Chapter 37

The trip to Lilith Island passed in surreal flashes.

Flames splashing the night in copper and gold, burnishing the ocean and Talon's tense face.

The dinghy rising and falling like a roller coaster until the aftershocks finally eased.

Shark fins, pale in the moonlight, inscribing circles around the dinghy.

Me swaying on the bench, exhausted and shivering, head nodding against Twilight's shoulder—and when had she gotten on board?

And then I was floating free somewhere above the ocean, looking down at Talon and myself and the others. Detached and no longer cold. That was good, right?

It was Talon's voice, his will that pulled me back. "We're almost there. Hold on, angel. Can you do that for me?"

I mumbled, "Yes," my tongue so thick in my mouth I barely understood myself, and came to myself with a jerk.

Across from me, Talon rowed for shore, mouth set. I'd never seen him like that before. His eyes burned into mine, the irises outlined in cobalt like a corona flaring around a dark sun. He looked…wrecked. Terrified. For me.

Awe spread through me, warm and sweet. Filling up every corner of my soul, pushing out the anger, healing the hurt.

I really was important to him. I mattered to him.

We fought to land through the crashing surf. The ocean threw us forward. Dragged us back. Talon swore under his breath and rowed harder, his motions a blur.

"C'mere. If we hit a rock, you might pop out." Twilight moved me to the floor, braced me between her legs, and wrapped her arms around me.

My hands were numb, but I held onto her as best I could, trying to do my part. On either side of us, Brien and Cain kept pushing, underwater more than they were above it.

And then the dinghy bottom scraped against sand and pebbles. Tossing aside the oars, Talon scooped me into his arms and leapt onto the beach.

His deep tones vibrated against my cheek. "I'm taking Eden to my quarters. Someone contact Olivia and get whatever she needs to the castle."

"You don't want to take Eden to the clinic?" Brien's voice.

"She's in bad shape. I don't want to risk moving her across the island. We need to get her warmed up ASAP."

Safe.

I could let go now.

My brain clouded over, my eyes drifting shut.

When I opened them again, I was on Talon's bed, wrapped in a big towel, the heat cranked up. Taking a washcloth, he gently wiped the mud and dried salt from my face. He rinsed the cloth in a bowl of warm water and continued cleansing the rest of me, lifting a small part of the towel at a time and patting me dry with a second towel.

I gave a hard shudder, and he dragged his teeth over his lower lip. "Almost done, baby."

I nodded mutely.

When I was as clean as he could make me, he bundled me into a sleepshirt and tucked two thick blankets around me, topping them off with his silk comforter.

"Drink." Supporting me with an arm around my shoulders, he brought a cup of hot broth to my lips, feeding me sips until it was gone.

Only then did he leave me for a quick shower. He reappeared dressed in clean clothes and climbed into bed with me, pulling my chilled body against his.

I slipped my hand beneath the covers, fingers spread over my abdomen. The baby hadn't moved for hours. Panic wrapped a fist around my windpipe.

"The baby?" I rasped.

Talon stroked the hand on my abdomen. "You're okay—both of you. I can hear his heartbeat. He's resting, that's all."

"Really?"

"Really. But Olivia's on her way."

"Good. I mean I believe you, but I want to be sure."

"Of course, you do." He feathered his lips over my temple. "Whatever it takes, I'll do it. If I have to fly a specialist in, I will. I won't lose you now—either of you."

I rested my head against his cheek. "Thank you."

My toes and fingers started to prickle. I gave them a tentative wiggle, wincing at the pain.

"What is it?" Talon asked. When I told him, he brought my right hand to his lips, kissing the fingers one by one. "That's good. It means they're not frostbitten."

I nodded and burrowed into his chest. "This feels so good. To be close to you."

His arms tightened on me. "Get as close as you want."

I drew a jagged breath.

He nuzzled the side of my neck. "What's wrong, baby?"

"It still doesn't feel real. I keep thinking I'll wake up and I'll still be in that cellar." I shuddered. "Lemaire…he said he'd sold me to another vampire. He was taking me to whoever it was. The baby would've been born a slave."

Talon swore roughly. "Did he say who?"

"No. All I know is that it was a man. Lemaire said ‘he.'"

He was silent for a couple of beats. "There aren't that many vampires who keep blood slaves any longer. We'll track the SOB down. In fact, I may know who—" He broke off, shaking his head, and I knew that was all I'd get out of him. "Anyway, it will be handled. That's a promise."

Olivia arrived, dressed in pink joggers and a yellow hoodie, a cheerful, very capable whirlwind. The first thing she did was check my pulse, then hook me up to an IV, "for dehydration," she said.

Next she whipped out a special stethoscope and listened to the baby's heart. She examined me internally, too, then pulled my sleepshirt back down and tucked the covers around me again.

"He's got a good, strong heartbeat. We'll keep an eye on things, but he should be fine."

I let out a breath and met Talon's eyes. He was smiling, his relief clear. He squeezed my shoulder and pulled up a chair next to the bed. "And Eden?"

"She's doing great," the nurse-midwife said.

"Good." His jaw worked. "That's good."

My brain had cleared enough by then to realize my parents must be worried sick. "My mom and dad," I asked Talon. "Do they know what happened?"

"They were the first ones I called when you went missing."

"Oh, God. You have to tell them I'm all right."

Talon took out his phone. "Brien or Cain probably already contacted them, but I can text them anyway."

"Please," I said.

"Everyone knew," Olivia said. "Talon had the whole island out looking for you. The man didn't rest the whole time you were gone."

