ShadowsofNight (20 page)

The cool mist traveled lightly across Emma’s exposed skin as
she stood in the shrouded depths of the trees banking the clearing. Moonlight
crept through the spaces around her, its silvery light intertwining with the
darkness. She looked up at the moon, trying to gain strength from its
brilliance as she watched the large gathering of males in the distance.

It had been tricky getting past the Sentinels at the
security gate without detection. She’d managed to pull it off by wearing the
same dark clothes and stuffing her hair in a beanie. There were other female
vampires in the group, dressed in similar black fatigues, which further helped
her blend in.

Emma scanned the large crowd and spotted Christian standing
near Roman. Her heart squeezed. Damn, if he caught her out here it wouldn’t be
good. Not after his refusal to let her fight. She knew he’d be mad but she
couldn’t sit back and not help. The fact that she was still
transitioning—Christian’s reason for refusing her request—shouldn’t make a
difference. She was a skilled fighter and was more than capable of handling
herself. She was also feeling a lot stronger, especially after that last
feeding.

She’d broken away from the group and was currently crouched behind
a fallen tree. A multitude of dark shapes began to materialize about five
hundred yards away. She assumed it was Dorian and his men. So much for going to
him
. A calm resolve came over Emma even as fury became a palpable force
inside her.

“I won’t miss again,” she whispered, squeezing the wood-tipped
dagger in her left hand and waiting for an opportunity to join the fight. The
dark shapes drew closer as more warriors appeared in the clearing, each taking
a defensive position against Dorian’s troops.

She kept her eyes on Christian. He put his hand over the
hilt of his sword and his eyes locked on someone.

“Dorian,” she bit out, following her mate’s line of sight.

Before she could react, all hell broke loose. One minute it
was calm and the next it was a clash of bodies.

Emma burst out of her hiding place in a full-out run toward
the battle unfolding in front of her. She jumped right into the thick of
combat, maneuvering around fighters, searching for her target. Intense fury
boiled in her blood.

Attacked head-on by a charging vampire, she absorbed the
impact without pause. Twisting out of his grasp, she stabbed him through the
heart with her dagger. His face contorted in a vile expression before he turned
to ash at her feet.

Adrenaline coursed through her body as she continued to hunt
for Dorian. Her only focus was to find and destroy him before anyone else tried
to stop her.

She was attacked again and knocked to the ground. The male
vampire who had her on her back was large and powerful. She slashed her dagger
across his chest and threw dirt in his eyes, momentarily blinding him.

“You’ll not escape me, bitch!” he growled in anger, using
his forearm to pin her down while he wiped the debris from his eyes.

A sickening crack sounded as his neck was twisted and
snapped before he was thrown off her.

“Thought you might need a little help.” Lena held out her
hand.

“Thanks.” Emma grabbed her arm and rose to her feet.

“You’re welcome.” Lena shook her head with a smile.

“Where’s Dorian?” She scanned the males locked together in
battle but none resembled her target. As the memories of her mother resurfaced,
along with the pain over everything she’d lost, determination took over.
Nothing would stand in her way.

“You’re not fully transformed. Dorian is too dangerous to
take on,” Lena warned.

“Fine but this is my fight too. I want to help.”

“Behind you! Look out!” Lena cried.

Something large grabbed Emma in a chokehold.

“Motherfucker!” she grunted, throwing her head back and
hitting something solid. Suddenly released, she turned, throwing her dagger at
a beefy vampire.

He staggered. “Bad aim, bitch.”

“Yeah, well, I won’t miss again.” She dove for him.

“Not today. Until next we meet.” He disappeared like mist.

Emma twirled around, bewildered as the fighting suddenly
ceased and Dorian’s vamps began disappearing. “Where the fuck are they going?”
she panted.

“I’m not sure. It looks like they’re all retreating,” Lena
replied.

“Lena, thank the gods!” Marcus came running over. “I thought
I told you to stay close to me.”

“I’m okay. Why did Dorian retreat so suddenly?” She embraced
him.

