"Close, and on the anniversary of junior's death, Blakemore plans to kill every bear and animal there and to torch that place to the ground."
Fang ground his teeth in helpless frustration. "So what you're telling me is that I can stay and protect Aimee from the psycho and my brother dies. Or I can save my brother and Aimee dies."
"Yeah, basically, you're screwed."
"What else is new?" He met Varyk's gaze as impotent rage scorched him. "I need to know where you stand in all of this."
"Blakemore's my paycheck. Nothing more than that."
"And Aimee's my life . . . if I leave everything I have to you, will you protect her for me?"
Varyk snorted at his offer as his gaze went to Fang's bike and the backpack he carried that held all of his belongings inside it. "What do you have to bribe me with?"
"Two hundred million, plus some change."
Varyk choked. "What?"
Fang shrugged over it. Money had never meant much to him. It was as intangible as friendship. "Vane's real good with investments and I don't spend much. You take care of Aimee and I will make sure every cent of it goes to you."
"For that kind of money, I'd do a lot more for you than just guard your woman."
Fang snorted. "I don't want to go there. Just uphold your word." He jerked his backpack up from the ground.
"Hey?"
Fang turned to look at him.
Varyk's face was stoic, but his gaze burned with sincerity. "I will keep her safe. You can count on it. And you don't have to pay me for it."
Fang inclined his head in gratitude before he flashed himself from the swamp to Sanctuary. The one thing he'd learned these past months was how to merge his powers with the demon inside him and use them to his advantage. It allowed him to walk invisible and to do other nifty things-some bloodier than others.
Even with those powers, he'd avoided doing this. Mostly because it hurt too much to see Aimee. Instead, he'd relegated himself to visiting her room just so that he could feel her presence there. Breathe in her scent and remember the nights when they'd been together.
But he didn't want to die without one last glimpse of her. No matter how much it hurt, he had to see her.
Like a whispering breeze, he made his way up to her room. She sat on her bed, holding the leather jacket he'd left behind a few weeks ago. The same jacket he'd wrapped her in on the day they'd met.
Her beautiful blue eyes held so much agony that it carved her pain into his own heart. He hated the torment she caused him. Most of all, he hated the torment he caused her.
"Where are you, Fang?" she breathed.
Unable to stand it, he materialized in front of her.
Aimee gasped at the sight of Fang in her room. He dropped to his knees and laid his head in her lap, then wrapped his arms around her waist. Her hand trembling, she brushed his hair back, amazed that he'd finally come to her. "What are you doing here?"
"I had to see you."
She tightened her hand in his hair, reveling in the softness of it. "We have to run, Fang. I'm ready."
"We can't. I could never be happy knowing I'd cost my brother his mate and child."
"It's not fair."
He pulled back to look up at her. Those dark eyes singed her with sincerity. "I didn't do it, Aimee. I swear I haven't killed anyone who didn't attack me first."
"I know, baby."
He nodded. "I better go."