Passion Ignited (15 page)

Finally, Ash couldn’t stand the tension any
longer and he cleared his throat. “Listen, I’m going to go out and
search for them.”

“I’ll head out with you, man,” Thrash
offered.

“No. You’re not,” Ferox said. Leaning forward
even more, he glared Thrash straight in the eyes. “You’re staying
here and explaining to me why the fuck three of our warriors are
missing because of a call
you
put in last night.”

****

Ash and Blaze returned from checking out the
alleys near Pandora’s Box. The search took longer than expected
since the Valvo had to make frequent stops inside buildings where
the sun couldn’t char him. Being half-vampire, he was able to
withstand sunlight longer than vampires, but only for a few minutes
at a time.

Thrash’s interrogation was still in full swing
as they walked through the foyer and approached the library
doors.

Blaze looked at Thrash, who growled slightly,
irritation dripping from his voice. “I’ve already told you. I was
calling Garrick to tell him to pay up. I won our bet.”

“And you’re telling me that someone got the
drop on you while you were dialing the phone.”

Thrash went silent for a moment. “Yes. And
don’t fucking think it isn’t bugging the shit out of me. No one’s
ever snuck up on me before.”

“Exactly my thoughts. How someone could get
the drop on someone with such impeccable senses of smell and
hearing. What did the Collective do to you?” Ferox inquired in a
mocking tone.

“Oh, those weren’t Collectives,” Ash
interrupted as he and Blaze strode through the open doorway. “They
were Ekhart’s assassins.”

“Ekhart’s assassins?” Raine asked.

“Yeah,” Ash replied. “He’s an old enemy of
ours.”

“And what business does he have here?” Ferox
asked, finally taking his gaze off Thrash.

“He came here to acquire a ring that was in
Nitro’s possession. She traded it to him last night.”

“For Thrash?” Ferox pegged.

“Not for Thrash. But Nitro’s motives are her
own.”

Ferox glared at Ash for what felt like an
eternity before turning his gaze toward the wolf again. “So let me
get this straight. You conveniently got captured by an enemy. You
dragged Garrick and Raider into the fight. Nitro came to your
rescue by trading something of value for your life. And yet, you’re
here, safe and sound, while all of them are missing?”

Thrash bound out of his chair, his claws
sinking into the hard wood of the table. “You were just told that
the trade wasn’t for me, and yet you’re blaming me?”

“If the shoe fits. I’ve been keeping an eye on
you lately, wolf. You’re a trader, offering the Guardians up on a
silver tray to our enemies.”

All faces in the room blanched, watching the
yelling match between their leader and the strongest warrior within
the brotherhood.

“I’ve done nothing to ever betray the
Guardians,” Thrash yelled.

“Oh, haven’t you?” Ferox goaded. “What about
the secret meetings, the secret phone calls with Collectives? And
now, hearing that you purposely betrayed your friends by pretending
to be in danger last night, giving our enemy an advantage.” Ferox
shook his head in disgust. “I have eyes in more places than you can
conceive of. I know every move you make. You take a shit and I know
about it.”

“Nice visual,” Blaze whispered to
Ash.

Thrash went to argue with his leader, but
Ferox cut him off.

“As of this moment, you are released from your
duties as a Guardian. You will leave the premises and are not
permitted to return.”

The room erupted, everyone talking over each
other at the king’s decree. Blaze started to argue with Ferox’s
decision, but a quick look from Thrash stopped him in his tracks.
He’d seen that look countless times before and knew that the wolf
needed some time to work through the rage that had spread
throughout his body. He could see the tension in Thrash’s body—he
was barely keeping himself under control.

Thrash peeled his lips from his fangs as he
stared at their leader. “Fuck this, and fuck you.” With a snarl, he
stalked from the room and walked out the door, leaving the
Guardians staring after him.

