Page 49 of Crimson Bond

Kannon whipped around to face her, in shock. “What did you just do?”

Larkin tilted her chin up at him, completely unrepentant. “People were talking about looking for a solution.”

She held up the empty needle. “I just happened to have one in my pocket.”

“Is that the cure?” Reece asked.

“I guess we’ll find out,” Larkin said. “Imogen just became test subject number one.”

26

Perfect for the Job

Abbi

It had been four days since the horrifying feast, and still Shane hadn’t awakened. Maybe he’d lost too much blood after all.

I sat by his bedside in the clinic where Dr. Coppa had offered to watch over him. Apparently the staff had gotten attached to my human friend in the time he’d spent here recovering from his gunshot wound.

A couple of them had even offered to guide him through the early stages of vampire life when he woke up.

If he woke up.

I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples, hunching over in the uncomfortable chair.

“I always thought he’d make a good vampire,” confessed Ellie, who’d been his primary nurse during his recovery. With a silly eyebrow waggle, she added, “I told all my friends how hot he’d be if he ever turned.”

She buzzed about the room, checking the readout on the devices attached to my unconscious friend.

“Have you ever seen anyone take this long to transition?” I asked. Honestly, Shane looked dead to me, though the instruments indicated brain activity and a weak pulse.

“Not personally, but I heard about a case where it took a couple weeks.”

In the room next door, Imogen lay comatose and guarded by Kannon, though it was unclear whether he was there to protect her while she slept—or the rest of us should she wake.

Reece popped into the clinic occasionally to check on both patients. He was gruff and moody, like he had been when he’d first pledged himself to service with the Bloodbound.

As he had on his previous visits, he seemed annoyed to see me standing vigil over Shane today.

“Anything yet?” he asked in a begrudging tone.

“No. He’s pretty much the same. How is Imogen?”

“Still sleeping. She hasn’t desiccated or anything if that’s what you’re wondering. Still can’t tell if the supposed ‘cure’ did anything or not.”

“Well, if it’s ‘not,’ I’m pretty sure the answer will come in the form of our heads being suddenly disconnected from our bodies.”

He nodded then let out a frustrated-sounding noise. “You can’t just keep sitting here day and night. It isn’t healthy.” He tossed a hand in Shane’s direction. “There’s no telling how long it’s going to take for him to wake up. He was almost completely drained.”

“I know. I just want to be here when he does. His last minutes of consciousness must have been sheer terror. He’s bound to be afraid when he comes to. He needs to see a friendly face.”

Reece frowned. “‘He needs. He needs,’” he repeated in a mocking tone. “What about whatyouneed? Wearing yourself out and making yourself sick isn’t going to do him any good. Dr. Coppa will send word to you as soon as he wakes up. Or I will.”

I smirked. “Sure, you will. You made it quite clear you don’t care about the humans—especially him.”

“I didn’t mean it,” Reece said. “I only said it because I was trying to keep you from rushing into the Grand Dome and getting yourself killed.”

He tugged at my arm, trying to pry me from the chair I’d practically fused with in the past few days. “Come on, I’ll walk you back to your quarters. You need to get some rest so you’ll be ready to face your new subjects. They’ll want to hear from you soon.”

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