Cole’s Redemption (21 page)

They moved aside as a unit to reveal Jax sitting on the floor. And in his arms was
her mate. His head was tilted back, and he wasn’t moving.

“What’s going on?” Her voice rose. “Zan?”

On her hands and knees, she scrambled over to kneel beside Jax and looked into her
mate’s handsome face. His beautiful eyes were half-open, staring into space. His chest
wasn’t moving. Blood had streamed from his nose and mouth, but was drying now. Seconds
ticked by, and she couldn’t process what had happened.

“Zander?” Reaching out, she touched his face. Still warm, but cooler than he should
be, perhaps. Trying again, she shook him. “Wake up, honey. We won!”

“Selene,” Jax said on a sob. “I’m sorry.”

“How come he’s not waking up? What’s going on?” No. It wasn’t true. She refused to
believe.

Suddenly, Aric crouched next to her, took her hand. The normally cocky wolf was the
picture of devastation. “Selene, he’s gone,” he said gently. “There was nothing we
could do.”

“No!” Shaking her head frantically, she searched the others’ expressions, seeking
affirmation that he was fine. “H-he’s going to be all right! He’s just in shock, or
tired. Needs to rest.”

Suddenly, a large hand squeezed her shoulder. Turning, she found herself looking into
her father’s stricken face. “Daddy! You’re all right! Tell them Zan’s going to be
fine, too, just as soon as he rests. He’s—”

“Baby girl, listen to me. Zan did a brave thing tonight. He sacrificed himself for
the people he loved most—you and me. He healed us both, but his brain just couldn’t
take any more. Do you understand?”

The truth crept in, no matter how hard she fought to keep it out. Her throat began
to burn, and her eyes blurred as she looked to the man in Jax’s arms. “Daddy?”

“Zan’s dead, baby,” he said hoarsely, hugging her close. “I’m so, so sorry.”

Stunned, she momentarily leaned in to her father. Then she pushed away from him and
pointed a shaking finger at Jax, voice rising. “You’re a Timebender! So reverse time
and fix this!”

“I can’t,” he croaked. “Zan would never forgive me.”

“I won’t forgive you if you don’t!”

“I can’t do it, Selene.” His eyes begged her to understand. “I won’t trade in your
life to save his. I can’t use my gift that way.”

He wouldn’t help. Frantic, she looked to Tarron. “You can change him into a vampire,
right? Bite him or something?”

“No,” he said with real regret. “I can’t turn a person who’s already departed. You
don’t know how sorry I am.”

No, please.
She held out her arms to Jax. “Give him to me.”

Relinquishing his burden, Jax placed her mate in her embrace. She held him tight,
close to her heart, stroked his beloved face. His silky, ebony hair.

“I waited too long,” she whispered, tears streaking down her cheeks. “I wanted to
tell you that I love you so. I thought I had time. I’m sorry I waited. I love you.
Love you.”

She rocked him, a well of grief surging to choke and overwhelm her. Her heart broke,
and a keening noise reached her ears, ragged. Raw. She couldn’t go on without him.
Wouldn’t.

“God, this is so wrong,” someone said quietly. It sounded like Ryon. “Why?”

There was no reason. No justice in this. She couldn’t accept that he was dead.

The anger took her by surprise. The refusal to let him go. That’s when she became
aware of a strange tugging in the region of her heart. A thread, golden and strong.
It began in her chest and stretched to just beyond Zan’s body in her arms.
Our bond.

That’s when she knew he hadn’t left.

“The bond,” she gasped, eyes widening as she looked at her father. “It’s still there.”

Relief and something like hope stirred on his face. “Then there’s still a chance.”

Her pulse tripped. “What do you mean?”

“Remember what I told you about your gift? That it would manifest when you need it
most?”

She nodded. “Yes. But I don’t understand. I don’t know what to do!”

“Follow the thread; find his spirit. Lead him back to his body, and then we can help
him heal.”

“Is that really possible?”

Ryon stepped forward. “Zan and his wolf are still here, and he doesn’t want to leave
you. He’ll hang around as long as he can.”

“But—oh, God, what do I do? How?” What if she’d missed her chance?

“You’re a Spirit Catcher,” Nick explained. “That means you can follow your mating
bond and bring his spirit back into his physical body. You can do this.”

