"You make me proud to call you brother," Wrath said.
Rhage felt heavy arms come around him as he was pulled against a solid chest. He tensed, but then let himself hang on to Wrath's massive shoulders.
"Wrath?"
"Yeah?"
Rhage opened his mouth to speak, but lost his voice.
Wrath replied into the silence, "We are all going to be there for you. So you're going to ask for help when you need it. And if the time comes, she will be afforded a full Fade ceremony, as the shellan of a warrior deserves."
Rhage squeezed his eyes shut. "Thank you... my lord."
Later that night Mary stood in their bathroom, brushing her hair out and blowing it dry. When she was finished, she looked at herself in the mirror and smoothed down the brunette waves. They were soft under her fingers, and in this light the color did have a little gold and red in it.
She refused to think of going bald again. Just put the thought right out of her mind. God knew, there'd be time to dwell on it when it actually happened.
"You're still as beautiful as you were yesterday," Rhage said as he got out of the shower. While he toweled off, he came up behind her and blew her reflection a kiss.
She smiled. "Thank you so much for inviting Bella and John over. She's become such a good friend, and I've been worried about him."
"I don't want you to lose touch with people just because you're here. Besides, the Brotherhood needs to play civilized every once in a while. It's good for us."
"You know, Tohrment and Wellsie are so kind to take John in."
"They're the best, those two."
As Rhage left the bath, the eyes of his tattoo stared out at her. The effect was eerie, she thought, but not exactly unpleasant. It was kind of like being watched by a guard dog who really wanted you to pet him.
She went over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Hey, I'm sorry if I kept you awake this morning. I toss and turn a lot when the fevers come."
Rhage came out of the closet, zipping up a pair of black pants. "You didn't bother me at all. But can we do anything about them?"
"Not really. I'll go into another bedroom if it bothers you." She laughed at the look he gave her. "Okay, I won't be doing that."
"About Havers. I was hoping there'd be something we could do for you."
"Don't worry. And I appreciate your trying."
"When are you going to see your oncologist again?"
"Soon, but no more talking about that, okay? Tonight, it's all about life. I feel good, and I'm not wasting one damned minute of it."
Rhage's mouth lifted at the corners, his eyes glowing with approval, respect.
And she'd thought for even a moment about shutting him out? Idiot.
She smiled back at him, looking forward to the end of the evening, when they could be alone together. In the dark. With nothing between them.
When he disappeared into the closet, she went after him, thinking they had a few minutes before the party began so maybe they could get a headstart. While he stared at the dress shirts that were lined up on hangers, she put her hand on his back, right on the beast's shoulder.
Rhage flinched and stepped away.
"Are you hurt?" she asked.
As she circled around him, he kept turning away, the two of them trading places a couple of times.
"Rhage - "
"We need to hurry or we're going to be late." His voice was a little hoarse, his pecs twitching.
"What's wrong with your back?"
He peeled a shirt off a hanger and pulled it on, buttoning the thing quickly. "Back's fine."
Rhage gave her a peck on the cheek and quickly squeaked by her. Out in the bedroom he opened the door that led into the hall and then picked up his watch from the dresser and put the thing on his wrist. His fingers trembled as he did up the clasp.
Just as she was going to ask him what was wrong, Phury appeared in the doorway.
"Hey, my brother, Mary," the man said with a smile. "You want to go down together?"
Mary hid her frustration. And decided if there had to be an interruption, she couldn't think of a better-looking one. Phury's glorious, multicolored hair was fanned out around his broad shoulders, and he was dressed to kill. In the proverbial sense. His suit was blue-black and subtly pin-striped, and his pale pink shirt showed off his thick throat and ridiculously good