Chapter 7

The fall must have done considerable damage, but David could leave the girl to her own kind and hope their medical treatment would be enough. He pulled up in front of his house, turning in his seat and eying the bite marks on the girl’s neck. His guts twisted as he thought about forcing Russell to make the wounds look like cuts. She was in enough pain already, but he wouldn’t chance exposing them all to save her.

She seemed to sense the direction of his thoughts, because her eyes widened and her breaths came in panicked little bursts. Her tongue flicked out over her bottom lip, over to the edges, almost as though desperate to lick the sweetness from her last dessert since she knew she’d never have another.

Except, that was not icing on her lips. He frowned, eyes narrowing as he pushed Russell aside to get a better look. “Is that blood on her mouth?”

With a petulant scowl that contrasted with the vulnerability and fear she’d shown so far, the girl jutted her chin up and met David’s eyes. “Yes, that’s blood on my mouth.”

Somehow, David found patience, even though he was starting to wonder how the girl had survived sixteen years with so little regard for her own safety. He kept his tone soft, not wanting her to be afraid of him. She should be, but why make things more difficult? He needed answers.

“Is it your blood?”

This time, she dropped her gaze, as if she’d done something she knew was wrong. And whispered, “No. Charlie’s.”

The earth seemed to drop a foot beneath him. He shook his head, backing away from her, leaving the car before he said or did anything to make her feel the goddamn fear she should have. The sound of the car door slamming echoed down the quiet street. The rain soaked his hair and his clothes and he tipped his head back with his hands covering his face to hold in the curses he wanted to shout into the night.

Charlie had damned her. He doubted there was enough blood to turn her, but she couldn’t go back to her pitiful existence among her own kind. If he didn’t bring her across, he’d have to kill her, because otherwise she would suffer for days as Charlie’s blood slowly made changes that would destroy her from the inside out.

In three hundred years, David had been forced to do terrible things to stay alive. To build the sanctuary he’d sacrificed even those he loved, always focused on the greater good. He’d give his own life to make sure there was always a safe haven for those whose lives had been stolen from them. But making another creature like himself? There had never been any reason good enough.

There still isn’t.

True, and yet…he couldn’t help feel responsible for Charlie’s actions. A need to clean up Charlie’s latest mess. Why should the girl pay for simply being in the wrong place, at the wrong time?

Others would pay if he saved her. If he couldn’t control her, every life she took to feed the insatiable hunger would be on him.

If I do this, I will control her.

She would be a weakness. One many would try to use against him.

I won’t give them a chance.

He let out a bitter laugh, knowing he’d already made his choice. He’d take her life and her freedom and hope she would eventually forgive him when she realized what she’d become. He would let her decide, but there was no way she’d understand.

She’d be better off dead.

The night air snapped at Helena’s flesh, cold and cruel as Russell lifted her out from the back seat. Russell kept Tommy’s coat wrapped around her as she shivered and pressed as close to him as she could. She wasn’t hurting so much anymore. That was good. She was so tired of the pain.

Just so tired.

Russell’s arms tensed around her. He gave her a little squeeze. “Just a couple more minutes and we’ll be inside.”

Inside would be warm, but the warmth wouldn’t fix her. She wasn’t ready for the end and she sensed it closing in, arms outstretched as death prepared to take her gently from Russell’s arms. All she had to do was let go.

Don’t you dare let go!

What was left to hang on to?

They can save you. Don’t forget why you’re here.

She couldn’t remember why, but she struggled to take another breath. Looked up and met Russell’s pale green eyes. “Are you a doctor?”

Russell’s lips drew into a thin line. “I did a year of pre-med.”

Her teeth clicked together as she tried to stop their chattering, her struggle to stay awake making the frigid air lash at her as if her efforts pissed it off. “Is it really freakin’ cold, or is it just me?”

“It’s a little chilly, but you’re feeling it more because you’ve lost a lot of blood and you’re going into shock.” He turned down a small, paved path leading to a house that she couldn’t make out through the shadowing trees around it.

“Am I going to die?”

Russell took the three steps in one easy jump and put a hand on the doorknob. He closed his eyes and shook his head. “No.” He twisted the doorknob, glanced over to where Tommy and David were still talking, and muttered under his breath. “Sorry David. You’re gonna have to get a new fucking door.”

Russell kicked the door and the frame shattered, letting them in even as her consciousness splintered into darkness.