Several gasps met Nick’s revelation about their immortality. But for now, she concentrated
on doing as he said. Carefully, she focused on the thread as she’d done when Zan was
in the coven’s infirmary. But this time she was bringing him all the way back instead
of simply anchoring him to this world. She imagined winding the thread around the
two of them, drawing him to her. When that worked, she gave him a mental push toward
his broken body.

Selene? Baby? What’s happening to me?

Her heart leaped.
Let yourself slide back into your body. Don’t fight it.

But it hurts. My brain is fried, and I don’t think you can fix it.

Somehow we will. Please, trust me?

A pause.
For you, anything.

I love you.

She heard the smile in his voice.
I knew, and I love you too.

He followed her lead without hesitation, hovering over his body and then slipping
back down into his shell like smoke, his wolf following. Once he was inside, she heard
a rattling intake of air and saw he was trying to breathe.

“Help me,” she cried. “What now?”

Suddenly, Tarron was crouching at her side. “I’ll give him a bit of my blood to speed
the healing. Then you give him some of yours to bind him to you forever. Together
we will gift him with immortality, though he likely would’ve had that anyway as your
Bondmate. Now it will be a sure thing.”

“All right,” she said gratefully. “Let’s do it.”

The prince went first, slashing his wrist. Without wasting a second, he held the sliced
skin over Zan’s blue lips while she pried his mouth open. The first drops fell into
his mouth, but there was no movement. And then, without warning, he latched on to
Tarron’s arm and sucked like a newborn. A murmur rose in the room, growing in excitement.

When he’d taken enough, Tarron gestured to her. “Your turn.”

Encouraged, she repeated the process using her own blood, thinking it was strange
to be feeding him as one would a vampire. But she was for anything that helped him
to heal.

“That’s enough,” the prince said. “Now we take him back to the stronghold and get
him into the infirmary. With any luck, we’ll see signs of improvement within a few
hours.”

“Do you think he’ll be well that soon?” She stroked her mate’s hair again, unable
to stop touching him.

“No. I expect it will be days before we know whether his brain has recovered from
the damage it sustained today. But don’t lose hope.” His smile was gentle.

“I won’t.” The tears flowed anew, but this time she could handle them.

Her mate would live. She couldn’t ask for anything more.

•   •   •

He had thought he was dead, for good.

Still, he hadn’t been able to go into the light that beckoned from beyond the chamber
of suffering. To give his soul over to the gorgeous white presence that promised eternal
happiness, peace among the angels. That hadn’t sounded so bad.

Except Selene wouldn’t be there.

He didn’t know what to do, and so he’d hovered, watching everyone he loved fall completely
apart over his death. Not only his mate, but Jax, Nick, Hammer, Aric, Ryon, Micah,
Nix, A.J., and the rest. Even Tarron, who’d known Zan only a short time, seemed full
of sorrow.

I wanted to tell you that I love you so. I thought I had time. I’m sorry I waited.
I love you. Love you.

Her words had torn at his heart, made it not just difficult, but impossible, for him
to go. He had known how she felt, of course, but hearing the words spoken aloud was
his dream come true. How could he leave now?

And then a miracle. Thanks to his mate having a very special gift of her own, he was
pulled back into his body.

Opening his eyes was too hard, so he contented himself with listening to the sounds
of his mate and his Pack brothers’ joy that he’d been brought back from beyond. That
eventually, he’d be all right. He relished his mate’s warm hand holding his as he
was lifted and placed on a gurney, the nearness of her sweet scent.

He basked in her repeated declarations of love, given freely where she’d once been
wary and unsure. Her feelings bathed him like the warm waters of a whirlpool, all
of the sadness and struggle being cleansed and washed away.

The gurney bumped and rolled along, but there was no pain with the movements. Just
a bone-deep exhaustion that threatened to drag him to the depths. He sensed he wouldn’t
die now, but neither did he want to let go and sleep. He wanted to spend every second
soaking up his mate’s love.

The cool air of the outdoors caressed his skin, and in seconds, the gurney was being
loaded into a vehicle. An ambulance, most likely. Selene had to let go of his hand
temporarily, but soon clasped him again as she climbed in and they shut the doors.

When the vehicle started rolling, she began humming a song to him. No words, just
a soft tune, something low and pretty. Romantic.

I didn’t know you could sing.

