Page 33 of Vampire Blood

They cheered.

Annika stiffened beside me, still perched in the saddle, her fingers tightening around my arm. She wasn’t used to this, being the center of attention. But it didn’t matter to them. To them, she was hope. The woman they’d almost lost and the woman we’d fought to bring back.

I dismounted first, then turned to help her down. She wobbled the moment her feet touched the ground, but I was already there, catching her before she could fall.

The crowd surged closer, hands reaching out, voices overlapping.

“Thank heavens!”

“We thought you were dead!”

“Are you hurt?”

“Did they hurt you?”

Annika tried to answer, her voice soft and unsure, but the questions kept coming. I stepped in front of her, my body blocking hers as the noise grew louder.

“That’s enough,” I said sharply, my voice cutting through the chaos. “She’s alive. She’s safe. That’s all you need to know right now.”

The murmurs quieted, and one by one, they backed off. Some still stared, their eyes lingering on her pale face, her torn dress, the shadows under her eyes. But no one pushed closer.

Callum dismounted behind me, his voice carrying over the crowd. “We need food and rest… and someone get the healer.”

Several people darted off at his words, and slowly, the crowd began to break apart, though the whispers lingered.

Annika leaned into me, her head resting briefly against my shoulder. “They’re staring,” she whispered.

“Let them.” My arm stayed tight around her waist, steadying her. “You’re here. That’s all that matters.”

Her fingers curled into the fabric of my cloak, but she didn’t say anything.

Kael dismounted last, his hood down, his expression as sharp as ever. He didn’t look at the crowd. Only at me. And I knew what he was thinking.

It’s not over.

I nodded subtly, already feeling the weight of it pressing down on me again. Annika was safe, for now, but the war wasn’t won. Not even close.

The healer arrived, an older woman with steady hands and a sharp eye. She ushered Annika away despite her protests, leaving me standing in the square as the crowd dispersed.

I felt the loss of her warmth immediately.

Callum stepped up beside me, his voice low. “You did it.”

I shook my head. “We did it.”

“And we’ll have to do it again,” Kael said, his tone flat as he joined us. “They’re not going to stop. Not until they have her—or until we end this.”

I exhaled slowly, the weight of his words sinking in.

“I know.” I nodded. “Get some rest, both of you.”

Without waiting for either Kael or Callum to reply, I found Annika and swept her into my arms and carried her into thecottage. She didn’t fight me, just leaned against me, her breath soft and warm against my neck. The door creaked as I pushed it open, the familiar scent of home enveloping us both.

I laid her down gently on the bed, brushing strands of hair from her face. She looked up at me with a weak smile, her lips cracked, her cheeks pale, but there was still fire in her eyes.

“I must look awful,” she said, her voice raspy but playful. “Filthy, bruised, and smelling like a shifter’s kennel.”

I huffed a breath, leaning down so our noses almost touched. “You look perfect.”

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