Vixen (Dark Protectors #11.5) - Rebecca Zanetti Page 0,17

living room to let the dogs in, and then returned to her.

The woman was already asleep.

He let himself look his fill. Her light hair splayed out in every direction like sunshine, a perfect backdrop for her pale skin and firm body. Her breasts were small, with light pink nipples that matched her lips. He tried not to wish for things that could never be. Even now, after a truly spectacular time with her, his body ached. His hip hurt like he’d been burned, and his head was starting to pound.

He lifted her easily off the bed and pulled back the covers, setting her inside as gently as possible. Then he slid in beside her, turning to spoon his body around her. For as long as he was able, he’d protect her. Then he’d come up with a plan for when he was gone, which was going to be soon.

It already felt like he had a fever.

Chapter 7

God, she was hot. Burning hot. Tabi opened her eyes, blinking several times as memories rushed in. “Evan?” she whispered, turning to where the heat emanated from.

He lay on his stomach with the covers pushed down to the dip of his waist. Sweat dotted his entire back, which was flushed a deep red. The muscles bunched and tightened as she watched.

“Evan?” she repeated, rolling to place her hand between his shoulder blades. “Ouch.” She jerked back, her palm slightly burned. Awareness swept through her, and she sat up, poking his sweating shoulder. “You have a fever. A way too high fever.” When he didn’t move, she prodded harder. “Wake up, Evan.”

His face was turned away from her, so she scrambled over him, standing by the side of the bed and leaning down. More sweat rolled down his ruddy face, and his hair was sopping wet. She smoothed strands away from his forehead. “Please wake up.” Then she leaned down and shut her eyes to listen.

He was breathing, but it was labored.

Oh, this was so bad. Had she been too late to save him? Still naked, she ran to the guest room and yanked her phone from her purse, dialing quickly.

“What?” Raine growled into the phone. “It’s too early to call, demon.”

“Who are you calling a demon? That just isn’t nice,” a sleepy female voice muttered. A different voice than from the one the other day.

Tabi’s legs trembled. “I need help, Raine. I might’ve goofed up. Or maybe it’s the illness. I don’t know.” Her voice rose as panic tried to take her.

“Okay. Slow down. Where are you?” Covers rustled softly as the vampire obviously got out of bed.

She quickly rattled off the address. “Come as soon as you can.” She ended the call and ran back into Evan’s bedroom, stopping short as a wave of power hit her. Whoa. What was that? Her hands shook, but she quickly put on her clothes from the day before. “Evan?”

He still didn’t move.

All right. That fever couldn’t be good for him. She hurried into the master bathroom and doused several towels in cold water, returning to gently place them on his back and behind his neck. Then she winced as she saw the clear outline of her bite right beneath his jaw.

Her fangs were small but sharp. Very rarely used.

She quickly braided her hair out of her face while watching Evan, her stomach cramping. What if she’d just sped up his death? Oh, she should’ve done more research before trying to mate him. What the hell did she know about the process?

A loud knock sounded on the outside door. She jumped and then ran through the house to yank it open.

Raine Maxwell stood in the dawn light, his hair mussed and his jeans wrinkled. A dark tee stretched tight his wide chest. “Are you all right?”

She gulped and nodded, pulling him inside. “I’m fine. Although I may have really screwed up.”

Raine stepped inside and looked around, his green eyes blazing. “Where are we? This isn’t your place.”

“It’s Evan’s,” she said, her breathing shallow.

Raine’s eyebrow rose. “You killed the cop?”

“I don’t know.” She grabbed the vampire’s arm again and yanked him. “This way.”

Raine sighed and followed her through the house and down the hallway. “I thought he was on your side. Why would you kill him?”

They reached the master bedroom, and Tabi pointed inside. “I mated him.”

Raine jerked to a halt, and his eyes widened. “You fucking did what?”

Tabi winced. “I mated him. He’s a nice guy, and he should live forever.”

Raine shook his head like she’d thrown