The Vampire And The Highland Empath by Clover Autrey Page A

pound of sense between them.” A swift ache flooded her chest. She wished they were here. Together her brothers would lift the debris and save the lass. Then Charity would heal her. Unshed tears blurred Edeen’s vision.
    Margaret’s fingers curled around hers. “I’m going to die, aren’t I?”
    “Nay, Margaret, I will not let ye.”
    The lass smiled at that and nodded.
    “Edeen,” Roque’s voice strained with effort.
    She looked up and found several men crawling beneath the partially fallen wall.
    Not men. Gremlins. She blinked, having never seen the thin creatures even in her own time. They wore black iron helmets with bands of gold that bent their pointed ears downward and she’d never been happier to see anyone in her life.
    “Lad said you could use a hand in here.”
    Nodding like a drunkard, Edeen nearly sagged with relief.
    The lead gremlin took his helmet off and placed it on Margaret’s head. Though thin and fragile seeming, the gremlins were strong. In no time they had the boulder secured with rope and Margaret freed and her and her brother whisked away, hopefully to some kind of Healer Sorceress.
    Outside the destroyed house, Edeen sank down on, she wasn’t sure what it was, a broken chair? She was exhausted, her limbs shaky and weak.
    Roque lowered beside her, and rested his head in his hands. She felt low tremors run through him.
    The bowed legs of a gremlin stood before them. Roque looked up. “Thank you for coming.”
    The gremlin nodded. The pink tinge of his skin looked grayer beneath the dusting of grime.
    “Vampire, we could use your help.”
    Though weary, Roque stood. “Let’s go.” He took Edeen’s hand and drew her to her feet. “I need a safe place for her.”
    “My safe place is with you.”
    Roque stared at her as though he had something of great import to tell her, but instead he shook his head, and said, “You’re worn-out.”
    “As are you.”
    A sad smile touched his mouth and he ran his knuckles along her cheek, before nodding.
    They spent the entire day moving from house to house, Roque identifying heartbeats buried in rubble, and then the gremlins pulled survivors out.
    They worked tirelessly.
    Creatures of dark magic, Edeen thought. Vampires and gremlins, yet she could see no darkness in them. Nay, she witnessed nobility shored by compassion and heart.
    Everything she thought she knew about magic and their dark and light properties was crushed beneath the seeking hands of a few gremlins.
    They worked late into the day, taking small breaks where sandwiches and warm tea were offered from the back of a lorry to all the rescue workers.
    Edeen helped as best she could, mainly soothing victims through use of her errant gift, guiding their memories to happier times. Though her gift was sporadic, she still remained a calming influence and the gremlins quickly learned to bring her in to help immediately, while Roque sometimes went on ahead to find the next heartbeat.
    She met him on the street, walking toward her, a young girl in his arms. Something had changed.
    The gremlins with him walked with a slower gait, less urgent, weariness bowing their shoulders.
    Edeen hurried toward them, heedless of the cuts on her feet. “The child?”
    “She’s alive,” Roque said, not meeting her gaze.  
    She looked to one of the gremlins.
    Frowning, he slid his helmet off his bald head. “There were two pulses when we began.”
    The press of tears burned behind Edeen’s eyes and in her throat. Even with all they’d saved, losing one… She shook her head.
    “We’ve searched all the houses,” the gremlin said. “We need to get this one to the Infirmary.”
    Roque’s gaze lifted. “I’d like to take her.”
    The gremlin nodded. “I’ll show you the way.”

    Chapter Fifteen

    The Royal Infirmary was a bustle of activity. It reminded Edeen of the activity within their keep after a long hunt. Women and men in white clothing or faded green uniforms directed injured to different