“What’s love if it’s not knowing someone so well that you accept them, flaws and all?” Noah asked, his tone serious. “The bond makes that easy. I have no choice but to obey, and maybe there, you’re right. But I don’t have to be happy about it, and I am happy.” He tilted his head. “Love? Sure, you could call it that.I tend to think of it as loyalty. No offense,chica, but I’d rather sleep with Gabe than your beau. He’s hotter.”
Cally laughed. “I didn’t know you were gay.”
“I’m not.” Noah grinned. “But if I could be persuaded, a guy like Gabe might just do it. Pretty sure he’s bi, too. I’ve seen the way he looks at me. And the way he looks at you, for that matter.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” She hadn’t looked for it, either. Too focused on Antoine.
“Did I answer your question? Set your mind at ease?”
“Yeah, I think you did. Thanks, it helped.”
“Helped me too. I don’t feel so seasick anymore.” Noah gave a rueful smile. “One time, I was on a boat, and this woman smoked these very strong Turkish cigarettes. The smell made me—” He broke off abruptly, stiffening in his seat. “We’ve arrived. I can hear Antoine.”
Cally leaned forward, her pulse accelerating. “Tell him I’m with you. Tell him we’re going to get him out.”
“I have.” Noah was silent as he listened, eyes distant, then winced. “Antoine’s hurting. He’s chained in a steel box and he can’t move.” Another pause, then he focused on Cally. “He thinks Gabe betrayed him.”
“Shit.” She frowned. “I don’t get it; that doesn’t seem likely. Why would he help us?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he has some long-term play?”
“Tell Antoine that Gabe turned up first thing this morning and is offering to help.”
“I did already.” Noah winced again, as though listening to music that was too loud. “Antoine isn’t buying it. He’s… well, he’s fucking livid.”
“Oh, God. I can only imagine.” Cally wished she could talk to him. She focused on their bond, but all it offered was a strong pull toward where Antoine was, still east, but now down and through the floor too. “Tell him we’re coming for him; we’re working as fast as we can. Tell him I won’t leave him there. Tell him… tell him I love him.”
The one message she wanted to give him herself, above all else. But he needed to know, even if it had to be like this.
“He says he’s sorry. He says he loves you too.”
“He has no reason to be sorry. Tell him that.”
“He says…” Noah paused, his jaw clenching. “He says he’s left you without a way to manage your power.” His eyes focused on her again. “What does that mean?” He blinked rapidly as he listened to the voice she so badly wanted to hear. “Shit, you’re awitch? You coulddieif someone doesn’t feed on you?”
“He fed on me last night. We have plenty of time. He’ll be back before it’s an issue.”He has to be.
“Antoine says if you need someone to feed on you to manage your power, it will have to be Belle.”
“Belle won’t do it,” Cally said bitterly. “She’s already fed once, and she won’t take the risk of being bound to me.”
“Antoine says—”
Her chin came up. “You tell Antoine that he’ll be back before I need anyone to feed on me. You tell Antoine my blood is his, and his alone.”
Noah held her gaze for a moment, then nodded. “I’ve told him. He’s unconvinced, but he’s accepting for now.”
There had to be something else she could say to ease the burden of his captivity. “Did you tell him we have a plan to get him out?”
“Do we?”
“Eve will have figured it out already.”
“All right. He can tell when I’m lying or holding back, but I’ll borrow your confidence.”
Cally waited, wishing she could say so much more, wishing she could touch him again. She clenched her fists on the surface of the table.
“I don’t think I convinced him,” Noah reported. “He’s saying… he wants us to leave him be. There’s nothing we can do now anyway.”
