to passing out. Text me when you're done, Layla, 'kay?"
John was walking like a scarecrow as well - stiffly and without any coordination. Then again, when you had a baseball bat in your pants, you were hardly going to Fred Astaire around.
As the heavy steel door shut them out, things got a little better, and by the time they had driven through the series of gates, short of a raging hard-on, he was feeling more rational.
"Jesus," Qhuinn said. "Bottle that shit and the Viagra boys are out of business. "
Behind the wheel, John whistled an agreement.
As the guy drove them around the base of the mountain and approached the main house from the front, Qhuinn squirmed in his leathers.
He hadn't done much sexually since. . . well, shit, almost a year ago, when he'd had some private time with that red-haired guy at the Iron Mask. After that, he hadn't had much interest in anything or anyone, male or female. He didn't even wake up hard anymore.
Hell, given the length of his dry spell, he'd begun to think that he'd just burned through his allotment of orgasms: Considering how much fucking he'd done after his transition, it sure as shit seemed possible.
But here he was, itching in his seat.