Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
“Because he’s X2 like Julian,” I say.
“Yes,” Katie agrees. “But if he didn’t turn aggressive and join the Zodius movement while he was undercover, enough time has passed that he’s not going to. And if he’d let me take his blood, maybe we’d find out he isn’t X2. Maybe the test was an error. Or maybe he has something that offsets the X2 violence. I can help him get answers if he lets me. He won’t.”
Creed doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do—except bond with me. I don’t want it forced on him. I’ve never liked that premise. Marriage is a choice. This is not, it seems. “If seeing each other again has somehow bypassed the blood bond, can it be stopped if we stay away from each other?”
Katie’s brow furrows. “If you don’t love him—”
“I do,” I say. “But that’s exactly why I can’t force myself on him. It’s complicated. Too complicated to get into right now.”
She considers me a moment. “If you like, tomorrow we can sit and talk. I’m here if you need me.”
“Thank you,” I say. “I’m really glad I found you again, Katie.”
“As for stopping the process, I don’t know, Addie. There’s clearly a strong, natural pull between you two. And for the record, I know he loves you, too. I can see it in his fretting over you.”
Jensen moans and rolls over, bringing another question to mind. “Why does Maddox have the healing sickness and Jensen does not?”
“I wish I knew,” Katie replies fretfully. “The more developed the GTECHs’ evolvement, the more enhanced the healing sickness. And the worse their vitamin C deficiencies as well. A good portion of the men now have to inject themselves daily with high doses of C.”
“Creed?”
“Yes. A larger dose than any of the others.”
The mark on my neck tingles, and I murmur, “Creed,” a moment before he appears in the doorway, filling it with his broad shoulders and dominant presence. Dominant. Everything about the man dominates my senses. His hair tied back, his face brushed with a light shadow of masculine stubble. He steals my breath, and while I should be angry with him for being such a jerk earlier, I’m too relieved he’s back safely to stir up the battle. There are things to say, things to understand between us, and now we have the chance. Now we’re together.
“Did you get the bullets?” I ask anxiously.
“Not only did we get them,” he says, “we put them to good use on the Zodius soldiers who’d camped out near our entrance. They’re gone. We sent them home to Julian with their tails tucked between their legs.”
“If I never see another one of those bullets in one of our men, it will be too soon,” Katie declares, rolling her chair so that she brings us both into view. “I was just going to find Addie a place to get some rest. We took some blood and hope to have some answers tomorrow.” She hesitates and then, “It would help to have a sample from you too, Creed.”
Seconds tick by, his jaw set in a hard line, his expression indecipherable, before he says, “Where do you want me?”
You can almost hear Katie’s jaw hit the ground before she jumps up to offer her chair to him, and in the process, she casts me a discreet wink. “Let me get supplies,” Katie says. “I’ll be right back.”
Obviously, Katie believes Creed’s agreement to give blood is meaningful and related to me, though I don’t know exactly why. And I can’t think right now anyway. Creed enters the room, nearing me, and my stomach flutters with his overwhelming presence.
He claims the chair, his eyes locking with mine. “How are they?”
“Maddox has been horribly sick, but it seems to have passed.”
“How are you?” he asks gently.
Better now that he is back, I realize. “I’m okay.” I tilt my head, studying the blue of his eyes that only I can see flickering with something I cannot read—something dark and troubled. “Are you?”
A long pause, and then in a barely audible voice, he says, “I don’t know, Addie.”
My lips part in shock at this admission. He’s never made such an admission to me. Never. I doubt he has to anyone. He needs me right now. That’s what he’s telling me. I open my mouth to tell him I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. But Katie returns, armed and ready for action. “Okay. Let’s get this done so you two can get some rest.”
Creed’s eyes linger on mine for another moment before he offers up his arm. Katie completes the blood draw—two more tubes than she had drawn from me—and then pockets it all. “All set,” she says, taping up a cotton ball on his arm. “Preliminary results for Addie by morning, but really, I’d like to keep her here for observation for a few more days.”