Gravity (49 page)

healing agent in a Chitah’s saliva worked immediately, sealing the cut and ending the pain.

Logan crawled up my body and ran his tongue over my neck—licking and sucking until I was

writhing beneath him. My hands ran across his bare back, and his whiskers tickled my neck in the

most delicious way. He growled, and I knew it was because I had accepted him as a Chitah. Who

he was and what he could do.

Then he slid his hand secretively between my legs so the cameras couldn’t see. “Anywhere else

you’re in need of my tongue, Little Raven?”

Chapter 37

Justus received a call from Logan early that morning, detailing the attack and stating they had

everything under control. He had anticipated this kind of retaliation might occur and was relieved

to know Silver was safe.

Page had reviewed every file in detail, focusing on the medical information he and Simon didn’t

understand. She worked tirelessly, refusing to sleep or eat. She was the kind of woman who let her

own needs take a backseat, and the signs of fatigue were starting to settle in.

When he walked in the study, she was asleep across the desk, papers scattered in front of her.

Justus removed her glasses and she roused from her dreamy state with a complaining moan.

“This is enough,” he said.

“Just one more hour,” she groaned, putting the glasses back on.

“No. These papers are not going anywhere. Now come with me.”

She stood up and put her hand on the desk. “God.”

“What is it?” He may have been half-asleep before, but he was wide-awake when her color

paled.

“You’re right; I need to take a break. I’m not feeling well.”

Justus locked his arm around her side and walked her to the door. “Stop pushing yourself so

hard. If helping us means jeopardizing your health, then I will not have it. You are mortal.”

“Thanks for the reminder.” She tried to sound humored, but the closer they got to the door, the

more she felt like a caged animal about to bolt.

“Let go,” she gasped and ran out of the room.

Justus found her over the toilet bowl. He flipped the phone out of his pocket and stepped into

the hall to give her privacy.

“Novis, I will be in your debt if you can assist with a favor. Page La Croix has fallen ill. Is there

anyone you trust enough to bring to my secure location? … No, I didn’t call a Relic to look at her

when we found her. She slept off the drugs… She didn’t know. Injections of some kind. There

were no symptoms, just fatigue. I need someone who can come on short notice, and let them

know she recently recovered from the flu and her immune system was low… Because I trust her

word… You have my gratitude.”

Justus paced outside the door, rubbing his jaw and wondering why he hadn’t gotten her

medical attention in the first place. He knew little about drug withdrawals and the effects they had

on the body. Would she become addicted to the morphine? Maybe the bug she had was coming

back. And then an ugly seed planted in his thoughts. What if this were more than a virus, but a

terminal illness? He knew of things like cancer and organs failing. He wrung his hands together,

noticing that it grew quiet in the bathroom. What if they gave her a medication that if she didn’t

continue with the injections, she would deteriorate?

Too many what ifs.

Justus shoved his phone in his back pocket and knocked on the half-closed door. “Is there

something you need?”

“Give me just a minute.”

“Page, I’m coming in.”

He swung the door open and she quickly closed the lid. This time around, Justus knew what to

do. He ran a towel under the cool water while Page wiped tears from her eyes.

“How do you feel?”

“Dizzy. It’s either the flu again, or the drugs coming out of my system. The only way to know is

to do a few blood tests, but my equipment is at home. I’ve never had drug withdrawals, but I

know the symptoms peak up to three days after quitting.”

“A Relic is on the way to examine you. I should have summoned one upon your return.” He

dropped to one knee beside her. “Here,” he offered, holding the cool cloth against her forehead.

Justus touched her shoulder, coaxing her to turn around and scoot in front of him as he took a

seat against the cabinet. “Lean back.”

Page moved around and relaxed against his chest. He held the towel over her forehead and

touched her hand with the other.

With all the women he had been with, in every kind of situation, nothing had ever felt as

intimate as sitting on the bathroom floor comforting this mortal. She turned her head to the side,

drawing in a shaky breath and letting it go. He brushed her brown hair away from her eyes, never

more aware of her mortality.

Of all women to become attached to, he’d chosen one who would die.

“I’ll see that you’re taken care of, mon ange. The Relic will know what to do.”

“I’m just tired, Justus. I haven’t slept, nor have I eaten much of anything. My body is just weak

and I need to take it easy.”

“Good to hear you admit that for once.”

“Don’t press your luck,” she said with a soft chuckle. “I admit to nothing.”

Justus stood up and bent forward, lifting her into his arms. She was light as a feather, which

troubled him, and he carried her into his bedroom.

“I really hate all the fuss. I’m—”

“If you say you’re fine one more time, I’m going to throw you outside in the snow.”

Page suddenly laughed at his dry humor and curled up on the bed as he pulled a thin sheet

over her. It wasn’t enough. Justus had no need of such things, but they kept a stack of blankets in

the closet for Silver. He selected two of the thickest ones and draped them over her body.

By the time he finished tucking them around her, she had fallen asleep.

He extinguished a few candles and placed a small wastebasket beside the bed. Justus quietly

closed the door and stood in the hallway for what seemed like an eternity until the visual alarms

went off, absent of sound. A flicker of red lights illuminated the main rooms.

He disabled the alarms and went outside to meet the Relic. Simon escorted an older woman

down the road who was yelling at him the entire way. A blindfold covered her eyes and whenever

he’d try to take her elbow to keep her from falling, she would clobber him with her oversized black

bag.

“Bloody hell!” Simon exclaimed as she hit him in the shoulder. “Do I look like I want to shag

you?”

“I don’t see what the big secret could possibly be,” she complained in a shrill voice. “Dragging

me into the woods with a blindfold, like some kind of hostage. Be sure to tie my arms up before

surgery.” She turned her head toward Justus. “I sense someone present is a Charmer.”

