Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Tempest
I jolted awake when Fender’s phone rang. His hand snapped out, grabbing it from the small table beside the recliner.
When he answered, his rumbling voice vibrated against my cheek, where I rested on his chest. I must have fallen asleep after we ate. Still drowsy, I barely registered Fender’s side of the conversation—until he cursed, in a way that lifted the hair on the back of my neck.
Quickly sitting up, I met Fender’s gaze. He pulled the phone from his ear and hit the speaker button. “How many?” he asked.
“You and Rome are the only ones not sick. The pups…” Warrick’s voice cracked.
Oh goddess, no.
He cleared his throat roughly. “Vi’s burning up, and Wills is terrified. Mags is bringing what’s left of Temp’s potion over, but fuck knows if it will help, or what this means. This shouldn’t be possible, Fen.”
“This fucking virus shouldn’t be able to touch us,” Fender growled out.
“Lucifer can’t heal this, but he assured me, if Disease dies, the virus does as well.
I know that’s not what we wanted, killing Disease could release Mayhem, but I’m out of options.
If there’s another way to control Disease and stop the virus, we’ll do it, but if it comes down to the life of my mate and my pup, my pack…
and watching this city burn…” He cleared his throat.
He didn’t need to finish that sentence. He would let it all burn to the ground.
“We need those weapons right the fuck now. This isn’t just about Uriel anymore.
These weapons might be the only thing powerful enough to take out Disease and his fucked-up brothers if this ends in them being let loose as well. ”
“Has Zinny gotten back to you?”
“Yeah, Death told us how to reach Pan’s realm, he also gave us something he thinks will be a good enough barter for the weapons. He thinks it’ll stop him from coming after us, at the very least.”
“Sounds good to me. Where are we going?”
“Some caves in the forest. I have coordinates.”
“I’ll head out tonight,” Fender said.
“Roman will go with you since he’s still okay. Zari’s put her hand up as well, but she wants to take Kurgan,” War said.
“You think that’s a good idea?”
“Zari’s been working with him for months, and we need people at your back.
We’re all fucking useless right now, there’s no one else.
Lucifer has Maddox and the rest of our brothers in Hell on some other mission, and they won’t be back for days.
We’re out of options. Zari insists Kurgan’s doing a lot better, that he’ll be an asset, not only in a fight but with tracking. ”
“What does Jag say?” Fender asked.
“He’s all for it. He wants him out of that fucking cell like we all do.”
“This isn’t the time to test Kurgan’s hold on his beast. There’s too much at stake.”
War grunted. “I would agree with you, but I’ve spent some time with him as well.
He recognizes me as alpha, he does as he’s told, and he listens to his sister.
He wants to be part of the pack, and Lucifer and I want that too.
The circumstances this is happening under are fucked, but like I said, we don’t really have another choice.
We don’t know what might be thrown at you when you enter this realm. Brother, you need manpower.”
Fender didn’t seem convinced. “And Lucifer’s definitely okay with this?”
I tried not to freak out at the mention of the king of Hell.
“Yeah, he is.” Warrick’s breathing had grown wheezy. He’d managed to hide how sick he was until then.
“And if something goes wrong?” Fender asked.
“Then Zari has the means to subdue him, and she’ll get him out of there.”
Fender’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue with his alpha. “I’m ready to head out when Rome is.”
“Keep me updated,” War said before he ended the call.
I climbed off the chair. “I want to come, but with everything going on, this virus…my patients, they need me,” I said. I wanted to go, to help, but the clinic needed me more.
Fender stood as well and gripped my upper arms. “Good, because it’s too dangerous anyway.”
I bristled but bit back my protest. It wouldn’t change the fact that I was needed here. “If it’s that dangerous, then let me at least give you some supplies in case someone gets hurt. I can at least ensure you heal fast if anyone’s injured.”
“Appreciate that, peaches,” he said and gave me a soft kiss. “We better head out. I’ll drop you home.”
We rushed through the clubhouse, but we didn’t see anyone, they were all locked away in their quarters.
When we rolled out of the clubhouse parking lot, Magnolia was arriving, she gave us a distracted wave and tore in, in a hurry to check on the sick, and to administer what was left of the potion to those most in need.
