searched my eyes like a crazed lunatic. “West did this, didn’t he?”
“Dax, look at me.” But I had lost him.
He turned and charged at West.
Caine stepped in front of him and pushed him backward. “Listen to Cricket. Help her remove the other restraints.”
Dax reluctantly returned to me, then smoothed my hair back. “I will kill him,” he said, not caring that everyone standing there heard him, including West himself.
Dax didn’t mean what he said in the literal sense, but I’m sure he did mean to hurt West. I would make him understand. I’d have to. “No, you won’t, because that would hurt me . Please don’t do anything until we’ve had a chance to talk, okay?”
He took deep breaths in and out while he continued to free my limbs from the leather straps and rusted buckles. By the time he helped me off of the metal exam table, his breathing was finally slowing a bit.
With Dax directly behind me, I took three steps toward West and looked up into his eyes. “You will live to regret strapping me to that table and not letting me help Key.”
“Maybe. But as long as you keep up your end of the bargain, I don’t really care what I have to live with.”
I analyzed the desperation in his expression. Did he mean my promise to help Key, or was he that determined to find Christina Black? Though I had promised, I wasn’t sure I could produce Christina for him. “Why is finding your friend so important to you?”
He tilted his head, considering the question. “I have my reasons.”
“You’re so desperate to find her that you were willing to hurt someone you barely know?”
“You might not believe me, but I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I panicked.”
“Actually, I do believe you.”
“You do?” Dax asked behind me. When I didn’t answer right away, he ran a hand through his hair. “Unbelievable.”
“Like I said, he’ll regret it. We’re wasting time.” I looked at Caine. “What has West told you?”
“Not enough. That he left you here at the hospital, and that I needed to come. Dax was nearby and overheard. Obviously, there was no stopping him.”
Dax scoffed behind me.
I nodded in understanding. “Key has a high fever. I don’t know what it is. Could be the flu. Their immune systems are most likely compromised from being locked up inside that airtight facility. I gave her fever-reducing meds, but that was hours ago.”
Caine turned to West and Ryder. “You two have been exposed to her. You’ll need to stay here at the hospital—but away from her.”
“Like hell we will,” Ryder said. “If you think I’m turning her over to you, you’re crazy.”
Caine stared at Ryder for a full ten seconds in silence. Then he pulled a weapon from behind his waistband and handed it to Dax. “Fine. Dax and Dylan will escort the three of you back to the entrance to the city.”
Dax cocked the gun and held it in the air, just looking for an excuse to use it.
I held up a hand, urging him to stand down. “Wait. Just stop.” I stepped up to West. “You don’t want this. Key will die if she has the virus. So will you if you get it.” I looked back and forth between West and Ryder. “And if my suspicions are correct, the virus is already in your city. They won’t take you back, which is probably why your PulsePoints stopped working. You’ve been cut off.”
West stared into my eyes. I wanted to turn away, but I didn’t dare.
Finally he turned to Ryder. “She’s right. We need their help. For Key’s sake, and for Willow’s.”
I gasped at the sound of his sister’s name. West lifted a brow; he heard me.
What’s wrong with Willow? I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t. Did she have the Samael Strain?
Ryder let out a huge sigh. “Why should we believe that you guys can help us?”
Caine turned to me. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, then opened them and said, “Because if Bad Sam is back, I can produce Christina Black. That’s why you came,
“Dax, look at me.” But I had lost him.
He turned and charged at West.
Caine stepped in front of him and pushed him backward. “Listen to Cricket. Help her remove the other restraints.”
Dax reluctantly returned to me, then smoothed my hair back. “I will kill him,” he said, not caring that everyone standing there heard him, including West himself.
Dax didn’t mean what he said in the literal sense, but I’m sure he did mean to hurt West. I would make him understand. I’d have to. “No, you won’t, because that would hurt me . Please don’t do anything until we’ve had a chance to talk, okay?”
He took deep breaths in and out while he continued to free my limbs from the leather straps and rusted buckles. By the time he helped me off of the metal exam table, his breathing was finally slowing a bit.
With Dax directly behind me, I took three steps toward West and looked up into his eyes. “You will live to regret strapping me to that table and not letting me help Key.”
“Maybe. But as long as you keep up your end of the bargain, I don’t really care what I have to live with.”
I analyzed the desperation in his expression. Did he mean my promise to help Key, or was he that determined to find Christina Black? Though I had promised, I wasn’t sure I could produce Christina for him. “Why is finding your friend so important to you?”
He tilted his head, considering the question. “I have my reasons.”
“You’re so desperate to find her that you were willing to hurt someone you barely know?”
“You might not believe me, but I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I panicked.”
“Actually, I do believe you.”
“You do?” Dax asked behind me. When I didn’t answer right away, he ran a hand through his hair. “Unbelievable.”
“Like I said, he’ll regret it. We’re wasting time.” I looked at Caine. “What has West told you?”
“Not enough. That he left you here at the hospital, and that I needed to come. Dax was nearby and overheard. Obviously, there was no stopping him.”
Dax scoffed behind me.
I nodded in understanding. “Key has a high fever. I don’t know what it is. Could be the flu. Their immune systems are most likely compromised from being locked up inside that airtight facility. I gave her fever-reducing meds, but that was hours ago.”
Caine turned to West and Ryder. “You two have been exposed to her. You’ll need to stay here at the hospital—but away from her.”
“Like hell we will,” Ryder said. “If you think I’m turning her over to you, you’re crazy.”
Caine stared at Ryder for a full ten seconds in silence. Then he pulled a weapon from behind his waistband and handed it to Dax. “Fine. Dax and Dylan will escort the three of you back to the entrance to the city.”
Dax cocked the gun and held it in the air, just looking for an excuse to use it.
I held up a hand, urging him to stand down. “Wait. Just stop.” I stepped up to West. “You don’t want this. Key will die if she has the virus. So will you if you get it.” I looked back and forth between West and Ryder. “And if my suspicions are correct, the virus is already in your city. They won’t take you back, which is probably why your PulsePoints stopped working. You’ve been cut off.”
West stared into my eyes. I wanted to turn away, but I didn’t dare.
Finally he turned to Ryder. “She’s right. We need their help. For Key’s sake, and for Willow’s.”
I gasped at the sound of his sister’s name. West lifted a brow; he heard me.
What’s wrong with Willow? I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t. Did she have the Samael Strain?
Ryder let out a huge sigh. “Why should we believe that you guys can help us?”
Caine turned to me. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, then opened them and said, “Because if Bad Sam is back, I can produce Christina Black. That’s why you came,
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