Ash tugs my hand, so I sit again and he wraps the blanket back around me. "You're safe now."
"I'm tired," I whisper.
Exhausted. The last day feels like a week; the night like a month. Less than two days in that hellish place and more happened to me than should in a lifetime. I glance at Tobias, who stares at his shoes. He saved me tonight, but will the bond we forged loosen the moment we return to the academy? With each memory, the exhaustion grows, but not only physical. My soul is tired. My heart and mind. Now the dread has left me, I'm overwhelmed by the need to rest, and hope tomorrow brings peace.
But with Jamie in hospital and Andrei injured, that won't happen soon.
But I refuse to cry.
"There're a couple of spare rooms upstairs. Rest."
I startle at the voice to the side of me, unaware of anything outside of the three of us until now. A tall guy, as broad as Ash, with curled hair hanging into his face, walks around from behind me.
“Sorry. I thought you knew that I’m here. I’m Saul.”
“Hey,” I croak out.
"I don't need much sleep. I'll stay here and wait for news about Jamie," says Tobias stiffly.
I look at where my hands are clenched in my lap. "I want to check on Andrei.”
A telling silence spreads across the room.
"Maybe shower first," says Tobias. "Take those clothes off."
The words aren't meant to be suggestive but my cheeks heat as an image of me naked crosses Tobias's mind. How will we move past what happened between us tonight?
The guy nods at me. "Yeah, keep the witch blood away from Andrei. Izzy will have spare clothes."
Izzy.
"How is she?" I ask hoarsely.
Saul chews his lip. "Not good. Amelia took her out to give her breathing space."
"Is that safe?" asks Tobias.
"Oh yeah, she'll be fine," he says with a chuckle. "She won't be long. Wanted to clear her head."
Fine? Even with grief that she lost the most important person in her life tonight? Because of me.
The others told me Amelia is staying in the house with these people shortly after I arrived, and at the time I couldn’t comprehend another surprise. The news sounded impossible and I won’t fully believe Amelia is here until I see her.
I stand and the blanket drops from my shoulders. "Is Andrei badly hurt?"
Tobias shakes his head. "The sun doesn’t burn through clothes and he was mostly covered up. Luckily the sunlight was still weak."
“Gabriella?” I ask.
“She left too quickly for anybody to stop her. She took Leon with her.” Tobias rubs his forehead. “Maybe she’ll be lenient if she knows you had control of him.”
“She ripped into his skin. He’s burned.”
“Leon is also a powerful vampire. He’ll heal, with help.”
“Bloody great,” mutters Ash. “They should be dead.”
Saul laughs loudly. “Are you forgetting who Gabriella is? You’re all lucky you’re alive.”
Ash tenses and I place a hand on his cheek. "You look worn out too."
"I've been awake most of the last two days." He tucks hair behind my ear. "I wouldn’t have slept until we found you."
I smile as I stroke his strong jaw. His eyes shine but the exhaustion on his face is clear. "You can sleep now. I'm safe."
"I hope so."
I bend down and kiss him briefly on the lips and his tired face brightens. “I am.”
Ash smiles. “Take your shower. Check on Andrei. Then get some bloody sleep.”
“Yes, sir,” I say and smile back. “Please let me know as soon as you hear how Jamie is," I say to them all.
"Straightaway," says Tobias softly.
His position by the door means I need to pass him before I walk by. I pause as I reach the door and meet his eyes. A few hours ago, he would've taken me in his arm and comforted me, helped soothe the enormity of what we did. He gives a half-smile and looks away.
As Saul leads me to the bathroom, the tears escape. Did Tobias avoid me because I'm covered in witch blood, or because he meant what he said? Everything that began between us must end.
Chapter Thirty-Two
MAEVE
The sun shines through the small bedroom window as I brush my damp hair, but I don't care about the day outside. Somebody left me clean jeans and T-shirt on the single bed and my stomach lurched at the reminder Mhairi did the same. The scene with Gabriella plays on a constant loop in my head, and if I could, I'd drive to the hospital and sit with Jamie.
Saul appears at the bottom of the stairs when he hears the floorboards creak. "Your mate is in the cellar room."
Mate. Another Gabriella reminder.
Does he mean ‘friend’?
"Alright," I say hoarsely.
Saul grins. "The right place for a vamp, huh?"
I frown at him.
"Just lightening the mood." He grins. "This way to Kai's room. He's not around right now, but I'm sure he won't mind."
"How many people live here?" I ask as I walk down the carpeted steps.
"Depends. There're three of us, currently. Sometimes more. We move around a lot."
"What do you do?"
He pauses as we reach the hallway. "When we're not rescuing super-witches and their lovers?"
I blink rapidly at his second poor attempt at humour. How would he know how close I am to Tobias? I don't get a chance to challenge his evasiveness as he walks away towards a door on the left wall.
I expected a dank basement with concrete floor and unpainted walls. Instead, I step into a room with worn carpet in the same old-fashioned pattern as the rest of the house, and painted blue walls covered with posters of bands and artwork. A small square window would let through the daylight if the grey blinds weren’t drawn down
I'm unable to take in any other details before a figure blurs across the room and clutches me to him, familiar arms around my waist. I can't catch my breath before Andrei's mouth covers mine, sliding a hand to cradle my head as he kisses me fiercely.
What other welcome would I expect from Andrei?
Saul clears his throat from behind and Andrei's mouth leaves mine. He tips his head at the shifter.
"I'm Saul. Looks like you’re feeling better than when I helped bring you down here."
"Yeah. Don't remember you, but thanks, mate." Andrei's body stays close to mine, holding me as if I'm an anchor to his world.
Saul shrugs. "All good; you were pretty out of it. Glad to see you're alright."
The second that Saul walks out the door, Andrei takes my face in both hands and showers me with kisses. I push my lips hard against his and inhale, slowing him down.
"Andrei." I pull away and my hand hovers over his cheek. The skin on one side is darker than normal, the pink livid against the pale. "Where were you burned?"
He shakes his hair to cover the mark and holds out his hands. They're the same pink shade and redder in a couple of places.
"How bad does that hurt?" I ask, too scared to touch his hand.
"Healing."