“You’re close,” I said quietly. “A little farther.”
We were so fucking close.
And then, mere feet away from the door, he collapsed.
I dropped to my knees beside him, dragging him as far into the shade of the buildings as I could. Every inch was difficult—he was heavy, and I was hurt.
“Get up,” I said, trying and failing to hide how scared I was. “Get up, Raihn. We’re so close.”
He grunted and tried to stand. Failed, falling back against the wall.
What was I going to do? I couldn’t carry him. The sun encroached quickly. I tried to shove him as far into the shade as his hulking body could fit.
A door opened and closed, and my hands went to my sword—
I looked up to see a large, balding man standing over us.
He looked familiar, though at first, I didn’t recognize him. Then it hit me: the man from the apartment building. The one who was always asleep at the desk.
My mouth opened, but I didn’t know what to say—whether to snarl at him to stay away or beg him for help. No disguises today. We were so obviously vampires. So obviously helpless.
A million possibilities ran through my mind as to what a human would do when faced with two stranded predators.
The man spoke before I could. “I’m no fucking fool. I know who you are.”
He approached, then paused when I visibly flinched away, positioning myself between him and Raihn.
His eyes were… kinder than I’d expected. “You got nothing to be afraid of. Neither of you.”
He nudged past me, knelt down, and grabbed Raihn’s left arm. “You take the right,” he said.
He was helping us.
Goddess, he was actually helping us.
I did as he said, supporting Raihn’s right side. Between the two of us, and Raihn using the last of his strength to assist us, we got him into the apartment building. The keeper kicked the door shut behind us, yanking the curtains closed with his free hand.
The moment the sun was gone, Raihn let out a sigh of relief.
“Better,” he managed. “Much better.”
“Sh,” I said. I didn’t want him wasting his energy on words when there was still a staircase to tackle.
But without the sun, he immediately had more strength, mostly able to get himself up the stairs, even if he had to lean on us for support. When we made it into the apartment, he immediately sank onto the bed.
The human man stood in the doorway, arms crossed.
Raihn lifted his gaze to him. “Thank you.”
But the man just held up a dismissive hand. “This place has changed. Don’t think that people here don’t know why.” He glanced between us. “I don’t know what happened here, but—it’s none of my business. Let me just say, I hope that things continue the way they have been. And if getting you up here helps make that happen…” He shrugged and stepped back from the door. “I’m gone for the day and locking up behind me. If anyone asks, I didn’t see a thing.”
And with that, he shut the door, leaving Raihn and I alone.
I glanced at Raihn. His throat bobbed, but then he collected himself and turned to me, surveying me up and down. I was holding my abdomen. The wounds that I was in too much of a frenzy to pay attention to before were now far more noticeable. But they wouldn’t kill me.
Raihn stood and hobbled across the room.
I jumped to my feet.
“Where the hell are you going?”
“Ix’s tits, princess. Just across the room. I’m fine. Just the sun that was getting me.”
That wasn’t true. Though, at least he could move. That was something.
He shot me a bemused look as he opened a desk drawer, rummaging through it. “Sit down and stop glowering at me like that.”
“Why?”
He laughed. “Is that really too much of a command?”
I sat, reluctantly, as he returned and sat beside me. His breath was heavy and rattled slightly. Blood stained the bedspread already—mine, his.
He undid his coat an extra button. It was now ripped and stained, his hair wild around his face, his sleeves pushed up to his elbows. My once-fine dress was torn and soaked in blood.
Everything refined about our appearances from earlier tonight had been washed away in bloodshed.
“Thank you,” he said softly. “Thank you for coming for me.”
My throat was tight. I didn’t like when he talked like that. Reminded me too much of the way he thanked me after I’d let him drink from me. Too genuine.
“Simon talked about you like you were—” My lip curled. “Like you were nothing. Fuck him.”