by Jessica Lee
The heart monitor over his head lurched into a rapid succession of beats.
Get a grip, Kenric.
He couldn’t risk drawing any unwanted attention. With a fierce hold on the gurney’s rail for strength, he focused on his heart rate, slowing it to a steady pace.
Now, to find his damn phone. He searched along his left side, feeling for the lining of his coat. A cool draft floated in under the thin sheet. Where the hell is my coat…and the rest of my damn clothes?
Approaching footsteps and a trio of voices grabbed his attention. Taking a deep breath, he stilled his movements.
“You guys go ahead and get out of here. Can you give me a rain check on breakfast? I want to check in on our John Doe one more time before I leave.”
“Come on, Emily. You’ve been at Memorial a year already, and you keep turning me down every time I try to get you to meet someone. Jake is really interested. I know you two would hit it off if you’d give it a chance.”
“I promise I will. Soon. Just not this morning. Not yet.”
“Fine,” a female said with a sigh.
The sharp sound of metal rings sliding over a rod near his head indicated one of them had entered his area.
…
Emily closed the privacy curtain of the trauma treatment room. The unidentified patient she’d found earlier at The Docks lay unconscious on the hospital gurney. Bloodstained bandages covered his flank and neck.
Once the paramedics had gotten him here, the ER had been able to stabilize him with a few universal-donor transfusions. He remained in need of additional units to bring his hemoglobin into an acceptable range, though. Unfortunately, the lab was taking longer than usual to type and cross-match him. They’d found some kind of anomaly present in his blood work. There was even talk that he possibly had some form of leukemia on top of everything else, due to the extreme elevation in his white-blood-cell count.
She followed the rise and fall of his chest and couldn’t help but admire the sheer will this man had to survive. And she couldn’t ignore the fact that even though he lay there covered in bandages, he was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.
His hospital gown stretched the breadth of his shoulders, while the arm openings strained to contain his biceps. The bed sheets covered the contours of his torso, but she remembered his washboard abs.
Wavy hair, a black so deep it shone under the fluorescents, was a little longer in front than back. It fell over his forehead, almost covering his eyes. The dark waves framed a regally defined face. But it wasn’t perfect. In fact, a pale, thin scar ran along his right cheekbone, ending about an inch above his lip. To others, the scar may have damaged his looks. To her, it added character that accentuated his masculine features. The man was captivating, to say the least.
Her tongue traced her upper lip, and her body tingled.
Stop it, Emily! You’re a professional nurse who shouldn’t be ogling a patient. Just take his vital signs and get out of here.
Lifting his arm to check his blood pressure, she noticed the tattoo that wrapped around part of his right bicep. Unable to resist, she traced the outline of the connecting loops. It formed a figure eight lying on its side.
Infinity.
The symbol intersected with a dagger that pierced the center of the joining circles. Red drops of what looked to be blood dripped from the blade.
“What were you doing out there tonight?” she whispered. He was one very intriguing mystery.
Kenric lay perfectly still as the female approached him. Until he knew whom and what he was dealing with, he didn’t want to give away that he was conscious. She paused at his bedside for a moment before lifting his right arm and placing a cool device under his bicep. She must be a nurse. He savored the warmth of her hands on his skin as her fingertips glided over his bicep. The nurse traced the symbol of the Enclave, and his flesh tingled.
Suddenly her touch disappeared as a cuff tightened around his arm. Her hair teased his chest, sending chills skating across his body. He drew in a long, deep inhale. The scent from her hair and skin filled his nostrils and burrowed deep inside his mind. Her fragrance reminded him of wildflowers after a spring rain. Warm, sweet, and spicy. And did nothing to quell the storm of hunger or soothe the growing need that accompanied his appetite at this state. Both threatened to unravel the edge of his control.
He clenched the fingers of his opposite hand, struggling to maintain his patience. His fist ached from keeping such a tight hold on his control. Another deep breath filled him, sparking every neuron in his brain. She was intoxicating.
