My heart constricted so tight I couldn’t draw air. Josh was always lurking around, silent as a spirit. He would have heard our conversations, known when I left the house.
A throat for a throat.
I merely took advantage of the situation. I knew anything that happened would be blamed on her, his words echoed painfully through my head.
My other hand swept through her hair. “I know, I know,” I murmured. If I could carry her to Karson, he could feed her his blood, it was powerful. Billy’s toe had healed, maybe she would heal too, at least enough to slow the bleeding.
No, his blood would be infected now.
A sob tore out of my throat. I’d stabbed Karson and murdered my friend. I kept chanting.Heal, I begged,heal.
“Amy,” she croaked, “stop.” She sucked in a breath, tears slipping down her cheeks.
I stopped chanting, her words crashing inside my chest like someone had taken a mallet to my heart, the last thread of hope smashed beneath the terrible knowing.
“Take care of Jodie and BJ.” Her voice cracked, wet and gurgled. The color drained from her face before my eyes, her hand shaking wildly as she lifted it and pressed it against my cheek. “They’ll need you.”
I clutched her hand in mine, held it there, soaking in the warmth of her fingers. The warmth of her life. The metallic scent of blood filled my nose. I never wanted to let her go. Tears slid uncontrollably down my face.
She knew she was dying, knew she had moments left. There was no point in lying to her. She was a nurse, she knew what a catastrophic wound this was.
Her breathing was thin, ragged, as she wheezed for air.
My lips trembled as I pressed them to her forehead. “I will. I will. I promise.”
She squeezed my hand. “I love you.” Her voice was soft, wet, a worded breath under water.
“I love you too.” I was sobbing now, heaving in breaths. “You’re the best friend I could ever ask for. Thank you for choosing to share your life with me.”
Georgie tried to smile, but her eyes flared with panic as she gasped at air. She coughed blood; it coated her mouth now. A whine tumbled from my lips.
She gasped again, a death rattle from her bloody lips. “Amy,” she whispered, her voice raw and ragged, a terrible plea to help, to do something, anything.
“It’s alright, it’s alright,” I whispered, my voice cracking, my fingers shaking against the wound, my other hand stroking her soft face.
I whispered, “I love you, I love you.”
“I love?—”
Her breath stuttered and her hand went limp in mine. She stared at me, panic giving way to a dazed look. I watched, pain roaring through me as the life drained from her beautiful blue eyes.
“No, no, no!” I screamed, pulling her to me, tucking her to my chest. Her blood was wet and warm on my body. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
“What did you do?” A furious voice sounded somewhere amongst my screams. I felt a burst of ice-cold wind on my back. Hands reefed Georgie from my arms so violently I toppled, my hands splaying, my knees hitting hard against the floor.
Georgie was placed flat on her back, her arms spread out, her dark-brown hair floating across the floorboards. She looked like an angel.
Rodney was on his knees beside her, his eyes wild with panic. He cursed.
I was vaguely aware of Michael and Monique standing behind him. Michael’s face paled; his mouth opened but no sound came out.
Monique closed her eyes, tilted her head, and began to pray silently.
I crawled to Georgie, my vision of her soaked in tears. Strong hands lifted me up and pressed me to them. I beat against Michael’s chest with closed fists. “Let me go, let me go!” I had to be the one to hold her, to be with her as she left this earth, not him.
The sound of crunching hit my ears as his fangs sank into her neck.
The noise calmed me, a wild hope lurching in my chest. Maybe he could bring her back. Georgie remained limp.
