I hurried over to him on trembling legs and snagged the dagger from his sheath.
He caught my wrist. “She’s dead.”
“I want to be sure,” I said in a voice that didn’t sound like me. “You never know what the fuck that serum can do.”
“Look at you,” he said with horror, taking the dagger from me. “You’re covered in blood.”
As if the last word was a trigger, I listed to one side.
He scooped me in his arms just as footsteps, sounding like a herd of cattle, pounded around us.
I barely heard Dr. Vieira shout, “Take her to a room now!” before I passed out.
24
SAM
Iset my wife on the bed in the first room I came to. I couldn’t think, breathe, or even speak. She was covered in blood. Her ear was barely hanging on. Her skin looked as if someone had dumped acid on her face. Her sweater and blouse were ripped. She had deep scratches on her hands, arms, and neck.
My body shook. How the fuck had this happened?
Doc hurried in. “Sam, find Peter or your sister. Dr. Hammond needs help with Dane in the operating room.”
Webb was at the door. “I’m on it.”
“Sam, roll that cart over here.” He pointed to the drawers on wheels, which in medical terms was the crash cart that housed everything necessary to save a patient.
I did as he ordered.
“First drawer, there’s gauze. Start ripping open packets. We need to stop the bleeding.” He pressed a stethoscope to her chest.
With shaky hands, I tore the gauze out of the packages.
“Put pressure on her ear,” he said.
Suddenly, I remembered the dream she’d had when I woke her in the hospital room in Boston. She’d seen herself in a coffin with a mangled ear. Holy fuck! I squeezed my eyes shut as bile crept up into my throat. I didn’t want to believe that dreams and visions came true. But in my world, they really did.
I held the gauze tight to her ear. “You think there’s something in Rianne’s blood that is causing the allergic reaction?” Her skin was severely red.
“Maybe.” He was setting up an IV. “We’ve been testing her, Noah, and Carly. There are differences in each of them. It’s hard to keep up with the data because it changes by the day and sometimes by the hour.”
“Shit, Doc. What if she dies?”
“Why would you say that?”
“She’s seen herself dead with a mangled ear,” I whispered.
The color drained from his face. “Nonsense.” His tone belied the confidence he was trying to portray.
Nurse Wendy came in and pushed me out of the way. “I got this.”
On her heels was Jordyn, who skidded to a halt. “Oh my God!” she cried.
“Now that Wendy is here, I want you and Jordyn out,” Doc ordered.
Jordyn and I didn’t move.
“Sam,” Tripp’s voice trickled in. “Give them room to help Layla.” He wrangled Jordyn out.
