Desire Unchained

“Hypovolemic shock.” Shade caught Kynan’s head before it hit the floor. “We need to get him to the hospital.” He shoved his arms beneath Ky’s limp body, but Wraith locked his hand around Shade’s wrist.

“I’ll carry him.” The determination in Wraith’s voice left no room for argument. His brother needed to do this.

“Fine,” Shade said, “but step on it.”





Twenty-two





Kynan lay unconscious in the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV delivering B-positive blood. Shade stood quietly at the foot of Ky’s bed, Runa at his side. Wraith sat close to the rails, head in hands and looking as if he’d been through the Neethul slave pits a few times.

“He’s going to be okay, man.” Shade clapped his hand on Wraith’s shoulder, now covered, like the rest of them, in scrubs, and his brother looked up, dark circles ringing his bloodshot eyes.

“That’s what Gem said.”

“She wouldn’t lie.”

Wraith nodded. “I’m just going to wait until he wakes up.”

“And then?”

“There’s something I gotta do.”

Shade knew better than to lecture Wraith about eating junkies or getting into fights, and after Roag’s little revelation about E being tortured when Wraith went over his monthly allotment of kills, Shade had a feeling that Wraith would be careful from now on. At least, he’d be careful not to kill. Careful with his life? That was another question.

Shade squeezed Runa’s hand, and they slipped silently out into the hall, where E was waiting. Tay and Gem were talking a few doors down, giving them some privacy.

“How is he?” E asked.

“Ky or Wraith?”

“Both.”

“Ky’s looking better. Wraith …” Shade shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“I’m glad Roag’s torment is eternal,” Eidolon muttered.

“You and me both, bro.”

E gazed absently into the room, and then he turned back to Shade. “I have some good news. First, Luc’s alive.”

“Say again?”

“Luc. You know, Runa’s sire?”

A surge of possessiveness had Shade clenching his teeth, but Runa stroked his fingers with her thumb, bringing him down. “Yeah, you could’ve not mentioned that part.” The sire thing stuck like a bone in his craw. “So how’s he alive?”

“One of your new EMTs found him. He resuscitated him, got him on life support, and after that it was a waiting game. I just checked on him. He’s out of his coma and pissed as hell. Says some burned thing disguised as you tried to kill him. Also says we just put off the inevitable by saving him.”

“That boy needs an attitude adjustment.” Shade narrowed his eyes at E. “Hold up … when did you learn he survived?”

“After we lost Roag in the park and you went back to your cave with Runa. I meant to tell you, but …”

“Roag grabbed us.” Shade took a deep breath and asked Runa the question he really didn’t want to know the answer to. “Can you sense Luc?”

She grinned. “I can’t feel a thing.”

Eidolon cleared his throat, and Shade knew there was some doctorish know-it-all speak coming up. “His death, however brief, must have severed the connection, like what happened to us when Roag died. I have a theory about that—”

“What’s the other good news?” Shade cut him off, because really, he didn’t give a shit and wasn’t going to look a gift hell stallion in the mouth. Not that he’d do that, anyway, because the things breathed fire.

E didn’t miss a beat. “Thanks to your information about Runa’s Army experimentation, I was able to narrow my focus.”

“You saying you have a cure?”

Eidolon nodded. “I’m close. I was able to isolate the proteins that caused your infection. I should have a vaccine ready in a couple of weeks. Month, tops.”

Yes. Shade wanted to shout to the heavens. Wanted to grab Runa and twirl her around until they were both dizzy. “What about Runa?”

She touched Shade’s shoulder, and her hopes and fears transmitted to him in a surge of electricity. Eidolon’s expression quickly brought them both back down to earth.

“You can’t cure her,” Shade muttered. “Why not?”

“A warg’s bite alters human DNA,” Eidolon explained. “Whatever the military did to her affected the way her genes synthesize proteins. Those proteins allow her to shift at will, and they’re also what infected you—without altering your DNA. I can destroy the proteins in both of you, and it’ll cure you … but all it will do to her is end her ability to shift at will.”

Runa blew out a long breath. “And I’d still grow fur during the full moon.”

“Yes,” Eidolon said. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “It’s okay. I’m getting used to being a werewolf. It’s been handy a couple of times. And hey, the quadrupled lifespan alone is worth it.”

Gods, that was something he hadn’t considered. If she became human again, he’d lose her way too soon. He couldn’t handle that. Breaking the bond wouldn’t physically kill him, but a broken heart would.