Page 152 of You Only Love Twice
Gemma had never fancied herself a coward, but there was a lump in her throat thick enough to choke her as she slipped through the back door of the safe house and climbed the stairs to the first level.
Steady now, old girl.
The first person who saw her was Ava. The pale blonde scurried out of the library with her nose in a bio-mechanics book, only glancing up when she saw the hem of Gemma's ragged skirts.
"Gemma?" Ava gasped and dropped the book. "Oh, my goodness! You're alive."
She threw her arms around Gemma and squeezed her so tightly Gemma's shoulder nearly popped out of its socket again. "Ava. My shoulder."
Ava released her. "You're safe. You're truly safe!"
A door opened further down the corridor. Ingrid. "Gemma?"
And then the rest of the Company of Rogues seemed to stream out of every nook and cranny. She'd been expecting a cool welcome, but all their faces lit up in relief, and Gemma's heart lifted.
Kincaid wrapped his arms around her and swung her in the air. "I'd kiss you on the cheek, but you definitely need a bath."
"Maybe two," Ingrid said, and squeezed her for such a long time Gemma didn't think she was going to be allowed to come up for air. "Don't ever go missing again. I cannot cope with another bout of hunting you through the streets, hoping you're alive. No more kidnappings. No more running off with handsome strangers."
"We were nearby," she protested. "You could have found us easily."
Ingrid released a shuddering breath. "I tried to use the tracking device but it remained silent."
"Must have ruined the beacon in the back of Gemma's neck when we shocked her," Byrnes pointed out. "Didn't think of that."
That was when she recognized the lingering tension in the air, and the way several of the others glanced over her shoulder.
Behind her, Obsidian watched them with an aloof expression on his face.
"Obsidian helped me escape from the tower," she whispered, reaching back to take his hand and draw him into the light.
He came, but uneasily, as if still wary of his welcome.
And Gemma slid her arm around his waist somewhat fiercely, as if to defy anyone who might hold a grudge. Obsidian had done more for them than they would ever know.
"Like I told Malloryn," Byrnes muttered, "it would be good to have anotherdhampiron the team."
The breath eased out of her as they all relaxed.
Byrnes was still limping, which caused her instant consternation until he rolled his eyes. "I've had worse wounds from Ingrid. This one time, she bit me on the—"
"Byrnes," Ingrid said sharply.
He grinned and hugged Gemma tight, then passed her on to Charlie, who was shaking his head.
"Remember when you told me I was a fool for jumping off an airship with one of those new gliders? And the lecture you gave me when I thought it would be a good idea to test that new smoke bomb Jack had been working on in my room." Charlie chided. "You broke out of Thorne Tower! Malloryn's in such a lather he's almost frothing at the mouth."
Her heart staggered to a jagged halt. "Malloryn? He's alive?"
She hadn't let herself ask until now.
Charlie’s faint smile died, and he hugged her again. "Of course he is. Jesus, Gem. Did you think you’d killed him?"
She had no answer to that. Only a faint choking sound that Charlie clearly felt heaving through her chest, for his hug abruptly tightened.
"Malloryn's like a cockroach," Byrnes drawled. "I don't think anythingcankill him."
"I heard that," said a familiar voice from behind them all.
