Cain approached Lizzy again, only to be met with a warning hiss. Finn hid a smile. She was a warrior, his mate. She would not falter now when their liberation was so near.
Soon, this would all be over. Cain would fall, his vile operation crushed for good. And Finn would finally take Lizzy far from this cursed place to live beneath the light of freedom and hope once more.
Glancing at Cain, oblivious to his impending downfall, Finn allowed himself a small, vicious smile. The vampire had no idea the storm that was coming for him, especially if Alice’s mate made it in time for the raid. But the bloodsucker would learn soon enough.
* * *
Lizzy glaredat Cain as she brushed Alice’s short, dark hair. The poor scientist looked like death, her skin pale and cool to the touch. Lizzy wanted to cut the vampire and then feed his entrails to some hungry hogs.
“We can try someone else’s blood.” Cain paced the room, as he had been for the past hour.
“She throws up the blood.” Lizzy was exhausted from arguing with the fool king. Finn was a constant shadow behind her, and she could feel the rage rolling off him. She knew it was taking every ounce of self-controlnotto kill Cain.
“If I knew it wouldn’t hurt you or Alice, he’d already be dead,”her mate said into her mind.
“We’ll figure it out. We just need to get Alice better.”Then a thought hit Lizzy. If they could get Cain out of the picture for just a few moments, they might actually have a chance at getting Alice strong enough to leave the compound.
“On second thought”—Lizzy made sure to keep her tone sharp and pissy—“maybe trying the blood of another gypsy healer would help.”
“Lizzy.”Finn’s voice was a warning in her mind.“What are you doing?”
“Saving my friend,”Lizzy replied pointedly.
Cain’s feet faltered, and then he turned to face her. “Maybe it would. But in case you haven’t noticed, I don’t have a stockpile of healers just lying about ready and willing to share their blood with me. And I checked at the healer supply store down the road last week. Apparently, they are all sold out.”
Lizzy was momentarily speechless.Was the vampire being a smartass?She gaped at him for a second before finding her voice. “The wolves have healers. They could loan us one.”
The scoff Cain gave her was almost comically loud. “You think Fane, alpha of alphas, would let another healer into my lair?”
Lizzy rolled her eyes. “Lair? Seriously? You’re not freaking Batman. And if you give your word via a blood oath to immediately return the healer back to Fane, then yes, I think he would allow one to come.”
“Finn, could you get on that for me?”she asked her mate in a sweet voice.
“Reaching out to Fane now.”
Lizzy kept her attention focused on Alice, hoping to keep Cain from seeing her giddiness at the idea of getting an ally from Fane’s pack on the inside with them. It would finally give her some real hope that they would get out of this mess alive.
“Fane says he doesn’t love the idea, but he knows the healers would all willingly do it. But the only way a healer can come in is with her mate,”Finn told her.“He’s also already got two teams ready to come in and get us all out.”
“Do you have a way to contact Fane?” Lizzy looked at Cain.
Cain chuckled, the sound low and dark. “I’m sure the alpha has eyes on this place. I imagine I could walk outside and have the attention of at least a dozen of his warriors.”
Lizzy shrugged. Maybe the vamp king wasn’t as dumb as she thought. “Then step outside and make your request known. But I hope you plan on keeping your end of the bargain. If not, I wouldn’t blame Fane if he decided innocent casualties are worth your death.”
“You don’t know him, and you didn’t know his father,” Cain told her. “Vasile Lupei was the most honorable man in the supernatural world. He would have raised his son to never accept innocent casualties, no matter what.”
Lizzy’s brow rose. “And I think you underestimate how badly Fane and his pack want your head mounted on a wall.” Okay, so maybe she should tone down her bitchiness a couple notches, but damn it was hard when Alice was slowly dying, and the vampire king had the gall to act like he was perfectly safe from Fane’s wrath.
Maybe Fanewouldn’tgive up innocents. But Lizzy hadn’t been raised by anyone honorable. In fact, she hadn’t been raised by anyone. And those that pretended to have a hand in her upbringing had always had their own selfish agendas. Did that excuse her willingness to kill a couple hundred sleeping dormants? No, but she couldn’t promise she wouldn’t do it, anyway.
“Lizzy.”Finn sighed. She didn’t hear disappointment in his tone, just acceptance. This was who the world had shaped her to be. She could change. She could be a better human, a better hybrid—whatever the hell she was. But at the moment, the only thing she could think about was the fact that the man standing ten feet from her didn’t have the right to draw breath. He needed to die.
“He will, mate,”Finn assured her.“But we have to figure out how we can do that and protect ourselves, as well. And take heart for Alice. Fane said his gypsy healers are helping her through their bond. She’s not fighting on her own. They’re keeping her tethered to this realm.”
Lizzy blew out a breath at the news.“Thank the Great Luna.”
* * *
