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Marino s head that he was the one responsible for the destruction of
Dante s coven. Mateo didn t want anyone to know he was there. He
needed a scapegoat.
Kory waved his arms around. Will someone tell me what is
going on?
You guys really get into this role-playing stuff, Vick said. Can
I get in? Or am I not cool enough for your secret club?
If Vick only knew what he was asking for, Dante was quite sure
the man would run screaming from the room. Christian waved his
hand in front of Vick s face and the human took on a blank
expression.
You will remember none of this. Go home, Christian said.
Vick nodded, then turned on his heel and left. Christian did the
same for Hal, Bob, and Lester. The four men left quietly.
I ve lost the ability to do that, Dante admitted.
Christian sighed. You haven t lost the ability, Dante. You ve
suppressed it. You might have tried to wipe their minds, but deep
down, you didn t want them to forget who you were.
Again, Dante s eyes widened at Christian s revelation. Why on
earth would he want Vick and his band of goofy men to remember
him? Dante pushed the thought away. He d examine the whys on
another day. How did you find me?
Your neighbor, Zeus answered. Argo Phillips.
That rat bastard, Kory said with a growl. Just when you think
you re forming a bond with someone, they stab you in the back.
Dante pulled his mate into his arms, petting Kory s back as he
listened to Christian.
116 Lynn Hagen
He told us you have a situation that only we could help with,
Christian said. I was pretty damn stunned when he told me where
you were. The prince looked around the room. Suburbia?
Ignoring Christian s obvious amusement, Dante took a seat at the
table, placing Kory in his lap as he explained Jonah s situation. The
smiles of amusement on many of the men s faces faded as Dante
finished.
You did the right thing by not converting him, Christian said.
He would regret it and resent you for keeping him in a child s body.
Then what do we do? Kory asked. I already lost my father. I
refuse to believe there is no help for Jonah.
As if saying his name had conjured him, Jonah stuck his head
around the corner, fairy wings attached to his shirt as he gazed at each
man. Ahm cleared his throat and slid from the counter, squatting
down in front of Jonah as he extended his hand. I m Ahm.
Jonah s blue eyes flickered to Kory and Dante before he shook the
Shadow elf s hand. I m Jonah. Do you want to play with my
dragons?
How the hell could anyone not fall in love with that little boy?
Dante was starting to look at Jonah as his own son. His bright pixie
eyes gleamed with an innocence that gripped Dante s heart, making
him fume with anger that fate would be this cruel to the adorable little
boy.
Kory pushed from Dante s lap and grabbed Jonah, shielding his
brother as he pointed the knife at Ahm. I don t even know you. I
don t know any of you. How do I know that you aren t here to hurt
Dante or get your revenge on my family?
Dante leapt from his chair when Ahm rose to his full height,
glaring down at Kory. The man may have softened in some ways
since mating Bryce and birthing his daughter, but in these moments
the elf reminded everyone that he was still a feared Shadow elf.
Kory shoved the knife toward Ahm s face. I might be short, but I
will stab your eyes out!
Forever Yours 117
Calm down, Kory. Dante moved to take the knife from his
mate, but Kory moved his hand too fast. This is the Ultionem.
Kory scowled at Ahm. Which only makes me want to use this
knife. I know you didn t want them to find you. I m not stupid, Dante.
I might have drug a dead body home, but I do have some
intelligence.
You did what? Maverick asked as his brows shot up.
I m one of them, Kory, Dante said, although he wasn t sure if
that was true any longer. I was one of the Ultionem leaders until my
coven was slaughtered and burned to the ground.
The knife in Kory s hand wavered. Now you want to tell me
this? Kory s spine became pencil straight as a brooding expression
slashed across his face. Then who was the man who attacked me in
the woods the day I found you? You never explained that to me.
A rogue, Dante answered. He was a vampire who lost his way
and now drains his victims dry.
Gross, Jonah said from behind Kory. I m going to need
therapy for this.
Kory shrugged. It s something my mom says from time to time.
Jonah stuck his head around Kory and gazed up at Ahm, a
beseeching look in his blue eyes. Can you fix me?
Can you?
Dante turned to see Kelly standing at the bottom of the steps,
desperation filling her face. Can you fix Jonah?
Not without infecting him with Liquid Wrath and searching the
world for his mate, Dante said. And then we would have to wait
until he matures before
Maverick held up a hand. What if we could take shifter blood,
infuse it with Cole s blood, and
That would never work, Christian argued. Cole might be the
cure for Liquid Wrath, but what you are saying is impossible. You
can t infect a child with that street drug. It ll kill him.
118 Lynn Hagen
I m dying already, Jonah whispered. I heard the doctors. I m
not dumb.
Oh, honey. Kelly went to her son and pulled Jonah into her
arms, tears forming in her eyes. That s not true.
Yes, it is, Jonah argued. Stop treating me like a kid.
How old is he? Zeus asked.
Four and a half, Jonah stated proudly.
Doctors use miracle drugs all the time, Nazaryth argued.
They re barely tested in labs before they are unleashed onto the
public. Why can t we mix shifter blood with Cole s? Why can t we
try?
And this Liquid Wrath thing? Kory asked, and Dante knew that
Kory would be the shifter to volunteer. His mate wouldn t have it any
other way.
I won t let you give Jonah street drugs. I m hell-bent on curing
him, but I won t have him turning into a junkie in the process. Kory
finally set the knife down before he ran his hands through his long
blond hair, pacing the kitchen. My whole life I wondered who I was.
I thought I was a freak of nature, an abomination. For once I feel like
I have a purpose, like I know what kind of life I should lead. My job
is to save Jonah, but you are not giving him dugs.
That s not how the drug works, Panahasi explained. For
humans, it s lethal.
And you want to give it to Jonah! Kory looked as if he was
about to pop a blood vessel. Are you freaking mad?
Combined with the shifter s blood, and the cure, Christian
argued. It just might work.
Might, Kory argued. That isn t a very comforting word to me.
Let them try, Kelly said.
Kory spun around, his mouth hanging open as he stared at his
mother.
But Kelly stood her ground, her shoulders ramrod straight. I ve
already lost my husband. I ll do whatever it takes to save my little
Forever Yours 119
boy. I ll try anything, do whatever these men think will work, Kory.
Thank you for defending Jonah, but this is my decision to make.
Kory stormed from the room. Dante went after him. He caught
Kory in the living room, stopping his mate in his tracks. Why are
you so against this?
You ve lost people you care about, Kory said. You know that
pain. I Kory gave Dante his back as his shoulders slumped. I
don t want to go through that nightmare again. It took forever for me
to get over my father s death. I can t even imagine losing Jonah.
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