Unspoken (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3)(50)

She moved the front seat up so she could reach Chase.

“Do you need me to help?” Kirk asked.

Chase looked up at her, and ever so slightly shook his head.

“No,” Della said. “I can do it.”

She got Chase out of the car. His arm came around her shoulders, and she had to latch her hand around his hip to keep him from falling over. When she did, he flinched. That’s when Della realized his shirt was even bloodier in the back than in the front.

“Go home,” Chase said to the older vampire. “I’ll be fine.”

As she walked Chase to the gate, she heard Kirk pull away. When she knew they were far enough away that he couldn’t hear, she said, “You’ve got some explaining to do.”

“Can I just concentrate on not passing out right now and explain later?” His pain sounded in his voice, and her chest swelled with sympathy.

“You need a doctor,” Della said, the smell of his blood overpowering.

“Give me fifteen minutes after I drink the blood and use the ointment, and if I’m still bad, call your good friend Steve.”

Della frowned at his tone and the idea of calling Steve. Not that she doubted that he would help. He would.

Two steps after they got through the gate, her phone dinged with a text.

“Probably Burnett,” she said.

“Don’t…” Chase didn’t finish.

They continued walking, and when they got to the entrance of the trail, Chase said, “Della?”

“Yes.”

“She saved me.”

“Who saved you?” She felt his weight fall on her a little heavier.

“Your aunt. She … she appeared and everyone could see her. I could see her. They all freaked out.”

“Who all freaked out?” she asked, but she was more concerned about getting him to his cabin than hearing his story.

“They were attacking me. The prisoners. I think they thought she was a death angel. It gave me enough time to get to the Taser. I think the were shit his pants he was so scared.” Chase chuckled, but it sounded weak.

“You should have taken me with you,” she snapped. And then she was angry with herself for not following him.

“Della?” he muttered as if he hadn’t heard her admonishment.

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

“You are not dying!” she seethed.

He chuckled. “I didn’t say I was … But just in case.” His knees gave. She caught him, and realized he’d passed out.

She held his dead weight in her arms and ran as fast as she could to cabin fourteen.

*

She spoke to him the whole way, but he never once answered. Bolting inside his cabin, she nearly tripped over Baxter. She tried again to wake Chase. “Rise and shine, buddy. You hear me? You have to wake up!” Della headed straight to the biggest bedroom and put Chase on the bed. He didn’t moan or even stir.

Baxter jumped up on the bed, came to rest beside him, and whined. The dog’s dark eyes met hers, as if asking her to do something.

“I’m trying,” she spit out.

Sitting on the edge of the mattress, panic building in her gut, she took his face in her hands. “Chase, open your eyes, damn it!”

Knowing he needed blood, she ran to the fridge and found four bottles. Not knowing what else to do, she sat down and filled his mouth with the blood. It ran out of his lips, and he never swallowed. Then, afraid he would choke, she turned his head. Blood dripped out of his mouth, turning the white sheet red. She noted another growing stain around his torso, darkening the light tan bedspread. He was losing way too much blood.

“Shit!”

Standing up, barely able to breathe, she remembered Kylie’s ability to heal. She grabbed her phone and dialed Kylie. The phone rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

It went to voice mail. Damn it, the girl had just been in their cabin. “Where are you? Come to cabin fourteen. I need you!”

She paced the room, her gaze on Chase, watching to make sure he was breathing. Baxter had inched closer and now rested his snout on Chase’s arm. But his big black eyes kept shifting to her as if telling her to do something fast.

Should she go find Kylie? Leave him?

Then she recalled Chase’s words: Give me fifteen minutes after I drink blood and use the ointment, and if I’m still bad you can call your good friend Steve.

For one second, she worried how awkward that would be, but before that second ended, she had dialed and was waiting for Steve to answer.

He picked up on the first ring.

“Hey.” In that one word, she heard how happy he was to hear from her.

“I need you to come to cabin fourteen. Chase’s hurt … It’s bad.”

She pulled in a deep breath. “I’m sorry.” She realized he’d hung up. Was he coming? Was he angry that—? Chase moaned. Della ran to the bed and caught his hand.

“Chase? Can you hear me?” She lifted his head and held the bottle of blood to his lips. “Drink some blood. You need blood.” He didn’t drink and his head fell to the side.

She heard someone running up the steps. Inhaling, she got Steve’s scent. He didn’t knock, just ran in.

“In here.”

“What happened?” Steve set a bag down and went to stand by the bed.