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“I want to create a team to deal with the Organization.” Julian had thought about this over the last few hours. It was the only way to keep his mind off Leah. “You saw how they’re experimenting on vampires. We can’t ignore them anymore.”
“Is this team in addition to the Trackers?”
“Yes. The Trackers have enough vampires to deal with. This group will focus on the Organization. At the lab, I told Leah we’ll destroy all their facilities. I plan to keep that promise. Now that they have my blood, they’ll only create stronger Hunters.”
Julian let the implication sink in. “Those Hunters could be stronger than a newly turned vampire. The young vamps don’t know what it’s like. They’ve always had a safe haven. Most of them can’t deal with any threats. That needs to stop now.”
Marek nodded, his brows furrowed in thought. “How’re you selecting the team members? You can take a few Trackers, but they’re spread thin as is. And where will you be headquartered? Vegas?”
“Yes, Vegas will be a good starting point. It’s already neutral territory. The Trackers are headquartered there. As for the who, that’s something we’ll have to figure out during the Council meeting. I’ll ask the Houses to spread the news that I’m recruiting. We’ll need more than fighters. The team will need intel, funding, and other resources.”
Julian could see Marek’s brain working, analyzing all the possibilities and already drawing up battle plans.
“As much as I appreciate your offer, I can’t take Vegas. It’s yours. I want this new team. I want this to be mine.”
Julian mulled over Marek’s request. He’d promised Leah to save the trapped vampires and to help the people at the Compound. Yet, rejecting Marek didn’t seem like a good idea.
Vegas was his. Other than Marek, he couldn’t imagine giving it to anyone else. Without Vegas, he’d have gone aground. Maybe this new team was what Marek needed. It would tie Marek to the present as Vegas did for Julian.
“I have only one request,” Julian said. “Leah wants to free the trapped vampires, as do I. She also mentioned a Compound where the Organization trains its young recruits. I want to dismantle these Compounds. Leah and I must be consulted on what to do with the humans freed from the Compounds. We won’t kill indiscriminately.”
Marek’s lips quirked. “We’re not the Organization. You have my word that when we deal with these Compounds, I will ask for you and your mate’s input.”
“Good. It’s agreed. I will talk to Alistair when we return.”
They passed the rest of the time in silence, with Rowan and Marek taking turns to hunt. The last time they’d fed was before rescuing Julian and Leah. Though stored cold blood tided them over, they needed fresh human blood from the vein to reach their full strength. If Julian could stand the thought of leaving Leah for even one second, he would’ve gone to hunt as well, to work off some of his restless energy and regain his full strength.
Julian lost track of time. It could’ve been a day, a week, when the double doors opened. He sprang to his feet. Dr. Novak exited, smelling like Leah’s blood combined with the sterile hospital.
“How is she?”
“She’s good. Stable. We’ve moved her to a recovery room for a few minutes. After that, she will be taken to an in-patient room. You can visit her soon.” Dr. Novak worried her lip, hesitating.
“Spit it out. What’s wrong?”
The doctor squared her shoulders. “Nothing is wrong, but if you plan to use your blood to heal her, I recommend letting her take it easy for the next few days.”
What did she think he was? A monster? He wouldn’t let Leah do anything stressful soon, or for the rest of his life if he could help it. Well, he did threaten to murder and torture the nurse, so she might be justified in her worry.
“I will. Where is she?”
Dr. Novak gave him the directions. Julian wasted no time running to Leah’s room. The nurses were adjusting the various machines and tubes connected to Leah when he arrived.
“You can’t come in—” The nurse whose family he’d threatened closed her mouth when she saw him and rolled her eyes. “I guess it’s no use telling you no. She needs her rest, so don’t stay too long.”
One by one, the humans filed out. Julian’s heart turned over in his chest as he took in Leah, lying pale in bed, with the IV strapped to her arm and her head wrapped in gauze. She looked so small and frail, so unlike the woman who’d been full of fire and life since the moment they crossed paths.
Sinking down into the chair beside her, Julian bowed his head. More than anything, he wanted to give her his blood, to watch the color come back to her skin, and to hear her laugh and even rage at him.
But his hands wouldn’t move.
He could give her his blood. It would heal her in a few minutes, and she’d be good as new. They could return to Vegas and spend eternity together.
An eternity of danger, of violence.
It was their future.
Or, without the C2 implant, he could remove her memories and give her new ones, a new past, and let her live out her life without him. She would never know him, never remember Vegas or the Organization.
