chapter 27
Gerard held Amber in a protective embrace, vowing he’d never let her go—vowing he would protect her from the Ekimmu with his last dying breath.
Before he could pledge his heart, she pulled away. Her eyes widened in a look of such horror, it stole his breath. “Reid! And Megan!”
She pulled out of his arms and rushed into the freezer. Vincent had torn the busted door away from the opening and tossed it across the room. Amber rushed inside and knelt beside her partner. He was out cold. His broken arm was secured in a makeshift splint tied to his chest.
“Reid?” She touched his throat, feeling for a pulse. She looked up at Gerard who’d followed her inside the freezer. “Where’s Megan? And who splinted his arm?”
“Vincent took Megan back to the house in New York. Then he returned to splint your partner’s arm.”
“How do you know?” Confusion clouded her storm gray eyes. “You’ve been out there.” She pointed behind him. “With me.”
He arched a brow. “We share a mental connection. Remember?”
“But why did he leave Reid? Why didn’t he take him to a hospital?”
“Mortals can’t travel at vampiric speed,” Nicolas said, stepping closer.
“But what about Megan? How did Vincent get her out without us seeing her?”
“You were right about her,” Gerard said, his voice filling with pride. Amber was more than beautiful. She was brave and smart. “Infecting herself with Vincent’s blood gave her vampire-like abilities. When she created the vampire vaccine, she turned herself into a dhampir.”
“A secret no mortal can ever learn,” Surratt said. “A secret The Brotherhood of the Shedu will protect with our lives.”
“Or the lives of others?” Amber challenged, though her voice lacked heat.
“If need be. Special Agent Matheson and his team serve many uses. He’s on his way to collect your friend now and assist with the cleanup of this mess with Dr. Weldon.”
“Carl Matheson? The vampire hunter?” Amber looked at Gerard, her eyes wild with fear. “Oh hell no.” She rose to her feet. “He’s not getting within a hundred feet of Gerard.”
“I agree,” Surratt said. “I need Carl. He can kill the Ekimmu. I cannot. But I’m not delusional enough to think he trusts me or any other vampire.” He looked at Gerard. “You may not be a Shedu but you are no Ekimmu either. Live your life as you have and you should be safe. But if you ever need the Shedu, someone from The Brotherhood will be watching—both you and Nicolas’s daughter.”
A sense of peace settled over Gerard. The constant ache in his chest he’d felt since the day he woke up infected with the vampire virus seemed to fade. He no longer feared eternal damnation. And the vampire vaccine gave him hope—hope that one day, he’d be completely mortal. Then there was Amber.
He looked at her, his heart in his throat. “I’ll keep Amber safe.”
“Not by yourself you won’t,” Nicolas said. “She’s my daughter.”
“I can take care of myself,” Amber mumbled, turning back to her partner.
“You and Nicolas get her out of here,” Surratt said. “Take her home, get whatever personal items she wishes to keep and then get her out of Asheville. She’s no longer safe.”
Amber rose to her feet, staring down Surratt as if he’d issued a challenge. Her spunk was what had drawn him to her, but it was just as likely to get her killed.
“I can’t just move. I have a job,” she said. “I’m a cop. Even if I want to resign, I have to give notice.”
“You died here today,” Surratt said. “I will see to it that it goes in Carl’s report. A body will be produced and everyone will see your face when they look at it. You are no longer safe.”
“What about my father? And Reid?” her voice cracked, breaking Gerard’s heart. It didn’t matter if she loved Reid. If she would always love him. He only wanted to see her happy.
“Nicolas is your father,” Surratt said.
“But he didn’t raise me.”
The pain in her voice nearly broke Gerard’s heart. He’d do anything for her. Move mountains if he could, change Surratt’s mind if he had too.
“There has to be another way.”
Surratt nodded. “Very well. I’ll see what can be done. In the meantime, do not let her out of your sight.”
If Gerard had his way, he wouldn’t let her out of his life. Unless Amber wanted to be with Reid or refused to be with him,
Amber was his.
For as long as she would have him.