A Tangle of Hearts (A Shade of Vampire #44)(10)

“Bijarki,” he called out to the incubus, who—as if reading Draven’s mind—left the succubus with Jovi and went to offer his shoulder as support to the Druid.

“The succubus is badly injured,” Bijarki noted. “She’s part of a tribe, judging by the color on her.”

“What about the others?” Draven asked.

I felt my blood rising up to my temples as I stood helpless with my brother’s head in my bloody hands.

“They’re dead,” Jovi replied, struggling to stand on his own shaky knees and support the wounded succubus.

“Guys! Phoenix!” I barked at them, stuck between fury and desperation.

“We need to get them all downstairs to the basement, where they can get the right treatment,” Draven replied calmly. “Aida,” he called out.

Aida looked over her shoulder. Field was hunched on the floor, lethargic and visibly weakened from his injuries.

“You deal with Field. I’ll tell you what to do downstairs. Help him up.” Draven started assigning roles and responsibilities with the proficiency of an army general. “Vita.”

Vita sat in front of me, trembling from the shock of everything that was happening.

“I need you to help me get downstairs,” Draven continued. “Bijarki will help Serena take Phoenix into the basement, and Jovi can bring the succubus down himself. He saved her, so he’s responsible for her.”

Vita pulled herself up and went over to Draven, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Bijarki joined me and helped pull Phoenix up from the floor.

All I could do was pray to every single entity in Eritopia for my brother’s life. I held him from one side, Bijarki held him from the other, and we carried him down to the basement.





Aida





[Victoria & Bastien’s daughter]





My mouth was dry and my heart pounded in my chest. Field didn’t look as bad as Phoenix, but he didn’t inspire much positivity either.

Field couldn’t take his eyes off Phoenix as Bijarki and Serena carried him out of the foyer.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t take my eyes off of Field. He moved to get up, and I pulled myself back, giving him space. I wasn’t sure he needed my help, and I didn’t want to ram myself down his throat like some kind of nagging girlfriend. He stood and seemed to handle himself pretty well.

I felt relieved. He was going to be okay.

His hair was ruffled, and his bare chest was scratched and cut all over by shape-shifters, but he still towered over me confidently.

I followed the rest of the group, expecting him to accompany me.

Something thudded.

I turned and found him fallen to his knees, trying to get back up. I cursed myself for thinking he’d be okay and hurried to him. I drew in an anchoring breath and touched his broad, firm shoulders. I had tried so hard to keep my distance from him and not come across as the little wolf-girl with a crush, but it seemed like Eritopia was bent on throwing him into my arms.

Field looked up and tried to put on a reassuring smile, but his hazy expression made it obvious that he was seeing double or triple. I figured he was more amused at seeing two or three of me at once than he was happy to see me.

I helped him stand back up, and he put an arm around my shoulders.

“I’m sorry. I’m heavy.” He grunted from the pain and held his side with his other arm.

“Let’s just get you downstairs,” I replied and helped him toward the basement.

He hissed at every other step and struggled not to lean on me too much. I didn’t mind, though. I was strong and perfectly capable of supporting him. I was also determined not to come across as a fragile little girl—not in front of Field.

It took us a few minutes to stagger down the staircase, but eventually we made it into the basement. I looked around. Vita and Serena were with Phoenix and Draven, while Jovi and Bijarki stood by the succubus. Her presence made me wary—none of us seemed to know yet if we could trust her, not even Bijarki.

I didn’t want Field anywhere near her. We didn’t know who she was, what she wanted, or how she’d stumbled upon the mansion, and I definitely wasn’t going to allow her to look at him.

I shook that last thought out of my head. I sounded overprotective and jealous.

Snap out of it.

We reached one of the spare beds and, after a few grunts, I managed to get Field to lie down. His face was ashen from the pain and, as I looked over his magnificent torso, I could see why. A dark, reddish purple bruise bloomed on half of his ribcage. Either broken or cracked ribs, for sure. It broke my heart to see him this way.

I rushed to get some water and clean towels and began dabbing his wounds, one at a time.

He was quiet, and I was grateful for that. I bit into my lower lip and moved slowly in order to cause him as little discomfort as possible. Seeing him in pain clawed at my insides and made me angry at him for his lack of regard for his own safety and at myself for not being able to keep a clear head.

“I’ll be okay,” Field said, as he watched me press a wet towel on the deep cuts on his shoulder.

I shot him an irritated look, channeling all of my frustration into it.

“Yeah, but let’s hope the pain will remind you to be less of an idiot next time and not fly through doors,” I replied and bit my lower lip again.