Page 89 of The Vampire's Thirst
A man stumbled into the alley where Miller talked on his cell. Something was strange about the guy. The Englishman switched off his phone, dropping it into his pocket as he bolted. He didn’t sign off on the call. No time.
****
Chiarajerked awake cradled against Dax’s warm chest, his arm flexed around her back. Her confused gaze met wintry midnight eyes framed by thick, dark lashes. “What happened to me?”
“Power blowback. Healers are very susceptible. You’re casting spells without feeding.” He wiped a thumb down her cheek.
She grabbed it to have a look-see. “Blood.” Now that she thought about it, her skin was sticky, and a coppery scent stung her nose. She pushed away from Dax’s shirt. “Yuck.”
Her eyes rolled left. Right. She remembered. The fight. So much death. “What’s a healer?”
Thorn spoke from the front seat. “That’s what we call Aeternals like you. A witch or warlock in the med field. Like a human nurse or doctor.”
“I hope they have more control than I do. I’m as likely to kill someone as cure them.” Chiara pressed two fingers to each temple where a drum-heavy band played a Sousa march.
Dax moved his legs, resettling her in his arms, finding a nearly-clean spot on his shirt to press her head. “When we get to Scath, you should have a sit-down with one of your kind.”
With a sigh, Chiara mulled that thought over as she resigned herself to Dax’s bloody shirt. “Others like me. I never thought about that before.”
“A whole shitload of them. Pains me to say since I hate witches and warlocks.”
After shooting Dax a WTF glare, she stared out the window when they pulled into Livingston. “You mentioned blowback. What’s that?”
“All healers can kill, but it comes at a price sometimes. They call it blowback. Headaches. Fatigue. Unconsciousness. It varies.”
Fin twisted in her seat. “Welcome back.” She tapped Thorn’s shoulder. “Do we have time to stop at the bistro over there? Fighting makes me hungry.”
“No time to eat, darlin’.” The shifter draped his arm over her shoulder, one hand on the wheel. “See the storefront with the blue awning? The portal’s inside. We’ll go around back to a roll-up door where the She Beast can go through.”
Dax pointed ahead. “Take that street.”
Thorn twisted the wheel, rounding the corner.
The vampire rolled down his window. “Let’s circle a few times. Then pull into the alley for a little up-close scoping. We don’t need to meet and greet the American army or Arisen Dawn.”
Thorn eyed him in the rearview mirror. “I agree.”
Dax set Chiara on the seat, buckling her seatbelt. “You okay here?”
“Just a little brain fuzz. I’m good to go, but I think doing a mile on the treadmill is out.”
The vampire opened the door, stomping boots on the ground when the truck slowed. “I’ll explore on foot.”
Chiara caught Dax’s wrist. “Be careful.”
She thought he might have nodded.Maybe not. Surly vampire.When did he get the text saying he was bullet-proof?
“Okay.” The truck lurched as Thorn stomped on the brake. “We’ll meet you back here in a few.”
After twice around the block, Thorn moseyed the She Beast behind a building while Chiara and Fin kept their noses pressed to glass. No movement.
A good sign.
The truck crept along the alley until Thorn spied Dax.
Flinging open the door, the vampire hopped into the truck. “It looks good. I don’t think the gateway is being monitored. Let’s go.”
Thorn circled one more time before stopping behind the vacant store hiding the portal. When he touched his wrist, the garage door opened. Driving through, he tapped again.Kole, we’re on our way through at Livingston.
