He’d mated them. He could follow her anywhere, could locate her no matter where she went on this Earth. Julian gave a curt nod.
“Then you follow. We find the hole Simon has been hiding inside, and you guys storm the place.” Her voice had hardened with determination. “We take out Simon. We free the others, and then all of the deals are done.”
“What happens to me?” Keri whispered. “Can I please go home?”
Rose swallowed. “Yes. You’ll go home. You’ll go home and so will Francis. Neither one of you will even remember what happened. You can go right back to your lives and forget Simon.”
“I’d like to forget.” A tear slid down Keri’s cheek. “I’d like that very much.”
Because she didn’t want to know about the monsters in the world. Rose had been that way, once.
But her blinders were long gone.
“Gentleman.” Rose clapped her hands together. “Do we have a plan?” Her gaze swept them all. “Or are we just going to keep hiding out on this island while Simon decides that he wants to collect other paranormals? While he imprisons more beings?”
Leo nodded, grudgingly. “We have a plan.”
“I’m in,” Rayce said at once. “Not like I have anything else better to do. And I sure as hell want to pay the guy back for that tranq.” He fired a smile Leo’s way. “Besides, I’ve never seen an angel before. Hoping she lives up to my expectations.”
Leo raked him with a stare. “Don’t even think it. She plays in a league you’ll never be able to touch.”
Rayce just laughed.
Rose’s stare slid back to Julian. “What about you? Are you in?”
In on a plan that risked her life? That let a sadistic sonofabitch get his hands on her?
“I need to know I can count on you.” Her gaze searched his. “Because I am doing this. I’ve been captive before. I’ve been locked away. Someone has to get the others out. And this time, I’m that someone. I’m the one who rides to the rescue and I want you riding with me.”
“When you want me there, I will always be at your side.” There was no other place he’d rather be. Didn’t she get that?
Her breath sighed out. “Thank you.”
She didn’t need to thank him. Not for a damn thing. Rose started to turn away, but he caught her arm and pulled her close. His head leaned toward hers. “If you get hurt…if you get so much as a scratch, I’m ripping Simon apart.”
Her gaze held his. “If you get hurt…if you get so much as a scratch, I’m ripping Simon apart.”
He smiled. Fuck, but she made him feel good.
“Blood-thirsty, isn’t she?” Leo muttered.
“She’s a vamp,” Rose called out. “What the hell else did you expect me to be?” Then she leaned up and pressed a kiss to Julian’s lips. “Thanks for having my back.”
Always.
She slipped from his arms and headed for the door. “Let’s do this.”
Rayce saluted and followed her out—after he stopped to toss the human female over his shoulder. Julian stalked after them, but Leo stepped into his path. “The angel is my priority.”
The guy was such a dick. “And the others what—they don’t matter at all?”
“Lila is one of mine. If she isn’t off this plane soon, there will be no going back for her. She wasn’t meant to live with humans…or with beasts.”
“Now you’re just being insulting.” Julian gave him a hard grin. “Want to know my priority?”
“I already do. It’s the vamp who just walked out. Only she’s seeming a whole lot less and less like the innocent girl you fell for, isn’t she? Turning into a real vamp right before our eyes.” Leo’s face was hard. “Time’s running out for her, too. You keep up your end of the deal, and I’ll still keep up mine. I can change her. I can give her back everything that you took away.”
Because that had been the original deal he’d made with Leo. He’d known that Rose hated what she was, and he’d wanted to give her a choice.
When he hadn’t before.
“If this goes to hell, get the angel out first,” Leo ordered.
Screw that. If this went to hell, he’d be grabbing Rose first. She was his priority.
“Do it, and I’ll owe you,” Leo added.
“Buddy, you better just get the fuck out of this house. When Luke comes back and he finds your stench all over the place, he’s gonna be pissed.”
Leo didn’t appear concerned. “Do we have a deal?” He offered his hand.
Julian didn’t take it. “I’ll do my part when the time comes.” That was all he’d say. Rose—she was his part. She was his everything. “But I do have one question…” Something that was nagging at him.
Leo lifted a brow.
“You told me that one of the Collector’s guards had managed to escape…that he’d been the one to warn you that Rose was next on the target list.”
“Yes, yes that’s what happened.”
“But then you said he died before he could reveal Lila’s location to you.”
Leo’s lips thinned.
“I think you told me that he burned, from the inside out.” He raised one brow. “Never heard of that happening before but then…when Rose bit you, when she had your blood inside of her, she seemed to be burning from the inside out, too.”