Louisiana Moon (31 page)

With the sound of battle as her guide, she ran back to the others. She’d have to deal with that figure another time. She raced through the water-filled path. The water splashed as she rounded another corner. When the maze came to an end and she burst out, terror filled her at the sight of Darin surrounded by three demons and V nowhere in view.

He held a gun firmly, shooting at them with no effect. One lurched at him and she screamed as she sprinted forward, feeling slower than ever before and knowing she’d not get there in time. The stone statues claws ripped into flesh, slashing a foot long gash in Darin’s midsection. He echoed her scream.

Another demon went for his neck and took out a chunk. Darin slumped to the ground and fell still. Lifeless. Anger washed through her and she was on them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ryant and Zeke join her. Fueled by rage, she made short work of the demons. When they were dispatched, she fell on her knees beside Darin.

“No,” she moaned.

With each breath, air bubbles burst from the neck wound. The stink of bowels filled her nostrils, a sure indication his intestines were exposed. A death wound. He’d never survive that.

“Kris?”

Setting his head in her lap, she stroked his face. Eyes wide with horror met hers as he grasped at his neck. “Darin, I’m right here.”

Blood flowed in a steady stream, dripping, dripping onto the ground. Her throat clogged as tears welled in her eyes. No. No. No. Not Darin. He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve to die. Her fault. She’d brought him into this. Had, in her arrogance, thought to save him from V yet had brought out his destruction. Her, not V.

He tried to speak.

She leaned over him, whispering into his ear, “Shh, no, you’ll be okay. I’ll get you help. Hold on.”

He closed his eyes and his head lolled.

She looked up at those surrounding her. “Ryant, we’ve got to get him out of here. I think I feel a heartbeat. It’s weak but he’s still alive. Do something.” Kris cradled Darin’s head in her lap, brushing a hand through his hair.

* * * *

Even as her hurt tore him up inside, by the nature of his wounds, Ryant couldn’t move Darin. Knowing Kris wouldn’t understand, he shook his head.

“Please, Ryant.”

The plea in her tone was almost his undoing. He didn’t want to hear her beg. Joining her, he knelt, placing his fingers on Darin’s neck for a pulse check. “His pulse is dangerously low. I’m not sure he’ll survive if we transport him.”

Denial flooded her gaze so he continued, “I will try. Understand that I will
try
, okay?”

She nodded and grabbed the crystal necklace that lay near Darin. Ryant placed a hand on her shoulder and one on the human’s chest. Darin’s breaths were too shallow.
If there is a human God, please let this work.

As he closed his eyes, Ryant visualized their bodies as one, turning to molecules as they faded slowly into the numerous complications that arose from shifting Darin.
Fuck, this better work for her sake.
Tighter, he squeezed his eyes.

The air around them moved then stopped.

“Ryant, you did it and he’s still alive.” Joy filled Kris’s tone.

He opened his eyes. They were back at Club Fifteen, in the den. He might have transported them but he didn’t have the heart to tell Kris Darin would not survive his wounds. How the human was still breathing was beyond him.

Darin moaned. She lightly touched his cheek. “Darin, you are safe and you’ll be fine.”

Beyond his moan, he didn’t move or speak.

“Darin?” Feathering her fingers over his neck, she felt for his pulse. Her gaze came to Ryant. Her lovely eyes glistened with tears, the depth of her pain slashing through him. “He’s dead.”

The emptiness in her tone shook him into action. Carefully, he took Darin from her, laying him flat on the den floor. Ryant cupped his hands and began chest compressions. “One, two, three, four.”

He shot a look at Kris. She leaned over, squeezing Darin’s nose, placing her mouth on his as she forced air into his lungs.
Come on Darin, don’t die on us. Don’t die on Kris.

The unusual words circled his mind. He wasn’t used to saving human lives—he took them or converted them to vampires. For Kris, he would do anything. Even the sight of another man’s mouth on hers didn’t bother him as much as her pain. He pressed four more times then allowed her to blow.

All to save the human she cared about because Ryant cared about her and would give her anything she wanted. Even if it was another man.

32

Darin coughed, squirting blood from the wound. They both stopped. Kris felt for a pulse. “It’s still faint.” She looked at Ryant, something dark in her gaze. “I don’t want to lose him again.”

Understanding seared through him. He knew what she wanted him to do. It wouldn’t be the right choice though. Changing Darin felt wrong on so many levels.

“We can wait and see how his body responds. I’ll send for help.” As he stared off to call for help, his calling was cut short when Kris placed a hand on his.

“I don’t want to take the chance.”

“Kris, do you know what you are asking?”

She nodded. “It’s not right he should die. I brought him into this mess thinking I could save him. Instead, he’s dying because of me. Change him.”

He stared at her, seeing the resolve in her eyes. Changing a human in the past meant nothing. Here, the love of his life, the woman who’d demanded he never change a human, begged him to now.

“You heard me. Change him.”

“What if he dies?”

More tears sprang to her eyes. She hugged her arms around her midsection and rocked.

Damn it.
Ryant shoved his hands through his hair. “What if this is something he wouldn’t want?”

Kris didn’t answer or look up.

On the verge of agreeing with her, he stopped as a female voice said, “I’ll do it.”

