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“Let’s get him home, then we’ll talk. Vann and I are overdue for an honest conversation.”

“So…” Quinn lowered to sit on the foot of the bed and patted Vann’s leg.

Vann sighed in his sleepy state.

“Are you, um, from around here?” Quinn asked Eryn.

“I was born in Sisters. That’s about an hour east of here.”

Quinn nodded companionably. “I’ve never been. What made you decide to move here?”

Eryn bit her lips together. “It might have been for the same reason as Vann, I’m realizing.”

She was done making up stories. She’d loved it here as a kid. A family vacation spot. A getaway where time slowed. Where they could indulge on souvenirs, then sit on the beach and build sandcastles until sunset.

“I love the ocean. Ryan and I live on the coast, in Northern California, with our daughter, Skye. She’s five.”

“Vann told me how adorable she is. And he said he’s the single guy out of his friends. I guess his dad is seeing someone, and he’s not sure what to make of it, but I think it’s nice.”

Vann growled under his breath.

She snorted a laugh, that he was conscious enough to be ornery. She pressed her palm flat against his, then entwined her fingers with his as an anchor, a support, and wishing what energy she had could transfer to him.

When he was dying… she could have taken something. Sated her own thirst.

Tears flooded her eyes, and she blinked them back. She’d resisted.

She’d fucking resisted.

A smile swelled as her mood lifted.

Quinn chirped with a delighted laugh. “He’s seeing Ryan’s mom.”

Vann didn’t open his eyes, but quietly croaked, “When are they getting married?”

“As soon as you do,” Quinn whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Jackass,” Vann muttered, a smile teasing at his pale lips. “What does Skye think?”

Eryn quieted, listening as they threw around jabs and praise over their personal lives and families as Vann grew stronger.

He brushed his thumb tenderly over hers. What began as a subtle check that she was here, became more of a sweet affection.

Someone knocked on the door. Quinn popped up and let Ryan in.

Karen took the opportunity to round on Vann. She squeezed Eryn’s shoulder as she took Vann’s vitals. “He looks good.” Without batting an eye, she took out his IV. She adjusted the square of gauze to bandage it, but the hole in his skin was gone before she even got the tape out.

Ryan set a bag of clothes on the foot of the bed. “Let’s get out of here. Ready?”

Karen looked around at all of them, and settled on Eryn.

Eryn smiled with hesitant appreciation. “I’ll keep an eye on him, but I suspect he’ll be fine. You’ll make sure… to keep things calm around here?”

With a leisurely hook, Karen tossed her stethoscope over her shoulders and cast a pointed look at the strangers in the room. “You don’t live in a town like this and think everything is hunky-dory. We’d all like to see things quiet down around here. If you all think you can make that happen, we’ll do whatever we can to help.”

17

Voices flowed around him like a homemade blanket. So much better than the distant screams that swarmed him a few hours ago.