My Champion(83)

"I'll deal with him after I deal with Emeric," Law promised directly.

Kari shook her head. "You cannot get mad at him."

"Like hell, I can't!"

"You cannot, because even you said it yourself: They take orders from us, and I ordered him to help Tarragon to save the wolf shifter."

"His priority was you," Law argued.

"He was following chain of command as he was trained to do. Now, if you want to change the way teams are run, that is up to you, but this was my fault, not his."

Law took a deep breath and inclined his head. "I don't like it, but you're right. He only did as he was ordered. So after I find and destroy Marcus down to the cellular level, I will get together with our teams and establish a new set of rules." He glowered at her. "One where the safety of our charges are not compromised by orders from said charges."

She winced. Declan hissed at Law. Law growled right back. She could tell the two men were still fighting their own fear. She twisted her body to stand, but Declan growled, shaking his head. She took his face between her hands

"Are we going to live here in the hallway?" she asked.

He just gave her a helpless look. She put her hands on either side of his face and pulled him close, capturing his lips. He stiffened in surprise for a moment and then took over. She could feel his fear and desperation as he dominated her mouth, so she allowed him. When he pulled away and tucked her head under his chin, she let him. She knew his lion needed this, and frankly, so did she. With her still in his arms, he easily stood, carrying her weight. Rex was immediately at his side.

"Hey, little sister," he said. "Let us get you to Tarragon or to Doc St. John to look you over."

"Oh, I am fine," she refuted. "As soon as I began to breathe in the smoke, I shut my body down. Vampires do not really need to breathe that much."

Declan blinked. "Thank the gods."

"How did you know where I was?" she asked.

"Meryn," Law, Rex, Magnus, and Declan replied at once.

"Miraculous little midget," Kari whispered.

"I'm not a midget," Meryn protested as she walked down the hallway with Aiden.

"I did say you were miraculous too," Kari pointed out.

Meryn eyed the blackened room, looking a bit shocked.

"There was a fire just as you predicted," Law said. "So empathy and premonition. What a delightful little enigma you are, Meryn."

She shrugged. "That sounds like something Kendrick would say."

Law shrugged lazily. "Of course, he thinks like I do."

True to his word, Declan didn't let her out of his sight. In fact, he didn't even let her feet touch the floor for the rest of the afternoon. He walked around with her in his arms. Aiden or Adriel gave the order, and the unit warriors dispersed, searching for Marcus.

"How the hell is he getting around the city?" Declan growled.

Adriel winced. "We have been running lifts up and down the transport tunnel all afternoon for the families on the lower levels to come up to Level Six. Since it acts as a platform, anyone could have gotten on."

"Ferals smell, do they not?" Kari asked. "People would have known they were standing next to one, right?"

Aiden and Adriel exchanged uneasy glances. "Not necessarily," Aiden volunteered. "They have a new device that allows them to walk unnoticed in a crowd."

"What? That is impossible." Kari felt fear swirl around her heart.

Magnus shook his head. "I will get you up to speed later."

They stayed long enough for the fair to begin wrapping up. Making their excuses, everyone returned to Level One. Avery refused to leave her side and hadn't stopped shaking since she had told him what happened. Warrick sat on the other side of Avery gently rubbing his back.

Only when Kari was safely ensconced on Magnus' antechamber sofa with Avery and Warrick, did Declan allow himself to walk away. He and Law were in the corner discussing how they were going to find Marcus.

Emeric looked like his puppy had been killed in front of him. He kept shooting her guilty looks. She crooked her finger, and he walked over to sit in the chair beside her.

"Cher, I am so sorry," he stared down at his folded hands in his lap.

"Do not be," she said quickly. "It was not your fault." Law looked over, still scowling. She stuck her tongue out at him. "You did as I asked you to do. You are trained to follow my orders because I set priority, and in the moment, that man's life mattered more than me going down to get bandages. So it is not your fault Emeric. You did exactly as you were trained."

"More men will be arriving soon to assist," Rex volunteered. "There will be more than enough people here to protect the ladies."