Good God. The blood that remained within him surged into his groin. Get a grip, man, before you do something you’ll regret.
He struggled to hold the vampire in check.
As if starved for her scent, he inhaled again and stifled a groan. His fangs lengthened. The drive to feed twisted in his gut.
Time had run out.
Harnessing the strength that his hunger provided, Kenric opened his eyes and reached for the woman. She swung her head around with a startled yelp. A wave of dark auburn hair fell over her shoulder.
Breathtaking.
Long, dark eyelashes framed hazel eyes specked with a hint of blue, green, and brown at the center. Her heart-shaped face held a small, upturned nose and rose-colored lips, the bottom one slightly fuller than the top. Kenric dragged his gaze away from her mouth. He needed to concentrate on holding her attention, not linger on the fantasy his mind and groin wanted to study in greater detail.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“I’m fine. Are you…okay?” Her gaze met his, giving him the opening he needed. Kenric slipped inside her mind to give her the mental nudge she’d need to accept his verbal commands.
“Don’t be afraid. I need you very calm and very quiet. You are safe. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” His voice resonated, maintaining his hold. “What’s your name, Wildflower?”
“Emily… Emily Ross.”
“Emily, I need your help to get out of here. I want you to disconnect me from these monitors and tubes without bringing attention to us.”
She didn’t move. Instead, her mind pushed back, attempting to block his control.
“Now, Emily.” He pushed in return, harder this time. His body trembled from the effort to maintain his presence in her mind and the rhythmic beat of his heart, so that the heart rate monitor kept its orderly beat. Red hair suited this female. The color matched her spirit.
As if in slow motion, her body rebelling, Emily did as he’d instructed. Her compliance took every ounce of telepathic influence and skill left at his disposal.
Once completed, she returned to his side.
He caressed the right side of her face, the warmth of her skin a heated embrace on his cool palm. With the gentle persuasion of his hand, Kenric brought her gaze back to connect with his.
“Lean closer to me, Emily.”
Her eyelids narrowed, confusion written in her expression, but she lowered her head. Kenric pulled her in, positioning her neck near his lips, and brushed a stray curl away from her neck.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed against her skin. “If there was another way, I would take it. You see, you have something I’m in desperate need of.” He didn’t know why he felt the sudden, overwhelming desire to explain. He had to feed. And he would make sure she didn’t remember when he’d finished. But something inside him needed her to understand and to not be afraid. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I promise. I will be as gentle as possible.”
He savored another whiff of her sweet scent before tasting the area above her pounding pulse. She shivered, wringing a groan from his throat. He could wait no longer.
His fangs pierced her supple flesh. Tightening his hold, he held her immobile, not wanting to tear her skin. A moment later, Emily’s body relaxed. He loosened his grip and gently caressed her arms, soothing her as he drank.
&nb
sp; Her blood spilled into his mouth, a flood of hot and sweet. It filled his starved body in a tidal wave of sensation and pooled in his groin. He’d never tasted anything as luscious as the woman in his arms. And he wanted more.
Kenric reached farther around her body and lifted her onto the gurney with him. He wanted—no, needed—the feel of her whole body next to his. Her hip pressed against him. His eyes rolled in exquisite pain.
Finally, he reluctantly withdrew his fangs, licking the remaining spicy droplets of blood from the small twin holes on her neck. Pressing his tongue to the wound, he held pressure on the area for a few seconds to ensure clotting had taken hold.
“Thank you, Emily,” he whispered into her ear, easing his arms from around her. She slumped.
“Shit!” He hadn’t stopped in time. What the hell was wrong with him? A frantic shuffle ensued as he worked to slide out from beneath her and onto his side. Holding his breath, he checked for a pulse.
There was a strong beat.
Air rushed from his chest with relief. She’d passed out.
Good man, Kenric. This is really the way to get out of here unnoticed. He punched the pillow beneath them and silently groaned when he’d much rather have shoved his fist through a wall.
