"Raphael.” Cyn's dream-soaked whisper woke him from his own thoughts, reminding him of the passing time. With a final, reluctant caress, he pulled away from her, tugging the comforter up to her chin and tucking her beneath its warmth.
He bent to kiss Cyn good-bye, a quick brush of lips on her forehead that became a sensuous exploration of her skin, her warm mouth. She purred hungrily in her sleep, full of desire for him. He stood, gazing at her with regret before forcing himself to leave.
Downstairs in the garage, human guards had joined his vampires, and along with them a human doctor who was a trusted member of his staff.
"I sent for Dr. Saephan,” Duncan murmured at his side. “The guards will remain outside, but I thought perhaps..."
Raphael tensed, fighting the urge to keep her to himself, to let no one touch her but him. But the sun would rise. And he could not be there for her then. He closed his eyes, feeling the first blush of heat against his skin. “Yes. Thank you, Duncan."
"She will be protected, my lord."
"She will be avenged,” he said fiercely. Then, he gathered his vampires to him and disappeared into the fading darkness.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Cynthia woke to a sharp pain in her arm, then a burning as a needle withdrew. Her eyes opened and she rolled from the bed, grabbing the Glock from her bedside drawer as she moved, crouching next to the table, the gun tracking ... a nice-looking guy in a white coat? She scanned the room. She was where she expected to be, in her own condo, her own bed. Looking down, she saw a faint trickle of blood and some bruising around her inner left arm. She looked up at the man's startled face.
He held up an empty blood bag in one hand, plastic tubing trailing over to the needle in his other. “Blood transfusion,” he explained. “You lost a lot of blood."
"Who are you?” Her voice came out grittier than she expected and she coughed self-consciously.
"Dr. Peter Saephan, at your service,” he said with a pleasant smile. “It's a matter of quantity for us humans, not just quality.” He gestured with the blood bag.
"You work for Raphael?” She relaxed marginally, realized she was na**d and grabbed the sheet from the bed, wrapping it around her body.
"I have that honor,” Saephan acknowledged. “Are you hungry?"
"Starved, but...” Cyn sniffed herself, wrinkling her face in distaste. “I need a shower."
"Ah, you must be feeling better then. Good. Show me where you keep your sheets, and I'll change this bed while you freshen up."
"Naked here,” she said in exasperation.
"Oh, please, I'm a doctor. Besides—"
"Yeah, well you're not my doctor.” She waved her hand, ordering him out of the room and making a dash for the bathroom when he complied. “The sheets are in the hall closet!” she shouted, before closing the door.
* * * *
The water ran red with blood before she finished her shower, and no amount of scrubbing could erase the memories of Albin's teeth on her neck. But her body was clean, her hair was—thank God—shampooed, and she only had to grab the wall once to stay on her feet under the hot spray. When she finally emerged, scalded nearly pink, she felt a thousand times better. Finding the bedroom empty, and the bed neatly made, she made her way slowly to the closet and drew on fresh underwear, then a comfortable silk robe. Her wounds were healing quickly, amazingly so, but the skin was still tender and she ached all over. After throwing style to the wind and stuffing her feet into a pair of comfortable Uggs, she followed her nose to the fresh coffee brewing somewhere downstairs.
She found both the coffee and Dr. Saephan in her kitchen. “Well, you do look better,” he commented with a smile. “Still hungry?"
"Ravenous, but I warn you there's not much in the way of food...” Her voice trailed off as Saephan set a plate in front of her—eggs, scrambled with cheddar and red peppers, crisp bacon and buttered toast. She looked up in surprise. “I know you didn't get this food from my refrigerator,” she commented, digging in.
"Hmm, no. You're right about that. I sent one of the guards to the store."
Cyn was too busy shoveling food into her mouth to respond.
Saephan poured a cup of hot coffee and put it in front of her. “Caffeine is good for what ails you, too."
"Caffeine is always good, Doc,” she said around a mouthful. She swallowed and took a long, bracing sip. “Thanks for the bed change, by the way. And for everything else. I don't remember very much.” She shuddered involuntarily. “You said you work for Raphael?"
"For nearly twenty years. And I've changed more than a few bloody beds in that time."
Cyn eyed him doubtfully. He looked no more than twenty-five, maybe thirty years old. She glanced pointedly at the uncovered windows. “You can't be Vampire."
"No, no. My partner is one of Raphael's. He shares his blood with me, keeps me healthy. Seems like a fair exchange, don't you think?"