BloodStone: Ice (Book 1)(Completed)

Chapter 25

Looking down at Cella in his arms, he could only feel fear for her. She was so translucent that her veins stood out severely against her skin. Her eyes kept fluttering open as she struggled to look around, but he refused to let her move. He had tried to let her walk at one point, but she had almost gone head first down the stairwell. Now there was nothing in the world that would induce him to release her.

Titus stood in front of him, his brother cradled in his arms, and Phillipe found himself feeling for the man. Obviously he did not want to leave her side, yet his twin appeared almost lifeless. The rise and fall of his chest barely discernible.

"Will Quintus be alright?" He knew Cella would want to know. She kept whispering his name and attempting to look over at him. But Phillipe kept her held firmly against his chest. Needing to feel her breathing against him. Needing to feel her alive in his arms.

"His sternum was broken through in two places and a rib was cracked. The master also managed to scratch his heart in one place where his fingers were digging through. I stopped the bleeding and was able to close over the flesh itself, but he will be several days healing in the ground." Titus looked away for a moment. A flash of shame on his face. "I cannot heal as my brother can. If our positions were reversed, Quintus would have me healed by the next rising. This will be a painful process for him, I fear."

Phillipe found himself almost staggering at the thought of the master trying to rip out the hunter's heart. To have those fingers burrowing into his chest.

Cella struggled against him again. So light in his arms. So feeble in her strength. She was whispering again. Titus looked down at her for along moment, nodded to him and strode away toward the church. He watched the man for a minute before turning back toward the building. Marcus was walking towards them.

"Will she be alright?" Marcus looked concerned for her as well.

"I need to get her into a body of water. Can you cover everything here?" Phillipe looked over at the fire truck that was pulling up to the building. Max and Davis were carrying a chest out of the building, stacking it discreetly against a tree across the street. Marcus followed his eyes.

"Yeah. I've got it all. Nichols and one of the other officers are identifying the rest of the bodies. Or at least trying to. The werewolves didn't leave much to identify. They shredded everything they fought. Rhodes is still on the third floor with them. The poor surgeon is terrified, but trying to do his best." Marcus looked down at her and then back up at him. "Let me get you an officer to drive you over to the river." Phillipe gave him his thanks and then watched him head back over to the warehouse.

The officer who drove them was nice enough not to ask any questions as Phillipe climbed into his back seat with the blood covered Cella in his arms. He did give Phillipe an odd look when he asked to be taken to the river though. He just sat quietly holding her and fed her chocolate as they rode.

There were just as many strange looks as he carried her down to the water and laid her out in it. But then they were both caught up in the beauty that was Cella.