Now, not only do they have a slashed-up John Doe who will go missing, but also an unconscious nurse with bite marks on her neck.
Nice inconspicuous exit, asshole.
Kenric gripped the side rail of the gurney, pulling himself to a standing position while lowering Emily onto her back. His legs trembled under his weight, and he struggled to gain his balance. It would take a few moments to feel the full restorative effects of her blood.
Studying the auburn-haired woman in blue scrubs, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt more alive than he had in the moments before he had fed. A physical response to do more than replenish his veins was normal, but not like that. Not to the point where he lost focus. He needed to get the hell out here, fast. Wipe her memories and be gone. He could take care of the mess he’d made after the fact.
With the back of her head in his palm, he closed his eyes, searching for the memories he needed to capture from her mind.
He lowered her head back to the mattress, then whirled, giving an exasperated swipe to his hair.
What the hell’s wrong with you? You’re not a damn fledgling.
He couldn’t concentrate. Every time he found the memory he sought, it faded, slipping from his mind. It wasn’t like he didn’t perform this little trick at least once a week when he fed. What was it about her that had him so rattled?
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Back at the gurney, he held her head in his hand, searching once again for focus. This had to be done.
His mind rebelled. With a grimace, he lowered her head and threw his hands up in surrender. He couldn’t do it. She didn’t deserve to wake up alone, confused and sick, lying on an empty gurney. She didn’t deserve to be confronted for an answer about what the hell had happened to John Doe. And maybe, he didn’t want her to forget him.
Where did that come from?
He shook his head and huffed. He didn’t need the complication of being responsible for a woman.
But cleaning up all traces of the John Doe from the hospital, with help from the inside…
He stared at his dilemma sleeping on the gurney. If he trusted this woman to help him, he would place the entire Enclave at risk. Kenric ran an impatient hand through his hair. But he couldn’t, and, in truth, did not want to, leave her here like this.
“Guess there’s only one way to handle this situation.” He brushed an auburn lock of hair from Emily’s cheek. “Wildflower, you’ll be coming with me.”
In a hospital bag on the counter in his room, he found his clothes and coat. He reached in and pulled out his shirt and jeans. Sliced pieces of denim and cotton dangled from his hands. The hospital gown he had on was going to cover more of his body than the scissored mess the ER staff had made of his clothes. His phone was still in the coat pocket, though, and luckily in one piece. He pressed speed dial one for Guerin, who answered on the first ring.
“Kenric, where the hell are you, man? We’ve been trying to reach you all night. Arran’s been out searching for you for hours.”
“I’ll explain when I see you. I don’t have a lot of time. I need you to send a car to… Hang on.” Kenric eased closer to Emily. Picking up the ID badge lying on her chest, he continued, “Elizabeth Bay Memorial.”
“Elizabeth Bay Memorial! Shit, how the hell did you end up there?”
“Like I said, I don’t have time for the details.” Kenric’s pulse thumped in his temples. “Just get me a car. Pull up outside the ER, ring my phone once you’re in position, and I’ll phase into the back.”
“Give me about ten minutes. We found your Mercedes where you parked it. Michael’s also out searching and should be near you. I’ll get him to grab your car and haul ass over there. In the meantime, make yourself scarce.”
Kenric snapped the cell phone closed, leaving it on vibrate to wait for the signal. Times like these, he was never more grateful to have Michael on his staff. Having a human around to venture out during daylight hours when the vampires were trapped indoors was an invaluable service.
Damn good thing they’d left his car where he’d parked it. It wouldn’t take but a few minutes to get here, and with the extra tint on the windows, it would keep his ass from going crispy.
Kenric pulled back the edge of the blue-checked material surrounding his bed and scanned the area. A few distant conversations along with the clatter of equipment moved in the opposite direction. Good, the area’s clear for now. Hopefully, it would stay that way for the next few minutes. He rubbed the stubble along his chin and sighed. With any luck, the staff would believe Emily had already left, her shift over.
