yes I'm going to go down there and bring closure to this situation once and for all," she said in an eerily calm voice. "No, I do not intend to get bitten again. And no, because I'm a grown woman, capable of making my own decisions - free will - you are not barring my exit from this room like I'm a child."
"You have got to be kidding me," he whispered through his teeth. "After all we've been through?"
"Especially because of all we've been through." She looked at him calmly, but her gaze was resolute. "He deserves that - no less than if Gabrielle was out there." Rider walked across the room and yanked back the drape so hard it ripped partway off of the rod and anchors. "Last time we saw Gabby, as you recall, it took two Neterus to subdue her." He spun on Tara. "So, I'm supposed to just let my wife - a woman who I almost lost to this life forever -
just waltz out of this suite without a fight to go back into the arms of the very thing that killed her?"
Hot tears had risen in Rider's eyes and the anguish in his v oice was as heartrending as the call that was splitting her s kull She covered her face with her hands and took a deep breath and then drew them away to look at him.
"Gabrielle was bitten by Lilith, and too far gone. We have been over that a thousand times, if once, you and I. But if she hadn't been, if she was still here and trapped like I had been, or like Yonnie is now, could I look you in the eyes and tell you, no, you can't go finish it?"
"Yes," Rider said quickly, nodding and walking to stand in front of the door. "You could tell me, 'Jack Rider, I forbid it - because I'm your wife.'" He slapped his bare chest and walked over to find his pants and his gun. "You could tell me, 1 have loved you since the beginning, and if I lose you to a nick, I'll die, Jack Rider.' Then I would have to fucking respect your word as my wife." He hoisted up his pants and stared at her, then checked his clip.
"Did you respect my word when I said that just the other night? When you wanted to go
barreling into Lilith's lair with half the team? A place where, given all the nicks you've sustained over your lifetime of war with vampires ... could have made you wake up on any given night and flatline me, or worse, make me have to drive a stake into your chest," she said quietly, "man with a good heart. Did you ever stop to think how afraid I was then, until now?"
He just stared at her.
"Move away from the door, Jack."
"Don't ask me to do it," he whispered, shaking his head. "Please." She went to him and filled his arms and laid her head on his shoulder as his hand became filled with her hair while hugging a gun against her back. "Please don't ask me not to. It's the only way we can all rest from this."
He pulled back and looked at her. "Honestly, I know I can't stop you; if I did tonight, there'd always be the next night and the next until you went to him...but how do you know he won't take you away in a whirl, stun your mind, and nick you?" Rider's eyes searched her face. "I'm asking because if that was the only way I could be with you again, and I had eternity in front of me alone without you - I would." She closed her eyes and touched his lips to stop him from telling the truth. "I know ... because I felt Carlos's embrace signature in his call. They met and Carlos wouldn't allow me to go to him, if he knew. But as a bystander, a man caught in the middle, he left it as my choice. He didn't barrier Yonnie away or wrap an extra layer of silver energy around the room. He left it up to me." She sighed and looked up at Rider. "And he loves you and me both enough that he wouldn't allow me to be in harm's way."
"Then ask him to go to the beach as your escort, since I pose a battle risk. Do me that favor."
She withdrew from Rider's arms with care and slipped