reached down and lifted Benny to the seat beside him, leaning across the healing male to shut the door. Ivar shut his door and settled with his legs out and the tiny blond human on his lap, sucking her thumb.
“You okay?” Adare asked Benny.
“No.” Blood poured from most of Benny’s body, but he flipped his hand over to reveal a mating mark, R for his last name, clearly black beneath all the blood.
Adare jerked. “H-how?” He frowned, looking at Benny’s battered and bewildered face.
Benny shook his head and lifted both shoulders, scattering snow and blood. “I don’t know. I mean, she’s mated, right?”
Adare could only nod. It was unheard of, really. “Did you touch any other unmated female? Any female at all?”
“No.”
“Was there one around somewhere?” It didn’t take touch. Maybe there had been an enhanced female close and Benny’s body had reacted?
Benny wiped blood off the marking with his other thumb. “No. I felt it happen when I touched Karma. It burns like a hot poker. I don’t understand.”
Adare set his head back and caught Ivar’s concerned gaze. It didn’t make any sense. Wasn’t possible.
Grace stirred in his arms, and he held her tighter. She blinked. “Adare?”
“Yeah.” He leaned down and kissed her cute nose.
She swallowed, looking around the craft. “I’m confused. I healed myself, was fine, and then passed out?”
“Yes.” He reminded himself that getting angry at her for jumping in front of a bullet for Benny was counterproductive. They’d have that discussion later, over hot chocolate and a few more kisses. “Your body basically took a kill shot. As a human, that would’ve killed you. So when you were healed, your body still reacted. The response goes away after a while.” Although she wouldn’t be taking kill shots, so it wouldn’t matter. “What the hell were you thinking?” So much for waiting for hot chocolate.
She poked at her healed neck. “I wasn’t thinking. Benny had been hurt, so I was in protection mode. I just reacted.” Lifting herself up, she looked at Benny. “Benny, are you all right?”
“No.” He looked at her. “Tell me everything you can about Karma.”
Grace’s eyes widened, and she looked over her shoulder, relaxing when she spotted the little girl. “Is she okay?”
Ivar nodded. “Falling asleep, believe it or not. Who does she belong to?”
Grace shook her head. “I don’t know. We have to find her parents.”
“We will.” Adare ran his hand down her wet hair, indulging himself. “I’m truly sorry about this, Grace. I never thought I’d leave you in danger.” He might never forgive himself.
She snuggled closer, patting his chest. “Wasn’t your fault. I never did figure out how Yvonne and Brian, I mean Terre, found me.”
“Tracking dust,” Adare said, pausing. “Wait a minute, Logan. We can’t go to our headquarters yet.” How could he have forgotten the tracking dust? Nobody knew the location of the Seven headquarters; not even the king. “Can you get a direct line to Emma?”
“Affirmative. What do you want me to ask her?” Logan yelled back.
“Ask her how long tracking dust stays in the body,” Adare said. There was no way it could be permanent.
Logan communicated with the queen and then made a course correction before answering. “Emma said that the tracking dust is probably already out of Grace’s blood but not her lungs. She said that oxygenated air would help, and she’ll have a room set up for us.”
Ivar rubbed the little girl’s back as she slept against his chest. “We should go to Realm headquarters. The Kurjans already know its location, so we wouldn’t be giving anything away. Plus, the king’s resources will help us find this little one’s home.”
“Sounds good,” Adare said.
Benny had fallen into a disturbed silence, staring at his bloody palm. Adare didn’t have any words of wisdom for him, so he didn’t give any. They’d have to figure out what to do once they were safely back at their own headquarters, and whatever Benny decided, Adare would have his back.
He leaned in and kissed Grace, being gentle but making a claim. “You said something to me. Something that mattered.”
She yawned. “I said I loved you. Meant it, too.” She caressed the cords in his neck and snuggled closer into his chest, sighing. “You don’t have to say it back. I’ll work on you until you know you feel it.”
He rubbed his chin against the top of her head. “I already feel it. I love you too, my stubborn little mate.”