He curled his fingers around her hand. “Would it make any difference to tell you not to have those feelings about me?”
“No. You don’t know the half of what I feel for you.”
His fingers pressed against her mouth. “Don’t tell me. It’ll mess with my head, make me fight under a red haze of emotion. Let’s find Purcell and finish this.”
Chapter 23
Cyn called Fernandez. “Are you at home?” He didn’t apologize for calling at one in the morning.
Ruby leaned close to his shoulder, listening in.
Fernandez’s voice was low, hard to hear. “Yes. I’m with Celia. She’s sleeping.”
“I’m in your driveway now. Does she know what’s going on?”
What you did for her? Ruby wanted to shout.
“No, I haven’t told her anything. Not until I have to. I’ll meet you outside.”
Cyn disconnected, giving Ruby a nod. She leaned on the passenger door and watched between half-closed eyes.
Cyn got out as Fernandez approached the car. “I need to get Ruby to whatever this device Purcell has. Now. She’s been feeling the effects of the fracturing, but now she’s barely hanging on.” She could hear his fear of losing her in his voice. “Purcell said to get in touch with you.”
Fernandez glanced her way, though he could only see the top of her head for the most part. He pulled out his phone and started touching buttons.
Cyn rammed his fingers back through his hair. “I understand how you felt now, when Celia almost died a long time ago. And recently. I understand why you set me up to save her.”
“I’m glad, because it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” He focused on his call. “Purcell? It’s Fernandez. The woman who was with Cyntag, she’s very ill… Yes, I’ll put him on.” He handed the phone to Cyn. “He wants to talk to you.”
Cyn took the phone, looking for all the world like a man distraught. “She started out feeling lethargic but went downhill fast. She…she can hardly breathe now. She hasn’t eaten in hours. I’ve been keeping her alive by using my healing power, but I’m so weak I don’t know how much longer I can do it. You promised if we backed off, you would save us…I’ll be right there.” He shoved the phone at Fernandez. “Thank you.”
“Where is he sending you? Is it where we’re all supposed to go?” Panic punctuated Fernandez’s voice. “He won’t tell me.”
Cyn didn’t answer, running to the car.
Ruby sat up as soon as they were out of view of the house. “What if it’s a trap?”
“The vision says you have a chance to defeat the monster. The only way we’re going to do that is to get to the reactor.”
She didn’t want to think about the other part.
“I think I was pretty convincing,” he said.
“Very. You broke my heart.”
“All I had to do was remember watching you walk away from me yesterday.” He let those words settle for a moment. “Purcell wants to meet at a gas station north of here. We’re to follow him. Remember, he can reach into your mind, so you have to think ‘sick.’”
“All I have to do is remember walking away from you. As much as I wanted you to hurt…damn it, I was hurting, too.”
He looked at her, his expression softening. “Ruby…”
“Don’t say anything.” She pressed her fingers to her temples. “It’ll mess with my head.”
Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up to the Chevron. It was closed, but the lights were on. Purcell waited by a Rolls-Royce, his arms loosely crossed in front of him. He approached the Thunderbird, and Cyn got out.
Purcell glanced into the passenger window where Ruby sprawled. “She seemed fine earlier.”
“She’s been complaining about stomach pains for the last day or so. I convinced her that you were telling us the truth. That we had to look out for ourselves. It was soon after that”—he pinched the bridge of his nose—“she got so fatigued she could barely move. I think it’s hitting her hard because she’s newly Awakened. Save her, and I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
She could hear the strain in his voice as he begged. Cyn was not a man who was used to begging.
Purcell said, “I will hold you to your word, as you hold me to mine. But I insist that once you are there, you remain until the fracturing passes.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Follow me.”
Cyn got back in, closing the door with both hands, like he was too weak to do it with one. “We’re on.”
They wound through the city, busy even at this time of night. Ruby remained slumped but watched the buildings go by. Finally he pulled into a nearly empty parking lot. A sign pronounced the place closed for renovation.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“The Devil’s Ray nightclub, one of the private clubs for Crescents only.”
He parked near the entrance, going around to the passenger side and helping her out. She let her body go limp.
“In here,” Purcell said, leading the way to the back entrance of the three-story building. “I’ve commandeered one of the clubs to gather the Chosen. You’re the first to arrive.”
Cyn pretended to stagger, though when Purcell put his arm out to help, he stepped back. “I’ve got her.”
“Can you still become Dragon?”
Cyn sounded weary. “I doubt it.”
He stepped into the cavernous space, and the door closed behind them. More ominous, she heard the locks click. She felt an immediate difference in the energy, similar to how Chena felt. The reactor was definitely here. She met Cyn’s eyes, and he gave her a subtle nod.
Some lights were on, though they didn’t illuminate the space well. She heard two men talking somewhere nearby. Stacks of cots lined the outer wall. So that part was true, anyway. Two bars flanked the large space, and in the back, an open space she guessed was a dance floor. This would be the place where the Chosen would hunker down while all the other Crescents died.
Bastards.
Purcell gestured, and a man rushed over and set out a cot.
Cyn laid her down, whispering, “You’re going to be all right, baby.”
Another man came over and both remained a few feet away from Purcell. No doubt security.
Purcell held out his hand. “I will require your cell phones. No one can have access to the outside once they’re here. It’s for your own safety. When friends or acquaintances call, panicked about how people are dying, some will weaken and give our location. We can’t allow any more than are planned for.”
Cyn slowly pulled his phone out. He wouldn’t be able to call in Grayson.
“Hers, too.”
She wasn’t sure how he knew she had one, but Cyn dutifully dug into her pocket and retrieved it, handing both over.
“Stay with her,” Purcell said. “I’ll be right back.”
Cyn knelt next to her, but he watched the man retreat. She couldn’t see from her vantage point. They agreed that as soon as they were inside, they were completely in their roles. The two guards had remained, preventing even a subtle exchange.
Purcell returned and paused by the two men. “Where is Magda?”
Ruby’s eyes widened at the name. Of course Magda would be here. She was Purcell’s daughter-in-law.
One of the men said, “She went to gather some provisions.”
Purcell stepped into view, taking a call on his cell phone. “Yes?…It’s getting to be too much?…All right, you know where we are. I’ll see you soon. We’re ready.” He disconnected, turning to the two men. “People will start arriving soon.”
Cyn stood. “Ruby needs healing now.”
“The Deus Vis in the building should bring her around.”
“She’s fading fast. If she dies…” He let the threat hang in the air. They had a small window of opportunity, with only a few men here and Magda out.