Sliding to his knees, he reached for her, bringing her to him. “Jill?” He checked her pulse and barely felt it beat against his fingers. “How long has she been like this?”
“About five minutes.” Adam’s voice was weak, but anger fractured every word.
“I’m here, Jill. Hang on for me.” Slade moved his ear to her chest and counted her heartbeats. They were too slow. She wasn’t going to make it. “God dammit!” Slade’s bellow rang out, making people take a step back. Warriors started showing up and circled Slade and Jill, keeping prying eyes away.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. “Do it.” Sloan’s voice registered in his mind.
Not that he needed permission, but Jesus, he could still lose her. Slade Buchanan was terrified and broken. He looked down at Jill’s pale face to see red tear drops splattering her skin. His fangs elongated as he tilted her neck. He heard the chant of courage coming from the Warriors who stood to protect him as he tried to save the only person who ever mattered to him and the one he loved more than his own life.
CHAPTER 23
Slade waited as patiently as he could as they processed his paperwork at the jail. Duncan, from what he understood, had been released hours earlier. Jill had done it. She had gotten the law changed and he was so fucking proud of her he could burst.
Because of all the media attention, he had been allowed to stay with Jill until she fully recovered. They City Council members wanted no more bad press. Like they could have stopped him from staying with her. His own death would have been the only thing that kept him from her side. Also Sloan threatening to pull every VC Warrior under him out of the city had made a big impact on allowing Slade to be able to turn himself in at a later date.
It took only two days for Jill to be up on her feet. She hadn’t experienced the shock Pam had and for each individual it was different. Some turned fast and other’s could take weeks while a few didn’t make it at all. His Jillian was a strong woman.
Jill had been furious when Slade informed her he was turning himself in. She had to promise not to get a posse together to break him out of jail. She also promised to continue her fight to get the laws changed, which she did with a passion that made him proud.
Adam was also turned a couple of days after Jill, which Sloan took care of. He was ready to turn himself in when he got the call that the law had been changed so lives could be saved. It seemed Jill’s plea to the public through media was heard loud and clear across the country.
Finally, a police officer handed him all the stuff he came to jail with. “Thanks.” Slade grabbed it all then headed out the door at a run and hit a brick wall. “What the hell?” Slade picked himself off the ground.
“Hope that hurt.” Jill stood there with her hands outstretched.
Slade laughed, then tried to move toward her, but she stopped him. “I’m really angry with you.” The sun hit Jill’s matching golden eyes making them glow. “I told you not to change me.”
“Didn’t we already have this fight?” Slade couldn’t get enough of looking at her.
“Yes, but I was too weak yet to slam you on your ass.” Jill frowned. “You did a week in jail and could have lost your medical license.”
Dropping what was in his hands, he raised his palm using his power to pull her toward him. “And this is the thanks I get?” Once she was close enough, he swooped her into his arms. “I would die for you, Jillian.”
Jill clutched onto him so tight it hurt. “And I would die for you,” she said against his chest. “Sloan wouldn’t let me come to see you.”
“That’s because I told him not to.” Slade tilted her face to his. “You needed to get your strength back and had no business coming to the jail.”
“I tried to sneak, but he had everyone watching me.” Jill grumbled making him smile.
Slade buried his face in her hair. “I almost lost you, Jill.”
“Yes, you did.” Jill touched his face with her hand. “I was just trying to—”
“Save everyone but yourself.” Slade finished for her. He bent down kissing her softly, but when she deepened the kiss, he moaned and pulled away. “Let’s get the hell out of here. We have some making up to do.”
“And I’m thirsty.” Jill laid her head against his side as they walked to the car.
“I told Sloan to have you feed from someone.” He frowned as he opened the car door for her.
Jill reached up and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him once again deeply. “I refused to feed from anyone but you. Sloan threatened me, punctured his arm and well, I was so thirsty, I couldn’t help it and I definitely didn’t like it. I don’t ever want to feed from anyone other than you again.”
Slade forced his anger down. If she had to feed from anyone but himself, he’d rather it be Sloan Murphy, but he still didn’t like it. “You needed to feed and couldn’t wait a week for me.”
“I know, but don’t do that to me again.” Jill punched him in the stomach.