Daybreak, BK 4 of the Lightwalkers

XXVIII - Carrie

I hovered near the car, watching the scene with Kain unfold, wanting to do something as Kain wrapped an arm around Remi's neck. But there wasn't anything I could do. Nothing that wasn't already being done. Not that Remi needed help handling Kain in any case. I watched him and Seth take the vampire into the mansion, feeling almost alone.

Why did I come along? I'd worried about Jon. Would he really be okay here with his brother and the others? Though, I think I'd truly wondered how they would handle Kain. A fleeting thought that I should have stayed back at Red's raced through my mind, but I nixed it quickly. I didn't belong back in my old life. Back where Paul and I had been a thing. Maybe it'd be better if I went off on my own for a little while.

"Hey."

A shout caught my attention and I turned to see the guy who's shown up with Jon's brother, Bryson, waving me over. He stood by the other car with another woman who'd have looked more at home back at Red's bar than I did, and man. A man that was pale and leaning heavily on the car door with a death grip.

"Do you think you could help us get him into the house?" Bryson said.

I raced over, getting a look at the guy's leg as I got closer. The gash was long and bad enough to nearly stop me in my tracks. "He needs to go to a hospital!"

Bryson looked to the other woman, but the injured man himself spoke up. "Just get me inside and let me lay down flat before I lose more blood."

"Come on, then, old bird. Up to your room," the woman said, prying his hand from the car door. It took a few moments of arranging, but Bryson and Sam, the woman who'd quickly introduced herself as she pulled an arm over her shoulder, got the man supported between them.

Out voted, I ran ahead of them across the gravel to open and hold doors as needed. The mansion took me by surprise. It was easily five times the size Michaela's had been and at least three times as old. Once we were inside, Sam directed us up the main flight of stairs.

"Where's Remi?" The injured man was gasping for breath. We'd just started down the long hallway at the top of the stairs.

Sam nodded to one of the doors on the left. "That one, please, Carrie."

"Remi is with Seth, I'll find him once we get you settled," Bryson said.

I opened the door and on the other side was a huge bedroom with a four-poster bed, a grand fireplace and mantle, and French doors that opened onto a large balcony. The room was all decked out in blues and golds and looked like it was made for a king.

Sam and Bryson got the guy to the bed and he collapsed into the mounds of pillows, panting with the effort. His eyes closed, his face going even more ashen.

"He's lost too much blood," I said. "He really needs to get to a hospital-"

Bryson just shook his head and raised a hand to stop me. "I'll go find the kid."

He moved toward the door, but Sam got there first. "I'll find him. I know the house better. The last thing we need is for you to get lost."

She rushed out the door, leaving me alone with the two men. Bryson hovered near the bed, moving pillows around, trying to help the injured one get more comfortable. He propped the wounded leg up with a spare pillow and pried off the man's boot.

The gash looked worse than I first thought, rough around the edges as if the skin was torn instead of cut with a knife. The wound started at the top, outside of his left leg, crossed over his thigh to end at the inner knee.

"If we can't take him to a hospital, at least let me look and make sure he hasn't nicked artery or something."

I moved closer, hoping that Bryson would let me near his friend. He didn't say anything, but he did step back and I took that as the only invitation that I would get.