“It’s possible,” he said, wondering if she’d consent to shut herself away with him.
“Possible, but not reasonable,” Kristoff said, frowning. “They’ll find you, Alec.”
“There is one solution,” Pia said, her hand on Kristoff’s leg. She glanced at him before continuing.
“What’s that?” Cora asked, and in a flash she knew what Pia would say.
Pia took a deep breath and pinned Cora back with an intense look. “Someone has to Join with Alec. I know you said you didn’t want to, but there’s really no other way to save him from the Akasha. I’m afraid you’re going to have to make a decision, Cora; it’s either you or Eleanor. One of you is Alec’s only salvation.”
Chapter Eleven
What, I ask you, do you say to a statement that you are someone’s only means of salvation?
Oh, yes, I completely disregarded the part about Eleanor also filling that role, because Alec obviously didn’t want her. That thought kept me smugly content for about thirty seconds, until I realized that if I didn’t do the job, Alec wouldn’t have the choice—he’d have to Join with Eleanor just to save himself.
An image rose in my mind of him feeding from her, bound to her for the rest of his life. It was not a good image.
On the other hand, that whole “for the rest of his life” part had me a bit skittish. “You’re kidding, right? Because I did the saving thing, already. Twice, if you count having Alec yanked out of the Akasha.”
“Third time’s the charm,” Pia said with a smile, but judging by the look she slid the vampire next to her, she didn’t really believe what she was saying.
“Yes, you did already save me, twice, as you point out,” Alec said smoothly, his fingers withdrawing from where they’d slipped down between my back and the couch. “And for that, I will be eternally grateful. It is enough. This problem with the council is not yours, Cora. I will find a solution.”
Alec’s words disturbed me almost as much as the fact that his friends clearly agreed with him. It rankled that no one there believed that I would exert myself to save Alec. Oh, I was no fool—I knew I’d brought this on myself with my reticence to become involved with anything vampirish, but dammit, I was involved now, and I wasn’t so closed-minded that I couldn’t adapt to a situation.
My inner devil rejoiced, and made plans for what dress she’d wear to the Joining party. I told her to go jump in a lake.
You are distressed, Alec said, the words as soft as his touch on my mind. Do not let yourself be, cielito. I will find a way out of this situation.
I didn’t answer him, too busy fuming over my growing sense of injustice to bother pointing out the obvious.
It took a half hour, but we explained the happenings of the last two days to a rapt Pia and Kristoff. By the end of it, Eleanor had evidently worked out the worst of her temper tantrum, and rejoined us, sullen and prone to shooting me nasty looks, but she appeared to have accepted the fact that she wasn’t going to end up with Alec as her boy toy.
Unless, of course, I didn’t want him . . .
“So your friend is still there?” Pia asked when Alec finished by detailing our arrival at their house. “In the Akasha, I mean?”
“Yes. And even though Alec says time operates differently there, I can’t help but think that at some point Diamond is going to get tired of all those managerial meetings and want to leave. Not to mention what my ex is going to think about her disappearance. I left a voice message for the office when I picked up my passport, saying that I was going to take a little time off, and Diamond was going to fly out to Hawaii to join Dermott at his real estate conference, but it’s been two days now. If anyone from the office calls Dermott, he’ll be bound to notice that his wife isn’t there with him.”
“Hmm,” Pia said, looking thoughtful. “As I see it, we have two problems to tackle: saving Alec and rescuing Diamond. Well, the latter, at least, should be easy enough. You simply contact that Guardian who got you out.”
“Alec has offered to finance that, yes,” I said with a grateful glance at him. He was looking particularly gorgeous, his hair slightly mussed from our sojourn in the mouse-infested room, a rich brown manly stubble on his chin and cheeks that left me feeling shivery inside, as if he were rubbing his cheeks along my skin. His leg was warm next to mine, making me want to just curl up against him and forget everything else.
Eleanor glared at me as I leaned into him just a little. “How very generous of him.”
“So that just leaves Alec to save,” Pia said, ignoring the sarcasm in Eleanor’s voice.
“I can save myself,” he answered, his hand sliding down my back again, his fingers gently stroking the curve of my hip.
Eleanor snorted.
“And if you get sent back to the Akasha, what’s going to happen to Cora?” Kristoff asked.
Alec’s fingers stilled.
I frowned. “What do you mean, what will happen to me?”
“Alec is acting as your protector. Who will assume that role if he’s banished to the Akasha? ” Kristoff’s eyes were a pale blue as he watched me.
“That’s right,” Eleanor said, considering me with something other than hostility, a speculative glint to her eyes. “She is a . . . what did you call it? Earwax of Lucifer? ”
“Eyeball!” I corrected her. “I’m the eyeball of Lucifer, not the earwax!”
“Eye of Lucifer, actually,” Alec corrected.
“Hmm,” Eleanor said softly, looking pleased with herself.
She’s totally going to try to use me to blast you to smithereens, I warned Alec.
He laughed. Perhaps, but we will not allow that.
Hrmph. He might not be concerned, but I made a mental note to keep a close watch on Eleanor for signs she would try to use me against him.
“That’s a good question. Is there anyone else who can protect Cora if Alec is banished?”
“Like Alec,” I said, straightening up from where I was slumped against him, “I can take care of myself.”
“Can you?” Kristoff asked. “Can you protect yourself against a wrath demon?”
“Well . . .”
“Leave it, Kris,” Alec said, his fingers once again stroking gently down my side.
“Can you protect yourself against the Ilargi who captured Ulfur?”
“If I had to, I might,” I said hesitantly, thinking about the gun de Marco had wielded. My leg had healed, but even so . . .
“Kristoff,” Alec said with a distinct note of warning in his voice.
“What about Bael himself? He makes frequent appearances in the mortal world,” Kristoff said, pounding home the point. “How will you protect yourself against him?”
“Bael . . . he’s . . .” I stopped, knowing it would do no good to lie to myself and the others. “He’s pretty bad.”
“That’s an understatement,” Kristoff said drily.
“Stop trying to pressure her,” Alec told his friend, a frown between his brows.
“Yes, god forbid someone should actually want to save you. It’s far better to force that on a person, instead,” Eleanor said acidly.
Kristoff ignored the comment. “I’m simply trying to point out the obvious. Her life is tied to yours now. You need each other.”
I was about to protest, but Kristoff’s words resonated in my head in a way that made a warm glow kindle. Alec did need me. I’d never before been vital to anyone’s life, and yet here was the answer to everything I’d ever wanted—someone who truly did need me.