He cupped the back of her head, but his frail female stopped sucking, going completely limp again. He panicked, feeling for her heartbeat. Nothing.
“She’s not breathing,” Gunner cried out.
Rocco crouched down in front of him. “Dhampir don’t need to.”
That’s right. He knew that. He’d panicked. Still, Gunner quickly shifted her so he could look down at her. Her eyes were open, lids heavy.
Then she blinked, painfully slow.
Gunner squeezed his eyes closed with relief. She was weak, that was all. He held her to him, but not too tight. She was so fragile, he was afraid he’d break her. She needed to feed but could only handle a little at a time right now.
He needed to get her home.
He looked around, wanting to cover her nakedness. He had nothing. His clothes had disintegrated when he’d shifted. Rocco tugged his shirt from the back of his jeans and handed it to him as if reading his mind. Gunner took it and carefully pulled the T-shirt over her head, covering her. His demon didn’t like another male’s clothes on their female, but wanting her covered won out over the possessiveness roaring inside him.
Naked, he stood with her in his arms.
Laz appeared at the door. He’d obviously taken Eve back to the compound and had just returned because his eyes widened as he took in Gunner’s female.
“Who is that?” he asked as his brothers stepped back, letting him through.
“My mate.” Gunner stared down at her to reassure himself he wasn’t dreaming, then back at Laz. “I felt her after you brought Eve home that first time, after I asked to be locked away, and then she was gone.” Gunner held her closer. “All this time I thought she was dead.”
He ignored his brothers’ stunned looks and walked out. Rocco led the way, sword drawn, Zen at his back, both protecting them as Chaos, Kryos, and Laz tore the place apart, searching for anyone who could still be there.
Gunner didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was the female in his arms. His female.
She stirred, making little desperate sounds, trying to reach his neck again. He lifted her higher as he walked out of the house and onto the now darkened front lawn.
She struck on her own this time, her small fangs sinking into his skin.
He groaned as his wings snapped out from his back, and making sure he didn’t dislodge her hold on his throat, took to the sky. Rocco stayed with him, cursing when Gunner dipped and swayed. The more she drank, the more light-headed he got. But his arms, his wings, they stayed strong and sure.
His brother dropped so he was flying below, more than likely so he could catch Gunner’s female if he needed to. But there was no way he’d drop her. Now that he had her, he was never letting her go.
The compound finally came into view, and somehow he managed to land on the balcony.
His female unlatched from his throat and went limp again. Her head fell back, and he looked down at her as he stumbled through the doors and into the control room. He swayed, hitting a desk, but managed to stay upright.
The other females were there waiting.
“You found her.” Grace rushed closer and gasped when she got a good look at her. “Oh god. I’ll call Jack, she needs a doctor. Bring her through, there’s an empty room upstairs…”
Gunner shook his head. “She’ll be in my room. No doctor.”
Grace’s eyes widened. “Hang on a minute.”
Rocco called her name, and Gunner ignored them all as Rocco explained who she was—what she was—to the females gathered around him, and why she didn’t need a doctor.
Gunner carried her through the doors and somehow made it down a flight of stairs to where the knights had their apartments. She latched on to him again, this time his shoulder, and moaned as she drew deep.
Somehow, he got the door open and kicked it closed, stumbling to his bedroom.
Lying back on the bed with her still in his arms, he let her have at him. Let her feed.
He could regenerate blood fairly quickly. And if she took it all, it wouldn’t kill him. Her skin that had been ice cold when he first lifted her was warmer. She released him again, her head resting on his chest. He brushed her tangled hair back and tilted his head to look down at her.
Her eyes were open, staring up at him, and they were a deeper violet now. She opened her mouth