Page 69 of Addicted in Blood
Her laugh didn’t make me any less concerned.“Nothing of the sort.It’s just that Devon doesn’t always trust vampires outside of the Family.”
I snorted.“Nor should he.”Half the Council was against him.What was the saying?You’re not paranoid if people really are after you.
She took a deep breath.“He gave it to a shifter who has a private lab.”
“Decker?”
She almost spit out her tea.“Heavens no.I mean, he does have connections, but you need a sizable financial infrastructure to support labs and facilities.”
My brows rose.“The Wolf?”
She was as surprised as I had been earlier.“You know The Wolf?”
I grinned, curious whether she’d soon look at me in a different light.“Did no one ever tell you how Devon and I met?”When she shook her head, I told her everything.From being in debt with a loan shark, Sorrento capturing me, the first trade to The Wolf, and then Devon.
“You’re working off a debt?”
I snapped a cookie in two, devouring one of the pieces and washing it down with the cold tea.“He and I have renegotiated the details of the original arrangement to both our satisfaction.I’m not a slave or anything.”
“Of course not, and I didn’t mean anything by the question.I simply never questioned how you came to the manor; I just knew it was right that you were here.I suppose there’s always some reasonable explanation why things happen, but I believe you came to us because we needed you.That this was the place you could be who you were meant to be.”
The sting of tears hit me, and I bent my head, stuffing the other half of the cookie in my mouth.
“So, you know The Wolf.Does it bother you that he has Devon’s blood?”
Grateful she put us back on a less personal track, I shook my head, somewhat fascinated how this had come full circle.“When I couldn’t get the cadre to tell me where Devon was, I called in my own marker with The Wolf.”
Lyra dropped her teacup on the table where it rattled in the saucer as she released a deep belly laugh I’d never heard come from her before.She laughed so hard, doubling over in her chair, that I couldn’t help but laugh with her.It was several minutes before we wiped our faces and were able to look at each other without starting over again.
I sobered when the press of time returned.We still hadn’t gotten to the main point.“Tell me what’s wrong with him.”
She placed a fresh napkin over her lap and refilled the cups.Once the milk was poured, she sat back and sipped.“Physically, he’s back to himself with no signs of the beast.He’s a bit weak, but the healer has allowed low-level activity for him to regain his strength.But mentally…” She glanced away then seemed to pull on some of her own inner strength to meet my gaze.“He’s obviously missing pieces of this last week, which makes sense if the beast was in control.But he can’t focus on anything for a long period.He has a slight headache that he claims comes and goes, but I think it lingers longer than he’s willing to admit.And he seems to have forgotten things he should know.”Her hands trembled when she set down her cup.“He’s never had to be reminded of anything.Ever.”
If I was worried for him before, now I was terrified and understood the cadre’s concerns.“What did the healer say?”
“She thinks it will just take time.She gave him a potion to help with the mental clarity.”
“The clear liquid with rainbow sprinkles?”
She gave me a tired smile.“You make it sound like an ice cream treat.”She rubbed her temples.“The healer wants him to get fresh blood every day for a week, which is when she’ll return to check on him.”
“Can we hide him from the Eliminators for that long?He can’t face the Council if his own confidence is lacking, even if we’re lucky enough to find something on Gheata.”
“That is now Devon and the cadre’s concern.”She set her napkin on the table, which she succeeded in twisting into a knot.“Have you met him in a dream since his recovery?I know there hasn’t been much time.”
“No.But I have a few ideas of my own.”I finished my tea and placed a hand on Lyra’s arm.“Thank you for keeping me updated.The cadre has closed me out.”
“They get very protective of Devon.Even I have a hard time getting them to confide in me, and I’m the House leader.”
I chuckled.“Somehow that makes me feel better.”I stood, and when she made to get up, I shook my head.“I can see my own way out.Enjoy the beautiful day.I need to see if I can find my way back to my room.I need a nap before dark.”
“That’s hours away yet.”
“I’m not sure that gives me enough time.This place is huge.”
Her laughter followed me to the slider, but before leaving the balcony, I turned back to her.“It’s good the cadre has his back, but they’re not the ones that can cure him.”
Lyra wanted me to dreamwalk with him.I wanted him to drink more of my blood.I wasn’t sure either would fix what was wrong with him.But one thing was clear to me.Lyra’s tea service was to let me know, one way or another, the time to act was now.
