Quinn #2
Dolion tutted softly. “I take it that you weren’t able to locate Silvius’s laboratory?”
“Only for a minute.” It pained me to think about how close we had come to ending this once and for all, though I couldn’t imagine doing anything differently.
“There are guards watching the entryway to the tunnels we used to get there…but I doubt he’ll be foolish enough to reopen the mirror that leads there. We had to make a quick exit.”
“Though we left two gifts for his return,” Tobias added grimly.
There was no mistaking the malice in his tone. I gave him a reproachful look. He stepped closer, leaning in until I could feel the heat of him against my back.
“I have no regrets about killing anyone who hurts you, let alone those in league with Silvius,” he breathed against my ear. “In that order.”
I nearly dropped the vial. The vengeance in his voice shouldn’t have made heat coil in my core, and yet…
Dolion cleared his throat. “Here I thought he wanted Quinn alive, though I assume it’s to gather information about what we’re doing here. Which means we’re all targets.”
Tobias’s expression turned murderous, no doubt picturing that very prospect.
Concern flooded my voice as I told Dolion, “You need to be careful.”
“I was about to tell you the same after your escapades last night.” Dolion looked faintly amused. “There’s a reason I’ve kept our research a closely guarded secret. I have no intention of being killed for it. Or for anyone to intrude where they don’t belong.”
“We appreciate your help,” I said, nudging Tobias covertly in the side. The hard muscle didn’t move an inch, and I resisted the urge to rub my elbow.
A muscle feathered in his jaw, whatever he wanted to say staying firmly locked away.
“I’m afraid I must step out for a bit,” Dolion said apologetically.
“Since we don’t test cures on living creatures like the humans do, I must retrieve the life essences for our final testing myself.
” He let out a long-suffering sigh. “I had hoped they would be delivered, given our urgency, but it seems protocol plus the secrecy of our experiments means I must go in person. I’ll return before lunch. ”
I tried to hide my disappointment. “I’ll double check the dosages.”
Our next step was to test the cures on the life essences by essentially infecting them—a process that would likely take the rest of the day before letting our cure dosages incubate overnight. Which meant another full day before being able to give it to Eva if it was viable.
One more night, I told myself.
If all went to plan, tomorrow would be the day we would get Eva back.
Tomorrow we’ll finally have a cure.
Dolion hurriedly gathered his notes, leaving his desk empty before he scurried from the room. I moved to recheck the same vials I had already checked over twice, only to find Tobias looking me up and down.
He looked far too good in his off-white linen button up; the sleeves rolled up around his biceps. I could feel my face heat as I took in the veins that decorated his forearms and the tops of his hands, remembering exactly what those long fingers had done to me last night.
“Bend over the counter.”
Every part of me went loose then tight at the dominance in his voice even as I shook my head. “Zero chance I’m going to risk contaminating our workspace, Maris, but save that thought for when we can celebrate a cure. Besides, I need to check the dosing.”
“The dosages you already double checked this morning?” He shot me a look so pleading it was almost comical. “What if we only contaminate Dolion’s desk? I’ve been picturing you in that lab coat and only that lab coat all morning.”
I laughed as he backed me toward the desk even as I emphatically shook my head. “Absolutely not. You can do anything you want to me after we find a cure, but here you’re in my domain. So no touching.”
My lower back bumped against Dolion’s desk as Tobias sighed in defeat.
“The second you find this cure and everyone’s safe, I’m going to stay inside you for a week straight, Sagray.” A slow smirk spread his lips as he backed away, raising both hands in surrender. “But I can’t say I mind being under your command in the meantime.”
Turning around, I set my hands on Dolion’s desk. “I’m looking forward to being under yours…and you, once we do.”
Tobias made a choking sound as I leaned forward, hitching up my lab coat and the short dress beneath. His silver dagger peeked out from where I had tied it unobtrusively around my thigh.
“What are you…” He trailed off as I tugged my dress high enough for him to see that I hadn’t bothered to put on underwear this morning.
“No touching,” I warned, my voice sultry as I looked over my shoulder. “But I thought you should know how ready I am for you when this is over.”
Sparks flew from Tobias’s hands, reflecting in his eyes. The look on his face was pure, ravenous hunger.
“As if I needed any more incentive,” he drawled. “Now get back to work before I lose my godsdamn mind.”
I grinned as he adjusted himself, visibly frustrated. As I let my dress fall, my eyes caught on a piece of paper on Dolion’s chair, focusing on the scrawled word despite myself. It must have fallen from his notes when he packed up.
Seawater.
Had I mentioned the name of the bar to him? Or had he written it down when Queen Sariyah debriefed him?
“I’ll be back with some lunch as soon as I can,” Tobias continued, oblivious to my sudden change in demeanor.
“Okay,” I murmured as I walked to the sink, needing to wash up again before putting on my gloves. My brain seemed to stutter as I thought back to what I had told Dolion, trying to connect the dots only to find too many missing.
“Don’t leave this room.” I could hear the smirk in Tobias’s voice. “And try not to miss me too much in the meantime.”
I spun around to respond, a retort on my tongue about who, exactly, would be missing whom. But he was already gone.