Page 85 of Blood Magic

But for now, he was safe.

“Do you think he’ll remember?” Joe pulled into the first drive-thru he came to. There were three cars ahead of us, even at this time of night.

“Brenda Ferguson didn’t,” I said. Then, “I hope he doesn’t.”

“Even if he doesn’t, he’s going to need an explanation.”

I only nodded. I’d cross that worrisome bridge if we came to it. “Order me the same as earlier,” I told him.

He shook his head but did as I asked. “At least I can be sure you’re not a vampire.” Then, “What happened in there, Kait?”

“We had to fight a shit ton of vampires to get to Rick, and then there were those tunnel trolls. They nearly got the best of me.”

“What about Bastien?”

“He hung back to take their heads.” I bit into my thick burger, unable to stop a moan as hot grease shot into my mouth. Damn, that was good. “He’ll be okay.”

“And Remy?”

“He took off.”

“What did—”

“Dammit, Joe, let me eat the delicious food.”

“Sorry.”

After I’d devoured my burgers I sat back, my hand on my belly. I let my window down a little so the cool air could hit my face. “I didn’t get Axton, but I’ll hunt him down once Rick is safe.”

“Lucy and Max called,” Joe said. “I told them you were fine. Lucy said to call her when you can.”

I slapped my jacket pocket reflexively, realizing I’d lost my phone when I’d shifted. “Can I borrow your phone, Joe? I need to check in with my mother.”

She didn’t answer. When the call went to voicemail, I immediately tried again, but my hands were already shaking. My first thought wasn’t that Axton had found her—it was that Zach had gone nuts and slaughtered her and her housemates. My second thought was that Adam Thorne had gone back to try again to capture her to control me.

But Joe slammed his foot down on the gas pedal and sped toward Shadowfield. “Axton found them,” he muttered, and I knew that was the right guess. Axton wanted his human slave back. I had no idea what had happened between the two of them. I only knew Axton was obsessed with Zach and that Joe was right. Axton had gone after the man he’d enslaved.

I called Jared. “I need you to send wolves to my mother’s house,” I said, attempting to keep the wobble out of my voice. “I think Axton is there. I’m taking the detective to the pack and then I’ll join you.”

“Are you okay?” His voice curled around my brain and my heart and made me wish he would suddenly appear so he could wrap me up in his arms and protect me.

I shook my head hard, attempting to dislodge those thoughts. Shut up, wolf. But my wolf wanted her alpha, and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. I had to take a couple of deep breaths before I could speak. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll rouse Ben and have everything ready for the detective before you get here. And I will see you at your mother’s.” He hung up.

Neither Joe nor I spoke again until the detective was safe at Shadowfield. The doctor and nurse were already there, waiting at the street with a stretcher and three aides, and Jared and his wolves were gone.

“Let us tend you, Kait,” Ben said, his mournful stare on my injuries and the blood that colored my flesh and clothes.

I shook my head. “There’s no time for that. I’ll heal, Doc.”

He grinned. “Doc.”

I smoothed Rick’s hair as I stared down at him, taking a moment to just focus on him. I hadn’t allowed myself to really see him, to think about the damage that had been done to him, to wonder if he would come out of it fully intact. No way would he come out of it unchanged, whether he remembered or not. Those memories would come out in other ways, eventually. I didn’t want to be negative, but I did not think he was going to come out of this unchanged.

His eyes were closed but he was less…comatose looking. His body twitched, his hands occasionally clenched, and maybe he was a little less pale. They’d covered him with a heated blanket, and it had hidden most of the marks the vampires had given him. I wondered if, when he awakened and saw them, he would know what they were. I wondered if he could be convinced he’d been attacked by animals.

I leaned down and put my mouth close to his ear. “Rick.” But I didn’t know what else to say. Finally, I just stood back and nodded for the aides to take him away.