She growled at the agony it caused.

“I’m sorry. I want to make sure you aren’t losing too much blood.” The bullet that had struck her arm had thankfully missed her brachial artery. The wound in her shoulder still bled sluggishly, but didn’t look too bad.

Draping her coat over her shoulders, he drew her into his arms again.

Richart reappeared with Bastien at his side.

The vamps tensed and eyed the two anxiously.

Bastien’s eyebrows rose. “I’ll be damned. He wasn’t bullshitting me.”

“Richart,” Etienne said, “would you take Krysta to my place so her brother can heal her?”

“Of course.”

Releasing her, Etienne touched a finger to Krysta’s chin and tilted her head back so he could lower his lips to hers for a soft kiss.

“Chick flick,” Ben whispered in a singsong voice.

Krysta smiled. “That one’s a keeper.”

Shaking his head, Etienne stepped back.

Richart touched her shoulder and whisked the two away.

Bastien sighed. “When Richart returns, have him take you, too.”

Etienne opened his mouth to protest. They had quite a mess to clean up.

Bastien held up a hand. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” He glanced at their vampire audience. “And a cleanup crew is on the way to take care of the rest, most likely with Reordon to oversee them. So do it. Everyone here can see that you want to be with her.” He raised his eyebrows at the vamps.

They nodded.

“It’s totally obvious,” Jeremy said.

“So obvious,” Ben agreed.

Etienne sighed. He really did want to be with her, so he would trust Bastien this time.

Jeremy shifted. “Who’s the new guy?”

“Someone with whom I thought you might feel more comfortable,” Etienne said. “Sebastien Newcombe.”

They stared, then exchanged amazed looks.

“Sebastien as in Bastien?” Jeremy asked. “The Bastien, who raised and led an army of vampires in war against the immortals?”

“Yes,” Bastien responded. “But I don’t like to brag.”

Etienne sighed and motioned to the vamps. “Bastien, meet our new recruits.”

The vampires all relaxed. Apparently, they were new enough that they didn’t consider him Bastien the Deceiver as the crazier ones did.

“There’s a fifth around the corner there. He was tranqed while helping us hold off the mercenaries,” Etienne added.

“I’m Jeremy,” Tar Heel proclaimed eagerly.

Bastien smiled and offered his hand. “Good to meet you.” He shook hands with the other vamps next, the action requiring each of them to sheath their weapons.

The man knew how to handle vampires.

Richart returned. “Sean’s healing her.”

“Thank you.” Would you be okay wrangling Bastien and the vampires by yourself? he asked mentally.

Of course. I used to hunt with him, remember?

Right. Etienne had forgotten.

A familiar passenger van full of network guards sped down the street and turned into the alley. A low rumbling told the immortals a bus full of cleaners followed more slowly.

Once more, the calvary had arrived.

Good timing, too. Cam must have lit a fire under their asses to get them here so fast.

Network guards approached, armed and alert, Chris at their forefront.

“The mercenaries are all either dead or down,” Etienne informed them. “There’s one on the roof there.” He pointed. “The rest are on the ground.” He motioned to their vampire audience. “These wise vampires have agreed to join us. Bastien will aid you with them. Richart will fill you in on the rest when he returns.”

“Where’s he going?” Chris asked, issuing orders to his men with hand signals.

“Krysta was shot twice and is at my home, being healed by Sean. Richart is going to take me to her, then return to offer his assistance, along with an accounting.”

“Okay.”

Etienne hesitated. “Really? You aren’t going to bitch and moan about me not sticking around?”

“No. I’ve seen how you guys are with your girlfriends.”

Etienne didn’t bother to deny it this time. Hell, he wanted Krysta to be his girlfriend.

“Go ahead and take off. I’ll handle things here.”

Etienne frowned. “Don’t forget to check them for tracking devices.”

“I won’t.” Chris left to inspect the damage.

“Ready?” Richart asked.

He nodded.

Richart touched his shoulder. UNC’s campus dissolved into Etienne’s living room.

“Where is she?” Etienne asked.

“In Lisette’s room,” Richart said. “You need blood first.”

A thud sounded downstairs. Krysta cried out.

Etienne raced for his sister’s bedroom and barreled through the open doorway.