Hardly singing.
He heard the laughter in her voice in his head.
I can’t really carry a tune. More like expressing my happiness.

Keep doing it. I like hearing you.

Okay, but you have to promise to sleep so you can recover. Deal?

Deal.

And so, his mate’s unnamed song lulling him, he finally gave in to healing slumber.

W
hen Zan awoke to find his mate at his bedside, he blinked to be sure he wasn’t dreaming.
“Selene?”

Her head snapped up, the magazine on her lap falling to the floor, forgotten. “There
you are! It’s about time, too. How are you feeling?”

He considered that. “Good, I think.”

“Nothing hurts?” Bruised shadows colored the skin under her tired eyes. She looked
worn-out. Anxious.

“Nothing,” he assured her. “Have you been getting any sleep, baby?”

She gestured to the other side of the bed. “Tarron had a twin bed brought in for me.”

“But it doesn’t look like you’ve been using it much.”

She smiled ruefully. “Guilty. But I couldn’t sleep until I knew for sure you were
coming back to me.”

“Sweetheart, you had to know I would,” he said, taking her hand. “You brought me back.
No way was I leaving again.”

“I know. But the past few days, worrying about you, especially after what happened . . .”
She swallowed hard, her eyes filling with tears.

Reaching up, he brushed away a stray drop from her cheek. “Hey, now, none of that.
I’m fine, and I’ll be out of here before you know it.”

Sniffling, she composed herself. “You’ve been asleep for four days. Melina said after
you wake up, you could be out the next day, or the day after. As long as you continue
to take it easy and lay off the healing for a while.”

“For how long?”

“At least six more months.”

“Shit. I don’t know if I can promise . . .” But one look at the worry on her beautiful
face and he knew he could do it. For them. “All right, yes. Six months. I promise.”

Her relief was palpable. “Thank you.”

“For us? Anything,” he said with a smile. “I won’t risk ruining my health or at worst,
killing myself. Again.”

She cleared her throat, looking uneasy. “Well, that’s the thing. I’m not exactly sure
you
could
kill yourself now, at least not by overtaxing your body.”

He studied her curiously. “Hey, that’s great. But I have to ask, why not?”

“You remember that as a born wolf, I’m immortal, right?”

“Yeah. You told me that you and Nick both are, as is most of your clan.”

“Right.” She looked uneasy. “The point is, I have a gift. I’m a Spirit Catcher. That’s
how I was able to pull your spirit back into your body so you could be healed.”

He nodded. “Even when I was dead, I gleaned that much. That’s a wonderful gift to
have.”

“I think so, too, though I’m not sure it would work on anyone but you. I’d rather
not find out.”

“I get the feeling there’s more?”

“Yes. When I was successful in bringing your spirit back, it was necessary for both
Tarron and me to feed you some of our blood. For healing. Only it has a side effect—you’re
now immortal, just like me.”

His mouth fell open, and he gaped at her. “No way.”

“Way.”

“I’m frigging immortal?” he blurted.

“Are you upset?” Her teeth worried at her bottom lip, and some of her anxiety began
to return.

“Sweetheart, no,” he rushed to assure her, squeezing her hand. “That means I get to
spend an eternity with you, right? Now I won’t die and leave you alone in a few decades.”

Once again, she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “That’s right, and I can’t tell
you how happy that makes me. You might have been immortal anyway, because of our initial
mating. Or you might have enjoyed a longer-than-normal human life span because of
being a turned shifter. But now it’s certain you’ll be like me.”

“So, will I be able to deflect silver bullets off my chest and shit like that?” he
teased.

She snorted. “You’re not Superman, buddy. You can still get your ass killed in any
number of ways, so be careful.”

“Hmm. I’d rather have the red cape.”

“Sorry—no can do.”

“Guess I’ll have to be content, then.”

Leaning over, she gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. He wanted to deepen the kiss
and show his mate just how much he missed being in her arms.

A knock on the door interrupted their tender moment, and Selene sat back. “Come in.”

When it opened, Nick walked in, followed by most of the Pack and Prince Tarron. They
were all wearing smiles, but was it his imagination or did the commander’s seem forced?
Was that sadness lurking behind his eyes? God, he hoped Nick was getting over what
Darrow had done to him. It wasn’t his fault. Surely he knew that.

“Damn, it’s good to see you guys,” Zan said, grinning at them.

