“When he was injected with the virus,” Laura said, remembering what she’d been told.
“Yes, and it still didn’t bring out his animal. Tah’s beast surfaced with me. Logan’s didn’t with Clara. Reno’s showed itself when he was shot. Logan’s didn’t. Everyone is different. Gideon’s able to see it’s there, just like Finn’s. But it’s not the same. I understand that we all needed to try this. My mate has barely slept since he found out what’s going on with Logan.”
“So you don’t think Clara’s the key,” Laura realized.
“No, not by herself. I think if she was, we would have already seen it. I’m with the Professor on this one. I think the truth is in the blood. We need to look at yours in comparison to Logan’s. Maybe even compare a sample of your blood mixed with your mate’s to a sample of Logan’s with Clara’s. Hell, the key may lie in seeing how your blood changed Finn’s. His animal is out now. Why did his respond to being mated while Logan hasn’t? They both were dealing with similar issues. Maybe finding this out will allow us to help Kenzie more. If we can figure out what stimulates the animal’s emergence, then we could potentially reverse the effects of whatever blocker they injected her with. The answer is there somewhere. We just need to find it.”
“I’ll give as much as you need,” Laura promised.
“I know you will,” Abby said, patting Regan on the back. “Did Logan tell you the nickname he gave the Professor?”
“No.”
Abby laughed. “The Vampire King, because he’s always wanting more blood from us.”
“Well, he can have all of mine he needs.”
“You say that now, but just wait. Soon, you’ll moan like the rest of us,” Abby teased. “You ready?”
“Good, you’re still here,” the Professor said as he bustled in, joining them. He was the same height as Abby, just slightly shorter than Laura’s five feet six inches. His silver hair was thick and sticking up in places as if he’d been running his fingers through it. He locked onto her. “You’re the key. I knew it but couldn’t figure out how. Logan’s cure is in the blood. Your blood to be precise.”
“Why mine?” Laura asked.
“We need to go,” the Professor urged, waving them toward the door. “If my calculations are correct, a transfusion of Clara’s blood will put Logan right back to where he was the night he was given the virus.” He held up a vial. “I’ll need to give him this.”
“What is it?”Abby asked as they headed out.
“I’ll tell you when we get there. Best to explain it all at once. But this…” His palm tightened around the vial in his hand. “This is the key to unleashing his animal.”
They walked into noise and chaos. The door to the room Logan was in had been flung open. Growls, snarls and roars met their ears. Laura ran the remaining distance and pulled up short in the doorway.
Logan was strapped to a table. His eyes, so much like hers, glowed neon. Reno and Tah both loomed over him, while Clara leaned down by his ear, whispering to him. Gideon drew blood while Diane was watching a monitor. Vic stood between Diane and the bed that held Logan.
“We don’t need that blood,” the Professor announced as he entered behind her. “Get me a fresh hypodermic, Diane. I’ve got exactly what Logan needs.”
“What is that?” Tah demanded then roared when Abby appeared in the door with Regan. “Get out of here!”
“She’ll be fine. Everything will be fine,” the Professor said calmly. He walked over and started opening drawers when Diane didn’t move. “An enzyme. That’s what it was all along. It’s not about Clara’s blood, but about Laura’s. She saved Finn, and today, she’s going to save her brother.”
“What enzyme?” Clara demanded.
The Professor found a needle and pulled it out, tipping the vial upside down and piercing the seal. “An enzyme unique to Laura and Logan. I didn’t realize it was there until I compared their blood. She has it—an abundance of it. He doesn’t. There’s only a minute amount displaying in his blood. I believe it’s the key to unlocking the animal inside of Finn.”
“Are you sure?” Tah demanded.
“Have I ever steered you wrong?” the Professor demanded. “I wouldn’t be here, about to inject him, if I had any doubts.”
Their gazes held before Tah finally turned to Clara. “What do you want to do?”
“I trust him,” she answered.
“At least, someone does,” the Professor mumbled. “Now, move out of my way.”
Logan was snarling, fighting to get free of the bindings holding him. He was pure animal rage.
“Logan, look at me. Concentrate on me. Hear my voice. I love you. You’re my heart and soul. Do you hear me?”Clara’s voice was calm again, whispering in his ear.