A movement from the side as V knelt. She stared at him then her gaze shifted to Kris. The two women, one wolf, one vampire, locked gazes. Despite being able to read Kris’s mind, she showed nothing of what was going on between them. Finally, she nodded and moved away a bit.

“Oh, Darin. I should never have let you go with us.” V kissed his forehead then she looked up. “There might be deadly parasites left from the demons. After the change is made, Darin will need non vamp blood to feed on.” Her head tilted. “Kris, will you offer?”

“Yes.”

“I must take some of his then I will give him mine.” V lowered her face to his wound and licked at the blood.

As she lifted her head, a quizzical expression lined her face but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she raised an arm and bit into her wrist. Blood poured from the bite. She held the flow of liquid over Darin’s mouth. Ryant watched her carefully as she went through the process. She stayed quiet as she squeezed her blood to mix with Darin’s. The wound hissed when her blood met his.

After a few minutes, she sat back and sighed.

“Is that it?” Kris asked.

“Yes. You’ll need to keep an eye on him.” V cocked her head at Ryant.
There’s something wrong with his blood.

He knew it. Ever since he’d been trapped in the office with the man, Ryant sensed something about Darin. But what? That would be a question unanswered for now.

Standing, he gestured at V and they left the room, leaving Kris alone with Darin.

As soon as he woke, Ryant planned to ask him the hell was wrong with him.

* * * *

Kris watched Ryant and V leave the room, thankful V had saved Darin. He would turn soon and Kris didn’t want to leave his side. With the friendship they had, she wanted to be there for him. Anything to make sure he at least graced the earth and didn’t end up six feet deep.

Still, had she the right to change him? After she’d tried so hard to save him, he was right back where he started. Would he be happy to be alive or furious? Had she lost his friendship due to her selfishness? She shook her head. Angry with her he might be; at least he was alive. She would live with that as long as he did.

For hours, she watched his body jerk with small convulsions as the vampire blood took over his central nervous system. Like a bad dream, his eyes would flutter. She smoothed his brows in the hope of easing the transformation.

“Darin, you could have been killed today,” she whispered.

Even as she was glad V had changed him, Kris wondered why Ryant wouldn’t. She knew she’d made him promise but as she’d asked him, she figured he’d realize she released him. As for V, she viewed the female in an entirely different light.

Darin stirred.

“Darin?”

He moved only a fraction, not opening his eyes.

“Darin, how do you feel?”

In a slow move he cupped the back of her head, kneading his fingers through her hair as he lowered her to his nose. When his lids lifted, black pearls stared back.

Kris blinked, confused. What would he do next? She’d never been around a new blood when they were changed. His empty eyes frightened her. And she’d volunteered to do this? Such a crazy thought. In the hallway, Ryant and V were nearby if she needed them. If she did, would they arrive before it was too late?

Darin dragged her head near his lips, his preternatural strength pulling her further to the unknown. “I’m hungry,” he whispered, his voice raspy as sandpaper.

In a way to try and reassure herself, she smiled. But her lips quivered.

“You smell good.” He sniffed around her neck.

“Better than the soot behind me, I hope.”

He laughed. Not his usual laugh, it sounded more chilling and deadly. Lethal.

She glanced at his neck to see the wound had completely healed. When he tugged her neck closer to his mouth, he growled and her gut clenched. She flinched away before she could stop herself.

Darin surged upward, loomed over her and snarled. Paralyzed, she couldn’t make her body do what she really wanted to do—run and scream.

Praying he’d remember her through his hunger, she said, “Okay, Darin. Look at me, really look at me, okay? It’s Kris.”

His gaze drifted from her throat to her eyes.

“I’m here for you.”

His head tilted to the side. Damn, he freaked her out.

“I’ll let you feed from my wrist, but not my throat, okay?”

He growled again. This time, the sound lifted the hairs on her arms. He didn’t sound like he recognized her as anything but food.
Ryant, are you near the door?

Yes.

Come in here, please. Help me with this.

“Why are you talking to Ryant?” Darin rasped. “He doesn’t need to be in here with us.”

Panic stung her body like a swarm of bees. She turned to Darin. “What?”

“He doesn’t need to be in here with you and me.”

She hadn’t asked Ryant out loud. Okay, now Darin really scared her. She only thought Ryant could hear what she said through their mind communications. Fuck the feeding.

“Ryant!” she screamed. She scrambled backward, huddled in the fireplace, trembling as Darin crawled on his hands and knees for her

The door flung open and Ryant was over Darin in no time. He hissed and threw Darin across the room. He smashed into a table, obliterating it to bits.

Darin sprang back, not lunging toward Ryant, but for her. Kris shot out of the fireplace and rushed for the door with Darin in tow.

Ryant yanked him by the waist, tossed Darin against the windows. The glass cracked. This time, he sprang for Ryant, and Kris yelled, “V, get your ass in here now!”

V entered the room scattering the soot scent around with her haste. Kris covered her mouth as Ryant and V tackled Darin. Did all new bloods act this way? As if they’d turned animalistic? Sure hadn’t seemed that way in the death ring.

“I got him. Get out.” V held back Darin as Ryant made his way to Kris and shoved her out of the room.

Before he shut the door behind them, she caught Darin’s dark eyes and shuddered at the desire for her death in the depths.