Shadows Rising (Darkness Falls Book 2)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

With a choked cry, I ran to Elena's side. One arm was flung across her chest as if she'd been trying to protect herself. Blood matted her blonde hair, spotted her face and clothes, splashed the floor around her. Her eyes were closed, her skin chalky-white.

"Elena?" I whispered. She didn't stir and I put two fingers to her neck, frantically feeling for a pulse.

At first there was nothing but the coolness of her skin, and something awful started to build inside me, stretching into a scream – and then, a flutter beneath my fingertips.

My heart slammed into my ribs, relief stopping the breath in my lungs. Now that I knew she was alive, I got a grip on myself and started assessing her injuries. Through the rips in her blouse I glimpsed deep, long gashes trailing along her ribs. I couldn't tell if there was internal damage but when I put my ear to her chest, she was breathing shallowly but cleanly; there was no rattle in her lungs to suggest more serious injuries.

She needed blood.

I lurched across the room to the fridge and pulled out a bag of blood. There was no time to heat it, but even cold it would help her heal. I tore the bag open with my teeth, and cold, thick blood splashed into my mouth. No time to feel disgusted.

Kneeling behind Elena, I gently lifted her head onto my lap and trickled some of the blood into her mouth. But she was unconscious and couldn't swallow; the blood just pooled in her mouth and dribbled down the sides of her face.

"Elena," I whispered, putting my head close to her ear. I wanted to scream and cry and beg her to wake up, but I'd been whisper-quiet this far and I couldn't jeopardise that now. If there were vampires in the house, it was imperative they didn't know I was here. I couldn't help Elena if I was fighting off rogues, nor could I find out what had happened to Riley. "Come on, Elena, you need to wake up now."

Gently, I patted her cheeks and wafted the open bag of blood under her nose. I didn't know if that would make any difference, but it didn't hurt to try.

After what felt like forever, during which time my mind imagined various horrible scenarios regarding Riley's fate, Elena mumbled something, her eyelids fluttering. She blinked, her eyes focusing on my face.

"Kiara?"

I held a finger to my lips, and tilted the bag over her mouth. "You need to drink this."

She was too weak to get up, but she lifted her hand to the bag, getting a firm grip on it as she started to drink. I kept sharp eye on the kitchen door in front of me and the living room door to my left. If an enemy appeared now, I was at a disadvantage, hampered by Elena's head in my lap.

"Elena, how many are there? And where's Riley?" I whispered.

She sucked the last of the blood from the bag before answering. She'd probably need more for those injures to fully heal, but she was strong enough to climb to her feet and fetch another bag herself. Now Elena was out of immediate danger, my concern was for Riley. She had no fighting skills or vampire strength to help her, but I refused to believe she was dead. I hadn't fought so hard to find her only to lose her now.

"I don't know where Riley is." Elena took another bag of blood from the fridge, leaning on the door for support. "I think there were only four. I killed one but I don't know what happened to the others."

Something thumped overhead, and I tensed, the hand with the knife flicking up. Someone was definitely up there.

Elena looked at up the ceiling, squeezing the plastic bag so hard that blood spilled over the top and soaked her hand. Fear glittered in her eyes. Her home had been invaded and the perpetrators had almost killed her.