Sean was on the floor beside the bed, Krysta and Cam kneeling beside him.

Krysta looked up when Etienne entered, tears in her eyes. “He collapsed after healing me.”

Etienne nudged Cam aside and lifted Sean onto the bed. Blood stained Sean’s shirt on his shoulder. Etienne tore the neck of Sean’s T-shirt and pulled it down to confirm Krysta’s wounds had opened on him. All of them by the looks of it.

“He’s never collapsed before,” she said on a sob. “Is he dead?”

Etienne shook his head. “He’s alive.” But he had expended all of his energy to heal her and, as a mortal, may now be incapable of healing himself. Etienne turned to Richart as he entered. “Get Roland.”

Richart grimaced and drew out his phone. “I’ll call Seth first. Roland tries to kill me whenever I teleport to his home.”

“Still?”

He nodded. “I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t so good at dodging flying daggers.” He dialed and held the phone to his ear.

Etienne took Krysta’s hand and drew her up against his side. “He’ll be okay.”

She shook her head, tears spilling over her lashes. “He warned me so many times that I might kill him.”

Etienne wrapped both arms around her trembling form. “He isn’t gong to die, Krysta.”

“Maybe not this time, but . . .”

Perhaps she finally realized Sean was right.

The sounds of battle came over Richart’s line, carrying to Etienne’s sensitive ears.

“Yes?”

“Seth. Richart. Are you busy?”

“One moment.” The clang of metal striking metal reached them, accompanied by howls of pain. Many howls of pain. Then silence. “Not right now, no. What do you need?”

Etienne fought a smile.

“Sean collapsed after healing Krysta. Could you—?”

Seth appeared beside Richart, pocketing his phone. “Let me guess. Roland still hurls daggers at you whenever you teleport to his home.”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to have to talk to him about that.”

Richart looked at Etienne. “I’m going to head back to UNC.”

He nodded.

Richart vanished.

Seth approached the other side of the bed. “So. What happened?”

Krysta sniffed. “He was just finishing up healing the worst of my—”

“Not that,” Seth interrupted, resting a hand on Sean’s chest. “How were you injured?” His hand began to glow.

Chapter 14

Krysta stared.

Sean’s pale face rapidly regained color.

Seth removed his hand.

“That’s . . . that’s it?” she asked incredulously. It had only lasted seconds and Seth didn’t show any signs of fatigue at all.

“Yes,” he answered simply.

Unsure whether to believe him, she leaned down and pulled up Sean’s shirt. No wounds marred his skin where hers had opened on his flesh. No bullet wounds. No gashes. No bruises. Only dried blood. “That’s amazing.”

I told you he was powerful, Etienne said.

I know, but . . . damn. “Why isn’t he waking up?” she asked.

Even though Seth had healed him, Sean didn’t stir.

“He expended all of his energy to heal you. He needs rest, so I commanded him to do so.”

“Uh-huh. And, despite the whole unconscious thing, he’s obeying you?”

“It wasn’t that kind of command. You might say I forced sleep upon him.” Seth crossed his arms over his chest. “One more time. What happened?”

Krysta and Etienne took turns telling him what had happened.

The powerful leader of the Immortal Guardians did not seem pleased.

“First,” he said, “you two need to abandon your doubts and insecurities and just get together already. You’re so perfect for each other that you’re finishing each other’s sentences.”

Krysta looked at Etienne, who seemed as taken aback as she felt. “Really?”

“We finish each other’s sentences?” Etienne asked.

She hadn’t realized it either.

“Yes. Second, you left two vampires guarding Krysta?”

Etienne nodded. “It was a risk I had to take. Their thoughts indicated they could be trusted to at least do that much. They were scared shitless and looked to me to get them out of there alive.”

Krysta held up an index finger. “I personally didn’t think I needed a guard.”

“You did,” Seth said in a tone that brooked no argument. “Have Chris outfit you with a pair of Glock 18s with thirty-round clips like Lisette. Guns may not be your weapon of choice for taking out vampires, but they are good for holding off humans. You also should consider, once more, serving as a Second until this new mercenary threat has been extinguished.”

“No, thank you.”

He raised an imperious eyebrow. “You can see vampires coming and know their movements before they make them. But the auras of humans offer you no such warning, do they?”