“Who knows? Maybe he didn’t like the odds.” Marcus smirked,
and then turned to Emma. “Christian will not be pleased, especially so soon
after your close call with Dorian.” He gave her a disparaging look.

“I’m fine, really,” Emma replied.

“She fights well,” Lena offered.

“She’s not ready,” Marcus growled at Lena.

Emma didn’t like being treated like an invalid. She
understood where they were coming from but this was her fight too, and she
didn’t intend to sit on the sidelines and watch like a spectator.

“Emma!” She heard a deep voice from behind.

“Shit,” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder to see
Christian’s expression clouded with anger. Her chin rose and she turned to
boldly meet his furious glare.

Dorian materialized behind Christian with a sword, poised to
strike.

A scream caught in her throat at the look in Dorian’s eyes. Pure
evil glistened out of his soulless orbs as he ran his sword through Christian’s
body just above his heart, dropping him to his knees.

Blood spewed forth, spilling out of Christian’s mouth and
chest as his eyes rolled back and his body fell forward to the ground with a
sickening thud.

The shock of witnessing her lover being impaled stole the
breath from Emma’s chest.

“Didn’t I say you’d watch your lover die? And I always keep
my word,” Dorian snarled.

“No!” Emma let out a howl of pain and stumbled forward. Her
knees buckled as pain lanced her chest. Another anguished cry broke free from
her lips.

A split second later, Roman slammed into Dorian from the
side, knocking him away from Christian before he could finish the job.

“Her lover’s as good as dead!” Dorian spat, tracing out of
Roman’s grasp.

Marcus snarled, “Get him!”

“This isn’t over.” Dorian quickly dematerialized with a
haunting laugh that echoed through the trees.

“Christian—oh God, what have I done!” Emma reached for him.
Mired in guilt, her heart squeezed. She didn’t know what to do. She was sobbing,
crying so hard her whole body shook. He’d been there for her. Fought for her,
cared for her more than anyone ever had. Now he was going to die because she’d
distracted him.

No, please not him.

Emma lifted his head, sliding under him to cradle it in her
lap. “Please don’t leave me, Christian.” She continued to weep bitter tears of
regret. Her dream had become a reality. Tears splashed across his face as she
continued to whisper her apologies. He didn’t respond, didn’t move. Nothing
prepared her for the gut-wrenching anguish that swept over her. She heard the
sounds of shouts echoing in her ears. Everything felt surreal, time stood still
as her emotions fell into a tailspin of pain and grief.

“Emma, let me take him.” She heard a male voice but was only
vaguely aware of it, her mind frozen in misery.

“I can’t…” Her voice caught.

“You must.” Roman knelt next to her

“What if he dies?” She held on to Christian, afraid if she
let him go she’d never see him again.

“We’ll do what we can.” Two strong arms grabbed her from
behind as someone else lifted Christian and took him away.

“Let go of me! I want to go with him.” She had really messed
up and needed to tell him how sorry she was. It wasn’t supposed to go down this
way.

“He needs blood, Emma,” Marcus said, arms tightening around
her.

“Then I’ll give it to him!” She’d give him every last drop.

Hot tears poured down her face as she stilled in Marcus’
grasp. The same paralyzing fear gripped her that she’d experienced the night
she’d watched her parents die.

She felt Marcus’ grip loosen, and then he disappeared.

“What have I done?” Emma hugged her waist as more pain
washed over her.

“It’s going to be okay.” Lena gave her a worried look.

“Where are they taking him?”

“I’ll show you.”

“Thank you,” she choked out.

Lena placed her arm around her shoulders as they made their
way back toward the compound. Emma wanted to turn back the clock. If she could
just have Christian back, alive and well, she’d never take him for granted
again, ever.

“Things between us were strained…I should’ve told him how I
really feel about him. I didn’t.”

“Be strong, Emma. You’ll get your chance to tell him. Don’t
worry. Christian’s a warrior. He’ll not give up easily.”

“I hurt him. He tried to give me his heart but as usual, I
kept refusing it out of fear.” Emma shook her head.

“Do you love him?”

God, so much it hurts.
“Yes—yes, I love him very
much.”