"Yeah?" I eyed him, stupidly pleased. He'd said something like that earlier but it was still dawning on me how much he cared for me.

Talon glanced up from his phone, giving me the same intense, burning look he'd given me in the dinghy. "Hell, yeah," he said, all growly vampire.

Olivia patted my leg. "I want you to take it easy for the next twenty-four hours, okay? Just rest and a little gentle exercise. We'll monitor you both to make sure everything's okay."

Talon's phone pinged. "It's your mom," he said, showing me the screen.

She'd sent me their love and a string of heart and hug emojis, then told me to rest now, they'd call tomorrow.

Talon pocketed his phone. "I'll have Smythe set you up with a new phone," he told me as a knock sounded on the outer door. "That will be your food," he said.

He left the bedroom, returning with Rio and a wiry older woman in a black T-shirt and white jeans, her nut-brown hair cropped short and streaked with gray.

"This is Mrs. Park," Talon said.

So this was Twilight's grandmother. There was a family resemblance—the same honed muscles, the same confident stride. The wooden tray she had tucked beneath one arm seemed somehow wrong; those strong hands seemed like they'd be more at home with a weapon than something so domestic.

"Hello." I struggled to sit up in bed, almost pulling my IV out.

Olivia clucked in dismay, but Talon was already there, lifting me up and tucking a large pillow behind my back.

"It's nice to meet you," I said when I was settled again. "I've heard a lot about you from Rio."

Dipping her chin in dignified acknowledgment, Mrs. Park unfolded the tray's legs, placing it over my lap. She took the containers from the insulated bag Rio carried along with a plate, bowl and silverware, and in moments, I had a bowl of steaming chicken wonton soup and two slices of toast before me.

My water glass was refilled and I was told to drink, the baby needed it. When I obeyed, Mrs. Park indicated the soup. "Now, eat."

"Yes, ma'am," I said and dug in.

Rio stood at the foot of the bed watching me. He looked like he hadn't slept since I'd gone missing. He had dark smudges beneath his eyes and his pink, purple and blue hair was matted down in some places, sticking up in others.

"You okay?" he asked after I'd taken a few bites. "Really?"

"Yep." I gave him a reassuring smile. "Just hungry."

He glanced at Olivia, who nodded. "She'll be fine, love. She needs food and rest, that's all."

His shoulders eased. "That's all right, then."

"Now off to bed with you," Olivia told him. "You look like you need sleep as much as she does."

He yawned and nodded, rounding the bed to pat my shoulder. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

"Sounds good."

He shifted from one foot to another, still staring at me like he couldn't believe I was really all right. Then he crouched and hugged me, careful not to jostle the half-eaten soup. "You scared the shit out of me," he said against my temple.

My heart constricted. I reached up, squeezing his forearm. "I scared the shit out of myself."

A rusty chuckle escaped him. "I'm so glad you're okay. You're like family, you know?"

I turned my head and kissed his cheek. "Back atcha, little brother."

"Right." He cleared his throat and with a last hug, came to his feet. "Let me know if she needs anything," he told Mrs. Park.

"I will," she told him, and he nodded and left.

Talon had left the room for a few minutes to have a low-voice conversation with Brien and Cain. Now he returned and pulled a chair up to the bed, watching as I resumed eating.

"MinJi has volunteered to keep an eye on you," Olivia said with a nod at Mrs. Park. "I'll stay another hour just to make sure everything is all right, and then she'll take over for the rest of the night. I'll be upstairs if you need me, though."

I frowned at Talon. "Why can't you watch me?"

"I can't, sweetheart." He curved his hand around my nape and rubbed his lips over mine. "I have to leave, but you'll be fine with Mrs. Park here." He exchanged a look with the former slayer and straightened, adding, "There will be a guard stationed in the hall, too."

A guard? My brow furrowed. "What's going on?"

Talon rolled his lips in.

I put down my spoon. "Tell me. I deserve to know, don't I?"

He considered me another few seconds, then nodded. "If you could leave us for a minute?" he said to Olivia.

She nodded and exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Talon turned back to me. "We're pretty sure there was someone else on that island. Someone who stayed in the shadows while we were searching for you. Somebody rigged our boat to explode, and if Lemaire was with you, it couldn't have been him. We know there was a second vampire—we took care of him. But there must've been a third."

"You could be right," I said slowly. "Your father was worried about more than one vampire. He kept saying ‘they're.'"

Talon nodded. "Whoever it was, they're probably not still on the island, but we'd like to check it out anyway. Meanwhile, I want to be extra careful with you."

"All right," I said, although he wasn't really asking for my agreement.

He brushed the back of his fingers over my bruised cheek. "I love you," he said, low-voiced, and strode out of the bedroom, leaving me staring after him, mouth ajar.

Olivia took the chair Talon had vacated. "Whew," she said, smiling and shaking her head. "What a night you've had."

"Yeah." I closed my mouth, still back there with Talon saying he loved me—and then leaving. "First time the man tells me he loves me, and he runs out the door before I can even say it back."

"He's afraid," Mrs. Park said from the doorway.

My brows climbed. "Of me?"

"Not you so much," she said. "What you represent."

"And what's that?"

"Vulnerability. Someone hurts you, and they hurt him. We saw it ourselves. He wasn't himself while you were gone. He wasn't just upset and angry, he felt guilty."

I nodded slowly. It made sense, especially with parents like his. He was used to being the problem solver, the protector, the hard-ass.

Mrs. Park indicated my tray. "Finish your soup," she said in a firm but kind voice. "Rio made it himself."