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He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and they started toward the sprawling building of glass and steel.
They spoke little on the way and it wasn’t until they were inside that she released the breath she’d been holding since her brother showed some of the Day... crazy. She couldn’t think of what else to call it. She still couldn’t really relax either. She had plenty of her own crazy, as evidenced by what she’d unleashed on Hannah earlier.
She started toward the information desk, but Saint stopped her, tugging her along with him. “I know where they are. I’ve kept in touch.” He paused a moment before looking down at her. “I know Shale. I can’t say we’re friends exactly, but we’ve met, shared a drink or two. He’s a good man.”
The knot in Zee’s throat returned and she nodded. “Yes, I thought as much. We didn’t have too much time to really talk, but his... heart is there, if he decides to let you see it.”
“That he showed it to you says a great deal. But you’re my Zee. I already know what a treasure you are.”
She flushed, unable to think of what she could say to that.
Silence returned as Saint took her through a long corridor, then up an elevator. There was another corridor, and then another.
“How do people who can’t use their noses for tracking and navigating ever learn their way around a place this big?” she muttered.
“Necessity.”
She rubbed at said nose, the cleaning products used offensive to her senses, almost overpowering.
Saint noticed and gave her a commiserating smile. “It won’t be as bad once we get to the specialty unit.”
Specialty unitwas code for Pretern. Since Preterns had different needs—and in some cases, different anatomical makeups or sensitivities that could prove fatal, many large facilities chose to have separate units with staff that specialized in working with Pretern patients.
Smaller facilities often shared an “on-call” unit that rotated between several smaller hospitals in a couple of counties, but cities like Durham-Starfell that had a large Pretern population needed to have a dedicated medical facility capable of treating the population.
Double doors loomed ahead, with polished steel letters over them.
Galina Whelan Specialty Unit
Unconsciously slowing down her steps, she stared at the letters until Saint tugged on her hand.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
“I’m fine.” She managed a smile as they started walking. “Niko told me about the unit back when... he told me. Jameson and Niko had just about finished planning everything out when Niko and I first met. I saw the plans. Jameson even asked me about the maternity unit he wanted to add. I’d forgotten.” Voice thick with memory, she tore her eyes from those polished steel letters. “Let’s go.”
“I came here the month after you left, that first time,” Saint said, his voice easy, face relaxed as they pushed through the doors and veered right through another, much smaller atrium. Smaller, but far more luxurious.
“I... what?”
“I was in the area.” He guided her to a set of doors and pushed through. Or tried.
“Bullshit.” She had stopped and was staring at him, brow puckered. “Why were you here?”
With a slow, sleepy-looking smile, Saint met her gaze. “I came to kill Niko.”
From somewhere behind them in the brightly lit atrium, there was a strangled gasp, shock from somebody who’d just heard Saint Day announce his intent to kill Niko.
Zee was tempted to punch her brother, right in his pretty, perfect nose. Instead, she hauled him through the doors, all the while hissing at him under breath. “Shut up. You can’t say things like that here. Are you an idiot?”
“I didn’t do it, did I?” He was still smiling. “It was a close thing though. The only reason I didn’t was because this little voice in my head kept saying things weren’t quite done yet between you two. The wolf in me, he didn’t care.”
Once more, Saint’s eyes were glowing, but it was a more familiar glow—the golden glow of a wolf ready to hunt. Shifter energy prickled around him, calling out to Zee.
“To be fair, the wolf still doesn’t care. But... ” Saint sighed forlornly. “He can see you now and he sees that strength, but he still wants to protect you. Taking him out would have hurt you.”
“You’re so confident you could have done it. He’s a Prime, Saint. Was always destined to be one. Even as strong as you are, you’re no match for a Prime.”
He winked at her. “Well, you’re assuming I’d fight like a wolf. But I’m not all wolf, my darling Zee. But... it wasn’t the right way to go. Guess it was a good thing my wolf half-listened to that little voice. You ready to go hunt down that idiot and beard him in his den?”
