Page 169 of Taken By the Fae

Nikolai angles his body toward her, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Tristan snags my chin gently. “What happened?”

I shake my head, tears rolling down my cheeks. “He didn’t… He’s gone. I’m sorry,” I cry. “I’m so sorry.”

Skylar stalks toward Tristan and me. She makes it a few feet before Nikolai’s arm wraps around her waist and pulls her away, forcing her in the opposite direction.

“Let go of me!” she screams, pounding on his back with her fists.

He says nothing, no poorly timed witty remark or sleazy innuendo he’s famous for. He just carries her away while she beats the crap out of him. A door slams in the distance, and Skylar continues to scream.

Allison guides a crying and confused Oliver out of the room as well, leaving Tristan and me alone.

“Tristan,” I say, my heart breaking at the hopeless, faraway look in his eyes.

He blinks, and his gaze focuses on me. “Let me heal you.”

I shake my head. “It can wait. He’s… I brought him here.”

Tristan’s throat bobs when he swallows. He bows his head, and I don’t hesitate in pulling him toward me, holding him.

Tears slip down my cheeks as Tristan’s chest rises and falls awkwardly against me. “Shh,” I whisper, rubbing his back to soothe him.

We stay like that for a few minutes until his breathing evens out.

“There’s something else,” I say.

He lifts his head until his eyes are level with mine.

“The woman who made me human again. She’s also here. Alive but unconscious.”

Tristan exhales heavily and nods. He traces his fingers along my arm and shoulder, healing the wounds there. I stop him before he does any more. The aches and pains I can handle.

We walk to the elevator as Tristan gets on his phone and calls security to meet us in the parking lot.

They deal with getting Dr. Collins into the building. Tristan informs them to lock her up, that she’ll be dealt with later. Once they're gone, Tristan opens the passenger door, and his breathing hitches.

I watch with tears in my eyes as Tristan pushes the hair away from Max’s face, and then presses his palm against his unmoving chest, over his heart.

I stand close, but give him enough space to breathe. “This isn’t your fault. There was nothing you could have done.”

Tristan drags in a shallow breath. “They’ll pay for this.” His voice is a cold, low rumble of sound.

I touch his back gently. “He wanted you to know that you’ll be his brother forever. He will always admire you, always love you.”

Tristan’s shoulders shake, and he keeps his back to me for several moments before he slides his arms under Max’s legs and arms to get him out of the front seat. He carries the body of his best friend into the building through the service entrance, and it takes everything in me not to sink to my knees and break.

* * *

With all the connections Tristan has in both the fae and human worlds, it isn’t difficult for him to get someone to the hotel to clean Max up. After she leaves, Tristan lets the others know they can see him. They join Tristan in the guest suite on the first floor where we brought Max. I have to stand in the hall, unable to look at him again, unable to watch our friends say goodbye.

Once Tristan and I are upstairs in his bedroom, he sinks onto the end of the bed. “I don’t know what to do,” he admits.

“That’s okay.” I push my fingers gently through his hair, brushing the fallen strands away from his face. “You don’t have to have all the answers.”

His eyes flick to mine. “My people need me to have answers.” He sighs. “They have no idea the extent of what went on in that facility.”

I nod. “Neither do you… and maybe you shouldn’t have to.”

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