Sending up a quick, silent prayer that this would work, Sarita snatched up the weighty microscope and swung it at Asherah. It was heavier than expected and, afraid she'd kill the woman, Sarita pulled back a bit at the end trying to lessen the blow. She still connected with a solid thump and wasn't surprised when Asherah cried out and fell to the floor.
Seeing Dressler straightening and turning toward her, Sarita wheeled the microscope at him and made for the door as quickly as she could. Which really wasn't that quickly, she worried as she staggered forward. Sure she would be stopped by the old bastard at any moment, Sarita put on a burst of speed and stumbled through the door unaccosted. But the effort cost her and she pretty much fell out the door as it swung open.
One minute the ground was rushing toward her face, and the next she was caught up in strong arms and pressed to a hard chest.
"Thank God," she whispered as Domitian's scent filled her nostrils.
"Mi Corazon?" Domitian whispered with concern when Sarita went still in his arms. She didn't answer, and the scent of blood was heavy on her. He took a moment to listen for her heartbeat, his own heart stuttering with concern when he heard how weak and thready it was.
"Rest, mi Corazon," he whispered. "I have you."
Pressing her tight against him, he glanced around to be sure the way was still clear and the men had not returned from their search, and then he moved quickly around the corner and back along the wall. When he reached the light Asherah had pointed out, he hunched over and ran for the fence, making sure to stay within the dead zone between cameras as Asherah had instructed. Reaching the fence, he didn't bother untying the tie, but pushed his way through, careful to avoid any part of Sarita getting caught by the sharp and broken wire.
Once through he immediately ducked into the jungle outside the fence and then hesitated. It would be faster to cut back on this side of the island and Sarita was injured and needed immediate tending. However, Asherah had warned him that route was too dangerous.
Cursing, he turned and followed the longer route, rushing through the small strip of forest that ran between the fence and the bluffs over the beach, following them around the fenced-in labs and then behind and past the big house. He had to stop only twice to avoid being spotted by the few searchers in this area. As Asherah had said, it appeared they were concentrating on the other side of the island in front of the house, expecting him to try for one of the boats.
Domitian continued on a straight path along the cliffs until he was a good distance through the forest between the big house and the cottage where Sarita's grandmother and Mrs. Dressler lived. He then cut into the forest, avoiding the paths, but making a zigzag trail of his own toward the cottage. Domitian saw a pair of men to his left at one point, but both men were looking the opposite way and he continued on, moving as silently and swiftly as he could, hoping they wouldn't turn and look in his direction until he was well past. When no one shouted or started shooting at him, he was sure he'd avoided detection.
It seemed to take forever to reach the cottage, and Domitian spent the entire trip listening anxiously to Sarita's heartbeat, afraid it would stop at any moment. Nothing in his life had ever terrified him as much as the possibility of losing Sarita did during that interminable journey back to the cottage. He didn't slow as he reached the edge of the clearing, simply raced forward down the path. When the door opened before he reached it, he thought Thorne must have been watching for him, but it was Sarita's grandmother.
"Is she all right?" Maria Reyes asked with alarm as Domitian hurried inside.
"She will be," he assured her grimly in passing and rushed up the hall to the stairs.
Domitian carried Sarita straight up to the guest room she'd slept in earlier, kicked the door closed behind him and settled on the bed with her in his lap. He didn't think about what he was doing, or that he should lock the door or tie Sarita down first, or that he would need blood to help her with the turn, Domitian simply shifted his left arm under her neck so that her head dropped down to hang off it. When her mouth then fell open, he tore into his other arm with his own fangs and pressed the gushing wound to her mouth.
When the bleeding stopped, he repeated the action. Domitian was just finishing doing it for the third time when Sarita's grandmother finally caught up to him and bustled into the room.
"Is she-?" Maria Reyes drew up short halfway to the bed as her eyes telegraphed what they were seeing to her mind. She stared at the blood soaking Sarita's side and hip, the blood smeared on her lips and face, and the bloody wound now stretching from Domitian's wrist to his elbow, and then her eyes rolled up in her head and she just keeled over.