14. Talia

CHAPTER 14

Talia

G abriel, the king's most trusted and loyal doctor, who also happens to be a genius in his own right, calls us into his offices the next evening after I turned over my mother's ancient jar of herbs.

Alek, Zachariah, and I wait quietly as Gabriel hustles to and from one table or the next, which are laden with vials and beakers and all sorts of modern science equipment.

Lachlan, the king's right hand and second in command, and his mate Valor, whisper to each other across the room, smiling and kissing randomly as fully bonded mates do.

"I know, I know," Gabriel says. "I called you in here." He doesn't take his eyes off his work. "Something occurred to me. I'm testing it. One moment please."

I raise my brows at the doctor, who looks like he could have strolled right off of the college campus that Daphne attends, his Edgemont University hoodie and casual jeans combo alluding nothing to the genius who happens to be studying an ancient herb at the moment.

I take his distraction to do my own perusal of his offices, wandering over to a table across the room that has some gnarly looking tools atop it. I pick up a long piece of steel with intricate designs on the handle, wondering what it's used for, when the doctor immediately appears by my side, gently removing the item from my hand and placing it ever so carefully back on the table.

"Don't touch anything," he says as kindly, but seriously. "This is something I'm working on, and I don't want to be held liable if you injure yourself." He glances at Zachariah. "There's no telling what he'd do to me, even if it was your fault for touching things that don't belong to you."

I laugh softly, raising my hands in innocence, silently assuring him I won't do it again. I like him already.

He moves back to the table he'd been at previously, and I walk back toward Zachariah, who chides me with a silent look of his own. I merely shrug, indicating I'm bored.

I'm used to being on the hunt, used to being on the move, and I've grown way too comfortable here for these casual and drawn-out meetings.

But I can't say that I haven't enjoyed myself these past weeks.

More than enjoyed—I feel more at home here than I ever have before, and that scares the hell out of me. And even if I can confidently say that part of the reason I feel at home here is because of the wonderful friendships I've formed, I still know a great deal of it has to do with Zachariah.

"Damn," Gabriel says after a few moments, finally turning toward us. "I appreciate you locating these herbs for us, Talia," he continues. "But beyond their healing properties, I can't find a single correlation to why any of these herbs would be helpful with transitioning half-bloods."

Valor and Lachlan come to stand near Alek, Zachariah, and me, the looks of concerns on their faces matching ours.

"I'll keep studying, Alek," Gabriel says. "But so far, I've got nothing. I could be missing something, but I wouldn't know without actually trying to transition someone with a drop of supernatural blood in their line, so?—"

"You could use me," Valor says, cutting off the doctor and drawing equal looks of shock from each of us. "What?" she asks, eyeing Lachlan, who has frozen completely. "We've been talking about it for a while. If this could help Gabriel's research, then we can kill two birds with one stone."

Gabriel takes a calculative two steps away from Valor and Lachlan, almost as if his instincts are telling him to get out of the highlander's sight as quickly as possible, even though it wasn't his suggestion.

"I beg yer fucking pardon," Lachlan finally says, breaking his stoic shocked stature.

Valor rolls her eyes. "Please don't act like we haven't been discussing this for years ."

"Discussed," he says. "Not decided. Your immortal life cannot be determined because Gabriel needs to run some fucking tests."

"I would just like to take a moment to point out that I did not ever contemplate asking her to volunteer?—"

Lachlan silences him with a look, and though Gabriel is almost as old, and is likely as highly trained as Lachlan, he dips his head in respect.

It's amazing to watch the dynamics of the king's inner circle, of this tight-knit family that's been formed for centuries. It's something I've always dreamed of, but never gotten close enough to touch. Never allowed myself to even think about it after having my world turned upside down.

"You know what's going to happen sooner or later," Valor says, much softer to her mate, and I do my best to draw Zachariah's attention away, at least so we can give the impression that we're not hearing every single thing they're saying right now.

Valor smooths her hands over Lachlan's chest, and he immediately draws her closer. "You can't decide like this, love," he says, smoothing a thumb over her cheek.

It's certainly endearing how the bonded mates talk to each other, even if they disagree. Even if they fight. The others have told me as much, about the mating process, but I've tried my best to not let myself even think about it.

"Thanks for keeping us updated," Alek says to Gabriel, nodding toward him before leaving the room.

Gabriel goes back to his research, and Lachlan and Valor are still arguing as they head out the door. Me and Zachariah follow a respectable distance behind them, a comfortable silence settling between us.

"Are the rookie assassins still searching?" I ask after we've made it back to the informal dining area, dropping in for a quick snack.

"Yes," Zachariah answers, handing me a plate of food he gathered so quickly I didn't even think to beat him to it. All of my favorites are there, and I take a quick bite as he makes his own plate and we sit down.

"The places haven't been touched," he says. "And Ajax and Grace wrapped up their location and are heading to Olivia's family estate to check on them since she and Ransom can't. We're getting spread pretty thin, which I don't particularly like, with only Dagon, myself, and Saint here. Talon and Cassandra are still on their location, and Lachlan of course is here, but even Benedict and Jocelyn are out searching and watching places for us. Part of me wonders if that's what Conrad wants. It's certainly what Samuel would want if he was working with him, especially since he knows how powerful we are together."

"It's a possibility," I say after taking another bite. "But part of me still believes Conrad is too self-centered to have such a strategic plan. There are a few times we've ran into each other, so he's well aware that I'm hunting him. But the bastard always slips away, and I'm starting to think he gets off on it. He taunts me whenever I get close to capturing him, throwing our past in my face before he eludes me."

Zachariah chuckles softly, and my eyes flare.

"What could possibly be funny?"

"Nothing," he quickly says, reeling it in. "I just can't help it. I love your passion, and the fierce female you've grown into. You've always been irresistible, but I daresay I'm downright addicted to you now. You might as well be a deity made for me to worship."

I roll my eyes. "And in another life, you're meant to be a poet spouting sonnets to make all the females melt."

"There's only been one female, and it's you."

My heart expands with that declaration, and I'm finding it harder and harder to remember why I'm trying to protect myself from him.

"What are we going to do now?" I ask, mainly speaking to the mystery of the artifacts and Conrad's basic motivation in general, but partly referring to me and him.

The more time I spend with him, the more I know it's going to hurt when I need to inevitably leave, or when he inevitably chooses a mission, his king, or his brothers over me.

"We can go on a hunt," he says. "After we eat, if you'd like. But after that, if you'll allow me, I would love to take you on a proper date."

A flush dances over my cheeks and I can't hold back my smile. "Seriously? You want to take me on an actual date?"

"Yes," he says. "As much as I enjoy you tugging me into different rooms throughout the king's residence to devour each other, I'd love to take you somewhere where it's just you and me, having fun like the old days."

I take another bite of my food, the pumpkin muffin doing little to hide my intrigue.

"How does that sound to you?" he asks, his eyes worried.

Does he really not realize the power he holds over me?

"I'll allow it."