Vampires Are Foreve(102)

Inez watched, and soon realized she hadn’t been the only one injured in the fall. The bearded blond was fighting with one broken arm hanging loose at his side. Rachel was taking every opportunity to boot or punch him in that injured arm, and when he cried out and grabbed it, she went for his groin or head.

Inez was truly impressed and wondered if the woman had taken self-defense classes before becoming an immortal. Although, there was nothing saying she couldn’t. Rachel could have taken them after becoming an immortal.

A furious roar rang in the air and Inez frowned because she hadn’t seen the blond immortal’s mouth move. And she was quite sure the sound hadn’t come from Rachel. That had definitely been a male sound…or perhaps the sound of a truck driving by, Inez thought vaguely and slowly turned her eyes to look up to the road.

A mild sense of surprised flowed through her when she saw Thomas frozen at the top of the stone steps. Inez could see his eyes glowing silver in the darkness and seriously hoped the man didn’t think he was getting any sex in her condition. She loved him dearly, but really this wasn’t the time for that sexy silver glow he always got when he was in the mood, she thought a little fuzzily.

It was getting harder to think and she hadn’t really been all that clearheaded since the fall, but suspected the deteriorating state of her mind might have something to do with the blood gushing out of her from several spots.

The roar of fury and anguish that suddenly ripped from his throat caught Thomas completely by surprise. It pushed its way up from his chest and exploded from his lips when he saw Inez lying bloody and broken at the base of the stairs like a doll tossed from above. Launching himself forward, he scrambled down the stairs as if caught in a landslide, his body moving more quickly with each step until he leapt the last two to land on the ground beside Inez.

He was aware of Bastien and Etienne rushing past to chase after the blond immortal, but knew they wouldn’t catch him. His roar had made both Rachel and the bearded man glance his way. The minute Thomas had started down the stairs, the man had burst into action, giving a still-distracted Rachel a shove that sent her flying onto her back before whirling away to flee. It had given him all the head start he needed.

Eyes roving over Inez’s injuries, Thomas dropped to his knees and instinctively reached for her. Slipping his arms beneath her, he scooped her up against his chest, and then stilled when she moaned in pain. His heart began to beat again then. Thomas had been sure she was dead and had already begun to grieve, but as much as her pain-filled moan hurt his heart, it was also music to his ears.

“Inez,” he whispered into her hair, his eyes squeezing closed against the tears of relief that tried to fill them. “It’s all right, love. You’re all right.”

“No,” she mumbled weakly into his neck. “No sex, Thomas. I hurt.”

“She’s delirious.”

Thomas raised his eyes to see Terri at his side, concern clear on her face. He then glanced past her as the others now moved to join them. His eyes narrowed on his cousins and he opened his mouth to rip into them and then froze and glanced down at Inez with alarm.

“Her heartbeat’s slowing,” he said with dull horror.

“Lay her down, Thomas,” Bastien ordered grimly, dropping to his knees beside him.

Thomas whipped his head toward him, wanting to smash him for causing all this with his stupid plan, but wouldn’t release Inez to do it. Before he could at least tell him to go to hell, Bastien said firmly, “I know you probably hate me right now, Thomas, but believe me, it can’t be more than I hate myself. Now put her down so Rachel can look at her. You might have to start the turn right away if we’re to save her.”

Thomas hesitated one moment and then eased Inez onto her back on the ground.

Rachel immediately knelt on her opposite side. While she worked in a morgue, she was a doctor, and that showed through as she moved her hands quickly over Inez, muttering as she went. “Broken leg, broken collarbone, broken ribs, fractured skull…She’s lost a lot of blood…too much.” She glanced up at Thomas and said, “You have to turn her. Now.”

“It won’t wait until we get back to the townhouse?” Terri asked with concern.

“She’ll be dead by the time we get back to the townhouse,” Rachel announced baldly.

Thomas immediately raised his wrist toward his mouth, intending to tear into it with his teeth, but an open pocket knife appeared before his face.

Glancing at Etienne who was holding it out, Thomas muttered, “Thanks,” and then took it and sliced a four inch gash up his wrist. Ignoring the pain radiating all the way up into his shoulder, he immediately leaned forward, only to stop when he realized Inez’s mouth was closed.