“This babying you’re doing…as good as a verbal admission that you like me.”
“Ha!” Her eyes stung, but she told herself that was from the blood spatter on her face. She couldn’t stop touching him, running her fingertips over his face and stroking through his hair to his scalp. “You pul ed this little stunt just to play on my sympathy.”
“Not my fault you’d look hot in one of those naughty nurse’s outfits.” His chest lifted and fel with a sharp breath.
Their banter was breaking her heart, knowing how much the effort was costing him. But she didn’t relent. As bad as it sucked, his pain was keeping his heartbeat elevated, which was helping to pump her healing blood through his veins. It was nowhere near as powerful as a seraph’s pure blood, but it would nevertheless speed his healing.
“Who knew I was so damn popular?” he groused. “Must be you, sweetheart. You want a piece of me…now they al do.”
The one wraith with some active brain cel s had baited Elijah. She’d bet her ass on it. He’d goaded the chase that led to this ambush and then provoked Elijah by attacking the woman covered in his scent.
Higher brain function is subverted by pure instinct, Grace had said.
“I wasn’t imagining it, was I?” she asked, noting that the brainy wraith’s puddle had some shape to it, unlike the others. As if he was deteriorating more slowly. “He did talk, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. Fucker.”
“I was told their brains are mush. Lights not on and no one home.”
“Your friend…Nikki…she talked.”
Vash stiffened. “What did she say?”
“Nothing worth remembering, but it was English.”
“Oh.” She jerked in surprise when her cel phone rang.
“Your tit’s ringing.”
Pul ing her phone out, she saw Syre’s name on the cal er ID. She activated video. “Syre.”
His handsome visage appeared, scowling. Then he paled. “My god…what’s happened to you? Where are you? That lycan is dead, Vashti. I’l shred him.”
“Take a number,” Elijah muttered.
Realizing how she must look with blood al over her, she spoke quickly. “We ran into some wraith action in Vegas and it got messy, but I’m fine.”
“Tel me where you are and I’l be there in less than thirty minutes. I’ve got a helicopter on standby now.”
“Where are you?”
“McCarran. I just landed.”
“Thank god.” She exhaled in relief. “Wait there. I’l send Salem to you with Elijah and you can take them to the warehouse. He needs medical treatment and we’re set up for it there.”
Syre’s gaze narrowed. “The Alpha?”
“Yes.”
“Where wil you be?”
Vash didn’t say her intentions aloud, unwil ing to jinx her plans. “I’ve got something to take care of.”
“Me,” Elijah said, his eyes open and staring into hers.
Yes, she thought. You.
CHAPTER 9