The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,62

to heat up a little despite cooler autumn temperatures.

When she could stand the waiting no longer, Lisa reached out to Taelon mentally, hoping he would hear her.

Taelon?

She waited for a response but heard only silence.

Taelon? Are you okay?

Nothing.

Was he not close enough to hear her? Was he too preoccupied with keeping Walker and his men from seeing him? Was he hurt?

The baby chose that moment to move and kick.

Her belly tightened with a cramp.

Hissing in a breath, she smoothed a hand over the large mound and waited for the pain to pass.

It didn’t. Instead it worsened. As did the baby’s kicking.

Shit! This would be a really bad time to go into labor.

The pain continued to increase until she was panting from it.

A shadow fell across her. The driver’s door jerked open.

Fear sliced through her as a man in black seated himself behind the wheel and slammed the door.

“It’s me.”

She wilted with relief, or would have if her body weren’t so tense from the pain. “Taelon. Are you okay?”

“Yes.” His voice sounded strained.

Frowning, she shifted.

“Stay down,” he ordered as he started the car.

“Do you even know how to drive?”

“Yes. I watched you do it.”

Crap.

The car jerked backward.

Lisa threw a hand out and braced it against the back of the driver’s seat so she wouldn’t roll onto the floor.

Then the car moved forward, pressing her back against her seat. Judging by the jostling of her body, they were headed back the way they had come.

“Be very quiet,” he instructed, his voice strained.

A faint buzz sounded as his window rolled down.

Glancing up, Lisa saw the guard at the gate approach the window.

“Leaving again already, sir?” he asked genially.

“Yeah,” Taelon replied. “You know how it is.”

“Yes, sir, I do.” He moved back out of sight.

The clanking of the gate opening reached her ears before Taelon’s window rose.

The engine hummed as the car carried them forward. He made a turn.

Long minutes passed.

“Okay. We’re clear,” Taelon announced finally. “I’m going to pull over. You’ll have to drive.”

Lisa sat up as gravel crunched beneath them and the car rolled to a stop on the shoulder. When she leaned forward to look at Taelon, a cry escaped her.

Copious blood coated his upper lip, his chin, his neck, and saturated the top half of his shirt.

“Taelon!” Scrambling out of the car, she yanked open the driver’s door.

His eyelids drooped as he stared up at her.

“What happened?” Her hands shook as she cupped his face.

He curled the fingers of one large hand around her wrist and turned his face into her touch. “I read her mind.”

Her panic increased. Reading someone’s mind had caused all this blood? “Whose mind?” And what had it wrought inside his head? Had it caused a brain hemorrhage? A ruptured aneurism? She knew nothing about brain injuries, but this much blood…

It terrified her.

“The immortal,” he muttered, his words beginning to slur.

Immortal? Did he mean vampire?

“Taelon, honey, we need to get you to a doctor.”

He shook his head. “I’ll be okay.” Releasing her, he lurched over into the passenger seat, then slumped against the window.

Hands shaking, Lisa slipped in behind the wheel and closed the door.

“I know where she is,” he muttered, his eyes closing.

“The immortal?”

He shook his head. “Amiriska.” He released a weary sigh. “North Carolina. Head for North Carolina.”

“Taelon—”

“I’m okay.” He rallied a moment and met her gaze. “I’m okay, Lisa. Just need to rest for a bit.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a credit card and some cash and thrust it at her.

But he wasn’t okay. There was so much blood on his face and neck and chest.

Wiping his blood off her hand, she took the card and money.

“Make sure you eat something,” he murmured. “You’n the baby need… nour’shment.” His eyes closed. His body relaxed.

“Taelon?” Tears welling in her eyes, Lisa stuffed the card and cash in one of the cup holders, then reached out and pressed trembling fingers to his bloody throat.

A sob of relief escaped her when she felt his pulse. For a moment she’d thought…

Clumsily rising onto her knees, she reached over him, pulled a lever, and lowered his seat so he was mostly lying down. Then she urged him onto his side, facing her. If he was still bleeding, she didn’t want him to choke on the blood. She opened the glove compartment in front of him. 9mms. Ammo. A first aid kit. And sterile hand wipes.

Grabbing the wipes, she cleaned his face and neck. His nose still bled a little. But by the time she finished