Better Off Undead - Cynthia Eden Page 0,45
she wouldn’t be the same person. And Aidan would need to protect the world from her.
Vampires became wild, bloodlust driven monsters. They attacked their families, their friends. The old. The young. Everyone.
Dr. Bob cleared his throat. “You look remarkably well.” A pause. “I was scared last night.”
Now he was surprising her.
“I…like you, Detective Hart. You don’t put up with my bullshit. You don’t pull your punches. And you do your job because you actually care about people.”
Her eyes widened. This was more emotional than Dr. Bob had ever been with her before.
“I would appreciate it,” he continued gruffly, “if you would not get yourself killed. I don’t have many friends as it is, and I would like to keep the few that I enjoy.”
“I’ll do my best,” she told him. “On the whole, not getting myself killed part.”
He nodded. His expression lightened a little.
“And I’m glad you’re my friend,” she added. His cheeks flushed a light pink. “Even though you can be a serious asshole most days.”
A ghost of a smile lifted his lips.
“I guess I like asshole medical examiners,” Jane mused.
“Damn straight.” He exhaled heavily. “Now, I’m going to need to take off that shirt and look at your wound. Just—you know, hold your shit together because this is all just medical. Purely professional. Don’t go freaking and calling in the big bad wolf on me just because I see you without your clothes.”
She rolled her eyes and started unbuttoning the shirt from the bottom. “Bob, I know you’re gay. I saw your boyfriend sneaking out after your lunch date one day. Rob the cradle much?”
He made one of his hmmmph sounds. His smile stretched a little more. And she knew all was well again.
She stopped unbuttoning the shirt just below her breasts and held the material there. Then she eased back down on the bed until she was lying flat. It was odd. She would have expected the wound to be pulling with her movements, at least aching, but it wasn’t.
Though it had started to itch in the last few moments.
Dr. Bob put on his gloves, then he began to carefully pull back her bandages. She kept her gaze on the ceiling as he worked. If she looked up there, if she let her thoughts focus elsewhere, she wouldn’t think about the damage that he had to be seeing.
Think about the victims. They weren’t lucky enough to survive. Think about them. Alan Thatcher. Travis Maller.
The two victims were connected. So, was their killer connected to them, too? Someone they both knew?
Why was this killer targeting humans? Why Alan and Travis? Had they learned his secret and threatened to reveal it to the world?
But…no. She narrowed her eyes on the ceiling. Aidan had used his power when he questioned Travis. Surely the whole, I-Know-About-Werewolves bit would have come up during that little talk, right?
It took her a moment to realize that the bandage was gone. She could feel air swirling over her skin and…Dr. Bob was just standing there. Her gaze slowly slid from the ceiling to his face. His horrified face.
“Guess I’m going to have quite the scar, right?” That was okay. She’d deal with it.
His mouth hung open.
“Dr. Bob?” Fear twisted inside of her. “Is everything okay?”
Then he gave a slow, negative shake of his head.
***
“I want a protection spell for Jane,” Aidan said as he paced just outside of the bedroom. His steps were quick and angry. “The most powerful one you’ve got.”
Annette Benoit rolled back her shoulders. “She survived the night. That’s what you wanted. That’s what happened.”
He stopped pacing. “A protection spell. We both know you can do one.”
She laughed, but it was a sad sound. “You think you can save her from every danger out there? That you can keep her safe from every single threat? Not even my magic can do that. Jane has a life to live, and every life has dangers. Every second—it’s a gamble. There are no guarantees in this world, and you know it.”
His hands were fisted. “I know that I need her.”
“Poor wolf. You fell hard and now—”
He stared down at his fisted hands. “Now I’m terrified because I don’t want a life without her.”
She walked toward him. Put her hand on his shoulder. “You think you’re the only one? Anyone—everyone—who loves feels this way. When you give so much of yourself to another, you open yourself up to incredible joy.”
He lifted his gaze to her face.
“And incredible pain.” Pain was reflected in her eyes. “But that’s