Each of his brothers came forward to shake his hand, and some even gave him careful
hugs. When it was Jax’s turn, his best friend held on a bit tighter than the others.

“Don’t
ever
do that to me again, jackass,” he said hoarsely.

They both laughed to lighten the moment, and Jax let go to stand with the others.
Zan looked to Nick. “So, what’s going on? Any news about Owen Matthews? How are we
going to bring that bastard down?”

“We won’t have to. It’s already done.”

“Jeez, somebody works fast. How’d that happen so quickly?”

“I placed a call to Grant, seeing as how he’s the only one we can trust,” Nick began.
“He contacted a couple of high-up government officials
he
can trust, and they handled the situation. Seems as though an ‘anonymous tipster’
sent videos of Secretary of State Matthews, a CIA agent, and a White House staffer
soliciting one Carter Darrow to commit the mass murders of innocent American citizens.”

Zan whistled through his teeth. “How the hell did they pull off faking a video like
that one?”

“Easy. It wasn’t fake.”

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah. Seems like creating super-soldiers and rogue vampires just wasn’t enough to
keep our little terrorists busy. They were ready to graduate to homeland and eventually
global genocide, targeting citizens they felt were undesirable or unmalleable to their
rule. Matthews and his followers, including Darrow, had a plan to bring down our government
from the inside.”

“Insane much?” Aric muttered.

“For real,” Micah said, shaking his head.

“Grant’s contacts created a story for the media that reported Darrow killed in a standoff
with federal agents. Close enough to the truth. So, Matthews and his cohorts are undoubtedly
going to prison for life.”

“So, it’s over?”

“Yep,” Nick said, looking satisfied about this, at least. “Except for the pockets
of rogues here and there we have left to eliminate, it’s really over.”

Zan could hardly believe it. The reign of terror that had started with Matthews betraying
their team of Navy SEALs and forcing the creation of the Alpha Pack, then soon trickled
down to Malik, Orson Chappell, Dr. Gene Bowman, and August Bradford, was finally at
an end.

But there would be another threat, another day. There always was.

Just then, Melina pushed into the room—and stopped in her tracks, eyes narrowing on
the large group. “What the hell are all of you guys doing in here? My patient needs
rest, dammit, not to be worn-out yakking with you knuckleheads!”

“Now, doctor,” Tarron said in a smooth tone, eyes raking her petite form appreciatively.
“We were just supporting our friend, that’s all. By the way, I was wondering if you
could take a look at me. I have this uncomfortable stiffness that won’t go away.”

A couple of the guys snickered. Melina scowled at the prince. “I’ll just bet.”

“Oh, but I really do. Shall we?” Taking her arm, he steered her toward the door, ignoring
her sputtering protests. Just before Tarron walked out, he looked over his shoulder
at his new friends and winked.

The guys hooted the second the door closed behind them.

“That’ll take the starch out of her panties,” Aric declared over their laughter.

Zan just smiled. Maybe their resident doc was due for some happiness of her own. He
sure hoped so. She deserved it.

As for himself, he planned to treasure every single minute with his mate.

•   •   •

Several barbecue grills were rocking, vampires and shifters were engaged in a fierce
game of football under the floodlights, and the beer was flowing.

And Selene was glowing under the attentions of her mate, who’d declined to join the
game. The evening cookout was a success so far, planned after sunset so the Pack’s
new friends and allies, Prince Tarron and his coven, could join them. They’d traveled
a ways to come from the Smoky Mountains to the Shoshone for a visit—but when your
whole group could teleport, it wasn’t like travel was a problem.

Besides, as she watched Tarron flirt relentlessly with Melina—and the doc doing her
best to avoid his attentions—she had a feeling they’d be seeing a lot more of the
vamps around the place in the near future.

“Penny for your thoughts?” a low, sexy voice murmured in her ear.

“You can have them for a kiss.”

Turning to her more fully from his seat on their picnic blanket, he cupped her face
and planted a sensual kiss on her mouth. Took it like he owned it, and he did. His
tongue slipped inside to taste, and she wanted to drown in him.

After the kiss, she drew back and smiled. “Keep that up and we’ll ditch the rest of
the party.”

“Fine by me.” A finger traced her lips. “But then you’d miss the arrival of your special
guest.”

