His brow furrowed. “Warmer? Was she cold?”

She stared at the prince for a couple of seconds before realizing that he’d taken her words literally. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, she stifled a giggle. “No. What I meant is, she didn’t seem as unfriendly.”

His confusion cleared, if not his fear. “Oh. Well, I suppose that’s good.”

“Sariel, I don’t believe either of us needs to worry about being in danger here. These people are only trying to protect the world from evil.”

“It’s not the people here who concern me,” he said, golden eyes darkening. “And none will be able to protect me from Malik once he learns where I’m hidden. He will destroy me, and if I’m fortunate, he’ll allow me to die.”

His words, so matter of fact, sent a chill through her. She longed to offer him comfort, but knew he wouldn’t appreciate empty promises she had no business making. “The Alpha Pack team will do their best, I have no doubt. We have to believe that’s enough.”

His smile was accompanied by a wave of sadness that made her want to cry. “Perhaps it will be.”

But he didn’t believe that. Sariel fully expected to die at the hands of his own father.

Their walk to Dr. Mallory’s office next to the infirmary was a quiet one, punctuated only by their footsteps and the occasional rustle of his wings. Giving him a curious sidelong glance, she noted his regal bearing never wavered despite the onslaught of emotions battering at him. Unlike earlier, when she’d seen him quietly falling apart in his cell. That couldn’t be good.

How could his people have so callously thrown him away? She’d like to give those uptight snobs—cowards, more like—a piece of her mind.

They found Dr. Mallory’s office without incident, thanks to a nurse who was heading the same way. The doc’s space was located in the infirmary she’d found before, past the reception area and down a short hallway. The door was open and Kira peeked in to see the woman entering some sort of info into her computer. At Kira’s knock, she looked up and then stood.

“Come in,” she invited. Her tone was pleasant enough, though reserved. “Sariel can wait in the reception area.”

Kira glanced at the prince, who merely shrugged and turned to do as the doc said. Weird, but now his emotions weren’t coming through at all. Like they’d been locked behind an invisible wall.

Now wasn’t the time to try to puzzle it out, though. Closing the door behind her, she took a seat and waited for Dr. Mallory to begin the meeting. The other woman got right to the point.

“I had a word with Nick,” she began, sitting back and toying with a ballpoint in one hand.

I’ll just bet you did.

Her dark eyes pinned Kira in place as she continued. “Let’s get one thing clear. No question, Nick is the boss and has total say over the compound and the beings under our care. He can even decide whether outsiders can receive sanctuary here.”

Ooh, and I’ll bet that just chaps your ass, huh? But she kept her lip buttoned.

“But I am the chief of staff at the Institute of Parapsychology and I have final say over who joins my team, not Nick.”

The doc paused, apparently awaiting some sort of response. Kira lifted her chin and met the woman’s gaze squarely, refusing to be intimidated. “He never said otherwise. He merely asked if I would be interested in helping in the lab and with the residents of Block R, and said if so I’d have to pass a background check and you’d have to agree to take me on.”

Well, she didn’t recall Nick mentioning Dr. Mallory by name, but figured she’d leave that out. This last bit of info seemed to appease the stiff woman, her posture relaxing some and the hardness of her eyes softening a tad.

“That’s what he told me as well.”

Hadn’t she believed him? Hmm, friction between the good doc and Nick. What was that about?

She cocked her head. “He also sent down some remarkably interesting samples that you liberated from your former employer.”

“Did he tell you why I took them?”

“Yes. I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt because Nick insists you’ll play a vital role here—and I have to admit he would know. From what I’ve seen so far, with your astounding progress with Blue, I’m inclined to give you a chance.”

“Sariel,” she corrected automatically. The woman didn’t take offense.

“Right. But back to the samples—I believed them to be human, at first, but some interesting markers presented themselves. I then called in two assistants and we’re working to verify what it is, exactly, that you’ve brought to us.”

“Why can’t Jax and Nick, you know, do their woo-woo thing on them and find out?”

The doctor gave her a piercing stare that spoke volumes about what a stupid question that had been. “And if they handle the tissue, and fail to get a reading?”

Kira flushed. “The sample is likely harmed.”

“Not only that, but do you have any idea of the adverse effects using their Psy gifts has on their bodies? In some cases, it can leave them drained for days. And if they’re called out to deal with a rogue? It could be deadly.”

“But with all due respect, science can’t tell us everything,” she said, careful to keep her tone respectful. “It can’t always tell the story, or the process of investigating is so slow, critical time is lost.”

“Well, that’s what still makes us all human, no matter our gifts,” the doctor responded softly. “We all have to make our judgment call, and learn to live with it.”

Kira wondered what decisions Dr. Mallory was trying to live with.

“What about me? Will you take a chance, or do I need to beg Nick for a job scrubbing toilets?”

For the first time, the other woman’s mouth quirked with humor. A small crack in the shell. “I’m sure that won’t be necessary. Report to me tomorrow morning after breakfast. You can observe while we continue testing on your samples and see what we find. Your afternoons will be free to work with your new charges in Block R.” She stood, concluding the meeting.

“Thank you.” She offered the doc her hand, and got a brisk shake.

“Send in Bl—I mean Sariel, if you don’t mind. I’d like to talk with him a bit, and then give him a checkup.”

“Sure.”

As she went to get Sariel, she pondered her conversation with the doc. Strange, her emotions had been every bit as guarded as the Seelie’s were a few minutes ago. Impenetrable.

And I must be crazy, thinking I can read emotions all of a sudden!

She made a note to ask Dr. Mallory about it tomorrow—among other things. Sariel stood, quickly masking the trepidation that flashed across his face as she approached.

“Relax,” she told her new friend. “She just wants to talk to you and then make sure you’re healthy. Okay?”

“If you insist,” he managed. “I’ll trust you.”

“Do you want me to wait until you’re done?”

There was no mistaking the profound relief as he answered. “If you don’t mind.”

“No problem.”

He tried a smile and then walked past her, head high, as though to his doom. But she wasn’t worried. Dr. Mallory might not be all shits and giggles, but she seemed fair.

Maybe the doc just needed to get laid.

Thinking of Jax and where that mentality had gotten her, she made a face.

Then again, maybe not.

Eight

“Watch out! Brace with your left leg, not your right!”

Jaxon grappled for leverage, fighting both a losing battle with Zan and his own goddamned bum leg. He wanted to yell at Aric that he was trying and to kindly fuck off, but he couldn’t bellow at his friend and breathe through the pain at the same time.

Sweat trickled down his face and sides and his mangled leg trembled as Zan used his position to his advantage, bowing Jax backward to force their combined weight onto the limb. Zan had him in a bear hug, his embrace every bit as powerful and unbreakable as a grizzly’s. All he had to do was be patient and wear Jax down, drive him to exhaustion.