The Professor filled the needle and injected it into Logan’s arm just as Finn and Zane charged in. Zane zeroed in on his mate, taking Vic’s place, while Finn headed straight for Laura.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his hands running over her.
An alarm filled the air before Laura could answer.
“No!” Diane yelled, pushing against her mate and reaching for the monitors Logan was attached to.
“What’s happening?” Laura asked, her gaze bouncing all over the room, trying to take it all in.
“Logan!” Clara screamed, her terror and grief tearing at everyone. “Don’t you leave me! Don’t you dare leave me! Logan! Logan!”
Tah and Reno began ripping off the bindings.
“Come on, pup,” Reno urged. “Don’t give up on me now.”
“Fight, Logan,” Tah demanded. “Dig deep and hold tight!”
They were falling apart. Diane was beating at the machines, somehow missing the button that would stop the alarm, so the blaring noise continued. Zane had one hand on his mate, the other reaching out to grasp the bed, holding Logan. Regan fussed in Abby’s arms, as if she were picking up on the emotions overwhelming the room. Tah, Reno and Clara continued speaking to Logan as if he could hear them. Gideon and Vic stood toward the head of the bed, and Laura realized they were there to help whoever needed them. Logan, Clara or any of the others. Finn stood with her, his presence the anchor she needed.
Her gaze moved to Logan. He was motionless. Clara clung to him, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed his name over and over again. Tah and Reno both had moisture staining their cheeks. They each held a hand, both of them commanding Logan to wake up. Logan remained unresponsive.
“Shh,” Finn whispered in Laura’s ear. “Don’t give up yet, baby.”
She knew her mate felt the swirl of her emotions. She hated to think of him seeing the vision of himself flashing through her mind. She’d watched her mate die, she couldn’t watch someone else she loved do the same.
“Don’t let him die,” she begged. “You have to save him.”
“Give it a minute,” the Professor said.
“Logan?” Laura whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. Had her blood killed him? “I can’t lose him, Finn.”
Her mate held her close. Every sob from Clara was like a fist hitting Laura’s heart.
“I need you, mate,” Clara cried. “I need you more than I need air to breathe.” Laura watched her gaze lock onto Tah. “Don’t let him die. I can’t lose him. I won’t make it without him.”
“Give it time,” the Professor repeated.
“Do something,” Tah roared. The sound filled the room, temporarily overpowering the noise of the machines. Laura’s animal responded, wanting to add her cry to his.
Reno growled and shoved the Professor out of the way. “I’m not fucking waiting. Stay with me, pup.” He jumped on the bed, straddling Logan, and began CPR.
“Give it time to work,” the Professor yelled over them all again. “We’re lucky I made it here before he took in too much of the pure blood. He would have crashed.”
“Before he took too much?” Diane challenged. “You made him crash. Whatever you gave him did this. We’re losing him.”
“The fuck we are,” Tah muttered.
“We’re not going to lose him, but we definitely could have,” the Professor said. “We gave him pure shifter blood, thinking it would help. With some it would. Not Logan, because he doesn’t have enough of the enzyme needed to process it. It was like giving him an undiluted dose of pure adrenaline. His heart wasn’t able to take it.”
“No,” Diane argued, looking horrified.
“I found the enzyme in Laura’s blood and was able to isolate it. This vial holds the key to getting that enzyme into Logan’s system and allowing him to begin processing what’s inside him. I don’t know why it was so decreased in him, but it should be taking hold very soon.”
“How soon?” Tah demanded while Reno continued chest compressions.
Suddenly, Logan surged off the table as if an invisible rope pulled his chest toward the ceiling. Reno fell back, and Tah reached out to steady him as he moved from his perch atop Logan and slid to stand on the other side of the bed again.
“Logan,” Tah called. “Is he okay?” he demanded, not taking his gaze off Logan.
Logan’s mouth was open wide as he gasped for air, arms flung out to his sides as life flowed back into him. Reno and Tah stayed close, giving Clara room as she moved from the head of the bed toward the side. Laura noticed they remained near and figured it was in case Clara or Logan needed one of them to step in and help.
“Logan!” Clara screamed and launched herself onto the bed with him, taking him back down. His arms surrounded her, hugging her close while she ran her hands over him and peppered his face with kisses. “Don’t leave me. God, please, don’t leave me.”
He groaned as she shifted her weight atop him.
