Heat (Blood Bound Book 4)

Chapter 2

The four men had quickly left the village on horseback, heading into what was now known as the Swiss Alps. After delivering the girl to her extended family, Syn had given the grandmother a letter and a sack of gold coins as he exchanged a few words with her. The older woman smiled and hugged Syn tightly before taking her granddaughter up in her arms.

Though Syn never said anything, they knew that he was the one responsible for the deaths of the girl’s parents. To this day it made Michael shiver when he thought too long about it. Syn’s moral code refused to let any child suffer such misery and, if he could do anything about it… he would. Syn didn’t give a damn who the parent was or what they represented. He believed abusive parents deserved nothing less than what they would eventually do to their children.

When Michael had asked about Syn’s healing ability on the child, Syn had given him a patient smile.

“The power resides within your immortal soul. Compared to immortality… you are still a child, so most of your power is dormant. As time passes, that power will grow. As to what power you have… only your soul can choose. If healing is the power your soul calls upon, then all you have to do is want it bad enough.”

Looking back toward the injured cougar, he understood. Seeing Alicia cry like that was more than enough motivation to make him want it bad enough. Michael slowly stood up and approached Micah. As he moved closer, he could smell the hint of infection that was starting to take hold of the cougar’s body. If anything happened to the cougar, he knew Alicia would cry and he didn’t want Alicia to cry.

Michael laid his hand on Micah’s chest and recalled the sensations he’d felt when he and Dean had touched Kane. Concentrating on his need to see Alicia smile, he felt that need flow through him into the one he knew could make her happy. Micah started to glow softly and Michael waited to see if he would be able to see Micah’s soul like he had Kane’s. After a moment, he realized that had been Dean’s power… not his.

Had anyone been in the room with him, they would have seen the differences taking place. Michael’s eyes had started to glow a deep amethyst and his own soul slowly became visible, superimposed within his physical form.

Michael could feel a part of himself deep inside the cougar’s body… flowing through his blood. He breathed a sigh of relief when the smell of infection slowly faded from the room. He couldn’t see under all of the bandages to be sure, but he watched as the bruises and cuts on Micah’s face healed over then completely vanished.

Pulling his hand away, Michael took an unsteady step back. Lifting a hand to his eyes to ease the dizziness, he was surprised to feel tears on his eyelashes and cheek. He paused for a moment remembering that he’d also been crying when Dean had grabbed his hand and put it over Kane’s dying body.

Is that what Syn meant by wanting it bad enough? Did his heart and mind need to be exactly in the same place in order for it to happen?

Michael looked down at his hands and sighed. How he wished Syn was here to answer his new questions. Syn was awake now, but as long as he could remember, Syn never stayed in one place… always just passing through. He’d asked Syn once what he was searching for, but Syn had only smiled with that distant look in his eyes and answered, “Some secrets are meant to be kept.”

Perhaps he would find out soon enough… for now he would go home and rest. Healing the cougar had been taxing on him and he needed to rest and regain his strength. Looking back at Micah, Michael decided he had one more thing to do to cover his tracks and reunite the siblings.

Placing a hand on Micah’s cheek, he whispered his name, compelling the cougar to wake up enough to listen to his words. When Micah’s eyelashes fluttered, Michael told him the information that would keep Alicia's whereabouts secret until he could come for her.

*****

Trevor stopped the car in front of Moon Dance before slamming it into park. Seeing Envy injured had taken ten years off his life… or a least that’s the way it felt. Her being shot like that only confirmed the fact that he’d done the right thing by keeping her from knowing the truth about the paranormal world and his involvement with it for so long. By keeping his secrets, he’d kept her out of the danger zone.

“Home sweet home,” he grumbled without looking at them. Getting out from behind the wheel, Trevor walked around the car to open the door for Envy but Devon beat him to it.

Devon gave Trevor the evil eye as the other man followed them inside but didn’t say anything. Devon hated the fact that he owed Trevor for saving Envy… but hated it more that it was Trevor he owed the favor to.

“You don’t need to come in with us,” Envy offered, trying to diffuse the tense air around the two men. She even gave Trevor a small smile and a nod to let him know she wasn’t just being mean, but really appreciated his help.

Trevor’s eyes softened when he locked gazes with Envy. “I’d feel better if I knew you were being taken care of.”

Envy inwardly cringed… totally wrong thing to say.

“Are you saying that I can’t take care of Envy?” Devon stopped and demanded as they reached the stairs that led up to the living quarters.

“Not in so many words,” Trevor said as he followed Envy up the stairs.

Devon’s eyes widened and he raced up behind Trevor and pushed him harshly against the wall. “Then explain it to me Care Bear.”

Trevor shrugged against the wall, “Sure thing Thunder Cat… you suck!”

“Go to hell!” Devon growled loudly.

