The phone rang on the receiver and filled the warehouse with its loud sound. Doran opened his eyes slowly and pushed himself off his bed. He walked through the loft and stopped by the stairs. He found Aedan lying on the couch and staring up at the ceiling with a distant look on his face. The man had come back from their last assignment quiet and deep in thought.

The phone rang again and he walked downstairs into the office. Picking up the phone, he greeted the person and pulled out a pen and tablet of paper.

"Yes, we can get on that. We'll be glad to handle it for you. All right, tonight at seven then."

Hanging up, he wrote down the details and the contact's name. He stared at the new assignment and shoved a hand through his hair. He knew his partner was recovering from the shock of the love of his life walking back into their lives, but he needed the man's help. Clearing his head, he wiped his hands on his pant legs and left the office. A knock came from the door and he stopped in his tracks.

The knock came again and he slowly crossed the floor. Unlocking the door, he pulled it open and met his cousin's brown gaze. She looked good but he noticed the smaller body holding up her clothes. She had a bag over her shoulder and she slid something out of the front pocket. He watched her hand him an envelope and he slowly took it.

"What is it?"

She fixed her bag and said, "Your father wanted you to have it."

He glanced down at the envelope and looked up to find her gone. Looking down the pier, he didn't see her and he ducked back inside. Closing the door, he walked to the stairs and climbed them as he popped the envelope open. Stopping at the top of the stairs, he pulled a letter out and began reading it. He remained rooted to the spot and reread the words written before him.

Glancing up, he turned his gaze on Aedan and tried to figure out how to tell the man. The blonde man fixed his dark gaze on him and slowly sat up. He got to his feet and walked into the kitchen.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

"My father sent this along with Aine."

A hand stopped on the counter and Doran watched the man look up at the ceiling. Taking a deep breath, he folded the letter up and crossed the loft.

"He tracked her movements after Coyle took her. She stayed with him in the mountains at the man's mansion and-"

"Enough."

Doran laid the letter on the counter and said, "Aedan, you need to read this and go talk to her. She looks like she's ready to leave."

The man looked back at him and said, "She can do what she wants. She doesn't report to me."

"You love her."

He fixed a cold look on his friend and said, "I did."

Doran growled and said, "The woman is ill. You want to keep playing this game of cold shoulder and you're going to lose her for good."

Aedan picked up the letter and asked, "Why would your father send this with her?"

Doran shrugged and said, "I guess he figured she wouldn't read it."

He frowned and slid his eyes over the words. The man had kept tabs on her all right and said she had been viciously attacked, almost killed. The head vampire had healed her and then they were ambushed by the monsters. Coyle was wounded severely and never came back outside. She left the mansion covered in blood and returned to the town with the young wolf pup. Her arrival had been in the middle of the night and she had received medical treatment and was suppose to be hospitalized but she had packed her things and left. The man had caught up with her when she was buying a ticket to grab a ride on a ship and he begged for her to bring this letter to his son in hopes he could save her from her self-destructive mission.

Stopping on the last word, he looked up at Doran and crumbled the letter. Dropping it onto the counter, he walked over to the stairs and grabbed his jacket. Slipping it on, he walked downstairs and left the warehouse. He shoved his hands into his pockets and felt his wallet brush his knuckles. Opening the leather wallet, he saw her picture sitting next to some spare cash and he stared at her happy face.

Putting his wallet away, he walked down the pier and headed in the direction of the marina. Crossing a street, he saw the boats flying their flags and he heard the motors starting. The ships would be leaving for the weekend and he looked around the ships. He saw a man handing a bag over to Aine and walk his way. Staring at the man, he recognized him as the client from the last assignment and he turned his gaze back on the woman.

He saw her glance to her side and brush blonde hair from her face. She pulled her jacket tighter around her and walked down the docks. He followed her and saw her step onto a medium size boat and disappear into the cabin. Staying out of site, he looked over the boat and saw the window looking out his way. Kneeling down, he looked in the window and saw her slip her jacket off and pull her hair off her neck.

A faint mark caught his attention and he watched her pull a white, long-sleeved shirt out of a duffel bag. She slid it over her tank-top and rubbed her hands along her neck. Rolling her head, she left the cabin and he withdrew into the shadows. She appeared on the deck and walked over to the engine. Kneeling down, she checked the gas level and walked over to the motor.

A growl caught his attention and he looked over his shoulder. Belenus stood inches in front of him and he watched the wolf step past him. He watched the wolf climb onto the boat and saw her looking at him. She climbed onto the dock and began loosening the ropes.

"You leaving?"

She tossed the first rope into the boat and walked down to the second one. He watched her hands expertly remove the ties and he walked closer.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

She looked up at him and slowly stood up. Her eyes met his with their aged brown and he looked her over. Her jeans were loose on her and the white top covered the weight loss.

"Running?"

"Following the job."

His jaw tightened and he asked, "Yours or ones people are willing to pay you for."

She stared blankly back at him and crossed her arms across her chest. He met the challenge and stepped closer.

"Why are you here?"

He held her cold gaze and said, "I know you're sick."

Her gaze faltered and she looked away. He watched her kneel down to the rope and caught her arm.

"Aine, you have to quit driving yourself into the ground."

She pulled away and said, "There's nothing else to do."

He watched her toss the rope into the boat and look back at him.

"I'm leaving. You wanted me gone. You should go out and celebrate."

The bitterness struck him in the chest and he caught her shoulders. She kept her gaze low and he forced her to look at him.

"Let me help."

She stared at him and said, "This is my fight."

"Aine, you could die."

She smirked and said, "Cost of doing this job."

He frowned and gave her a hard shake. She didn't get how important she was to the world. He didn't understand how she could willingly throw her life away without a care in the world.

"Aine, this world needs you."

She fixed him with a distant look and said, "No, it needed my mother."

He felt the small tremor run beneath his hands and he held her gaze. She was fighting off any help but was slowly failing inside. He could feel her strength waning and pulled her to him. His mouth slid over her lips and down her neck. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Feeling the emotional caress, she pulled back and held her arms. He caught her face in his hands and saw her look away. Catching her hand, he watched her take another deep breath and step into the boat. Her fingers slipped through his and he felt his throat tighten. She started the engine and the water kicked up as the motor began running.

He felt his pulse racing and he stepped into the boat as she pushed the lever up. Her eyes snapped to him and he walked up behind her. He caught her hand in his hand and pushed the lever up more. The motor quickened and the boat moved away from the docks. She turned around and they stood inches from each other.

"What are you doing?"

He slid his hand along her face and said, "I'm not going to let you walk away again."

She looked away and turned her back on him. Resting her hand on the lever, she forced herself to breathe and keep going. His hand rested on hers and she felt him stand behind her. Keeping her eyes forward, she tried to ignore him and the pain growing inside her.