Leo gave me a long contemplating look, and I wondered what was going on in his perfectly symmetrical head. He finally said, “My job over the last thousand years was to stand witness to the formation of the Coalition. I knew your successor.” He nodded to me. “You carry her very soul within you. There are similarities, of course. You both have dark hair and similar builds, but you have a softer side—your human side. Something that is missing with most supernaturals. Your capacity for empathy, and for compromise—it rarely exists for us. That makes us harsh and unforgiving creatures, continually out for the betterment of ourselves and not the greater good. I believe this is what sets you apart, and what will make you better than all the rest. This is the reason I agreed to help you.”
I was overwhelmed.
What was I supposed to do with that? “Thank you,” I settled on. “My father would probably agree with you. He has tried all his life to balance both worlds for me, and I think he did a good job. Sometimes, however, I feel that my human side is a hindrance, but mostly I feel pride that I’ve managed to retain it. I find it confusing when I meet other supernaturals who do not love and care for others first and foremost. It feels foreign to me, and I hope it always does. I don’t know about it making me a better leader, but I will try to be the best one I can be. I plan to bring my team with me. I think it’s important to have more than one viewpoint at all times, or it’s too easy for one to get lost.”
“You will set a new precedent,” he said. “I look forward to your reign.” He turned toward Rourke. “I believe Enid will look inside your mate and see the same. She will see that Jessica is meant to do this job. All that stands in Enid’s way are anger and grief. She will not be expecting a face-to-face meeting, so anything that was written before has now changed. If Jessica is to meet with her, it must be now.”
Rourke said nothing.
Danny interrupted hesitantly. “Naomi has given us directions. They are in Tuscany, about two hours south of here. They are in an old deserted abbey called San Galgano.”
“I am familiar with this place,” Leo replied.
“My father is south as well,” I said. “As soon as we arrive, I’ll contact my brother.” I looked at my mate. “Are you going to be okay with this?”
He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not at all okay with losing you, so we’re going to have to make sure that doesn’t happen.” He addressed Leo. “Do you think Enid resides in the same place she is keeping them?”
“We won’t know until we get there,” Leo offered. “Her signature is masked to most, but if I’m near enough, I should be able to detect it.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Danny asked excitedly. “Let’s get to the rescuing.”
“Join hands,” Leo ordered as he spread both of his toward us. I grabbed on to his left hand, and Rourke grabbed his right. We both clutched Danny. “The journey will be swift, but you may feel ill afterward. This is one of the drawbacks of spanning time and space, even for a mere moment. But you will recover, do not worry.”
I had no idea what to expect, but I was ready for anything.
“Our bodies aren’t going to burst apart or anything like that?” Danny asked. “I rather like this form, and it’s the only one my mate will recognize.” There was levity in his question, but he was voicing what we were all concerned about. Wolves and shifters were very concrete creatures, wary of magic and things they didn’t understand. Popping out of time and space qualified as worrisome. If this hadn’t been an emergency, and we hadn’t been dealing with a powerful Hag, we would’ve tracked down Lucas and driven the two hours.
Leo laughed. It sounded like harp chords being plucked, melodic and mesmerizing. “You will retain your body, I assure you. We are simply moving faster than light, space, and time. We will arrive at our destination earlier than when we started.”
Say what?
“That’s a bit of a mind bender,” Danny said. “Hopefully one I’ll live to tell my children about one day when I bounce them on my knee.” He appeared wistful for a moment. “I wonder what a half-vampire, half-wolf child will look like? I hope they take after her and not me. They will be beautiful bloodthirsty little fliers.”
Before I could comment on Danny being a father, Leo said, “They will carry traits of you both and be very powerful beings. Now we go. Enid’s and Jessica’s fates await.”
20
“Holy hell.” I coughed, wiping my mouth with the back of my sleeve. I was on my knees, retching. Traveling through a time continuum was not at all advisable. My stomach felt like it had a rubber band cinched tightly around it. Rourke was pale, his arm braced on a tree, head bowed, but so far he was faring better than I was.
Danny, on the other hand, was passed out cold.
I staggered to stand. “Are you sure he’s going to wake up?” I asked Leo. “It’s been about two minutes, and he hasn’t moved.”
“He’ll awake very soon,” Leo said. “I don’t take many passengers with me, but in the past, some have preserved their minds by shutting them down. It’s actually a fairly intelligent way to handle the situation.”
“Now you tell us,” I said, coughing into my fist but managing to keep what I had left in my stomach where it belonged. “You mean I could’ve just passed out and all would’ve been well?”
“No,” he answered, humor behind his words. “Supernaturals with vast power cannot put their minds on hold. It’s a coping mechanism your body has developed to keep you alive no matter what.” My wolf barked her agreement. Even though I was puking my guts up, she was happy as could be, urging me to get on with the business at hand.
My body was righting itself quickly, which was a relief. “As much as I’m thankful for the experience, I think we’ll be taking a car home.”
“Agreed,” Rourke said, dropping his arm. “I appreciate the ride, but I prefer to stay within this time and space.”
Leo chuckled. “It’s your call, of course.”
Danny sputtered as he awoke. “Good gods! The world’s gone pear-shaped.” He grabbed on to his head. “Is everyone spinning, or is it just me?”
“Don’t worry,” I said, kneeling beside him. “It’ll calm down in a minute or two. You took the smart way out and disengaged your brain.”