“London, it’s lovely to see you—though I wish it were under different circumstances.” Her smile was genuine but fleeting as she nodded to a nearby gurney.
“I need to draw blood. Since I did profiles on all my siblings years ago, it will be easier to make comparisons.” Franklin expected to see orderlies standing nearby; instead, he noted London’s husbands waiting patiently in the shadows. London might be one of the world’s leading vaccine researchers, but she was a sister first, and they knew to stand out of her way. Leaning down, she pressed a soft kiss against her oldest sister’s forehead, her bright blue eyes swimming with tears when she straightened.
Dr. Evan Monroe, London’s husband, was one of the country’s top orthopedic surgeons. The Monroe Clinic, Evan’s private surgical center, was adjacent to the lab. Eli Monroe, Evan’s twin, was also mated with London. As the head of the powerful Monroe Pack, Eli was responsible for the protection of one of the oldest and largest packs of shapeshifters in the country. Stepping forward, Eli pulled his wife into his arms while Dr. Monroe did the blood draw.
“She’s going to be fine, love. Evan will whisk her off to the clinic while you work your magic here in the lab.” Watching Eli comfort his wife warmed Franklin’s heart. He’d always be grateful he’d been the one hired to contact London—it played out as a clusterfuck extraordinaire but would have been far worse in the hands of an operative with no qualms forcing the petite self-described lab-rat’s compliance.
“Let London see the videotape.”
Eli’s voice jarred Franklin out of the memory of London’s dramatic escape from an attempted abduction. Franklin’s plan to frighten her, so he could ride in and rescue her like a dashing white knight, had blown up almost before it started.
Franklin’s spunky grandmother had been cautioning him for decades against using his skills in what she described as nefarious ways, but he hadn’t listened. His arrogance had nearly cost London her life.
Pulling his phone from his pocket, Franklin quickly brought the video up on the screen before setting the still-vibrating device in London’s outstretched hand. She played the short video several times, pausing to enlarge various frames before turning her attention back to him.
“You had someone time travel back to investigate?” When he nodded, her eyes widened. “I guess this means they can look but not touch?” Once again, he nodded. “Well, I’m trying to be grateful for the information, but it sucks little green donkey balls, they weren’t allowed to throw the jerk off the damned plane.” Eli’s hand moved so fast it was little more than a blur. The sound of the solid swat he’d delivered to his wife’s ass surrounded them, drawing a gasp from London. “Hey, knock it off. We’re in the lab.”
“Indeed, we are. I swear you speak like an inebriated soldier rather than the brilliant woman we all know and love. This may be your lab, but you’re surrounded by family rather than assistants, so your lovely ass is fair game.”
It was the first time Eli included him as part of the family. Franklin was surprised how significant the moment felt. Before Asia, Franklin’s entire life had been focused on developing the skills he’d need when it was time to take his place on the Council.
Duty to the magic community had always taken precedence. Even when he’d worked as a private consultant to organizations whose missions didn’t align with his own code of ethics, he’d kept his head.
Asia changed everything. She was now his priority. Watching Evan wheel Asia out of the room without following was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. He knew she wasn’t in any immediate danger, but it didn’t matter.
“I already know what she was given, Franklin. I recognize the capsule from the video. Are you certain she was only given one? Her reaction is a bit over the top. I suspect there was another dose.”
“I don’t know. It’s possible the observer returned after finding the incident on the plane.” It was more than possible, it was likely. Hell, he hadn’t considered there might have been more than one dose, so he doubted the observer considered it. His instructions had been simple—find out who gave her what and when, then bring the information back as quickly as possible. London’s quick hug surprised him, but he was grateful for the sweet gesture.
“Don’t worry. She isn’t going to feel like herself for a while, but Asia will make a full recovery. The drug is time-released, which explains why it wasn’t an issue until the day after she returned. I still think she was given more than one dose. Have someone check her purse. It’s probably hidden among the supplements she is so fond of. Her bloodwork is going to tell us everything we need to know, so I’m going to get right to it.” London turned away from them, and Eli shrugged at the implied dismissal. Since Franklin had witnessed her intensity when focused on work, he knew there was no reason to attempt to further engage her in conversation.
“Come on, I’ll walk over to the clinic with you. If I know my brother, he’s running his own battery of tests.” The other man slapped him on the back and laughed. “Why do something once if you can replicate it again and again?” Franklin smiled at the other man’s sarcasm, grateful for the chance to set aside his worry for a few minutes. He wasn’t going to be able to stay long. The others were waiting for him to return before opening the final door.
“I want to check on her before I return to the Quan estate. I don’t want to leave but…”
“Are you kidding? Hell, I’d love to see what’s hidden in that damned subterranean vault.” Franklin stopped dead in his tracks, shocked by the man’s admission. Eli looked equally surprised by Franklin’s dismay. “What? Hell, magicals all over the world have been sending energy your way. Not only is the mystery intriguing, but we all also need to know how powerful we are when we band together against the evil spreading unchecked. Goddess knows, none of us can protect ourselves without help. If nothing else, this has shown many in our community how crucial it is we stick together.”
Franklin was humbled knowing this project was important to the magical community as a whole. Eli Monroe was destined to become one of the best pack leaders in the world. Franklin had read the prophecies and knew what laid ahead for the younger man. The Monroe pack would face trials, all groups do, but with the help of his brother and the continued guidance of his retired fathers, Eli’s leadership would be recounted and praised in the history books for generations to follow.
“Thank you for your support. I’ll make certain the Council knows about your contribution.” Much to Franklin’s surprise, Eli’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Modesty was so rare in the magical community, Franklin found himself smiling. “I promise to send you pictures of what we find. Of course, I’m obligated to notify Vienna Adler first, but I’ll include you on the second notification. Your pack should be rewarded for their loyalty.”
Eli’s eyes widened, a smile spreading over his face. His enthusiastic, “Fuck yeah,” made Franklin laugh out loud.
Chapter Thirteen
It’s only a matter of time until my head explodes. The world was spinning around her, the only thing she could do to make it stop was open her eyes, and she’d already made that mistake once. Right now, she wasn’t convinced she’d ever be able to open her eyes again. The damned sun was streaming in the windows, playing laser tag with her retinas. Yeah. No thanks. Taking a hard pass.