Blood is control. It must be done.”
“Enough talk,” Jonas grumbled.
I gave Thomas wide, watery eyes.
He kissed my wrist once, twice. “As it was done, so shall it be undone. As one.”
“As one,” Jonas echoed.
I closed my eyes, unwilling to watch their betrayal of the few shards of trust I held for their memories. “Do any of you truly love me?”
“Yes,” Jonas murmured against my wrist. “Oh, yes.”
Six
Fangs pierced my flesh. My arms burned. Something warm and wet on my legs. My screams. Alexander’s frustrated roar. Blood spurted from my nose. My body thrashed, head hitting the bar over and over. Pain, so much pain. On and on they drank.
I jerked awake. “It’s all right, Rina,” Faith soothed, hand on my shoulder. “You’re safe.”
A door opened and closed.
“She’s awake,” Faith explained to the new arrival.
“I see,” a deep male voice replied.
My eyes watered, the world too blurry and bright. I blinked and our family physician, Doctor Scott, came into focus. His friendly gray eyes smiled down at me from his handsome, freckled face.
“Hey Doc,” I croaked past a parched throat. How long had I been out?
“Hey, yourself.”
“Where am I?”
“My clinic.” He pressed a button and raised the top half of the bed. “This is one of the top floor suites. Great view.”
Faith raised a cup. “Can she have some water?”
At his nod, she put the straw to my lips. Doc Scott checked my stats on the various machines while I drank.
I shifted, but restraints around my wrists and ankles limited my movement. “What’s with all the tech and the restraints?”
“You were unconscious.” He scanned the info on each machine’s screen.
“A coma?”
“Not exactly. Your brain was extraordinarily busy.” He motioned at the machines. “Data tracking.”
“The restraints?”
He tapped a few buttons. “For your safety. You had some seizures—one before you arrived and three more here.”
“Four seizures.” I suspected more reasons for the restraining business. “How long have I been here?”
“Four days.” Doc Scott unbuckled the restraints. The oxygen tube and IV followed.
I stretched and flexed. Not bad. Bandages covered my forearms, but otherwise no pain or outward sign of damage. I wore a set of my own pajamas, a soft black T-shirt and matching shorts instead of a hospital gown. Thank you, Faith.
“Doc.”
“Yes, Carina?”
“What aren’t you telling me? Were the seizures the only reason you restrained me?”
“No.” He switched off the machines, removed their associated attachments from my forehead and chest then unwound the gauze from my arm. “Faith, would you?” He nodded at my other arm.
Faith tackled the other bandage and answered the question my doctor avoided. “We were afraid you might be a little crazy when you woke up.”
I cocked my head and considered her words. “You mean rabid animal crazy or vengeful victim crazy?”
She shrugged. “Either. Both.”
My focus flicked to Doc Scott. “You know, right? About them. What they are. What they did to me.”
“Of course. I treat an exclusive clientele, primarily within the preternatural community, though it’s rare for a vampire to require medical assistance.” He peeled off the last of the bandages. “You heal fast. Always have.”
Two pale pink circles graced each wrist. Small, not even dime-sized. They didn’t hurt at all, but I squirmed and shivered anyway when the doctor palpated them.
“Tender?”
“No. It’s just—ew!”
He nodded in understanding.
I opened my mouth to grill him about the preternatural community he’d mentioned, but the door opened and two tall, dark and handsome men entered the room. My brothers Dom and Tony. They hovered near the door, awkward and nervous. Dom, the older of the two, frowned, arms straight and tense at his sides, hands balled into fists, looking ready to fight. Tony, also frowny-faced, squeezed the life out of his crossed
“Enough talk,” Jonas grumbled.
I gave Thomas wide, watery eyes.
He kissed my wrist once, twice. “As it was done, so shall it be undone. As one.”
“As one,” Jonas echoed.
I closed my eyes, unwilling to watch their betrayal of the few shards of trust I held for their memories. “Do any of you truly love me?”
“Yes,” Jonas murmured against my wrist. “Oh, yes.”
Six
Fangs pierced my flesh. My arms burned. Something warm and wet on my legs. My screams. Alexander’s frustrated roar. Blood spurted from my nose. My body thrashed, head hitting the bar over and over. Pain, so much pain. On and on they drank.
I jerked awake. “It’s all right, Rina,” Faith soothed, hand on my shoulder. “You’re safe.”
A door opened and closed.
“She’s awake,” Faith explained to the new arrival.
“I see,” a deep male voice replied.
My eyes watered, the world too blurry and bright. I blinked and our family physician, Doctor Scott, came into focus. His friendly gray eyes smiled down at me from his handsome, freckled face.
“Hey Doc,” I croaked past a parched throat. How long had I been out?
“Hey, yourself.”
“Where am I?”
“My clinic.” He pressed a button and raised the top half of the bed. “This is one of the top floor suites. Great view.”
Faith raised a cup. “Can she have some water?”
At his nod, she put the straw to my lips. Doc Scott checked my stats on the various machines while I drank.
I shifted, but restraints around my wrists and ankles limited my movement. “What’s with all the tech and the restraints?”
“You were unconscious.” He scanned the info on each machine’s screen.
“A coma?”
“Not exactly. Your brain was extraordinarily busy.” He motioned at the machines. “Data tracking.”
“The restraints?”
He tapped a few buttons. “For your safety. You had some seizures—one before you arrived and three more here.”
“Four seizures.” I suspected more reasons for the restraining business. “How long have I been here?”
“Four days.” Doc Scott unbuckled the restraints. The oxygen tube and IV followed.
I stretched and flexed. Not bad. Bandages covered my forearms, but otherwise no pain or outward sign of damage. I wore a set of my own pajamas, a soft black T-shirt and matching shorts instead of a hospital gown. Thank you, Faith.
“Doc.”
“Yes, Carina?”
“What aren’t you telling me? Were the seizures the only reason you restrained me?”
“No.” He switched off the machines, removed their associated attachments from my forehead and chest then unwound the gauze from my arm. “Faith, would you?” He nodded at my other arm.
Faith tackled the other bandage and answered the question my doctor avoided. “We were afraid you might be a little crazy when you woke up.”
I cocked my head and considered her words. “You mean rabid animal crazy or vengeful victim crazy?”
She shrugged. “Either. Both.”
My focus flicked to Doc Scott. “You know, right? About them. What they are. What they did to me.”
“Of course. I treat an exclusive clientele, primarily within the preternatural community, though it’s rare for a vampire to require medical assistance.” He peeled off the last of the bandages. “You heal fast. Always have.”
Two pale pink circles graced each wrist. Small, not even dime-sized. They didn’t hurt at all, but I squirmed and shivered anyway when the doctor palpated them.
“Tender?”
“No. It’s just—ew!”
He nodded in understanding.
I opened my mouth to grill him about the preternatural community he’d mentioned, but the door opened and two tall, dark and handsome men entered the room. My brothers Dom and Tony. They hovered near the door, awkward and nervous. Dom, the older of the two, frowned, arms straight and tense at his sides, hands balled into fists, looking ready to fight. Tony, also frowny-faced, squeezed the life out of his crossed
Similar Books
