Page 87 of Blade's Battle
Anna visibly relaxed.
“Does this benefactor of yours have a name?” Callen asked, his eyes still surveying the equipment with unusual scrutiny. Blade couldn’t put his finger on why, but Callen was definitely on edge.
“She prefers to stay anonymous, given her profession.”
“So, not entirely legal,” Callen said without any judgment to his voice. Blade knew Callen better than anyone. If Anna and her benefactor were causing trouble for the WSSO, they got a pass in Callen’s book for any theft they had committed. Callen followed his own code more than any human or even pack law.
“Before the WSSO tried to ruin me, I was an upstanding person.” Anna’s eyes were practically pleading with Blade to believe her. As if he could think poorly of her. . .
“I paid my taxes, donated to charities, never spoke out against anyone, even the WSSO, though I didn’t like what they were doing. Maybe that’s why they targeted me. Figured I was one of them. Sometimes a person has to make a stand. I learned that too late.”
Blade eased the pack from her and put it on one of the counters. He cupped her cheek. “What happened to Kurt was no one’s fault. Least of all yours or his. As for the rest, the WSSO is responsible for what they did to you and for the virus they unleashed.”
Anna buried her head against his chest. He had no idea what she was thinking, but he had a feeling it would take more than his words before she learned to forgive herself for a series of events that were beyond her control.
* * *
ANNA
“Callen and I are heading out to update Frank and Pryce on the location and code to the lab,” Blade said as he handed her the last box of samples to slide into the lab’s refrigerator. “Where should I put the dry ice?” he asked as he shook the pack.
“Take the entire pack topside with you and leave it at the base of a tree. The dry ice will sublimate naturally. Don’t touch it with your bare hands.”
He snaked his hands under her shirt as she closed the refrigeration unit.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“You said not to touch the dry ice with my bare hands. That gave me ideas.”
She elbowed him lightly, to get him to back away. “Callen’s waiting for you.”
“So he’ll wait. I’ve got safety issues to check out before I leave you.”
“What safety issues?” she said as she slid into a white lab coat.
“The lock topside.”
“Callen already checked it. Three times.”
“The fire suppression system. The eyewash station,” Blade quickly added to the list.
“You’re stalling. Get going so I can start working.”
“I want to talk for a minute,” he said finally, his playfulness now gone.
He’d seemed on edge ever since they’d arrived. She’d thought it was merely his wolf asserting himself. Damien had sat her down before they left, explained a lot of what Blade would go through over the days and weeks to come. The alpha never did tell how much time she’d have with Blade before he’d finally lose to his wolf, and she hadn’t pressed the issue, but she should have. She didn’t want to believe he would lose, but she’d be foolish to ignore the facts. She was a scientist and having limits, deadlines, parameters, and context all made for better theories and experiments.
Anna pulled over a chair, so Blade could sit across from her. “I’m listening.”
Still restless, Blade sat, but only for a few seconds before he was up and pacing. “You know it’s okay to talk about Kurt. To celebrate what you had together, who he was.”
“You don’t mind if I talk about Kurt?”
“Did he love you?”
“Yes.”
“Was he good to you?”