Chapter Fifteen

Raider had fought sleep for hours, but the
effect of the sun beaming on the other side of the metal door
drained him of what remained of his energy. His shoulder burned—the
wound still hadn’t healed. He’d sat, rocking Nitro in his arms,
even dripping his blood down her throat in an attempt to rouse her.
But nothing had worked, and he’d eventually fallen asleep with her
in his arms.

Any hope he’d had that she would survive
vanished the moment he woke. She was still lying in his embrace,
but the familiar beat of her heart no longer sounded. Her body had
grown cold and her color had drained from her skin.

Raider shook as he clutched her to him, and as
he’d done countless times today, he reached out and touched her
mind. There was nothing. Just blackness. Anger and sadness coursed
through him, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. Gods damn
him if he cried. He wasn’t a baby. He was a male. A
warrior.

A warrior who’d lost his female. Lost
another
female. He’d failed Nitro by throwing what she was
in her face and leaving her to die at the hands of his enemy.
Cradling her head, he hugged her to his body and placed a kiss on
her forehead.

Just when he’d learned to love again, he’d
failed her. Maybe he was cursed to never be able to live out his
life with a female. Maybe the gods and the Fates had it out for
him, destroying any happiness he’d ever found.

And damn the Fates for teasing him with Nitro.
For the first time in a century he’d felt something. The tingles
that ran through him each time they touched was just one thing that
made him think it, but also the way they couldn’t resist each
other, no matter how much they’d tried—or rather, how much
she’d
tried. A part of him had started to actually believe
in second chances. Had started to believe she was truly his. That
they belonged…

Raider’s eyes flashed open as he heard the
metal door clang. The door swung open, letting the sunlight pour
in. His eyes burned and his skin started to singe, and yet he’d
tensed to attack whatever poor bastard dared stumble in
there.

“Fuck!” Thrash slammed the door shut,
enclosing them all in together. “What the fuck
happened?”

Raider’s eyes adjusted back from the
brightness of the sun, the burning sensation not dulling yet. The
room was dark again, and Thrash was standing a few feet away from
them.

“Is she…”

Raider nodded, unable to say it out
loud.

There was silence between them as Thrash bent
down next to them. “Her heart’s beating, Raid. You haven’t lost
her.” The
yet
went unsaid, although it was blaringly obvious
what the wolf had been thinking—even without a mental
probing.

Raider froze, staring at Thrash in shock. He
was right. He
could
feel her heart beating again. Had he
just imagined its absence earlier?

“Everyone’s looking for you. You’ve caused
quite a fucking panic back at the mansion,” Thrash said. His eyes
ran over both of them, taking in the situation at hand. As he
caught sight of Raider’s shoulder, his eyes narrowed on the
Guardian. “You’re hurt?”

“Yeah, not healing.”

“We need to get you back to the mansion. Can
you flash?”

“Too weak. And I’m not leaving
her.”

Thrash nodded silently—or it would have been
silent had it not been for the irritated sigh that escaped him.
“How about Garrick? Where is he?”

Raider blinked for a few seconds. He’d
completely forgotten that the warrior hadn’t made it back with them
last night. “I haven’t seen him. He’s not with the
others?”

“No, we thought he was with you. Listen, there
are still hours of daylight to go, but we need to get you moved. I
was able to scent your trail as soon as I reached the
alley.”

Raider clutched Nitro to him again. He didn’t
want to let her go. He’d rather die like this than ever release
her. “I’m not leaving her.”

Thrash had a knowing gaze as he looked at
Raider and Nitro. “Listen, man. If we can get her back to the
mansion, maybe Ash will know of a way to heal her. He’d know better
than any of us. If I get a car, do you think you could make
it?”

Raider thought of the situation going on
outside the door. The sun was out—he could sense it was afternoon.
If Thrash pulled the car up as close as he could to the door, he
could possibly make it without being too badly burned. But the ride
back to the mansion was going to be a bitch.

“Raider, could you make it?” Thrash repeated
again.

