Page 23 of Ruin

Owen’s face betrayed his horror. Not caring about appearances, he dropped to his knees and pulled Connor into a fierce embrace. Connor might have lost his bulk, but even as skin and bone, he wasn’t small. It didn’t faze Owen, and I lost my battle with my emotions, tears falling down my cheeks. Owen and Connor had been together since they were new SBI recruits, right up to the point Doherty had betrayed them both. They had been through hell together. For a moment, Owen just hugged Connor. “Gods, brother, I thought you were dead. It’s so fucking good to see you.”

Connor huffed and pushed away.

I relaxed a bit, pulling Fire back. If Owen wasn’t going to challenge Connor, or try and kill him, then the others wouldn’t either.

Connor looked away from Owen, basically dismissing his brother. His face remained blank and his eyes studied who else was around him before his attention fell on me again. My skin prickled, but not in a good way. I don’t know why. Perhaps it was the coldness in his eyes, or the way his scent had changed—he was different. But then, guilt spiked me. Of course he was different, he’d been a victim of torture for weeks.

“Hey, I know you all want to see him again, but maybe reunions would be best left until he is stronger.” Thankfully, Owen agreed with my gentle suggestion.

Connor wasn’t the only one who needed some time. Being around him again wasn’t what I had expected, or hoped for. I wanted to be close to him, yet I also didn’t know how to act, or what to do. It seemed like there was a chasm between us. I stood, confused about my feelings. When I’d first seen Connor in that prison after believing him dead for four years, it hadn’t been anything like this. I’d felt an instant connection to him. Why am I not feeling that now? Had Walker done something to me to separate my bond from Connor? I tried not to let my fear show, aware his gaze followed me as I greeted Drake. “Hey, you. I didn’t see you sneak in at the back.”

The handsome southerner shrugged and smiled before he pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly. “Hey, it’s good to see you, too, sugar. I’m so glad you’re okay.” His eyes drifted to Connor. “How’s he doin’?”

My eyes burned, but I wouldn’t cry, not yet. “I-I don’t really know.”

Drake nodded, his handsome face serious. “Yeah, it’s gonna be hard on you both for a while. But you leave that prison and the bastard who runs it to us. We’ll stop him. I’ve got some better living quarters outside. We’ll get Connor in one of those, and then you can spend some time together while we set up the rest of the camp.” He took my jaw in his fingers and thumb and tilted my head. His thumb grazed the mark he’d left under my jaw. “Remember, I’m still your alpha, if you need me, I’m here for you.”

Drake’s words were genuine, his green eyes dark and sincere. It was hard holding in the emotion that threatened to overwhelm me. I wasn’t convinced I really had my mate back, but I had my friends, and my alpha was safe and well. There were others I wanted to check on and I had to talk to Zander about Rawson. Clearly something had happened that he didn’t want to discuss in front of Connor. That thought by itself had my pulse rate rising. And regardless of Drake’s confidence, we still had a war with a demon lord and his army to fight if we wanted to keep our world safe from becoming Hell’s playground.

“I just need to check on Blue first, then we’ll talk again. Okay?” I took his hand and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “It’s really good to see you, Drake. I’m glad you’re here.”

“Sure thing, sugar. I’ll get you to somewhere you can rest, and then you can find me when you’re ready.”

Taking a fortifying breath, I turned to where my friend laid pale and unmoving in the fae prince’s arms. Blood oozed down B’nar’s jacket and pooled under her. Shannon passed him a wad of gauze from a small first-aid kit.

Connor moaned as Stone and Owen hoisted him up between them. “It’s okay, Em,” Owen said. “You see to your friend. We’ll take Connor to a cabin...”

A cabin?I wondered exactly what equipment Drake had brought with him. But my whole body tensed as they stepped away with Connor. I growled, both Mea and Prime unhappy about being parted from Connor so soon. “No! Hold up. Wait for a moment; I’m coming with you. He’s my mate and I won’t leave him.”

“It’s okay, Em, we’ll wait,” Owen agreed calmly, lowering Connor back down.

Reluctantly, I left Connor to be cared for by his brothers. Zander sat back, watching carefully as Kawan, Myles and Stone all lingered near Connor. It seemed Zander didn’t know what to say to Connor now, but the others had all accepted him back as their friend and brother if not their alpha–yet. Prime rumbled inside me, inhaling the air deeply before a menacing growl resounded in my head. Goosebumps shivered over my skin as foreboding invaded me. Prime wasn’t clamouring to reach Connor, quite the opposite, in fact.

Trying not to panic about Prime’s, or my feelings for Connor, I dropped to my knees by Blue. Her hand was so cold when I took it in mine, I gasped, dread dragging at my heart. B’nar looked up from where he tried to stop the blood oozing around the entry site of the weapon in Blue’s shoulder. He snarled when Alex approached, even though he’d not reacted when Shannon or I had come closer. My heart went out to the fae prince, and my friend. “Blue? Come on, girl. You need to hold on. Fight to stay with us, I need you…” My eyes went to B’nar’s tight, yet beautiful face. “B’nar needs you. Come on, who’s going to give him sass if you’re not around?”

B’nar snarled again as Alex dared to come a bit closer.

“Hey, it’s alright, I’m not going to touch her,” Alex said, stopping so that B’nar didn’t get any more aggressive. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s dying. I can’t stop the bleeding.” B’nar’s voice actually shook. He looked at me, his eyes a darker emerald than I’d ever seen, lines furrowing his brow. “I need to take her home. My magic is stronger there, and our healers can help her. I can take this thing from her shoulder, but if I do it here, she’ll bleed to death.”

I nodded, but I knew it didn’t matter if I disagreed. B’nar had already bitten into his finger so his blood dripped down onto the ring. He lifted his hand and chanted. Even Connor raised his head, his eyes focusing on the portal as it appeared. Once again, a strange sense of dread filled me, and Prime snarled. I pushed my worry aside and leaned forward, giving Blue a kiss on her cold cheek. “Fight, Blue. You get better, you hear me, bitch? You’re tougher than this,” I whispered into her ear as the portal energy whipped the air into a frenzy.

B’nar scooped Blue into his arms and held her close to his chest. “Come with us?”

I shook my head, my gaze landing on Connor and the others.

He nodded, his blue hair gleaming in the light of the energy which zipped across the portal. “I didn’t think you would, but I have a feeling my punishment for defying my father and taking that ring, will be worse because I have left you behind. I doubt he will allow me to return here, unless it is to bring you back to Faerie. Take care, phoenix. Remember our world, as well as your own, is depending on you not getting caught.”

“I know, B’nar.” I rested my hand on his arm and squeezed. I’d have kissed him, I was so grateful for what he’d done for me and Connor, but I couldn’t reach him with Blue in his arms and his height. I doubted he would appreciate such touchy, feely sentiments, anyway. “I know you’ve risked a lot to help me, and I’ll do everything I can to stop Berith. I’ll not let him catch me or use me to set his army free.”

B’nar nodded, but didn’t say anything. I think we both knew such a powerful demon was going to be hard to stop, let alone stay away from. He peered at Alex, cocking his head in question.

“No, Prince, I’m staying for now. I owe Connor, and I promised you I’d watch out for our phoenix...so, later man.”

B’nar didn’t bother with a goodbye, merely stepped into the portal, Blue cradled close to his chest, and disappeared. I pushed aside my worry for Blue and tried to concentrate on what was happening around me. If anyone could save my friend it was B’nar—and Walker. All assuming the High King didn’t lock Blue, or even his son away as punishment for taking the portal ring.

I turned around to see everyone staring between me and the air beside me where the portal had been.

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