“What? What’s wrong?” she asked.
“You let Reno do CPR, didn’t you?” he said. “He always breaks ribs. Bastard.”
“You’re welcome, pup,” Reno said, and Laura saw his hands were shaking.
“Let’s clear the room,” the Professor said. “I’ll leave this here. He needs an injection every twelve hours until it’s all gone.”
“I’ll give you all the blood you need to make more,” Laura said, finding her voice.
“I don’t believe we’ll need it,” the Professor replied.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Logan muttered. “Am I fucking dead?”
“No,” Clara said, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. “And you better never be again. Why would you ask that?”
“Because I can’t think of any other reason the Vampire King would turn down blood.”
* * * *
Laura stayed with Logan after everyone departed, leaving only her, Finn and Clara. She couldn’t make herself go, not without clearing the air. Gabriel had asked her if she’d been glad to see Logan again, and she’d decided she was. Still, nothing brought that home more than watching him almost taken from her.
“He’s okay,” Finn whispered again at her ear.
“I know,” she said, but she could still hear that shrill beep from when he hadn’t been.
“Come here,” Logan said, holding a hand toward her. His other arm was wrapped around his mate, keeping her tucked close to his side, where she’d remained since he’d revived.
Finn urged her forward when her legs didn’t want to work, and she grasped Logan’s hand in hers.
“It seems you saved my life,” Logan said, and Clara shuddered beside him. “Thank you.”
Laura nodded then shook her head as tears pooled in her eyes.
“Laura?” Logan questioned.
“Hey,” Finn said, moving in behind her until her back was braced against his chest.
“I can’t keep watching the men I love die in front of my eyes,” she choked out, tears falling like rain from her eyes. “I can’t.”
“I love you, too,” Logan said, and the dam released.
She fell on his chest, sobbing. “I’m so sorry, Logan. I should have run to you as soon as I knew you were here, not away from you. I hurt you. I wanted to hurt you because I was selfish. I blamed you when you were just as hurt as I was. I was too blind to see it. I love you, Logan. I’ve never stopped loving you. Never.”
“I know,” Logan said. “I could see it in your eyes. They’re always the way to find out our secrets. You give yourself away.”
“Don’t leave me, Logan.” Laura echoed Clara’s earlier plea, reinforcing it with her own.
“Finn, I’m counting on you to remind her of this when she’s bitching and moaning about me never leaving her alone,” Logan said, but Laura saw his grin.
“I will,” Finn agreed with a laugh then leaned over her to give Logan a big smacking kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad you made it.”
“We should compare notes sometime,” Logan joked. “Did you see the white light everyone talks about?”
“More like a darkness coming to greet me,” Finn replied. “You always were the good one of the group.”
“You’re so
not
funny,” Laura said and reached over to smack Finn.
“You, either,” Clara agreed with a nip of her teeth at Logan’s jaw that made him moan.
“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Finn said.
“I’d appreciate some alone time with my mate,” Clara agreed.
“I’ll see you later,” Logan said to Laura, but his gaze was on Clara, an equal measure of love and lust in it.
“Later,” Laura agreed and let Finn lead her from the room, being sure to shut the door behind them.
“I think I could use a little alone time with my mate, too,” Laura said.
“I like the way you think,” Finn agreed, sweeping her up into his arms. He bent giving her a kiss. “Are you okay?”
She knew he referred to what Diane had done earlier. She reached down and lifted the hem of her shirt, revealing her perfectly healed stomach. “All better. Diane doesn’t use the solution they did in the lab that slows healing. So why don’t you take me home and put that erection I can feel to good use.”
“I like the way you think,” he said and headed out the door.
Chapter Fifteen
Finn was primed and ready by the time he stopped the ATV behind her house. Laura had taken advantage of her position behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and massaging his cock with both hands. She jumped off and ran toward the door before he had the vehicle shut off. He followed her scent, lust and need wrapping around him like the stroke of her skin.
He shut the back door and saw her shirt draped over the chair. He forced himself to go slow, to enjoy the cat-and-mouse game she played. He picked up the T-shirt and held it to his nose, fisting it in his grip as he moved toward the hall. Her bra was there, the scrap of lace out of place on the bare floor. He scooped it up and kept walking. Her sweats lay just inside the bedroom door, shoes kicked off beside them.