Page 55

She stood, but her legs were heavy as lead, and she dropped back down before she’d even made it off the bed. If he only knew the level of danger she’d wrought upon him.

He wouldn’t believe her even if she told him the truth.

And if he did… dammit, he’d try to help.

“Lexi and I will move across town, and whoever this is will realize that you and I are nothing to each other. We just met. We’re not even together. It shouldn’t be hard to convince them.”

Tisiphone had bragged about what she’d done to Magaera’s lover.

Vann braced his hands on his hips and backed up a step. “I wish it were that easy. If their sights are already locked on you, it’s too late. I’ll have some of my colleagues protect you, far from here. Far from me. New IDs. A flush bank account. Whatever it takes.”

Eryn hadn’t come this far to lose. Last night’s attack had gone according to plan.

Almost.

She was supposed to have been alone.

She was supposed to be sleeping it off without anyone thinking she had anything more than fatigue from too many night shifts. Then come out stronger and ready to fight.

As the minutes passed, the exhaustion of the infusion sapped her energy.

What if Tisiphone came back for the final dose before she was strong enough?

Vann’s phone buzzed on the nightstand. Hands on his hips, he glanced toward it, then back to her.

It rang again.

He stalked to the nightstand. On seeing the screen, his brow scrunched.

Fatigue crept up her spine, radiating over her skin as the need for rest threatened to overwhelm her. Fury energy needed time to sink in, and she didn’t have the strength to keep arguing with him about whose fault it was and who needed to run and hide. She needed a damn nap.

“Yeah, she’s awake,” he said, then cleared his throat. “Would you please tell her she needs to get the hell out of town… What? No. Lexi—” He glanced over at Eryn and scowled.

Eryn pushed her fists into the bed to stand, but she couldn’t work up the strength. Coated in lead, she lifted one arm and beckoned him to hand the phone over.

He stalked over and offered the phone. “It’s Lexi.”

She squinted as she tried to catch up.

“Your phone is back at the apartment. As soon as I got you in here, knew you were safe, I called to let her know what was going on. She agreed you didn’t need to go to the hospital.”

“That makes sense.” She moved the phone to her ear.

Vann stepped back and turned away. He rubbed his hand over his mouth and paced toward the bathroom, finally flicking on the light and the fan, and closed himself in.

“Lexi? What’s up?”

Lexi’s acid tone hit hard. “She came for you, didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“Please tell me you weren’t expecting her. I would have been there for you. With you—”

“We can talk about all that later.”

“Damn right we will. Right now, stay close to Vann.”

“Are you fucking kidding? You know I can’t risk—”