“I have to. I have to save him. It makes me physically ill to think of him suffering because of me. Is there a plan to get them back? I mean there has to be, but do you know what it is?”
“I know the Royals are working on one. We, as a group, us vampires, I mean, have voted to take you to the Royals, as they requested, as was your original destination anyway. This town, this world for that matter, needs no more unexplainable bloodshed. It is a Royal matter. We were more than happy to do our part to help, to save you and keep you safe.”
“I appreciate that, but I have to get to Lex,” I cried, letting my imagination go to the worst, knowing now that the worst was indeed true. Well, not the worst, as he wasn’t dead, but still close, as he suffered because of me.
I gripped my stomach, the hard ball there now pushing bile up my throat, though I really had nothing but juice apparently to get sick on. The urge to get to Lex, to be with him: it rendered my ability to breathe almost useless, made my breaths hard and short, painful and dizzying. I tried to rein in my mind, though, as it took a flight toward the insanity of needing something so badly you can’t think straight. It would do me no good to lose it here.
“The Royals will get Lex,” she tried to sooth me, her hand patting my leg which remained under the covers.
“No!” I screamed, my voice so high I hurt my own ears. “I have to get to him now, with or without you!”
Fighting the covers, I sprung stupidly from the bed with no destination in mind, as I knew not where they kept him, but I’d had to move. I couldn’t lay there a second longer while he suffered out there.
“Take me to him. Now!” I demanded as I ungracefully held onto the railing and stumbled down the stairs just as fast as moving and keeping an upright position would allow.
Chapter Nine
My vision grew hazy in accordance with my rage. By the time I reached what I guessed was a great room, or the main part of the loft at least, my entire body shook. My head scanned for a door as my brain finally caught up with the fact that I didn’t know where I was, and I had no idea where they’d taken Lex either. Lost and having no direction to go didn’t help my unstable metal state, let alone my overreacting body.
With wide eyes, I stood like a caged animal, my legs out, shoulder width apart, as were my arms, poised in a fighting stance, though I had no one to attack. I kept looking all around me, like a lunatic, thinking, or more likely hoping against all odds, that a passageway to Lex would suddenly appear. I wanted a portal that would just sweep me to wherever he was, away from wherever I was. This time, I did wipe away the cool sweat still beading on my neck as a chill snaked down my spine.
Leaving my hand at my neck, I grabbed at the tight muscles and then rubbed the tension building there, which threatened to create a full-blown headache. With werewolves and vampires and magic my new norm, how far off could a portal be? I grew angry in the desperation which mounted within me, tensing my jaw as I gritted my teeth. A sigh came out like a hiss, startling even me.
Turning to find Nira behind me, I pleaded, “Please, tell me where Lex is. Tell me how to get to him. I have to get to him. Please understand. I’m not ungrateful or insane, just a woman in love, desperate to get to the man who has for all my life saved me. And now, he needs me to save him. I have to. Please, please help me. I’m begging you.”
I crumbed to the floor then, my head having grown light, my thoughts fuzzy. Hot tears burned my eyes before spilling over onto my cheeks. I’d never felt so useless, so inept. I actually lifted my hands, studied them as they trembled, feeling like they were tied, though obviously they weren’t. Nira came to me then, gently grabbing me, around my back, under my arms, and guiding me back to my feet. I wanted to slump against her strength, to rest my head on her shoulder, but it wasn’t an option, and I’d imposed on her enough. Guilt washed over me for my foolish display.
“I’m so sorry. For all of your kindness and hospitality, this is how I repay you, with an outburst and demands. I’m irrational and heartbroken. Scared. Please forgive me. And pardon my asking, but is there anything I can do to help Lex? I need to get to him more than I can possibly explain.”
“I do understand. I get that strength of love. I do. There is nothing to forgive, not for an outburst of passion. We all have them, human or once human. But, that is why you have to trust those in a better position to think things out rationally, without fear and love clouding their vision, their motives. You can’t play into their twisted plans. Giving yourself up to those wolves will not help Lex at all. Once they get you, he will be dispensable, and you will be responsible for his death. You need to let the Royals get him. We need to get you to the Royals. The best you can do for Lex is to trust us and follow the plan. In the meantime, heal, get back your strength, so when they do get him, you can be whole for him.” She’d offered each word as she’d held me up, rubbing a hand in circles on my back.