“Tinted. Make sure the windows are
tinted.”

****

The familiar smells of the Guardians’ mansion
greeted Raider as soon as he walked inside. The scents were
comforting, and far better than the musty smell of the hole he’d
spent the day in. But no matter where he was, he was glad Nitro was
with him.

With as little detail as possible, Thrash had
told Raider that he’d been banned from the grounds. But honestly,
he wasn’t sure if the short explanation was due to Thrash’s
elusiveness or due to Raider’s lack of attention. Every part of him
was focused on Nitro’s heartbeat as they’d hauled ass through town.
As soon as they reached the garage, Thrash had helped Raider get
Nitro out of the car.

The ride to the mansion had been better than
he’d thought. In the past, when he’d ridden in cars during daylight
hours, his skin had singed the entire trip. This time was
infinitely better, the worst part being the short distance between
the storage room and the car. But it was all worth it if he could
save his female.

“Oh my gods, what’s happened to you?” Raine
spotted them first as she was alerted to someone entering the
gates. She ran toward Raider, her face paling as she looked at his
wounds and the sight of Nitro lying in his arms. “Ethan,” she
called out.

Ethan ran into the room, responding to his
mother’s dire tone. He looked once at Raider and bolted toward him.
“Let me take her.”

Raider growled, pulling Nitro from his grasp.
“Just get a room ready. And get Ash.”

Ethan had leapt backwards at the sound of
Raider’s snarl, but said nothing at his uncle’s anger. He nodded
before bounding downstairs. Raider followed at a much slower pace,
careful not to jar Nitro as they made their way down the
stairs.

“What happened to the two of you?” Raine
asked, following closely behind him.

“She was attacked,” Raider responded. Even to
him, his voice didn’t sound like his own. “I didn’t make it in
time. She was already unconscious by the time I found
her.”

“What did this to her?”

“I don’t fucking know, Raine. I’ve never seen
anything like it. It felt human, but looked…possessed. Its mind was
obsessed with blood.”

They’d reached the available infirmary, which
was next to the room where Riley still lay in a coma. Ethan had
already made up the bed and was holding the door open for
them.

Raider laid her on the white sheets, pulling
another over her blood soaked body. The blood had dried now, but
still held that sickening quality, proving that she’d suffered
horribly in her ordeal. And, just as he’d feared before, he could
no longer feel her heart beating. He placed his hand over her chest
and focused.

Nothing. Not a beat.

“Raider,” Raine whispered. “How long has she
been gone?”

“She…” He had to swallow back the tears that
threatened to form. His throat hurt from the exertion, but he
couldn’t show weakness in front of a female. “She was still alive
when Thrash drove us here.”

“Did you try giving her your
blood?”

He nodded. “Didn’t work. Her heart was barely
beating, so she didn’t swallow any of it.”

She placed a hand on Raider’s shoulder as he
sat next to the bed. He wasn’t sure how long they’d sat in silence.
He didn’t care. He’d live with this failure for the rest of his
life. He’d willingly stay with Nitro every second he
could.

****

“Hey man, you’re needed in the
infirmary.”

Ash looked up at Ethan. He was standing just
inside the door of the deck, where he’d spent hours searching
meticulously for any sign of Nitro by way of cell phone. “What’s
going on?”

“It’s your sister. Raider just brought her
back.”

He stood from his chair and ran toward the
door. “Is she alright?”

“Not exactly, man.” Ethan said, keeping pace
as Ash ran.

He raced ahead, worry blooming in his chest.
Getting to the infirmary seemed to take longer than it ever had
before, and as soon as he stepped inside the room, his whole world
crashed around him.

The scene was something from a movie. Nitro
lay in bed, covered in white sheets. Her long black hair spilled
over the pillow, framing her white, pale face. Her chest didn’t
rise and fall with breath. She was completely still. Raider wept
next to her, shaking as he held her hand. And Raine, offering her
support to him as her hand rested on his shoulder.