“I’d managed to forget.” A sudden round of butterflies assailed her stomach lining.

“No, you hadn’t.”

“You’re right, I hadn’t. It’s got me so nervous I’m about to be sick.”

He kneaded her shoulders. “Try to relax, okay? Everything will be fine. And if he
steps out of line, he’s gone, and I’ll make sure he knows he’s not welcome here again.”

“Thank you.” She sighed. “But I want this to work, so badly.”

“I know you do, sweetheart.”

Just then, Blue walked up holding baby Kai, Mac and Kalen following behind him. “Ooh,
let’s say hello to our friends Selene and Zan,” the Fae prince cooed, bouncing the
boy and making funny faces at him. Then Blue used the feathered tip of his right wing
to tickle Kai under the chin. The baby seemed delighted by his antics and gurgled
a slobbery laugh. “Yes, you love Uncle Sariel the best, don’t you?”

Zan laughed and addressed the couple. “I don’t think you guys are ever going to get
the kid away from him. Might as well join the party and let him entertain the baby.”

“True. He’s already got Kai so spoiled he cries if anybody puts him down.” Mac rolled
her eyes, but her fondness for her mate’s half brother was obvious. She grinned at
Zan. “Would you like to hold him?”

“Can I?” His eyes lit.

“Of course.”

Blue made a face but gave the baby up reluctantly. Bending, he transferred Kai to
Zan’s arms as though handing over a box of blown glass, instructing his friend on
how to support the baby’s head. Watching Zan as he marveled over the small bundle,
a strange pang of longing pierced Selene in the chest. There wasn’t much that was
cuter than seeing a strong, handsome man cuddle a baby.

Her mate looked darned good doing it, and she couldn’t help but picture how he’d look
holding
their
baby.

Just then, the phone at Selene’s hip buzzed, and she withdrew it to peer at the readout.
Instantly, her gut churned anew. “They’re here.”

“Visitors?” Kalen asked curiously.

“In a manner of speaking,” she said. Fingers trembling, she returned the text, sending
the visitors’ code for the security gate. “My uncle and one of his enforcers are here.”

Kalen’s eyes widened. “What the fuck for? And does Nick know?”

Mac smacked her mate on the arm. “Kalen!” To Selene, she said, “What he means is,
is there anything we can do? Will you and your father be all right?”

She gave the couple a shaky smile, thankful for her own mate’s comforting presence
beside her. “Thanks, but we’ll be fine. I hope. And no, Dad doesn’t know I’ve invited
them. I had to do something, though, to get him out of this funk he’s been in.”

Kalen rubbed his chin. “Well, I agree Nick needs some intervention, though I’m not
sure a heartfelt family reunion with the man who stole his daughter is the way to
do it.” He ignored Mac’s murderous glare. “But if things get ugly and you need me,
holler. I’ll turn him into a pine tree, and we can all piss on him every time we shift
and go for a run.”

The image broke through Selene’s nervousness, and she laughed along with Zan. “I’ll
keep that in mind. Thanks.”

“What are friends for?” The wicked gleam in his eye suggested he’d enjoy doing it.
With that, he reached his arms out to Zan for the baby.

The trio said their good-byes and wandered off to the party. Selene stood, and Zan
joined her, pulling her into his arms and holding on tight.

“It’ll be fine. I’m here for you.”

“I know. I love you.”

“Love you, too, baby.”

Taking his hand, she headed across the lawn and around the building toward the end
of the driveway, where the guest parking was located. Headlights were approaching,
signaling that it was too late to back out now. Whatever happened, there would, hopefully,
be closure between her father and Damien.

Zan squeezed her hand in reassurance and then stepped forward so that the bulk of
his body was slightly in front of hers as the car stopped. She would’ve smiled at
the unconscious protective move, but she was too nervous.

How would she feel when she met him again, knowing what he’d done? Something Ryon
had told her a while back whispered in her mind.

Sometimes there are explanations for things we don’t understand at first, things that
seem unforgivable. You might want to remember that.

Now she knew the explanation. And she knew she could forgive.

Under the outdoor lighting, she had no problem making out her uncle and Taggart as
they got out of the car. Closing the doors, the two men approached and then stopped
a few feet from her and Zan, eyeing them with somewhat wary expressions.

“Uncle Damien. Tag.” Her greeting was equally reserved.