Deeper than the Night - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,61

forever.

"She doesn't answer," Kara said, hanging up the receiver.

"We'll try again tomorrow night."

"No. I want to call home. I have to get in touch with Gail."

"Kara, we talked about that before. It might not be safe."

"I don't care! I have to call home, Alex. I have a feeling something's wrong."

He studied her face for a moment, then sighed in resignation. "I'll make the call. No one will recognize my voice."

Kara nodded in agreement. Dialing quickly, she thrust the receiver into his hand.

The phone rang three times, then a female voice Alex didn't recognize answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello. May I speak to Kara, please?"

"I'm sorry, she's not here. May I takea message?"

"Is Gail there?"

"Yes. May I ask who's calling?"

"I'm a friend of Kara's."

"Oh?" There was a world of curiosity in the word.

"May I speak to Gail, please?"

"Who should I say is calling?"

Alex grimaced. "Who am I speaking to?"

"This is Mrs. Zimmermann."

Alex held the receiver out to Kara. "The neighbor lady's on the phone."

Kara's hand was shaking as she lifted the receiver to her ear. Something was wrong. She knew it. "Mrs. Zimmermann?"

"Kara, is that you?"

"Yes. Is everything all right?"

"I'm afraid I have some bad news, dear. Your . . . your grandmother . . . she's, I mean, ah, she's in the hospital."

"The hospital! What happened?"

"She collapsed at the grocery store."

"Collapsed! Is she all right? When did it happen?"

"It happened day before yesterday," Mrs. Zimmermann said, sounding flustered. "At first they thought it was a heart attack, but they've ruled that out."

"Where's Gail?"

"She's here. Hold on, I'll get her."

Moments later, Gail's voice came over the phone. "Kara, Kara, where are you? When are you coming home?"

"As soon as I can, sweetie. How's Nana?"

"I don't know. Dr. Petersen said it was caused by stress. They're giving her some kind of medicine. I don't know what it is." Gail sniffed loudly. "He said she'll probably be all right. But what if she isn't?"

"Gail, has Barrett been around?"

"Every day. And he's not alone. There's two guys with him. They look like like crooks."

"What hospital is Nana in?"

"The one here in town. Dr. Barrett suggested moving her to Grenvale for some kind of test. He says they have better facilities there."

"Tell Nana to stay where she is, Gail. Tell her to insist she wants Dr. Petersen to look after her. Is Mrs. Zimmermann staying with you?"

"Yes. I'm scared, Kara. Please come home."

"I will. Have you called Steve?"

"I tried, but he's out in the jungle somewhere and they can't get hold of him."

"All right. Don't tell anyone I called. I've got to go now, Gail. Try not to worry. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"All right. Bye."

Kara hung up the receiver and turned away from the phone. "Oh, Alex, Nana's . . ."

"I know," he said, drawing her into his arms. "I heard."

"I've got to go home."

"I can't let you do that. You heard what Gail said. Barrett's been there every day."

"I don't care. I've got to see Nana." She looked up at Alex, hope shining through her tears. "You can help her, can't you, the way you helped me? She'll get better if you give her some of your blood. I know she will. Please, Alex, I can't let her die."

"Kara . . ." His hands knotted into fists. What she was asking was impossible. He hadn't managed to survive here for two hundred years by taking chances. His life span might have increased drastically, but he wasn't truly immortal. He was subject to pain and death just like any other living creature. "As much as I'd like to, I can't do what you want."

"Why not?"

"I can't."

"Very well, then, I'll go alone."

"Dammit, Kara, I understand how you feel, but I can't let you go home. I won't let you put your life in jeopardy."

"If you won't go with me, then I'll go alone. But I am going! Nana's taken care of me since I was fourteen. I can't desert her now, when she needs me most. I can't, and I won't."

She stared at Alex through her tears, feeling as though he had betrayed her. She hadcounted on him to help her, and he'd let her down.

"If you won't give her any of your blood, then I'll give her some of mine. Maybe it will work just as well as yours, but even if it doesn't, I've got to go. I've got to try."

Alex stared at the tears shining in her eyes, at the stubborn tilt of her head, and knew he couldn't let