Sadness filled his eyes as he nodded. “I have.”
“It’s a miracle she’s survived this long. All the things Hiro’s tried have kept her going, but… time’s running out.” I scrubbed my hand over my face.
“You think Rebe would help?” he asked.
“Yes.” I didn’t hesitate because I knew they would help me. “They’ll help Rasha, I know they will.”
“This is a big decision, Bas,” Talon said softly. “And I don’t think it’s yours to make.”
“I know.”
Nikolai moved closer and rubbed my upper arm. “You also have to think about… if she does this, will Hiro, too?”
“I can’t ask that of Rebe.” I shook my head.
“Bas, Hiro’s a human. They only live for—”
“I know,” I cut him off. “I… I know.” It was something I didn’t want to think about, something I’d been ignoring. But the truth of the matter was that Hiro’s lifespan was a hell of a lot shorter than mine. I’d already decided I was going to beg him to let Toby turn him or let Alec give him a werewolf bite, but… I was pretty damn sure he wouldn’t allow either. It wasn’t something I wanted to think about.
Talon patted my hand again. “There’s still time. Talk it over with Hiro, and if you guys decide to go through with it, we’ll go to Faela and speak to Rebe.”
A tiny flicker of hope took root in my heart, but I wasn’t stupid enough to let it grow because I knew how Hiro was going to react. It was going to take a lot to convince him, but this was the only good choice left.
Chapter Nineteen
Hiro
“No.”
“Hiro—”
“I said no, Basil. It ain’t happenin’.”
“But this could fix her, Hiro. Nothing else has helped. None of the spells we’ve tried have done anything. Taking her there would fix her.”
Rasha and I had been stayin’ with the Ellwoods for over a month now, and I’d eventually let Basil try every one of his experiments, but this was one I absolutely did not want to do. He’d been begging me for at least a week. Rasha had been sent home from school early nearly every day this week because she was getting lightheaded and in pain, and every time, Bas brought up this crazy-ass plan of his. Crazy-ass, stupid, fuckin’ terrifying plan.
“What makes you so sure, huh?”
Basil’s jaw ticked. “I told you. Faela is made of magic, it is magic. Going there is our best bet. The kelpies have magic unlike any other. Rebe will help, I know they will. Their people have this—”
“There ya go, talkin’ about this Rebe fucker again! Are you sure you don’t wanna go back there just to fuck them?”
Basil’s entire body went rigid, and the flash of anger I felt from him before he managed to block it from me was like a fuckin’ tidal wave. “You are my motherfucking viramore, Hiro. I don’t want anyone else! How many damn times do I have to tell you that?”
“I’ve been hearin’ about your fuckin’ ex nonstop all goddamn week! Rebe this, Rebe that. If you’re so over them, why do ya keep talkin’ about them?”
“Because they’re the only fucking kelpie I know that might be willing to help us! You fucking asshole. I can’t believe we’re having this fight again. What is the matter with you?” Some hurt seeped into his words, and I suddenly felt like the asshole he was accusing me of bein’.
With a sigh, I rubbed my eyes with my fingers. “Every time you say their name, this anger takes over my fuckin’ mind. I’m not doin’ it on purpose.”
He sighed. “Are you resisting this so hard because of that?” His words were soft, more questioning than accusing, so I took a beat before I answered.
“Maybe.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He walked closer to me. “I know this is weird, but Rebe’s a good person, and I know they’ll help us. They’re our only shot at getting to that spring. It’s in kelpie territory, through this crazy confusing cave system under the fucking island, deep in the ocean. We won’t get to it without their help.”
Even though anger was burning in my chest at the thought of this person with Basil, I tried to push it down because I knew he was right. “You really think they’ll help us?”
He smiled softly and said, “Yes. They’re still my friend, even after everything, and they love kids.” He placed an open hand on my chest. “Easy there, dimples, you don’t need to go ripping off heads and growling like a beast.”
“I’m not growling, asshole.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” He smirked. “Chill, Hiro.”
“I don’t wanna chill.” I grabbed his hips, stepped closer to him to rest our foreheads together, and closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them to refocus on him. “If you think this is worth tryin’, then we’ll do it, but we need to speak to Rasha about it first. If what you say is true, she should know what she’s getting herself into.”
“Do you think we should wait until I ask Rebe? I’m like ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure they’ll help, but I don’t want to get Rasha’s hopes up, just in case.”
I sighed. “Yeah, okay. She’ll be excited about goin’ to Faela with you anyway. Let’s tell her after dinner. But, Bas?”
“Yeah?”
“When we get to Faela, you’re not fuckin’ talkin’ to that fuckin’ kelpie by yourself.”
He snorted. “Alright, hunter, you can come with me as long as you promise not to try killing them.”
“I’m not makin’ that promise.”
He leaned back and lifted a brow.
“Fine. I promise I won’t as long as they keep their fuckin’ hands to themselves.”
Basil grinned. “I knew you liked me.”
“Don’t let it go to your head, witch.”
He went up on his toes to press his lips to mine. As he went to break away, I grabbed the back of his head and held him there so I could give him a proper fuckin’ kiss. I deepened it, devouring him, my tongue tasting every inch of his mouth, and he groaned and draped his arms over my shoulders.
The furthest he’d let me go with him was some heavy petting and blow jobs—lots of blow jobs—and it was really starting to frustrate me. I couldn’t blame him exactly, but it didn’t feel good knowin’ he still didn’t trust me fully. Not to mention sleeping next to him every night was really wearing on my patience. Part of it was due to the fact that Rasha was in the house, I knew that, and also because he’d been busy as all hell. This week, he’d finally been assigned to the witch-killer case. There had been four more witches killed in the last three weeks. And they were no closer to catching the serial killer.
Basil broke our kiss and whispered, “I’m glad you’re coming with me this time.”
“Me too.” I kissed his forehead before resting mine there again. When he’d gone to Faela a few weeks ago, he’d only been gone for two nights, yet it had felt like it had been two years. “Yeah, you’re not doin’ that by yourself anymore.”