Page 34 of Claiming the Dhampir

My eyes widened. Nathan needed my blood. Would my dhampir’s magic give him the strength he needed to at least get home? He had a supply of blood back at the fortress. Could I give him my blood without giving in to my own desire for his?

Elliott nodded, his eyes pleading with me to understand, because he couldn’t say it out loud. I didn’t want to admit it, but I understood. His friend was dying, and I could help. Nathan was probably the only one I could help.

“Bring Kenrid home,” I whispered.

“I will. Promise.” He leaned down, and I thought he might kiss me. He shook his head. “Hurry.”

“I’ll try.”

My eyes fell back to Kenrid’s unconscious form one more time, then I turned toward the door. Alyssa and the rest of the fae were gone, but the room wasn’t empty. Dozens of people stood between me and the open door. I recognized some of them from the clan meeting. They nodded at me as I passed by.

Most of them appeared angry or frustrated, but a few gave me faint smiles. The last two standing on each side of the door scowled at me. I definitely remembered them, two of the shifters from the house I’d abandoned with Alyssa.

I swallowed hard and raised my chin before walking past. Apologizing would be useless, mostly because I wasn’t sorry. I really wanted to believe that Damon found us because of what I’d done.

As soon as I stepped past the threshold, I quickened my pace. Damon was shutting the back door to Elliott’s truck at the end of the driveway. I didn’t want him to leave without me. I didn’t want to disappoint Elliott because I hesitated. I didn’t want Nathan to die if I could prevent it.

Damon paused when he saw me, and a flash of worry crossed his face. Or maybe I felt it through our bond. Or maybe I was projecting my own emotions onto him—literally. By the time I reached him, I was running. He caught me and pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Are you sure you can do this?” he asked, massaging my back with both of his large hands. I still swore he could read my mind.

“I have to,” I muttered against his chest.

Damon gave me a gentle squeeze and let me go, then opened the back door once again. Nathan lay sprawled across the back seat. He was so very pale, almost gray in the darkened interior of Elliott’s truck. Some of the cuts along his chest had started to heal, but the ones that hadn’t were no longer bleeding. I suspected as much earlier, but it turned my stomach to see it confirmed.

Damon cleared his throat, startling me, but I was glad for the reminder. I had no desire to move Nathan, so I scooted onto the floorboard. A few moments later, Damon was in the driver’s seat and the truck was moving. I stared down at Nathan’s chest, counting the seconds between his breaths. Thirty-five.

We need to feed him, Mir said.

I know. I know.

The thought of cutting myself was unsettling. I didn’t have a knife. Even if I’d had something sharp and pointy, I wasn’t sure I could do it.

Let me, Mir offered.

I didn’t hesitate to step back and allow her to take over. I was too caught up in my own head to do anything useful.

Mir bit into my wrist and pressed the bleeding cut against Nathan’s mouth. Thankfully his lips were slightly parted. I couldn’t imagine trying to force his mouth open. I was also grateful that my dhampir had a stronger stomach than me. All I’d done was panic, which made it impossible to think or make decisions.

Take a nap or something, Mir said. I don’t need your internal dialog right now.

Sure! Let me just turn off all my emotions, I snapped back.

Whatever, just don’t distract me.

I wanted to be mad at her, but she was right. It was going to take all our concentration to resist the vampire once he woke up. I did my best to silence my thoughts and let her have the reins.

A slow trickle of blood dripped into Nathan’s mouth, but he didn’t move. It didn’t look like he even swallowed it. Mir leaned over until her lips nearly touched his ear.

“Nathan.” A hint of suggestive magic edged Mir’s voice. “Wake up.”

Nathan’s eyelids fluttered but didn’t open.

“That’s it, my love,” Mir whispered.

Nathan’s hand suddenly gripped my arm, and his mouth latched onto my bleeding wrist. His eyes popped open, deep red completely consuming his baby blues. I knew without a doubt he saw my dhampir staring back at him.

“Lorna, no!” Damon bellowed from the driver’s seat. “Do not entrance him!”

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