“I’m so happy to hear you finally say it.” She smiled,
grabbing her hand and traced them inside the house once they passed the gates. “Your
love may be just the thing to bring him back from the brink.”

“Shouldn’t his injuries heal after they give him blood?”

“Even our kind has become more technically advanced in
weaponry. Dorian’s sword likely had wooden barbs embedded in the steal that
break off inside the victim. They could eventually poison him.”

“So you’re saying he won’t heal even if he drinks blood?”

“It’s hard to know for sure,” Lena replied.

Marcus came down the stairs as they approached.

“How is he?” Lena asked her mate.

“His injury is quite serious. Luckily, it missed his heart,
otherwise he wouldn’t be here.” He pressed his lips together tightly.

“So he’s going to make it?” Lena asked.

“I’m afraid that depends on Christian. I should call Dane
and let him know of his brother’s condition. I’ll be back.” He began to walk
away.

“Can I go to him?” Emma’s voice hitched.

“Yes, of course.” Marcus nodded.

“What if I can help him heal faster by giving him some of my
blood?”

“Bad idea. It could be dangerous to give blood since the
process of turning into a vampire is much slower for your kind. Besides, he’s
probably going to need more blood than you’re able to give.”

“I don’t care. Let me help him,” Emma replied.

“He wouldn’t want you to risk your life.” Marcus ran his
fingers through his hair.

“How do you know what he wants? Have you asked him?” Emma
asked.

“We’re bonded males. It goes without saying. If I were in
his state, I wouldn’t want Lena to put her life in danger for me either,” he
argued.

“Yes, love, but you know I would do anything to save you,
just as Emma wishes to do now,” Lena intervened.

“It seems I’m without a comeback,” he sighed. “I’ll take you
to see him.”

Emma followed Marcus back up the stairs into another wing a
world apart from the rest of the mansion. They went through a set of doors that
opened into a maze of sterile white corridors lit by florescent overhead lights.
Emma tried to keep track of where they were going but everything looked the same.
Finally, Marcus paused in front of a door. “He’s in here. My healers are
working on him now. I’ll ask them to step out of the room to give you two some
privacy. We’ll be right outside if you need us.”

“Thank you,” Emma whispered.

He slipped inside and a few minutes later, returned. Fear
slithered down her spine as she followed him back into the room.

Christian’s scent wrapped around her like a warm embrace as
soon as she stepped over the threshold. There on a large bed lay her mate. He
had tubes and an IV drip connected to his arm. A white sheet covered his lower
body and his eyes were closed. His wound looked infected and his coloring wasn’t
good.

Oh God.
She covered her mouth as she approached the
bed.

“Hello, miss, my name is Arturo. So you are his mate?”

“Yes, how’s he doing?”

He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve cleaned out all the
wooden barbs embedded in the wound. But I’m afraid he’s not healing.”

“Let me help him.” Her voice cracked.

“Marcus told me what you wish to do. You understand this
could compromise your life?”

“I’ve been warned and it doesn’t change anything. If
he
dies, I’ll die, so what’s the difference? Let me try.”

“Very well, but he can’t drink from you because he’s not
conscious to take your vein. I’ll set up an IV line. You can donate
intravenously.”

“Okay.” She leaned forward to stroke Christian’s face. His
color was gray and his skin clammy to the touch.
Please let this work. Stay
with me, baby.
She kissed his forehead then took his slack hand and held
it, pressing his fingers to her lips. “You can’t leave me.”

“You ready?” Arturo asked.

“Yes.” She took a seat in the chair next to Christian’s bed.

“Hold out your arm and make a fist.” Arturo swiftly inserted
a needle into her vein and then another into Christian. “I’m only going to take
enough to see if it will help kick-start the healing process, but no more.”

“No. You take whatever he needs.” She grabbed Arturo’s arm.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“Let’s see if it works first, all right?” He gave her stern
look.

She nodded, resting her head against the back of the chair. A
few moments later, she watched as her blood started to flow from her to Christian.
At first there was no noticeable change. But very soon his color started to
return and his wound began fusing.

“It’s working. Oh my God, it’s working! See, doctor?”