Page 59 of Heart of Dawn
“Cool.”
Basil looked cleaner, wearing the same baby blue hospital scrubs I just noticed we all wore, along with some grubby white sneakers.
Cate hugged me next, then James, and even Trev. The violet-skinned troll hugged me with a surprising gentleness that wasn’t unwelcome.
“Great to see you, mate.”
I patted his right bicep. “How are you feeling after being yanked out of the mind walk?”
“Still a bit dizzy, but not bad.”
“Same. Where’s Daria?” There was no sign of the vampire.
“Said she’d join us later either here or if we hit the road. She needs to settle down for the day, and also reflect on her loss.” The troll offered me sad eyes. “Poor Joe.”
I still heard the gun crack and the pop of Joe’s head.
“Lance…” I shook my head. “Lance killed him.”
“That wanker.”
“And I killed him.”
The room went silent for a brief moment.
“Daria told us about your fight,” James said.
“Yeah.”
“He’s really gone?” Cate chimed in next.
“He’s gone.”
“Good riddance.”
I still waited to feel something, but Lance’s relevance was in the toilet. I pined for Orion, struggling to not charge out of this hospital in pure desperation.
He’d better survive.
He’d better survive.
He’d. Better. Survive.
Trev placed a loving hand on Paige’s spine, pulling me back from a spiral. You’d never expect to find or see love in a zombie apocalypse, but here it was in this room and in my heart. Not just my love for Orion, but for my pack, too.
Andrew, famous lion shifter and former consort to a late werelion queen, shook my hand, offering a consoling smile.
Malorie was the next to speak in this reunion special. “I never intended…” She released a long shaky breath. “I’m so sorry the mind walk ended too soon.”
“Not your fault. It’s Lance’s. It’s King Damien’s. And how are you holding up? You must have taken a hit yourself.”
“I’m fine. My brain is practically in storage for the time being.”
“Shit.”
“We all survived, didn’t we?” she countered. “That is the main thing.”
Arlo, Andrew and Malorie’s son, fist bumped me, not saying anything, looking completely exhausted from all the shit he’d just been through.
