“Slayer,” I said.
Josh nodded, even though all the vampires around me suddenly took a huge step backwards likely spooked by the poisonous properties of her blood. “Very good, Sir,” Josh said. “If you’ll load her in the car, we’ll take her to a medical facility. We have a stock of high-grade potions you can administer to her on the ride over that will stabilize her.”
More vampires hurried down the street, summoned by my command. I ignored them, honing in on Josh. “The Cloisters wouldn’t be a better choice?” I asked.
Josh tilted his head, studying Jade. “They are an option, but it appears your slayer has lost a great deal of blood. Fae potions don’t help with blood loss, so I believe a human facility will be better equipped to help her.”
I hesitated, feeling torn.How would the Drakes know what’s appropriate when the rest of us don’t have a clue?
The Drakes must have sensed my hesitation. The broad shouldered one exchanged looks with the redhead, who gave me a second deep bow. “If you’ll excuse my impertinence, Elder Maledictus, but our Family is trained in the treatment of magical humans due to His Eminence’s One being a wizard.”
Killian’s pet wizard, right. I should have just called him instead of panicking.
Tapping my speed, I stepped off the curb and made it to their car in moments where I struggled to ease Jade into the car without jostling her.
Behind me, the Drakes huddled up.
“I’ll drive,” Josh volunteered. “Gavino, you stay behind to direct these stragglers. Wouldn’t want any accidents to happen.”
The big vampire bowed his head to Josh, then turned to the rest of the vampires who were looking at the drops of blood Jade had left on the ground with horror.
I’d managed to shift into the car, Jade mostly situated in my lap with her legs stretched across the bench seat. I slammed the door shut and impatiently waited.
The redhead turned to walk back towards the car with Josh. “I’ll call ahead to the hospital.”
So slow. Why are they soslow?
“You can,” Josh blandly said. “But I don’t believe it will make much of a difference.”
“What do you mean?”
“Stop talking anddrive,” I snarled.
I noticed when the blonde vampire from the task force joined the growing crowd of vampires. “Jade?” She shouted, clutching a radio. She looked like she was going to step off the curb until the broad shouldered Drake vampire directed her to back up.
Josh hopped in the driver’s seat and buckled his seat belt—they’d left the car idling, so when his red-haired companion threw himself into the passenger seat, Josh shifted to drive and slammed on the gas before he could close the door.
The SUV roared down the road, breaking every traffic law in the city as the red-haired vampire barely managed to shut his door and buckle himself in.
“Potions,” I snapped.
“Yes.” The red-haired vampire opened the SUV’s glove compartment and passed me back an aqua blue potion, followed by a rose red potion. “Pour the blue one over her arm wound—it can be absorbed through the skin but try to avoid just dumping it on her clothes.”
I held the vials in one hand—clutching them by their necks.
I bit the cork of the blue potion and yanked it out, then delicately peeled her tattered sleeve off her arm. “She packed her wound; do I need to take that out?”
“No—oof.” The red-haired vampire winced as Josh blew through a stop sign and took a left turn, the momentum slamming him against the door. “If the surgical gauze absorbs the potion, it’s fine, as it’s inside the wound.Look out!” He pointed to the vampires who were starting to swarm the road.
I barely registered the car’s sudden movements as I emptied the potion bottle over Jade’s wound.
“Perhaps you should release your command, Elder Maledictus?” Josh humbly suggested as he narrowly avoided hitting a vampire standing in the road.
I’d called out to every vampire nearby. They were following us on my continued command.
Instead of letting them go, I shifted the command as I tossed the empty potion bottle to the ground.
Clear the roads to the local hospital.
