Page 74 of High Stakes and Soulmates
“Oh fuck,” she says as she pushes a human man toward me. “Get him to the right doctor.”
“Yeah, of course,” he agrees. “Do you know where the hospital is?”
“No. Quickly. Please.”
“Get in, it’s quicker than explaining. It’s not far,” he says as he hurries me over to a car. “I’m going to call ahead and request a certain doctor there. He deals with werewolves and attacks.”
I slide into the back seat before he floors it out of the parking lot.
“Cyrus, hey, come on, please,” I beg as I hold him tightly, hand pressed against a severe wound on his shoulder that won’t stop bleeding. He can’t bleed this much. There’s blood smeared across his face, and suddenly, I’m sitting on that fucking ship holding Arturo while he dies in my arms. A sob escapes me. No, I have to stay in control.
I can’t lose Cyrus. I can’t. “Cyrus, please. Cyrus.” I smear the blood off his cheek, but I realize I’ve just made it worse. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.” I don’t know who I’m talking to. Am I reassuring him or myself? I would do anything to make sure he’s okay.
“Cyrus, please wake up. Please?”
The blood leaks between my fingers when I ball up his shirt and press it hard against the wound.
I’m shaking as I hold him tightly, and suddenly the car is stopped. I’m afraid to let go of the wound, but I don’t even have to before the door is opened and people are there taking himfrom me. I don’t want to let go of him, but I know I have to so they can help him.
I cling to his hand while they lay him down on a gurney and start rushing him into the hospital. And only at the last moment do I let his hand fall from mine as he’s swept through the doors and out of sight.
The moment those doors swing shut, I feel like my entire world is caving in around me. My legs threaten to let me crash to the floor right here.
“Hey, I know it’s horrible that he was bitten, but it’ll help him survive,” the human who drove us here says.
“Yeah,” I whisper as a nurse comes over. I can hear her talking to me, but it’s just words that don’t matter as she tries to calm me down and show me where to clean up and wait. The only thing that would matter would be her telling me that he’ll be alright, but she never says that. Instead, I find myself left in a waiting room with blood still coating my hands, surrounded by strangers. I can tell they’re staring at me, but I don’t even care. I can’t get myself to go into the bathroom she’d pointed me to because what if I’m gone when she comes back?
I want to be back there with him. I even consider seeing if I can allure them into letting me in the room, but I know there’s a reason they don’t want anyone in there. Time passes as the families waiting leave and I’m finally left alone.
The door opens and I hope it’s a nurse, but instead, I see that it’s Yorick.
“Any news?”
“No,” I manage. “The vampire? Louis?”
“I stayed with the werewolf until someone could take her from me. When I got back to Casimir, he said the vampire was gone. He’ll tell you more in detail. He should be here shortly. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”
“No, what if she comes in?”
“You would hear her. You are a vampire, aren’t you?” he asks, taking my wrist and pulling me into the adjoining bathroom. He leaves the door open, even though I know he’s right, and as I stand there unable to clean myself, he scrubs my hands in the sink. Then he gets a paper towel and rubs at my arms until they’re free of blood.
“Not much I can do about your clothes, but at least your hands are clean.”
“Thanks,” I say, since it’s the only thing I can get out.
He leads me back to the chair I’d been in before, and though it feels like hours before Casimir shows, I know it hasn’t been. With him is Atticus, who Yorick stares at but doesn’t say anything to, probably out of respect of what’s happening here.
“You okay?” Casimir asks as he sits next to me.
“No,” I admit.
“I don’t blame you. I tried to kill Louis, I really did, but he had too many vampires on his side. Multiple people from the club came out to help him.”
“What about Cyrus’s brother? Did you find him?”
“No, I’m sorry. I looked everywhere and saw no sign of him.”
I nod. “Should I go out? I should go look for him.”