Simon rolled his eyes at Justus. “Novis gave me a ring to drive her over. What’s going on out

here?”

“Page is ill.”

They walked inside and once downstairs, Simon removed her blindfold.

“Are you the patient?” She barked at Justus, scraping him with a womanly glare from head to

toe. Her voice had a slight southern drawl but was loud with a sharp tone.

“No, I am not.”

“Well, what are you standing around for? Take me to the one who needs my help and get out

of my way.”

She stood at a proud five foot three with short white hair and heavy glasses on her nose. The

sort of woman you envisioned as the one the Big Bad Wolf had eaten. Justus grew skeptical that

she could even see her own reflection.

The Relic stepped into the room. After one glance, she spun around and cut them off at the

door. “Men, stay outside. When I’m done, I’ll summon you. But during the examination, neither of

you will set one foot in this room nor disturb me. I have a low tolerance for pestering. Do you

understand, Mage?”

Justus nodded as she slammed the door in his face.

Simon merely leaned against the wall with his arms folded. “If I ever need a Relic, Justus, and

that woman is called, you have my full permission to bury me in cement.”

***

“Lucian, are the guards still outside?” Leo kept his voice just above a whisper.

I lay on a mattress half-asleep in the safety of the control room, secretly listening as I peeked

through my eyelashes. After ending a call with Justus, Logan stood in the middle of the room,

folding a stick of mint gum and placing it on his tongue.

Lucian glanced over his shoulder from a leather office chair. “Yeah, the guards are still milling

about. The Overlord sent two replacements and these guys are much bigger. They’re scaring the

shit out of the residents leaving the building,” he said with a laugh. “Do you want to view the

tapes again before we make a backup?”

“Not necessary,” Logan murmured. “Keep your voices down; Silver is still asleep.”

“Why didn’t you bring a mattress in here for me?” he teased.

“You’re the smart one, Lucian. Can you not figure it out?”

Leo crossed his arms and all I could see was his back. “Where’s the Vampire?”

Lucian glanced over the monitors. “There. You can see the edge of his coat outside the doors.

He hasn’t moved in hours. Literally.”

“Lucian,” Logan warned. “Keep quiet.”

“I’m going to go make a call, see if the Overlord has made any public statements,” Leo

whispered as he left the room.

Lucian spun around in his chair, looking at me like a bug beneath a microscope. I blinked my

eye shut, although my hair obscured most of my face so they wouldn’t be able to tell I was

eavesdropping. Lucian spoke his mind and didn’t seem to have a firm grasp on tact. I could see

why Logan worried about that getting him into trouble. He saw life from a practical standpoint, not

an emotional one, so he often made inappropriate remarks.

“So, she’s the one, huh?”

“Never doubt it, brother,” Logan said softly.

“Yeah, but she’s a Mage.”

Logan’s voice rose to a low growl. “You’re young, Lucian, and full of questions. But tread

carefully when you speak of my mate.”

“I’m only saying we’ve never been on good terms with her kind. You have no idea what you’re

getting into and what kind of trouble this will bring. And what if a female Chitah comes along who

—”

“First of all,” Logan interrupted, making an effort to lower his voice. “It’s time for a change.

True, a Mage has always been our mortal enemy. But what good can come of holding these

prejudices decade after decade? We hang on to them as if they mean something. They don’t,

Lucian. You’re a smart guy, but life is more complicated than facts and figures. And secondly, no

Chitah female can hold a candle to that beautiful creature stretched across my bed. She’s the most

extraordinary woman I’ve ever known, and someday, Lucian, she’ll be your sister.”

My heart soared. Logan didn’t know I was listening, so it meant a lot to hear him say those

things about me.

“Will you two keep it down,” Levi complained. “People are trying to sleep.”

That’s when I noticed Levi was in the bed with me. My legs were bent at the knee and my feet

were on his warm, bare chest. Levi made a snoring sound and nuzzled his face into the sheet.

My God, I loved the guy, but I was starting to think that maybe I was spending more time in

bed with Levi than the man I was sleeping with.

A few quiet moments passed as I listened to the squeaky sound coming from Lucian’s chair as

he spun in a semicircle.

“Do you think more will come after you?” Lucian whispered.

“Not if the Overlord keeps his word. There will always be enemies in life, and sometimes you

can be your own worst enemy. The life I once lived was fueled with pain and hate. If I can give

you two pieces of advice, it would be to not live in fear or anger, and to find the love of a good

woman who accepts you for your faults, and because of her, you aspire to be a noble man who is

worthy of love.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that years ago, Logan?” Levi chuckled softly. “Might have saved me

from hooking up with the wrong person.” Levi’s hand curled around a cold spot on my feet.

“Looks to me like you’ve already found someone, Levi.” Lucian laughed darkly. “Better be

careful, Logan might get jealous and tear out your throat like he did to Tarek.”

“If I were straight, he might have something to worry about. I don’t give a shit about race and

public opinion. As it stands, I have no choice about the matter.”

“Sure you do.”

“No, Lucian,” Logan said disapprovingly. “When it comes to the heart, there is no choice. It’s

like surfers catching the perfect wave. That’s when you know you found the one; all you can do is

ride the current and follow its flow. You have no choice about the direction, you only know with

absolute certainty that you’re caught in it.”

“He’ll figure it out one day, Lo. Just wait till he has a little chest hair on him. Maybe you need to

get your nose out of those books, boy, and see about a girl.”

“I see plenty of women,” Lucian retorted. “And for your information, Mr. Wooly Mammoth, most

women don’t want to feel all that shit on a guy’s chest.”

“Thank God I don’t date most women,” Levi said.