The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,63

cleaning him up, the trickle stopped.

Settling herself behind the wheel, she adjusted the seat, pulling it as far forward as her tummy would allow so she could reach the pedals. After repositioning the rearview mirror, she pulled back onto the road and started forward.

Taelon shifted, then reached out and rested an arm across her lap. His hand clasped her belly. Sighing, he drifted into sleep.

The pain in her belly eased. The baby quieted, as though her daddy’s touch had lulled her to sleep, too.

Lisa increased her speed.

Before she did anything else, she needed to figure out where the hell they were.

Chapter Eleven

Lisa turned into the parking lot in front of a huge Walmart and found a space between two SUVs. Cutting the engine, she swiveled to face the passenger seat. Taelon had not moved in the half hour it had taken her to reach the sprawling supercenter. The baby hadn’t either, as if sensing the gravity of her father’s condition.

Fear coiled in Lisa’s gut. Reaching out, she drew a hand over Taelon’s forehead and brushed his hair back.

Why did the world have to be so fucked up? If things were different, she could take him to a hospital and get him the help he needed.

Then again, if the world weren’t so fucked up, he wouldn’t need help. He never would’ve been tortured like this and wouldn’t be killing himself trying to find his sister, who had probably been subjected to the same torture.

Curling her hand into a loose fist, she drew her fingers down his stubbled cheek. “Taelon?” she called softly.

Not a single eyelash flickered.

She pressed her fingers to his neck, holding her breath until she found a pulse.

Heaving a sigh of relief, she rested a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Taelon,” she called, louder this time.

His eyes opened. Blinked. Blinked again. Then squinted as though the light were too bright.

She glanced around. It was pretty bright, even with the tinted windows. The sun was high overhead, and not a single cloud hid it.

As soon as his gaze found her, he stiffened and rolled onto his back. Pain rippled across his features as he gripped his chest.

“Easy,” she said softly. “Take it easy. You’re okay. We’re okay.”

It seemed to take him a moment to gather his thoughts. “Where are we?”

“Austin, Texas.”

Lips tightening, he sat up. “I stole this vehicle from the vampires’ soldiers.”

“Yes.”

He glanced around. “Have they found us?”

“No. But I’m pretty sure they’ll come looking for us as soon as they realize it’s missing.”

Though he nodded his agreement, he seemed to be having difficulty thinking.

Worry resurfaced that he had hurt himself by pushing too hard to read whomever’s mind. Or that maybe his wounds were catching up to him.

Reaching across, she helped him find the lever that would raise his seat. “We need to ditch this SUV and find new wheels.”

Again he nodded.

“I have an idea how to do that, but I’m going to have to leave you for a bit and wanted you to be alert so you can skedaddle if a bunch of black SUVs suddenly swing into the parking lot.”

“You can’t leave.”

“I have to.”

“Then I’m going with you.”

She held up a hand. “I’ll be fine on my own. I’ll only be gone a few minutes.”

When he shook his head, he winced and lines of pain formed beside his eyes. “I won’t leave you unguarded again, Lisa. I have to keep you safe.”

She cupped his cheek in one hand. “You have kept me safe. You’ve been strong for the both of us all this time, protecting me and shielding me. Now let me be strong for you. Okay? I know what I’m doing.” Leaning forward, she pressed a light kiss to his lips. “I need to keep you safe, too. And I know you’re hurting.”

When he looked as though he would deny it, she shook her head. “Let me do this. I’ll explain everything when I get back. I just need you to be alert so you can keep an eye out for trouble.”

He stared at her a long moment. Reaching over, he cupped the back of her head in one large palm and drew her to him for a long, deep kiss that carried so much emotion tears burned the backs of her eyes.

Breaking the contact, he pressed his forehead to hers. “Come back to me.”

Swallowing hard, she nodded. “I will.” Grabbing the credit card and cash he’d stolen, she tucked it in the back pocket of her leggings and opened the