Page 63 of Crimson Storm

“Who is he?”

“My friend, Shane Eastwood. He saved my life and Kelly’s and Heather’s lives too. I owe him. Please try. And don’t let anything happen to him. He’s important to me.”

“Very well. Kannon, follow me. We’ll put him in this first room on the right.”

The doctor started calling out orders to the clinic staff. Once I saw Shane settled into a bed and hooked up to an IV, I headed for the clinic exit.

“Where are you going?” Dr. Coppa asked.

“To face the music. Imogen wants to see me.”

* * *

The silencebetween us was deafening as Reece and I walked through the Bastion’s connected caverns toward the throne room.

Though I hadn’t expected a parade upon my return, it hurt that he would treat me so coldly, acting like I was a stranger instead of someone he’d once cared about.

Clearly he hadn’t missed me the way I’d missed him. What a fool I’d been to keep pining away for him when he’d so obviously moved on.

“You haven’t said anything about the fact I broke the pendant and drank your blood.”

There was a beat before he answered.

“Your leg is covered in blood. Your blood. So I’m assuming the gunshotdidn’tgraze you but penetrated your leg. Which means you did what you had to do.”

He went on in a nonchalant tone. “It was an emergency. That’s why I gave it to you—in case of emergency.”

“Is that the only reason?”

He darted a side glance at me. “What other reason would there be?”

Because you cared. Because you missed me. Because you wanted a part of you to go with me, just as a part of me was left here with you.

Those were the reasons I’d been hoping to hear, but clearly I’d been way off in my wild imaginings about what the gift could have meant.

I didn’t answer his question. Instead I asked him another one.

“Why are you angry that I’ve come back?”

His jaw worked side to side, and his lips twisted. Finally, he spoke. “I’m not angry. I have no particular feelings about it whatsoever. I’m merely curious... as to what could have made you think this place is safer for you than the outside world. Thananywhereelse in the world.”

Oof.It was like a punch in the gut that knocked all the air from my lungs. No feelings whatsoever?

“Believe me, I never intended to come back,” I snapped. “I’m well awareno onewants me here. What can I say? I was desperate.”

He didn’t slow his pace. “You should know, things have changed since you left.”

“Oh really? So you’renotImogen’s whipping boy, indulging her every whim these days?”

He shot me a murderous glare. “Our population has exploded since President Parker took office. More and more vampires are losing their jobs, their homes. Many are being imprisoned on false charges.”

“Tell me about it,” I muttered.

He gave me an alert glance. “You said you were in trouble. What happened?”

“I’ll explain it all to your queen when we see her. No point in telling the story twice.”

He looked annoyed but didn’t ask twice. “Most of all, Imogen has changed,” he said. “She’s less patient than she used to be.”

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