We reached All the Herbs in record time, and Fender agreed to wait out on the street while I got him supplies.
I strode across the cottage and grabbed a satchel and loaded it with the healing balm and elixir. I’d never felt so torn in my life. I wanted to go with him, I wanted to help, but I was no great warrior. The best thing I could do was stay here and care for those in need.
My phone rang, and I rushed to the table and picked it up. Jack’s name was on the screen. Panic instantly seized me. “Jack? Is everyone okay? The twins?”
“There’s been no change.”
I was torn between relief and despair. At least they were holding steady. “Do you need me to come back in?”
There was a beat of silence. “No, I need to discuss something else with you, Tempest.”
Not Temp, like he usually called me, and there was an odd note to his voice. “Okay.”
“I heard Iris and her mother talking about the potion you both used. They said the potion came from you not her aunt. When I pressed Mags about what I’d heard, she had no choice but to admit it. Is that true?”
He was asking as a courtesy. He’d known Magnolia, all the Thornhearts, far longer than he’d known me. Lying would do me no good in this instance. If she’d told him what was in it, I was in serious trouble. “Yes,” I said, because I had no other choice.
“Magnolia said she didn’t know what was in it.”
A wave of relief washed through me. I said nothing.
“I would like to know what you put in that potion.” He released a long breath. “Whatever it is, it’s powerful. Whether or not it’s truly helping or if its effects are only temporary are yet to be discovered. I need to know what you gave my patients, Tempest.”
My stomach clenched. “I can’t tell you that.” Using Agattealia Pontella the way I had was bad enough, and even though I liked Jack, I didn’t know him enough to trust him with this. Telling him or anyone else about it or how I came by it could end in disaster.
“When you started, I believed you were who you said you were. You proved you were an exceptional healer, and I could clearly see you were a good person. Witches keep their pasts private for all kinds of reasons, and until now, I was happy for you to keep yours private as well. But not anymore. Who are you really, Tempest? Because there’s no Tempest Manfred registered with the witches council. ”
“I can’t tell you that either,” I choked out. I couldn’t tell him my real name, not when I was thought to be either dead or the murderer of my own parents.
He was silent several beats. “You’re a talented healer, Temp, and an asset to this clinic, but I can’t have you giving my patients mysterious potions.
I can’t have someone I know nothing about treating the people in my care with gods knows what.
I know you’re not out to hurt anyone, Temp, I do, but I have to be able to look our patients’ families in the eye and know I’ve done everything in my power to help their loved ones.
I have to have answers when they have questions about the care and medicinals we’re administering. You must know this?”
I did, but it didn’t change anything. When I still didn’t answer, he sighed and carried on.
“You either tell me what I need to know, or you can no longer work at the clinic. I have to be able to trust my healers. You don’t get to unilaterally decide what’s best for the patients, that’s not how it works here.”
“But it worked,” I said, desperately trying to hang on to the life I’d created for myself. I didn’t want to lose this. Healing, caring for others had made me feel whole for the first time in my life.
“That’s not conclusive, and you know it,” Jack said. “Or maybe you do know?” He sighed again, the exhaustion clear in his voice. “It’s my clinic, everything comes back to me. It’s my head on the chopping block if things go wrong.”
“I know that, and I’m sorry. I promise it won’t happen again, but I can’t tell you what you want to know,” I rasped.
“And that’s your final answer? You’re choosing not to tell me?”
There was no choice. I couldn’t tell him. Pain lanced through me. “I’m sorry.” And as I said it, I felt the world I’d created for myself slide through my fingers.
“So am I.”
Then he was gone.
I leaned heavily on the table and breathed through the agony, fighting back the tears stinging my eyes. This was always going to happen. I should be grateful I had as long as I did.
Fender’s words filled my mind. I was powerful. He hadn’t meant it the way I did right then, but it was no less true. I was a witch not to be trifled with. Jack was only doing what he thought was right. Getting upset never solved anything.
I ignored the feeling that I was about to unravel at any moment, shoving it down, and straightened my spine. We had weapons to find.
Grabbing my pack, I transferred my supplies to it from the satchel, then marched to my room, changed out of my skirt and blouse, and pulled on my fleece-lined yoga pants, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and the leather jacket Fender had given me, then pulled on my sturdy hiking boots.