The door shuddered again, and a crack appeared. They’d never reach me in time. Drake would find my torn, lifeless body, and I grieved for him. This would break Drake. Images of my children flashed through my mind, and I clung to them. A ray of brightness in the darkness I was surrounded by.
Sharp fangs bit into my throat, and tears leaked from my closed eyes.
“Claudias!” a voice boomed, and even through my eyelids, I saw a bright light.
“No!” the shadow hissed, and the teeth tore my skin as the creature was ripped away.
“Jacques, over here,” Eden cried, and suddenly I was free. There was a bang, followed by silence.
Darkness came over me as I felt blood trickle down my neck, and as much as I fought, I succumbed, not knowing if I’d wake up again.
Drake
Lucian and Daniel rammed the bench into the door a third time, and it cracked open. There was a brief glimpse of pure darkness before a bright light flashed through the room. I swore I heard Jacques and Emmaline’s voices, and then there was silence. Phoe wasn’t even whimpering.
“Drake, grab hold of the end,” Chance ordered. Panic rushing through me, I did as commanded, and the four of us slammed the bench into the door so hard it flew open.
I dropped it and shoved Daniel and Lucian out of the way. There, in the middle of the floor, lay Phoe.
An agonised cry left me, and I scrambled over to her, stumbling over something and crawling on all fours to get to her. My beautiful wife lay pale and still, eyes closed, and I felt for Phoe’s pulse. I was horrified when I saw blood on her neck. Frantically, I began patting Phoe’s cheeks, needing her to wake up and look at me.
“Phoe, babe, please don’t leave me,” I begged as tears ran down my face.
Chance shoved me aside as he and Daniel knelt, and I moved to shove them away. Strong arms circled me and restrained me as I fought Vladimir, who held me back. I’d experienced this before. Phoe was badly injured and near death, and those feelings returned. Panic, fear, loss, and agonising pain.
“Wake Phoe up. Don’t let her leave me, please. I’ll do anything. Chance, bring her back, please, cousin, wake her up,” I pleaded as I struggled against Vladimir.
“Phoe’s alive. Drake, she’s alive but hurt,” Daniel cried as he and Chance checked her over. My fight fled as I collapsed back into Vladimir’s grasp. Sobs left my mouth as I thanked them all for saving her.
“Here, smelling salts,” Sabine said as she shoved a bottle in Daniel’s hand. Daniel waved them under Phoe’s nose, andseconds later, she choked and spluttered before opening her eyes.
Vladimir relaxed his grip, and I scrambled over, hauling her gently into my arms and rocking back and forth.
Phoe whimpered weakly, and her hands clutched my cut. She closed her eyes and buried her head in my chest as she began to cry. Our tears mingled as relief surged through me. Phoe was alive; there would be no empty existence without her. No existing without love and joy. This was the second time I’d come close to losing her. The first was to her asshole ex-husband, who hadn’t been her husband. Chance hovered over Phoe, as pale as I surely was. Clio rubbed his back, offering comfort as Inglorious crouched by our side.
Without a word, Inglorious pulled us both into a tight embrace, and his tears mixed with ours. Damn, the man felt deeply. This had been far too close. For several minutes, we sat there as people watched, and I didn’t give a fuck. Relief swamped me as I wouldn’t be explaining to our children how their mother had died. There wouldn’t be another funeral. My life continued, and I was so damn lucky.
“Uncle Drake, we need to check Aunt Phoe’s wounds,” Rosie muttered softly. Rosie, being a veterinarian, had the most medical training of those present.
I nodded, but I was loath to let Phoe go.
“Uncle Drake, come on, let me and Calamity look Aunt Phoe over,” Rosie urged.
I didn’t want to release Phoe, and she felt the same. Inglorious helped turn Phoe in my arms. Stunned, I gaped at the ragged wound in her neck, and Calamity hissed. Between Rosie and Calamity, they cleaned Phoe’s neck and placed some butterfly stitches.
“There’s blood on her sweater. Prez, I need to lift it to see where Phoe is wounded,” Calamity stated softly. I nodded, unable to talk.
Rosie sucked in a deep breath. “What the fuck is that?”
Scared again, I glanced down and saw four puncture wounds on each side of Phoe’s waist.
“Christ,” Chance muttered as we stared. Rosie and Calamity got busy cleaning and inspecting them.
“They don’t need stitches, but we’ll wrap them up. Drake, take Phoe into the shower and get her clean, but mind her throat. As soon as she’s showered, we’ll bandage them,” Calamity said.
Phoe clung to me again, and I realised what was frightening her. She’d not been able to speak yet, but the fear was coming off her in waves.
“Someone needs to stay here. So Phoe feels safe,” I replied.
