Davina (Davy Harwood #3)

I pulled away from him, searching for the other two, but I couldn’t find them.

Without realizing it, I was up and moving out of the cave. I lifted up the tarp and stepped outside. I could feel Gavin’s surprise, but he didn’t say anything. I kept going, past where I felt Gregory standing, guarding. I wasn’t really seeing as I walked forward. I was fully focused on my empathic abilities. I trusted that extra sense to help guide me, and I was moving beyond the camp. I kept going until I felt a cold breeze against my face and heard the sounds of water rushing past me.

I was by a river, but there was still no Wren or Tracey. Gregory and Gavin were trailing behind me, but both kept quiet. They were letting me do my thing. It was later. I wasn’t sure how far I walked, perhaps half a mile when I picked up the first traces of anger.

Wren.

I thought that immediately, but no—I was wrong. It was Tracey. Talia’s daughter flashed in my mind, and two things happened at once. An overwhelming surge of relief crashed down on me. My knees buckled from how strong it was, but I caught myself. I needed to know what else I could still do. Tracey was thinking about her niece, then I felt how torn she was. She wanted to leave . . . and I heard her thought, “I should leave tonight. Davy is too spent. It’s not fair for the human child. She shouldn’t tax herself—” Her thought abruptly stopped, and I cried out.

Was it me? Had that brief power left me again? But no, I grew aware of another vampire. This one had even more rage, mixed with love, yearning, and misery that had me blinking back tears.

This was Wren.

The two began to converse, but when it turned personal, I left. Wren knew Tracey was planning to leave. She didn’t want her to go. That was the last I heard before I returned back to myself and looked around for the first time.

I turned around. Gavin and Gregory were standing with their backs to each other. Both had a hand on the swords they wore, ready to pull them out for a fight if necessary. They had been guarding me.

“I’m sorry,” I said to both.

Gavin’s hand fell from his sword. He shook his head. “Don’t be. It was good to see you out and about again. I was starting to worry.”

I nodded to him. “I know you were.”

He laughed.

I let the sound wash over me. It was refreshing to hear it because it was genuine. It wasn’t forced or restrained. In that one brief moment, there wasn’t the weight of the world on us. I heard all of that from Gavin, and I was envious. I wanted that brief respite, and I wanted to experience it in Lucas’s arms, but that wasn’t going to happen.

“Did you find Wren and Tracey?”

“I did. They aren’t far.” But I wasn’t sure. I gazed around. I couldn’t see any traces of our camp either. “I think . . . Where are we?”

“A mile from camp.” Gavin gestured to the other side of the river. “Those two are a mile farther. I’m surprised you didn’t see them, though. You were only sensing them?”

“Uh . . .” I scratched my forehead. This was the opening I needed. I could reveal the truth about The Immortal, but even as quickly as I realized I should tell them, I knew I wasn’t going to. The words died in my throat and instead, I said, “Yeah. I was using my empathic ability.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m still trying to let myself rest.”

Gavin nodded, accepting my answer and started back up the trail. “We should get back. We’re safer from a higher vantage point.”

As he took the lead, I watched him, and my gaze went past Gregory’s. I was going to keep watching Gavin, but I saw a knowing look in Gregory’s eyes. Our gazes caught and held, and for the first time in a really long time, I felt exposed. I felt like he could see through me, like Roane used to be able to.

He knew.

I don’t know how he knew, but he did.

He said, quietly so Gavin wouldn’t hear, “Just keep resting.” There was more unspoken to his statement, and I felt it. I needed to rest, but if my powers didn’t come back fully—a decision would have to be made.

He added, looking down the river, “The Mori, when they come, will be coming from there.”

A knot formed in my stomach.

He said, “They’ll come so far, sensing outward with their sonar ways. Then, when they find that they’re close to us, they’ll fan out and come at us from all angles. They’ll be on us before we’ll know. That’s how they are. They move as one being and they strike as one. No one has bested a Mori vampire. We got out because of you. I don’t know if you realize you helped us, but you did. There was a whole group of them, and we strolled right past them, like we were invisible. Only one being that could do that.” He nodded to me. “You.” His eyes narrowed, inspecting me. “And judging by the shock on your face, you had no idea, did you? You helped us, and you helped you and Tracey. It’d make sense if you were taxed.”

That knot doubled. Taxed, was that all it was? I hoped so. God, did I hope so.