Chapter. 66

“Thank you.” I swoop down and grab all three vials before rushing out the door. Rahlan needs this medicine now.

The inn’s stiff door is still open, giving me a small sense of relief that I won’t have to burn time trying to move it again.

I shoot down the road, making no effort to be quiet or subtle. To avoid any confusion, I keep the Queensblood in my right hand and the two components to make the treatment in my left.

Soon I’m back at Jaclyn’s home, shoving her front door open with my shoulder. I hurry inside, heading straight for Rahlan’s room.

Dropping my backpack, I kneel beside his bed. He’s still unconscious.

Jaclyn closes both the front door and the room’s door. She must be concerned that someone may venture inside.

I pop the lid off the powder vial and pour it into the clear liquid. With my thumb sealing the bottle neck, I begin shaking the mixture.

Jaclyn rests her hand on mine.

“It’s the treatment,” I explain.

“Let me.” She takes the bottle from my hands. “You turn him on his side.”

She’s right. She’s a healer, and she has the experience to do it properly. I climb over Rahlan and dig my hands under his torso. Pushing against the wall, I strain to turn him on his side.

Jaclyn holds his head level and brings the solution to his lips. She hesitates for a moment at the sight of his long fangs. Either she’s not used to working on patients with fangs, or she’s reminded of the teeth that left the inky scar on her body. Pushing past her apprehension, she slowly pours the liquid into his mouth.

A nod of her head indicates that she’s done, and I let his body lay flat again, resting his head on a pillow.

Over the next hour, Jaclyn pops in and out of the room. I spend the time watching Rahlan’s chest move from beside his bed.

She checks his temperature and breathing again.

“He’s improving,” she says.

That’s good news. I wrap my fingers through his. He’s getting better.

She collects the empty vials and heads back to the living room. “We should leave him to rest.”

“I’ll stay,” I say, not looking up.

She stops at the door. “Patients are often thirsty when they awake. I’d leave a cup of water in the room, but I suppose that wouldn’t be helpful here.”

My eyes meet hers, and the reason for her concern becomes clear.

“I fear that you may end up quenching his thirst,” she says.

Being drunk from is nothing more than an irritation at this point, not something I’d fuss about when Rahlan’s life is on the line. “I’ll be fine.”

My eyes return to his chest, watching as his shirt gently rises and falls with each breath. He’ll be okay.

It takes a moment before I notice that Jaclyn is staring at me from the door.

“You love him,” she says.

“What? No I-”

“I tend to patients with loved ones by their bed every week. It’s evident in the way you look at him.”

My eyes fall back to Rahlan’s sleeping form. Have I really fallen in love with a vampire?

“He was your master?” she asks, unable to believe it herself, “The one who locked you in the underground cells? The one who killed your brother? Are you actually going to give yourself-”

“All I know is that I don’t want him to die,” I interrupt her. A surge of emotions rushed through me at her words, and I don’t know what I feel. I don’t know what I’ll do when he wakes up. All I know is that I need him to wake up.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” She steps out, softly closing the door behind her.

The candle colors the wooden room orange, and the window shutter makes it feel like this little area is removed from the rest of the world, this place that protects both me and the person I’m closest to – a vampire.

I squeeze his hard hand in mine. He’ll be okay. He has to.