Page 53 of Cooper’s Passion

The female voice was accompanied by footfalls approaching fast. A moment later, Yvette Montgomery, his mother, came into view. She rushed toward him.

“Oh my God, my baby.” She crouched down and pressed her hands on his wounds. “You were shot?”

He nodded, then managed to turn his head toward Anita. “Don’t let her leave.”

Yvette shot Anita a quick, assessing look, before she turned her attention back to him.

“Blood,” he said.

Yvette’s eyes widened, and with a quick move of her head she made an indication in Anita’s direction.

“She knows.”

Immediately, Yvette pulled a small flat bottle from the inside of her leather jacket and unscrewed the top of it. She set it to his lips, and he drank greedily. It was only a quarter pint, much less than the amount of blood in one of Scanguards standard bottles, but it would be enough for right now so he could at least be moved to another location.

Yvette stroked her hand over his head. “I’ll take care of you now, sweetheart. I’ll take you home. And then we can get the bullets out. Can you stand?”

He nodded, his hand still around Anita’s wrist. He noticed that Anita had gone quiet and watched him and Yvette carefully. Was she planning to escape?

“And you’re coming with us,” he said with a look at Anita, taking a few steadying breaths. “You owe me that for having shot me. Twice.”

Yvette’s head whirled in Anita’s direction. Simultaneously, her fangs extended, and she growled at Anita. “You shot my son? I’m going to—”

“Mom, don’t hurt her. I love her.”