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“Is Jackson here because of me?” she asked.
“To be honest, he hasn’t mentioned anything about you being here,” I told her.
“I’m starting to put it all together,” Declan said grimly as we moved down the hallway again.
“What?” I asked.
“Jackson contacting me when he did. How he asked me about the vampires I took out last month in San Jose, and that he said he wanted that job for himself.” He swore under his breath. “He was confirming it was me. One of those vampires must have been Reynolds’ wife.”
I regarded him with shock. “You think Jackson sold you out?”
“All I know is that he works for a man who was out for vengeance today, and he didn’t say a damn word about it to me first. Sold out? Maybe not, I don’t know. But with his sister in Reynolds’ dubious care, I’d say his loyalties were split.”
“Jackson wouldn’t do that,” Jennifer said. “You’re like a brother to him.”
“Not by blood,” Declan replied. “Not a sibling like you are, Jenny. I know you two had a falling out, but you’re the most important person in Jackson Gale’s entire world. He’d move the earth and the stars for you, especially if it meant ensuring your safety. If he found out about your situation here...”
“Shit,” she whispered. “He’s going to kill me.”
“It’s a theory,” I said to Declan. “But you don’t know for sure that Jackson would hand you over to Reynolds, knowing the guy wanted you dead.”
“Defending him now?” Declan asked.
“No. Only trying to help you not jump to any distracting conclusions about someone you said you trusted.”
We’d reached the stairwell again, and Declan swung open the door. Before I had the chance to go through, pale hands grabbed the front of Declan’s shirt and dragged him over the threshold. The door closed behind him with a click.
Jennifer shrieked.
I stared at the door with shock, my breath locked in my chest before I grabbed for the door and pushed it open so hard it bruised my hands.
Inside the stairwell, I watched with horror as Declan fell down a flight of stairs, hitting the cement wall hard at the landing. Blood streamed down his forehead.
Two vampires stood over him.
“Declan!” I screamed from the top of the stairs.
His pain-filled gaze locked on mine, and he must have seen the terror in my eyes. “Go, Jill! Take Jennifer and get out of here! Now!”
Normally, I had no doubt Declan could take the vampires on without any difficulties. My blood hadn’t killed him, but it had weakened him. Along with his other injuries, I knew he could fight for a while, but it wouldn’t be long before they tore him apart.
He wanted me to leave him, to save myself and Jackson’s sister. And maybe I would have done just that—in a previous life.
I shot a tense look at Jennifer. “Stay right here. Don’t move.”
She regarded me with horror but nodded her agreement with a jerk of her head.
There wasn’t any more time to explain, to figure out a plan, to think things through. I had only a few seconds to save Declan. And I had only one weapon at hand. The same weapon I always had at hand. The one that flowed through my veins.
I took the stairs two at a time until I landed between the vampires. Declan was down a few more steps, and he sent a fierce look my way. I noticed his leg was twisted in an awkward position, and a chill went down my spine. He’d broken it in the fall. It would heal just like the rest of him did—quickly. But that was only if he lived.
“What the fuck are you doing, Jill?” he snapped at me.
I didn’t have time for a Q&A at the moment.
“Hey.” I tapped the vampires on their backs. In unison, they turned to me, their nostrils flaring, their lips curling back from sharp white fangs.
I was surprised that I recognized them. They were the new owners of the bar where we’d met Jackson. The woman, Olivia, with her now-tattered boho dress, and the man, Ian, still wearing the same studded jean jacket as the other night. Jackson had left us to go take care of them. I assumed he’d meant to confront them and bring a swift end to their monstrous lives.
