Page 132 of You’re So Vein

Augustin.

I turn to where I saw him.

The world tilts.

It’s even worse than I thought. I couldn’t see from the helicopter, but he’s pinned to the earth by a sword through each shoulder. His fingers hang limp at his sides, a few tendrils flailing uselessly across the ground, unable to help him. His peacoat is dark with blood, his face streaked with it. The rain can’t wash it away fast enough.

His eyes find mine.

They aren’t wild. They’re afraid.

I press Hannah into Beth’s arms. “Don’t let her go, and don’t let her bite you.”

“I’ve got this.” Beth uncaps one of her elixir bottles from her pocket and forces Hannah to drink it. Her body sags against Beth, the bloodlust fading. Beth really does work miracles.

Hannah’s safe. Go to him.

I drop to my knees beside Augustin. Something of a soldier still remains inside me, because even though tears prick behind my eyes, I hold it together as I say, “This is a lot of bother just to say you missed me.”

His eyes watch me, wide and filled with agony. His lips part. Blood bubbles from the corners.

“Stop being so dramatic, Durant,” I whisper. “It’s not going to win you the election.”

Augustin’s body convulses as Dante grips the first sword and wrenches it free. The sound is wet and horrible. Augustin doesn’t scream, but his jaw snaps so tight I hear his teeth crack together. Blood arcs from the wound, hitting all of us.

Dante grabs the second sword. I squeeze Augustin’s fingers. My shoulder screams as if it’s my flesh that’s skewered. I hate this. I feel so helpless. So human.

Without wasting a moment, Dante bites down on each wrist and holds them to the wounds. Vampire blood spills thick and dark over torn muscle and shattered bone. “The wounds should start to heal now,” he says, his face racked with horror.

Augustin coughs – a deep, tearing sound. Crimson spills over his chin.

I want to ask Dante if it matters, because Augustin is still coughing blood and his eyes won’t focus and how can even a vampire possibly survive wounds like that. I cradle his head in my arms, stroking his matted curls.

“I wasted so much time hating you,” I whisper. “Think of all of the years we could have had together, driving each other crazy.”

His eyes try to focus, but don’t quite manage it.

“Please,” I whisper. “What good is loving a vampire if they can’t come back from the abyss?”

His gaze sharpens. He tilts his head away, spitting blood on the ground.

“You,” he rasps. “You saved her…”

“Yes, me.” I grin. “Obviously. The old helicopter blade to the neck trick works every time. Don’t ever let me hear you dismiss my unhinged whimsy again.”

His eyes roll back as he draws a ragged breath. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Twenty minutes later, Augustin is sitting up, Hannah wrapped in his arms. Despite the blood on his clothes, she’s in control of herself, thanks to Beth’s miracle elixir.

Augustin’s wounds have closed over, but every tiny movement makes him wince.

“Where’s Reginald?” Hannah asks between sobs. “I… I hurt him. Kael cut him with his sword and the blood… I couldn’t control myself… and that’s when they took me.”

“It’s not your fault.” Augustin strokes her hair. “They wanted you to reveal what you were. They’re to blame for hurting Reginald, not you.”

Dante and Irene prop Reginald’s body against the altar. He looks pretty dead to me, but they smear their blood into his wounds and pour some down his throat, and soon he’s sitting up and coughing blood with offended dignity.

Damn, I wish I was a vampire. They’re so cool.