Page 22 of Crimson Storm

Could I?

It looked like I had no other choice.

12

Too Late

Shane got out of the truck and opened the back door, tugging one of the blankets around me to make sure I was thoroughly covered.

“You go ahead and get out. I’ll help them,” he said.

“They may not be able to wake up. Carrying both at once is going to be tough.”

He grinned at me. “Then it’s a good thing I work out every day. You never know when you might need to lift a couple of sacked-out vamps. At least they’re little ones. Some of the males I’ve seen I probably wouldn’t be able to budge. I’m not sure if they were that way before they turned, or if it happens when they vamp out, but there are some scary-big bastards running around out there.”

Reece, with his six-four height and his two hundred pounds of solid muscle, came immediately to mind.

At the moment, I wasn’t really interested in discussing large vampire males. I was hoping the six-foot human one with me now could manage to finish what he’d started and wouldn’t yell for help the minute we were exposed.

Carefully lifting first Kelly, then Heather, Shane stood and moved away from the truck, carrying their wrapped bodies one over each shoulder. I followed, casting wary glances at the pedestrians I could see through the opening in my blanket-drape.

Maybe they’d think Shane was a rug delivery man or something. It wasn’t commonplace to see vampires out before dark.

“Where to?” he asked as I caught up to him.

“Right here.” I headed toward the apartment building’s front doors, clutching my blanket tightly around me.

After we’d stepped through the sliders, he gave me a sardonic look. “I thought you said it was a few blocks away.”

I shrugged and went to the elevator to push the call button. The doors opened, and we stepped inside.

What Shane had said in the truck was true. Iwasabout to pass out. The lack of rations was really catching up with me. In fact, I had to lean against the elevator car’s interior on the way up to the ninth floor.

A ding sounded, and the doors slid open.

This was where I had to make a decision. Even if it took a couple of trips, I could manage to get my friends down the long, carpeted hallway and into Larkin’s apartment without Shane’s help. Icouldlet him leave.

But at this point, the police had no idea where we were. Shanedid.

Which meant I shouldn’t let him go quite yet.

He didn’t even ask if I wanted him to come along, just followed me out of the elevator and down the hall to Larkin’s door. The building was quiet—a lot of vampires lived here, and they were no doubt just waking up from their daytime sleep.

Like the rest of us, Larkin worked at night. She’d be home now, though knowing her, she was probably still snoozing.

“Is this your place?” Shane asked.

He was still holding my two unconscious friends, and the strain was beginning to show on his face. There was a light sheen of perspiration on his forehead and upper lip from the exertion.

A swell of gratitude mixed with despair.Whatwas I going to do with him?

“No. It belongs to my friend.”

I knocked on the door, anticipating Larkin’s surprise and really looking forward to seeing her friendly face. Of course we wouldn’t have time for a real catch-up visit—I didn’t want her to get in trouble for harboring wanted criminals or something.

We just needed a safe place and a little time to regroup. And we couldn’t start our trip to Los Angeles until the sun went down and my two friends sobered up—and until we found some discreet transportation. A stolen prison guard’s truck wasn’t the ideal choice.

When there was no answer at the door, I rang the doorbell. Still nothing.

---