Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Laurent was almost afraid to try but he knew he had to. If there was a chance, any chance at all that Paul was still alive then he had to save him. Even if the bond between them was dead and there was no hope of reviving it, Paul was still the love of his life. I promised him I would come to him—I must fulfill that promise no matter what.
He couldn’t afford to close his eyes since he was driving through Miami traffic but he took a deep breath and reached inside himself, probing carefully for the remains of their bond. He could feel the empty place where Paul’s half of the bond had been— more like a bloody socket than a hole where a plant has been uprooted. There was nothing there.
Laurent almost gave up in despair but then he thought to feel for his own half of the bond. The silver tree was there but it hung limply, its branches drooping and apparently dead. Still, when Laurent touched it, he felt something. A tiny jolt—like something had shocked him. Could this be the spark Celeste had spoken of? He felt it again and this time it came with a faint buzzing sensation that somehow turned into…
Pain…despair…weariness… As Celeste had said, it was more an echo of emotion than a true emotion but Laurent was sure he felt it and it was coming from Paul.
He’s alive. I’m sure of it! Yes, Paul was most definitely alive, but for how long? I must get to him. The sun stabbed at his eyes through the dark glasses like knives and he could feel the daylight sapping his strength already but Laurent didn’t care. Squinting his eyes against the sunlight, he floored the accelerator and pushed the silver Jaguar to the limit.
*
“I think everybody’s gone now. We can probably go out.” Angel helped Paul to his feet.
“Okay, sure.” Paul stretched experimentally and was cautiously glad to see that he was feeling slightly better—physically, anyway. Inside he still ached and throbbed, missing Laurent. But at least now that the silver was gone his were metabolism was beginning to kick in.
“You’re looking better.” Angel nodded at him approvingly. “I mean, your face still looks like raw hamburger but you know, not much change there. You always were an ugly hijo de puta. ” He laughed and Paul tried to laugh with him but he couldn’t manage much more than a weak chuckle. Now that he was healing on the outside, it seemed the pain inside, the pain of the broken bond, was growing worse. It was as though his outer aches had distracted him and now that they were lessening he had nothing to keep his mind off his inner agony.
“Come on.” Straightening up with an effort, he forced himself to walk toward the door. “We need to get going.”
“Yeah? What’s your hurry? Got somewhere else to go get the shit kicked out of you?” Angel sauntered along behind him, hands stuffed deep in the pockets of his baggy jean shorts like nothing had ever happened. Now that Paul was obviously going to be all right he seemed to think that everything could go back to normal somehow.
No, I have a lover to save, Paul thought of saying as he turned the knob and stepped out onto the sagging porch. But he didn’t need to get Angel riled up again and besides, he didn’t even know if that was the right word for Laurent—not anymore. Not now that their bond was broken. But if— “Hold it right there.” Someone grabbed him from behind in a chokehold and twisted his arms behind his back.
“I told you he wasn’t dead! I knew it!” Mercedes was suddenly standing in front of him with an evil grin on her face. “I knew Angel wouldn’t really kill him.”
“Yeah, you were right.” The voice behind him had to be Chulo. “You got it just right, baby.”
“What the fuck?” Angel stepped out onto the porch, glaring. “What the fuck are you two still doing here?”
“Exposing you, packleader. ” Mercedes spat the title sarcastically. “We’ve been suspecting there was something going on between you and Skulls for a while now. Why else would you favor him over your own flesh and blood?” She nodded at Chulo who was still holding Paul in a grip so tight he could barely breathe, let alone fight back in his weakened state. “I favored Paul over my own flesh and blood because my own flesh and blood is a fucking numbnuts pendejo. Now let him go—he’s been fucked with enough today.”
“I don’t think so.” Mercedes’ eyes gleamed. “And don’t come another step closer, Angel,” she added when the packleader started to advance on her. “I have enough Wolf’s Bane under my nails to put down a whole pack, let alone one maricon, has-been packleader.”