“I feel a flashback from Saturday morning cartoons coming on,” Envy muttered and rubbed her forehead. “How about you two stop spraying testosterone all over the place and play nice for a change? I’ve got a major headache, my arm hurts like hell, and the last thing I need is for you two to start fighting over who the better man is.” She looked at Trevor, “Either shut up or go home, right now I don’t care which.”

Devon smirked until Envy turned her glare on him. “And you… I have the right to deny you kitty cat. Keep it up and you’ll be reduced to yowling from the alley fence.”

Tabatha had been waiting to hear something for a while when she heard Devon tell Trevor to go to hell. She opened the door just in time to see Envy tell both of them off and couldn’t help but giggle. At least she wasn’t alone anymore.

“Are the boys misbehaving again?” Tabatha asked.

“You have no idea,” Envy grumbled as she walked into Warren’s office with the now-silent Trevor and Devon behind her.

Envy slipped the jacket off of her shoulders and Tabatha’s eyes widened at the blood-soaked bandage around Envy’s arm. She started to have a flashback of her and Envy being held hostage by Raven and his gang of bloodsuckers, but forcibly pushed the vision back into her mental lock box.

“Will one of you guys get the first aid kit?” Tabatha asked while looking Envy over to make sure her shoulder was the only injury.

“I’ll get it,” Devon answered and walked into Warren’s connecting bathroom.

“What happened?” Tabatha demanded when she unwrapped the bandage and saw where a bullet had grazed her friend’s arm.

“Got shot at, growled at, nearly clawed, and barely outran an explosion,” Envy said with a grin but the grin disappeared when she noticed the look on her friend’s face. “I’m okay, I promise,” she quickly added.

Ignoring Envy, Tabatha glared up at Devon when he came back into the room. “Where the hell were you when Envy got shot?” She couldn’t help it. “This is my best friend and you’re supposed to be taking care of her!”

Trevor laughed inwardly, glad someone besides him was finally giving Devon a much-needed ass chewing.

“Fighting for our lives,” Devon said in his defense. “I couldn’t get to her but Winnie the Pooh over here got her out.”

“That was after Hello Kitty let her get separated from him,” Trevor finished trying not to c***k a grin at the thought of Devon still thinking he was a werebear… if Devon only knew the truth about what he really was. The urge to grin went away when his gaze returned to Envy. If Devon knew the truth, then Envy would know and he was tired of getting caught in his lies by her.

Tabatha and Envy gave each other a resigned look and Envy mouthed the word ‘help’ knowing Tabby would understand.

“Hey Trevor, can you give me a ride home?” Tabatha asked trying get Trevor out of the room before Devon bit his head off... or Envy truly went off on the two of them.

Trevor sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Sure, let me go down and get the car started.”

Once Trevor had sullenly left, Envy gave Tabby a look of relief. “Thank you!”

Tabatha smirked, “Don’t thank me because now you both owe me one.”

“I’ll give you everything I own!” Devon exclaimed with a grin.

“Does that include Envy?” Tabatha asked, her eyes twinkling.

“Not a chance,” Devon answered giving her a wink.

Tabatha made a disappointed face, “Well, that just takes the fun out of all of it.”

Envy giggled as Tabatha pranced out of the room, mock-slamming the door on her way.

Chapter 2

“Put me down you bloodsucking lunatic!” Alicia yelled while clawing at Damon’s back from where he’d thrown her over his shoulder. The moment she’d realized they weren’t headed toward Night Light she had wanted him to stop… obviously wanting and getting were two different things. “I want to go see Micah!”

“Michael told me to bring you back here and this is where you will stay,” Damon ordered as he calmly walked into Alicia’s room. He tossed her down onto the bed and winced when her nails left long welts on his back. Growling he added, “I don’t think your boyfriend will be overly disappointed if you’re a little late to his bed… side.”

Alicia huffed and tried to scoot off the bed but Damon was immediately leaning over her with a palm firmly planted on each side of her shoulders.

Damon glared down at her, trying one more time to put her under his compulsion spell, “Damn it, I said stay!”

“I’m not a dog, I’m a cat you...” Alicia’s mind went blank for a second as she stared up at him, watching the way his hair dangled down around that perfect face. She felt something in the pit of her stomach awaken with longing. Lowering her gaze to his lips, she used the only thing she could think of to get her mind off kissing him… aggression.

“You’re not the boss of me!” Alicia hit him in the chest but regretted it when Damon squeezed his eyes shut in pain and leaned down closer to her.

“Did no one ever s***k you growing up?” Damon growled breaking out in a sweat. He rolled away from her to lie on his back beside her.

“You wish.” Alicia frowned wondering how in the world he had just carried her across town like a Neanderthal and now looked like he was going to pass out because she’d hit him for it. “Are you all right?” she asked suspiciously, not wanting to feel guilt for her retaliation.