I grinned and glanced at my screen again to search for Willow. “I’m quite happy with my pet right now.”
Except she still hadn’t appeared, which took away some of my humor. She’d already showered, something I knew because the last time I checked on her, she’d been in the kitchen. I pulled up that screen now, noting her mostly untouched plate on the counter.
Odd. The food had to be cold by now.
I half-heartedly listened while Damien brought me up to speed on his research of those on the list. He’d confirmed over half of them to be known for their proclivities in imbibing young blood, but some of the others weren’t as well documented.
I gave him permission to question them a little more liberally to determine whether or not Yavi’s information proved true. I wouldn’t put it past the former sovereign to provide a few false names in an effort to hide others on his client list.
Ten minutes later, no Willow. I pushed away from my desk, my instincts firing red. “I need to check on my pet.”
“You just went up there a few hours ago,” Damien reminded me.
“I’m aware, but something’s wrong.” I could feel it in a weird sort of nagging sense. “I’ll be back.”
“I’ll come with you,” he said instead, following me out the door.
I didn’t argue. We’d been through enough over his lifetime to know when to trust the other, and my gut was rarely—if ever—wrong.
Damien grabbed his tablet on our way. “No one has accessed or left the suite,” he said as we entered the elevator. “However, Benita left early today, which I find interesting.”
“Do you think she’s our leak?” I asked him, dialing the code for the guest suite.
“It’s hard to say. I’ll keep tabs on her, as well as the other four.” He tucked his tablet beneath his arm. “She’s always been power hungry. The behavior fits the mold, particularly if she anticipates your downfall.”
“Makes me wonder what she thinks she knows,” I replied. “I’m the oldest in this region by several thousand years. Who could she expect to surpass me?”
“Perhaps someone not from this region,” Damien suggested.
Yes, that was another route I’d considered, too. “Darius would be next in line for royalty.”
“And he recently took a sovereign position under Jace,” Damien added. “I’ll reach out to our mutual contact. I know they’re friends.”
“He was one of Cam’s progeny, so that makes sense.” I stepped off the elevator onto the guest suite floor. “Let me know what she says.”
“Always,” he agreed, walking beside me down the hallway. I paused only to type in the external code, then stepped inside to scent the air. The kitchen was to my left, the food on the counter cold to the touch.
I called for Willow as I made my way through the large living area to the back hall, which led to the bedroom. “Check the other bathroom,” I told Damien over my shoulder. I doubted she was there, but it would expedite the search to have him check the half bath off the living area.
The bedroom was empty, the bedsheets still rumpled from earlier.
“Willow?” I tried again, entering the bathroom.
The dual-headed shower was empty and mostly dry, and she wasn’t by the double sinks. Which left the walk-in closet and—
“Fuck.” The tips of her small heels were peeking out from the water-closet entry.
I walked in to find her cheek pressed to the marble floor, her eyes half-mast. Kneeling beside her, I pressed my palm to her clammy forehead. “Willow?”
Her pupils dilated, but her mouth didn’t move. So she was semi-aware, but not quite.
“She’s burning up,” I said as Damien entered.
I scooped her up into my arms, her towel remaining on the floor and leaving her naked. She shivered in response as if she were cold, but her skin temperature told a different story.
“Can you get me a cool washcloth?” I asked as I carried her to the bed and laid her down to check her vitals.
I frowned at what I found; her pulse had slowed to a dangerous pace. No wonder she was hardly awake.
“What the fuck?” I demanded, searching her for signs of injury and finding none.
She muttered something unintelligible that sounded like an apology.
“Did you do this to yourself?” I asked her, unable to find evidence of self-harm. Then I shook my head, because, no, Willow was a warrior. She wouldn’t hurt herself in this manner.