Della’s heart gripped. She didn’t know whether to be grateful or angry. Maybe both.
“Perhaps Chase could only save one of you. And he chose the one he knew would have the best chance of survival.”
A new emotion crowded Della’s chest. She knew this one well. Guilt. Chase could only save one and he’d chosen her. She’d lived and Chan had died.
“That said,” Burnett continued, “I think the bigger question is who sent him?”
My uncle and aunt. That’s was the only thing that made sense. And maybe when she had a chance to process this, she’d tell Burnett. But not now.
“It was reported a few years back that a doctor, not one working with the FRU, was researching Reborns to see if he could offer a better survival rate. In the report, it stated the condition was thought to be hereditary.”
Burnett paused. “I took a personal interest in discovering all I could about it when Holiday got pregnant. If my own child fell prey to this, I’d go to the end of the earth to save her. But all I could dig up was vague reports.”
For the first time, Della thought of Holiday and Hannah and she felt selfish for it. “How are they?”
“They are fine. Beautiful,” he said, his eyes lighting up with love. He paused. “The truth is, I’ve learned more about this process today than was in any of our files. I’m sorry you had to go through it, but it’s given us a lot of information. So you may have saved my daughter’s life twice. And for that I’m eternally grateful. If Holiday wasn’t so set on the name Hannah, I’d give her your first name, too.”
Della offered him a weak smile and swallowed another sip of water.
A few minutes of silence passed. “Phillip Lance was arrested. He confessed to killing Lorraine and her boyfriend. You did an excellent job, Della. You are going to make one hell of an agent someday.”
She nodded and tried to draw pleasure from it, but no pleasure came. Her thoughts shot back to Chase. And she asked the question that for some reason concerned her the most. “The bonding thing, do you know about that?”
Burnett sighed. “I’m sorry. Steve mentioned this, but I haven’t heard of it before.” He paused a minute. “Does it concern you? Do you feel any differently about Chase now than you did before?”
“No.” She heard and felt her heart jump.
And so did Burnett.
She wanted to deny it. “He saved me. He gave up some of his power and endured the pain for me. It’s understandable that I’d be grateful, right?”
“I’d believe so,” Burnett said, but he didn’t sound convinced.
She swallowed, her throat still parched. Her thoughts shot back to her cousin. “He should have tried to save Chan.” Tears filled her eyes. “It only makes me feel worse. Chan helped me through the first turn, and because of me, because I was a little stronger than he was, he was passed over.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Is that fair? I lived, and he died.”
“No,” Burnett said. “But life is seldom fair.” He dropped a hand to her arm. “But I can tell you what is fair. You are still with us. And…” He pointed to the door. “In the living room are several very concerned friends of yours who are also grateful that you are alive. Kylie and Miranda haven’t left this cabin for two days.”
“Two days?” she asked. “I’ve been out for two days?” Her next thought was how long ago Chase had left, but she didn’t want to ask it. Didn’t want to think about him, but she couldn’t seem to help it. What did that mean? Or did it mean anything at all?
Burnett nodded. “We were all getting worried. And, I know they are all ready to see you, but are you ready to see them?”
No, she thought, but nodded. If it were Kylie or Miranda in here, she’d be freaking out.
“Remember, Steve knows all of this. The doctor knows some of it. And I’m aware you share everything with Kylie and Miranda, and even though I can’t tell you not to, in this case, I’ll suggest you don’t.”
Keep secrets from her two best friends? She didn’t think so.
After freshening up, Della nodded to Burnett, who stood in the back of the room and opened the bedroom door. They all came barreling in. Kylie, looking panicked, came in first. Miranda, a close second, with tears in her eyes, followed. Perry stood at her side. Steve moved in behind them, and then Jenny and Derek. She even saw Lucas hanging in the back.
Friends. She had a butt-load of them.
Miranda, the perpetual hugger, dropped on the bed, and when she tried to do her thing, Della held up her hand. “I’m fine.” Right then, she looked up and met Steve’s gaze. He winked at her, but she saw something else there. Fear. And she knew exactly what he feared.
Bits of their conversation from when she’d been feverish sounded in her head. He said I’d be … bonded to him. She had told Steve about Chase.
I won’t let that happen, Steve had answered. But he had to have known he might not be able to stop it. Yet, he’d done it. Emotion squeezed her chest. Chase had risked his life, endured pain to save her, and Steve helped him do it, knowing he might lose her.
“Don’t you ever do that again!” Miranda snapped.
“I’ll try not to.” Della met Kylie’s eyes. “I’m fine, so get that worried look off your face.”
“I tried to heal you,” Kylie said, and her eyes brightened with unshed tears. “I couldn’t. My hands wouldn’t get warm and you wouldn’t wake up.”
Della recalled Chase saying healers wouldn’t work.
“But I’m better now. So no emotional outpouring okay?”
“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” Miranda started chirping and bouncing her butt on the bed.
“What about no emotional outpouring did you not understand?” Della asked.
The witch rolled her green eyes. “You better be glad your pissy pass hasn’t expired.”
“Her what?” Lucas asked.
Della exhaled.
“I’m just happy,” Miranda said. “It’s your aura. It’s not dark anymore. I mean, it’s still vampire dark, but it’s not ugly dark.”
“Nothing about Della could be ugly.” Steve moved in and sat down beside her. He still looked worried. His hand eased over close and touched her wrist. Almost testing her.
She wished she could tell him not to worry.
But she could, couldn’t she?