Emily moaned and shifted on the gurney. Releasing the curtain, Kenric returned to her side. She was a little pale, but her pulse beat steady under his fingertips.
“Damn.” He couldn’t believe he’d been so reckless. His father had trained him for discipline and self-control since before he could walk. In his childhood home, those traits had either come to you naturally or you had learned them under the whip.
He never lost control when feeding.
The phone buzzed in his palm. The car was here. He dropped the cell into the hospital bag he held in his hand, then reached down and lifted Emily. She was a full and curvy woman, soft in all the right places, and fit perfectly in his arms. He loved the way she felt.
She whimpered and snuggled closer. Closing his eyes, Kenric fought the distraction of her body in order to focus on bringing the image of the car’s interior into his mind. It would take most of the energy reserves Emily’s blood had restored to phase them both the short distance.
He didn’t have a choice.
It was the only option to get out of the hospital unnoticed. A passed-out nurse in his arms, and his ass flapping in the breeze while he waltzed out the front door, would not make for a subtle departure.
Slowing his heart rate, Kenric sharpened the image of the car’s backseat in his mind. His body tingled. A brief falling sensation and momentary disorientation confirmed the phase. Less than a second later, he opened his eyes. They’d made it into the back of his Mercedes.
“Glad to see you’re safe, sir,” Michael said, turning around to toss a thick black blanket to his newly arrived passenger. Nodding his head of sandy blond waves at the woman in Kenric’s arm, a slight smile curled at the corners of his mouth. “I see we’ll be having a guest at the compound.”
“That’s correct. And we’ll also be keeping this between us for now. Understood?”
“Yes, sir. However you want it.” Michael faced forward.
“When we arrive at the compound, park the car near my private entrance.”
“Understood, sir.”
It would buy him some time. Keep her scent under wraps until he could explain—
to her and to his warriors.
His skin stung even from the subdued morning light coming in through the tinted windows. Covering his face and body with the supplied blanket, and Emily as well, he eased back into the soft leather seat with Emily resting against his chest.
The car bumped and dipped, leaving the hospital parking lot. Michael revved the engine, accelerating them into the flow of traffic.
Kenric’s mind raced with the upcoming task at hand: How could he convince Emily to help him erase his presence from the hospital? Not to mention, how to tell her why he needed it erased in the first place?
He was a vampire. Not just any vampire, but one who had already helped himself. He squirmed in his seat. Damn, how was she not going to be scared out of her mind? It would be scary enough for her to learn vampires were not a myth. Top that little bit of information off with the fact that she’d already been snacked on. Not good. Not good at all.
Inside the blanket, Emily’s sleeping face lay pressed against his chest. He pulled her in tighter. He relished the stark contrast between the rough wool scraping at his arms and the softness of the woman contained within.
Draped in darkness, he could not escape thinking of her. Unable to resist it, he drew another intoxicating breath. He hoped working with Emily didn’t take too long, because when he inhaled her scent and embraced her like this… Kenric closed his eyes. He didn’t have the luxury of a distraction. Besides, any needs or desires he had for her weren’t worth her dying.
Chapter Four
A hazy glow crept beneath Emily’s weary eyelids. Lying on her right side, she peeked through her lashes, trying her best to make out the shapes and colors of an unfamiliar room. A lamp beside her illuminated her fuzzy environment. She blinked to clear her vision.
Where am I?
Did I get drunk last night?
She couldn’t believe she would have gone out and gotten this wasted. Wait—no. She’d worked last night. Lifting the sheet covering her, she peered down at the now-wrinkled blue scrubs.
Emily performed a quick mental once-over of her body. She didn’t feel like she’d been assaulted. Her head ached, and God, was she tired. If she didn’t know better, she would swear she’d pulled a forty-eight-hour shift instead of an eight. Pressing her elbow into the mattress, she pushed up. The room spun, and the walls swayed with whirling, little white spots.
