Jill grapples with herself, but the answer is clear as day.
“I’m sorry, Millie.” Her eyes leave me, zeroing in on Gray. Seconds pass before anything happens, yet to my horror, he goesup in flames. A string of curses flows through my mind, words pouring out of me so fast I barely understand anything I’m saying. It all sounds muffled, buried under the sound of rushing waves, as if I’ve been pushed underwater. All I can see is Gray, flailing on the floor.
It’s only now, with her full attention on Gray, can I finally move. She doesn’t even notice I’ve started running.
Gray.
His name is the only thought that crosses my mind when I throw my fist at Jill’s face. It isn’t what Tannis taught me exactly, but it does the trick. Her head goes sideways, breaking her concentration. The flames go out and Gray collapses. Jill stumbles, trying to right herself, but I leave her there and slide to the floor beside his fallen body. His skin is raw and red, the most damage having taken up his legs and broken arms. Though the flames were short-lived, it was enough to cause some serious damage.
“Millie, what the fuck? Get away from him!” Jill shrieks.
I’m afraid she’s going to pull us apart again when the fire alarm in the lounge blares on. The sprinklers go off almost immediately, bathing us all in cold water. I cast a long, hard look at Jill, who appears to waver. She hesitates, glancing around, until finally she swipes at her hair and makes a run for the door. The alarm must have spooked her, no doubt wanting to avoid attention from more vampires.
“Millie…” Gray groans as I try to lift him. He’s so heavy.
“You’re still not healing.” I can’t stop the panic in my chest from reaching my voice. “Why aren’t you healing?”
He uses what little strength he has and lifts himself into my lap. I get him as close as eye level, already straining to keep him there.
“Blood…” he croaks, “need…blood.”
Cold water pouring down on us, alarm still blaring, I tilt my head to the side and press his face into my neck.Fuck the rules, I think just as Gray sinks his teeth into me and drinks.
Long after Jill has left and the alarm has stopped, I keep Gray cradled to my chest while Nate clears up the mess. Emma left him hanging high and dry on the dance floor the moment the fire alarm went off. She must have booked it after Jill.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, running a hand along Gray’s back. It’s not just for him, it’s for Nate, too. “I had no idea.”
“It’s not your fault,” Nate insists. “Witches are great at concealing themselves.”
For as long as I’ve known them, I’ve never suspected a thing.
“Millie, areyouokay?” Gray’s voice is weak as he pushes himself to a sitting position. We’ve moved from the floor to the equally soaked couch.
“A little dizzy, but I’m fine.” Red eyes search my face, concern pulling his handsome features taut. He’s worried about me when he was the one on fire. Still, after some blood, he looks pretty much untouched. Even his hair, which is only singed at the tips in a few places, is still perfect, even if it is all wet.
“Nate?” Gray calls for him.
“I’ll get some towels.” Nate dips out of the room, leaving usalone.
Without an audience, I can’t stop myself from crying. “You almost died!”
Gray pulls me into him, covering my sobs with his lips as he kisses me so deeply it leaves me breathless. I cling to him, pulling at his shirt, his arms, anything that I can grab to bring him closer than he already is. The relief I feel at knowing he’s still there, solid and healed, is enough to break me. Watching him go up in flames like that was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever witnessed firsthand.
“Still here,” he mumbles, moving on from my lips to my jaw. I’m sure he’s going to go lower, but he’s stopped short.
“Fresh towels,” Nate announces as he returns. I turn on the sofa to see that he’s brought a few more vampires with him. They look the same as the men at the doors coming into the club. Same black dress suit, same dark sunglasses to cover their red eyes.
Gray stands and takes them, bringing them quickly to me.
“What about you?” I ask as he drapes a big, fluffy towel over my shoulders.
“I’m fine.”
He probably doesn’t feel the chill setting in the way that I do, so he hands me a second towel, and I take it gratefully.
“Now what do we do?” I ask, looking at both Gray and Nate.
Nate rubs at the back of his neck. “I called Tannis to let them know what happened. Then I checked upstairs. Their car is gone.”
