Page 63 of Hard Shift

Chapter 19

Elizabeth sat up with a start, letting out a quick breath as she remembered the vision of Rhys lying near death on the forest floor.

“It’s okay,” Evan said, calming her and easing her back down onto the bed. “You’re safe.”

She gazed around the unfamiliar room. “Where am I?”

“The infirmary.” Evan eased down on her bed.

“Where’s Rhys?”

Evan shifted his gaze to the bed on the other side of her, and she turned. Rhys had IVs sticking in his arm, attached to hanging bags of red liquid. The same stuff she’d drunk the last time she’d lost too many enzymes. Monitors displayed his vitals.

“Why isn’t he awake?” she asked, trying to sit up again, only to be stopped by Evan, who pressed a lever on the bed, raising the head portion so she could see.

“The transformation takes time, Lizzie.” Evan’s voice was quiet.

She turned back to Evan. “What happened? Did everyone make it out?”

Her heart clenched, and she swallowed around her sore throat.

Sensing her pain, Evan handed her a glass of the red liquid. “We salvaged what we could from the warehouse in an attempt to find Raw, and the women are safe.” He pressed his lips together.

“What about the woman with the violet eyes? Have you figured out who she is? I tried to push my will on her to keep up, and she blocked me.”

His brows dipped. “She doesn’t remember who she is or even how she ended up at the compound.”

Evan’s gaze softened as he pushed the hair behind her ear. “You saved him.” He ran his hand over the pink mark on her arm where Evan had bitten her.

“He saved me first,” she said, glancing over to her mate. Hell, would he even want her when he realized what they’d done? Did he even want to be immortal? “Let’s just hope he wanted this.”

Evan cupped her face, turning her to look at him. “He’s a lucky man.”

“You’re going to be a dead one if you don’t remove your hand,” Rhys growled from his bed and grabbed his throat.

Lizzie slid her legs over the side of the bed and stood, pulling her hanging bag with her. She took the crimson drink and lifted it to his mouth as she held his head. “This makes the pain go away.”

He drank until the cup was empty.

Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder to find Evan had left and they were alone in the room.

“Don’t hate me,” she whispered and cupped his cheek. “I wanted to keep you safe.”

“I could never hate my mate. I figured out what you’d done five minutes after I left, but those assholes wouldn’t let me back in.” He pushed himself to sit up before pulling her into his lap. “I love you. I’ll always love you.”

A tear slipped from her eye. “I love you, too.”

He crashed his lips to hers in an immortal force he’d yet to control. His passionate kiss was different now, more intense since he’d been turned. His lips on her mouth set off fireworks in her core. Everything was magnified tenfold. The kiss, the feel, the emotions coursing through her body hit with the force of a tidal wave, ready to pull them back out to sea from the safety of the shore.

She broke the kiss.

His lust-filled eyes stared back at her, his gaze intent. “I could get used to that.”

She smiled. “Not until we’re both well.”

“And preferably when you have a room with a door and walls,” her father announced, walking into the room. “Glad you’re safe.” He glanced at Elizabeth before stopping at the end of the bed.

“Rhys.” Her father gave a royal nod to her mate. “You saved my Ab— Elizabeth, and for that, I give you my blessing.”

---