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“She listens more than you know.” He sighed and stood. “I’ll grab a shower first, if that’s okay.”
“Be my guest. Bathroom is down the hall and on the left.”
At her words, Axel softened. “You’ve been so welcoming to us. I can’t thank you enough.”
Something flickered in Mary’s eyes, something that looked a lot like sadness, and she said, “Knowing you will be in Daisy’s life is enough. Now, I’ve charged your cell phone. I’ll call you if there’s any change with Elena.”
* * *
By the timeAxel showered and found his way down to the basement, he’d riled himself up into a tizzy. He hated not being able to do anything for Elena. His whole life he was a go-getter. Proactive. That was how he’d ended up as a Faithful. It was a path through the blockade of Elena’s illness. It was why he’d joined the CCFD. He’d hated being told he had to stand on the sidelines and watch a house burn.
He couldn’t give up now. Daisy certainly wasn’t.
The moment Axel entered the basement, he smelled her, and the longing in his chest tugged him on an invisible line to the training room. She sat cross-legged at the center of the exercise mat, silver hair spilling down her back.
During the shower, he made all these plans on how he would apologize. How he would grovel at her feet and beg for forgiveness. But the mere sight of her triggered a need so strong it burst out of his skin.
Axel went straight for her. Didn’t say hello. Didn’t say anything. He just got on his knees and pushed her to the floor. He covered her body with his.
God, hugging her felt so good.
Her embrace forgave all. His throat thickened and he nuzzled the space where her jaw ended and her ear began.
Inhale.
Sigh.
That’s all they did—laid together on the rubber mat and hugged. Her legs entwined with his. Their arms wrapped around each other. She’d showered too. Her sweet feminine shampoo curled over him like petals of an exotic flower blooming.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
“It’s okay,” she replied. “I get it.”
He pulled back, needing to look into her violet eyes and feel peace. But when he saw her face, alarm prickled through him. He wiped a trickle of blood from beneath her nose.
“Daisy…” He could hardly breathe. She was bleeding again. The horror of it brought him back to the times Elena or his parents had nosebleeds from their illness.
Shame washed over her. She quickly went to the bench against the wall where she’d left a towel.
“It’s nothing,” she said, wiping her nose.
He rested his elbow on his knee, praying to keep himself from overreacting. “It’s not nothing. That happened at the house after you used your gift.”
She lifted a bottle of water to her lips and drank deeply before answering. “I’ve been practicing. Parker said it would get better over time.”
“Yes, over time, Daze,” he chided and went to her. He looked deep into her eyes so she could see the concern in his. “You’re still recovering from all the loss of spinal fluid, falling off a damned train, and… the other things Julius did to you.”
He didn’t even want to think about those purple scars on her stomach—what she had nightmares about. The extraordinary will of his mate hit him squarely in the chest. She was a survivor. Not just that, a flourisher. When she was with the Syndicate, she was a woman who moved like a robot, just going through the motions. Now that she’d found her tribe, her family, she made herself bleed because she wanted to help.
“That’s the thing. We don’t have time, Axel.” She shook her head and raised her eyes to the ceiling. “Apparently the Mayor is announcing a State of Emergency. He’s asked for the National Guard, but no one is coming. Cardinal City is being ignored by the big brass. That means things are about to get shitty here if Julius unleashes more replicates… and—” she shot him wary eyes. “He had a hellova lot of them made.”
“You’ve done everything you can,” he insisted. “You don’t know where they are. You don’t know where Julius is. All we can do is wait and deal with the fallout when it comes.”
“I hate waiting.”
His tone quietened. “Me too.”
“How is Elena?” she asked.
