Page 91 of Ryder’s Storm

“What?” Panic rose in her. “Why not?”

“Ryder, take care of Scarlet,” Gabriel said before the doors closed.

Scarlet turned to Ryder. “What’s going on? Why can’t I be with him?”

“It’s too dangerous.”

Behind them, the ambulance moved into a parking spot farther down the garage.

“Your father can’t be around any humans when he wakes up. He might get overwhelmed by the smell of human blood and attack somebody.”

“Dad would never hurt me!” Scarlet protested, tears rising into her eyes again.

Ryder pulled her into his arms. “Shhh, easy, baby. You’ll get to see him soon. It’ll just be for a few days. He needs time to adjust to his new body.”

“But he needs me.”

“My parents will take care of him. My father is responsible for him now. He won’t let anything happen to him. I give you my word. And once your father can be trusted around humans, I’ll bring you to him.”

“He’ll have questions.”

“My mother will talk to him. She went through this herself. She never chose to become a vampire. She was turned against her will. She knows what he’ll be going through. If anybody can help him, it’s my mother.” Ryder’s eyes shimmered golden. “Your father is in the best possible hands.”

Slowly, she calmed and nodded. “Okay.”

Ryder looked over his shoulder. “Benjamin, you coming?”

The elevator pinged and the doors opened. Benjamin entered the elevator with them.

“Thomas just called me,” Benjamin said. “He couldn’t get through to you. He needs to see you.”

Ryder touched his jacket pocket. “My cell must have fallen out somewhere in the house. It’s probably toast right now.” He punched the button for the top floor.

“Pretty charred toast, I’d say,” Benjamin commented. Then he smiled at Scarlet. “Glad you’re all right.”

“Thanks to Ryder. If he hadn’t lowered me out of the second floor risking his own life…”

She looked at Ryder, and he suddenly swayed. “Ryder?”

Ryder would have tumbled to the floor had Benjamin not caught him instantly.

“What’s wrong with him?” Scarlet asked, panicked.

Benjamin lifted one hand, which suddenly was drenched in blood and slid Ryder’s jacket to the side. There was a gaping wound in his side bleeding profusely. “Oh, fuck! He’s injured. He’s losing a shitload of blood.”

“Why didn’t he say anything? Oh my God! What can I do?”

“He needs blood. Bottled is fine, but coming directly from a human’s vein would be better.”

“I’ll do it!” There was no hesitation. She didn’t merely owe him her life, and her father’s, but she loved him.

Benjamin lowered Ryder down on the floor. “I’ll keep pressure on his wound. Give me your wrist. I’ll have to pierce it.”

Scarlet kneeled down on the floor and Benjamin shifted Ryder, so his head was in her lap. Then he took Scarlet’s wrist.

“Sorry about that,” Benjamin said, before he bit into her wrist.

It took a second or two before he removed his fangs, and she couldn’t help but notice him swallowing some of her blood, his eyes shimmering golden.