Her own research into her condition had ended in a dead end. And the fevers continued several times a year. Sometimes mild, sometimes stronger. And they were always accompanied by cravings for sex.

This time it was worse. She knew now that there was only one man who could douse the fire in her body: Gabriel. Her body didn’t listen to her brain anymore and changed direction. Instead of continuing to the bathroom where cold water beckoned, her shaking legs carried her toward the door of the bedroom.

Her breathing sped up. She needed more and more oxygen to make her body work. It wasn’t enough. She wouldn’t make it, not this time.

Maya reached for the door handle, turned it and pulled. Black blotches appeared in front of her eyes, and she lost her balance as the door swung toward her.

***

Gabriel undid his belt to show the witch what he needed help with when a loud thump from upstairs startled him. He rushed toward the door and looked into the hallway, where he saw Thomas running upstairs.

Panic gripped him. Without giving the witch a second thought, he ran after Thomas. He reached the door to the guest room seconds after Thomas. There, just inside the open door lay Maya sprawled on the floor, her skin glistening, her short red nightdress clinging to her.

Before Thomas could touch her, Gabriel was by her side and gathered her in his arms. “Maya, can you hear me?”

As he held her slim body next to his, he could feel the heat emanating from her.

“What’s wrong with her?” Thomas asked, his voice full of concern.

“She’s burning up.”

“You think it’s the fever?”

Gabriel wondered for a second how Thomas knew about those, then realized that he would have talked to Drake when reviewing the medical files. “It looks like it. I just don’t understand it. Any illness she might have had as a human should have been eradicated by the turning.”

Thomas nodded. “We’d better get the doc.”

“I can help,” the witch said from the door. Gabriel hadn’t noticed her follow them.

Instantly, Thomas shot up from his crouching position and leveled a hostile glare at the woman, ready to attack.

“Thomas, it’s okay. She’s here to help.”

“You let a witch into Samson’s house?”

Gabriel didn’t get a chance to reply. “Would you get out of my way, vampire,” she addressed Thomas, “so I can help that woman? Or would you rather we discussed the problems between our two species while she burns up?”

Without another word, Thomas stepped aside and let her inside the room.

“Carry her to the bed. I want to examine her,” the witch dictated.

Gabriel stood, pulling Maya closer into his arms. As she shifted, he suddenly felt her move her head into the crook of his neck. A moment later, her tongue licked him, making his skin tingle pleasantly. Then he felt her teeth. He barely made it to the bed before her fangs lodged in his neck and she began to suckle.

He sat on the edge of the bed, holding her in his arms while she fed. Maybe she had collapsed because of the hunger, but Gabriel knew instinctively that it wasn’t the answer. Something else was seriously wrong with her.

“She drinks your blood?” the witch asked, her voice full of disbelief.

Gabriel looked at her as she watched them. “She refuses human blood.” His eyes searched Thomas. “Thomas, get Drake here.”

“It’s daytime,” the witch commented.

“Doesn’t matter,” Thomas answered. “I’ll send a blackout van with one of our human guards.” He let his eyes glance up and down the witch. “You sure, you’ll be safe with her?”

“Miss LeBlanc doesn’t want to harm any of us, trust me.”

Thomas shrugged. “If you say so.” He left the room.

The witch cleared her throat, prompting Gabriel to look at her. “How long will she feed?”

“As long as she needs to,” Gabriel answered. He stroked his hand over Maya’s hair and shoulders and suppressed the urge to touch her intimately. Already now he was aroused, and the presence of the witch in the room did nothing to dampen that arousal. Only his sense for dignity and privacy—more for Maya than for himself—kept him from devouring her with his hands.

It seemed like an eternity before Maya released his neck and licked over the incisions to close them. Carefully, he released her from his arms and laid her on the covers. Her eyes were closed. As he removed his hands from her, her body started thrashing. Moans left her lips, indicating she was in pain.

“She seemed calmer in your arms,” the witch commented.