3. Lane #2
“Blood sharing must have created a bridge. Rowan took the curse on himself, but didn’t remove it from you.
The magic is now working through you both as if you are one being.
Rowan’s vampire magic likely cancels out any damage caused, but it seems that if you separate, the curse fractures.
I’d say the reason you had simultaneous cardiac events was something to do with proximity and the single curse being unable to span a great distance. ”
Lane’s body went ice cold. “So all that’s keeping me alive is Rowan’s vampire magic? Because the same curse runs through both of us?”
“I’d say so. Do you know exactly what the curse is meant to do? It’s not a heart-stopping spell.”
“I don’t know.” Lane looked anywhere but at Rowan. “I was too incapacitated to figure out how it worked. It felt like I was dying. Pain. Weakness. Everything getting exponentially worse.”
Nicole turned thoughtful. “I need to figure out precisely what the magic is doing before I can even think of countering it.”
“Was the curse meant to spread even if it isn’t contagious?” Rowan asked.
“I wouldn’t say so. There aren’t any infectious properties in the magic. Viral curses replicate. How else would they spread on purpose? And technically, the curse didn’t bind you either. The blood sharing did. The curse followed the link, making—as I’ve said—one hell of a mess.”
That was Lane vindicated. “I told you it wasn’t on purpose.”
Rowan didn’t even look at him. “How do we get rid of it?”
“I don’t know. I need to investigate further.”
“All right.” Rowan accepted this with grace. “Is there a chance the link will fade once the blood we shared works its way out of our systems?”
“Again, I can’t say. If it does, the curse will likely fracture, and Lane will be in dire trouble.” She shot him a concerned look.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be at hand if anything happens,” Rowan said dryly.
Lane felt sick. He could die at any second. Rowan could decide to walk away or refuse to help when the connection faded.
“Okay, good,” Nicole said as if all was fine. “I need to research a few things before we try anything, so I’ll leave you for now.”
Felix nodded as if that were his cue. “Do you need anything from home?”
“Not at this stage. There are a few books in the witch room I can start with. Call if you need me,” she added to Rowan, then to Lane, “Try to rest in the meantime.”
He felt more like throwing up as she walked away with Felix.
Hunter echoed her sentiment to rest and followed them out the door.
“Boss?” The remaining vampire cocked his head at Rowan.
“I’m fine, Kai. You can head downstairs to Jack. Felix will update everyone.”
He hurried away.
Rowan stood, smoothing his suit jacket. “Come. We won’t wait here.”
Lane scrambled after him as he left the room, keeping close. His pulse jumped. There was no need to trip over each other. The clinic had been large enough, and Lane had been safe with Rowan in view, but how much distance would be too much? He’d hate to find out.
“Where are we going?”
“My office.” Rowan led him to the floor above and down a red-carpeted hall. They reached the office, a spacious room dominated by a vintage wooden desk with corner windows and walls lined with bookshelves.
“Have a seat.” Rowan gestured to a pair of leather couches. “You should be fine if I venture out of arm’s reach.”
He walked away, and Lane nearly scampered after him, braced for pain despite agreeing. This room was no larger than the clinic.
Rowan seated himself behind the desk, and Lane collapsed on a couch, hoping he didn’t betray his irrational relief.
“Did you come to me for help knowing the only way a vampire could save you was through shared blood?”
Maybe he’d brought Lane here to interrogate him.
“No. How many times do I have to tell you? This wasn’t on purpose. I never expected you to perform a blood exchange. Sucking out poison is one thing. I’ve never heard of it being done with a curse.”
“Perhaps this is why,” Rowan muttered.
“Hurting you wasn’t my intention. I was helping. Don’t you think the threat I warned you about is serious? They tried to kill me for discovering their plans. Warning you was important. The right thing to do. Not an excuse to get to you.”
Rowan flicked a dismissive wrist. “What plans? You have no details. Lots of people want me out of the way. Their desires don’t matter. Most of them have no means to accomplish their goal.”
Damnation, he was self-centered, the arrogant dick. “Doesn’t change the fact that the Hillmans tried to kill me to keep me quiet.”
“Why would the Hillmans kill you to prevent you from warning me? They could have threatened you. Or simply asked you to keep quiet. You’re far from an ally of mine. There’s no reason to think you’d risk yourself for me.”
“They weren’t killing me to hide their plans from you. They did it to keep this from my father. He trusts them, and a plan to use him like the Sherwoods did exposes their lies. It would ruin everything.”
Rowan scoffed. “Oh, stop. Please. The Sherwoods didn’t use Marshall. He was in it right along with them.”
But he hadn’t been. Lane’s father had been manipulated all those years ago.
He’d believed wholeheartedly that the Sherwoods were decent witches and Rowan was the corrupt one.
Lane had been less sure, but he’d had enough doubts about the Valeros to look into the Sherwoods’ claims. Rowan acted like a mobster often enough.
Believing any kindness was a front to hide his evils hadn’t been a stretch.
And Lane had needed to find out the truth, for his heart’s sake.
He’d initially agreed to spy on Rowan’s inner circle, but backed out after seeing evidence that the Sherwoods were wrong.
The party he’d attended, the one the Sherwoods said would be full of vampires abusing humans, hadn’t been anything of the sort.
It had been an intense relief, and Lane explained what he’d discovered to his father, but the man hadn’t listened.
He’d claimed Lane was blinded by attraction and easily fooled.