Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“She knows what she’s doing,” Ambrose said, bracing his arm on the bed as he leaned close. “Alice has been taking care of Vampires and their mates for more than a century.”
I glanced over my shoulder at her, but she wasn’t paying any attention to us.
“You’ll take care of him?” I asked, wrapping my hand around his wrist.
“You know I will.”
“And you’ll be careful,” I ordered.
“Of course.”
“I think this was maybe a bad idea,” I said as my heart started pounding so hard I could feel it at the base of my throat.
“It’s not,” he assured me. “By the time you wake up, we’ll be home.”
Alice carried over a little kidney-shaped bowl of supplies and perched on the bed opposite Ambrose.
My hands started to tremble.
“I’m just going to get your IV started,” she said, smiling. “That’s how I’ll administer the sedation. I’ll be here the whole time, monitoring you and Reese. All right?”
“Okay,” I replied, letting her lift my arm with blue-gloved hands.
“I’m thinking,” Ambrose said softly, distracting me from the little wet wipe that Alice scrubbed along the top of my hand. “When I get home, we should hole up in my rooms and spend a few days in bed.”
“I’m not opposed to the idea,” I replied, wincing at the sting of the needle.
Ambrose smoothed my hair back from my face gently. “It’s going to be fine, baby.”
“This is just saline,” Alice said, patting my arm as she stood. “I’ll add the sedation in a few minutes once I’m done with Reese.”
I let out a long breath.
“It should only be a few hours,” Ambrose said.
Both of our heads turned as Charlie came rushing into the room.
“Oh good,” my brother said with a relieved smile. “I’m not too late.”
“For what?” I asked as he walked toward my bed. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Har har, you’re hilarious,” he replied with a smile. “I brought you a lovey.”
My throat tightened as he flicked out Zeke’s quilt and tossed it over me. The scent of Zeke—and my brother—drifted through the room, masking the smell of antiseptic.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I said, my hand going immediately to one of the little embroidered scars.
“I know,” he said as he stood next to the bed, straightening the quilt. “But I thought—I don’t know—that it would be comforting or something.”
“It is,” I choked out, nodding. “Thank you.”
“I’ll be fine,” he said with a little wave of dismissal. “And we’ll get Finau’s mate back, which is the most important thing.”
“You’re the most important thing,” I countered.
Charlie glanced at Ambrose meaningfully.
“Yeah, him too,” I grumbled jokingly.
The truth was, I was worried for them both, but less for Ambrose. I knew all about his history because Zeke hadn’t skimped on the details while talking about his brothers. Ambrose had been successfully putting himself into dangerous situations and then getting himself out for a very long time. This was just another Tuesday for him.
“Okay, I think we’re ready,” Alice said. “Say your good nights. This shouldn’t take long.”
I met her eyes, and something like understanding passed between us.
Charlie immediately leaned down to give me a hug as I stared wide-eyed at Ambrose.
“Sleep good,” Charlie said. “Love you.”
“Love you too. Don’t be an idiot.”
He laughed as he leaned back up.
Ambrose moved in next, brushing his lips over mine once, twice, then pressing them more firmly. I closed my eyes and inhaled the scent of his skin as my eyes watered.
It would be fine. They were going to be fine. They were sedating me so that Ambrose could help Charlie. It was a good thing. I was doing my part, even though it felt like the opposite.
“I’ll be here when you wake up,” Ambrose promised, still leaning close. “Relax.”
My eyelids grew heavy.
“Be careful,” I ordered, forcing them as wide as I could.
“I will.”
I pressed harder against the quilt, trying to ground myself, trying to keep myself awake. I had other things to say, but I couldn’t think of them, and then it was too late. I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. As they slid shut, I felt Ambrose’s lips against my forehead.
That’s when I felt the strange lump beneath the embroidery. Something was inside the quilt. My fingernail caught on the edge of it, and I opened my mouth to tell someone.
Then nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
The room grew warmer.
Warmer.
Hot.
Hot.
HOT.
Somehow, in the suffocating darkness, I remembered that I had to stay silent as I burned. There was a reason for the heat. The little lump pressed against my fingernail. I focused on that as I burned from the inside out.
Chapter 10
Ambrose
“It’s time,” my father said, standing in the doorway.
Lucy was out. It had taken less than a minute for her to fall asleep. I ran my hand down her arm and rose to my feet, following Charlie and Beau out of the room as Alice put little oxygen cannulas in the women’s noses.