Kade lovingly swept his hand across his old friend’s face, trying to clear the dried blood off of him. “Luca,” he whispered. “You are safe now. We’ve got you.”
Luca and Kade had been friends for over two centuries, meeting during the early eighteen hundreds. While Luca had been born in Britain, he had been raised in Australia. He’d come over to America during the War of 1812. When he’d been badly injured and lay dying on the battlefield, Kade had turned him. He was indebted to Kade; they were partners, best friends.
Kade was infuriated; whoever had done this would pay dearly. “Sydney, you drive. I’m going to lie in the back of the SUV and feed him. Don’t get near us. When he wakes, he could be dangerous.” Kade frowned. “Look at what they did to him. He’s starved.”
“Will he be okay?” Sydney didn’t know that much about vampire medicine except that they had healing properties in their blood. Said properties were most effective on humans and werewolves but held minimum benefit for other vampires. She knew he needed a mortal donor.
“Yes, he’ll heal, but we’ve got to get him human blood. Call Dominique and tell her to bring the donors into the house and get them ready now. She knows what to do.” Kade gingerly slid his hand underneath Luca’s head and knees, bringing him close to his body. Swiftly, he lifted him and carried him out of the church.
“Put the back seat down,” he ordered.
Sydney clicked the release on the seats, pushing them until they were flat. Kade laid Luca in the trunk and climbed into the back. With his hands underneath Luca’s arms, he gently pulled him all the way into the car. Thank God they’d brought the Escalade. It would be a tight fit with two large males lying in the back, but they’d fit.
Kade sighed as he leaned up onto his side, and reached over to Luca’s mouth. Placing one hand on Luca’s chin and cupping his cheeks with the other hand, he slowly opened Luca’s cracked lips.
Sydney started the engine and stole a glimpse of Kade biting into his wrist. No matter how many times she’d witnessed a vampire feeding someone or feeding from someone, she was always fascinated by the intimacy of the act. It felt almost intrusive to watch them together. Anxious to get home, she pulled her eyes back to the road and drove.
Kade cradled Luca’s head as he pressed his wrist downward. The crimson droplets trickled down the sides of Luca’s face; he wasn’t swallowing. Kade reached with his mind, willing Luca to drink. Please Goddess, let me through to him. Drink Luca, drink.
Luca jerked in Kade’s arms as a single drop of the life-giving blood was absorbed into his body. Yet he didn’t wake. He could not move. Immobilized within his friend’s arms, Luca’s consciousness awakened. Safe. Kade. Friend. He tried to move, but couldn’t manage more than a swallow.
“That’s it, Luca. Drink,” Kade ordered. Relief flooded his mind; he’d been worried about Luca’s ability to recover. While vampires only needed to drink a few pints every couple of days, they needed to feed regularly. Going without feeding could send them into a frenzy, which could cause them to lose control and kill a human. Going several days without feeding could cause their demise.
Pulling into Kade’s compound, Sydney saw Dominique waiting impatiently near the mansion’s entrance. Dominique, another vampire, was a longtime loyal employee and friend of Kade’s. Sydney described her as a badass fashionista. She and Dominique had initially clashed when they’d first met over a month ago. Since then, they’d forged a friendship based on mutual respect and a love of leather.
Parking the car, Sydney ran around the SUV and slowly pulled open the hatch. She understood that Luca could be dangerous, so she moved slowly with no sudden movements. Yet looking at his frail, battered torso, she couldn’t fathom what harm he could do in his weakened state. While typically well-composed, her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. She could not resist the need to provide both Luca and Kade with comfort. As she reached to touch Luca, his eyes flew open; he strained to break free of Kade’s hold. Human blood.
“Don’t touch him! Get away now, Sydney!” Kade hissed at her.
Sydney jumped back, startled at the bloodlust in Luca’s eyes. He was dangerous. Hungry. She thought she must look like water in the desert to him. Heeding Kade’s order, she ran inside to see what she could do to help.
Dominique intervened, helping Kade to restrain Luca. “Fuck, what the hell happened to him?” Dominique questioned.
“He was silvered, starved. Possibly tortured. Not sure what all they did yet. But I know they got his blood. There were needles all over the damn place,” he spat out. So many years had passed since he’d been turned. At times, he was astonished by how little progress humanity had achieved. Evil, hate and torture still beat strong within the hearts of so many. How could they have done this to him?
He sighed wearily. “Sydney’s blood is making him crazy. We need to get him inside. Where are Xavier and Étienne? Do we have donors?” Kade held tight onto Luca while trying to move him slowly out of the SUV. Luca was still in no condition to walk and he’d be damned if he’d chance letting him loose.
“They’re on their way. I have a room prepared upstairs. I can help carry him,” she said, looking around to make sure Sydney was gone. Like Kade, she could not trust Luca not to attack her. They had human donors waiting upstairs, and they would monitor the feeding closely so Luca didn’t end up draining them.
“Where’s Sydney?” Kade asked.
Dominique looked around. “It seems your woman had enough sense to make herself scarce when he looked at her like she was lobster dinner. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. It isn’t her first time at the vamp rodeo.”
“I know. It’s just that she’s not used to seeing Luca like this. Neither am I.” He shook his head. Seeing Luca in such an animalistic state would serve as a reminder to Sydney that she was marrying into this lifestyle. He needed to find her and make sure that she was all right.
Kade easily lifted Luca, with his arms under Luca’s neck and the crook under his knees. Luca’s eyes were wide open, yet he wasn’t speaking. Kade wasn’t sure if Luca understood what was happening as he took him upstairs to the guest bedroom. Dominique motioned Kade into the bathroom, where she had a bath filled with warm water. “Kade, over here. The warm water will help get his body temp back up.”
Kade placed Luca’s emaciated naked body into the warm, soapy water. “Shit,” he said as water sloshed over the sides of the tub and all over the floor. Without even taking the time to undress, Kade carefully climbed into the tub and lay next to Luca so he could hold him still while he fed. Deeply concerned about Luca’s state, he waved over at Dominique. “Where’s the donor? We need him now!” he commanded.
She pointed at a shirtless, twenty-something male who was waiting in the bedroom. “You, over here, on your knees by the tub.”
“Yes ma’am,” said the donor as he willingly and quickly complied with her demand, and held out his arm. Donors were easy to come by these days. They signed up at blood clubs, hoping to experience a sexual encounter with a vampire. At the very least, they hoped to be chosen for a bite, knowing the orgasmic properties that could be granted by the vampire.
Issacson Securities, Kade’s company, had contracted with Sanguine Services to procure donors when needed. Dominique had called in advance to procure a couple of strong males who would be able to provide enough blood for Luca. She just hoped the blood would be enough to bring Luca back from his atrophied state. She had never seen a vampire so far gone and wasn’t convinced they could save him. But she didn’t want to cause Kade further worry, so she kept her reservations to herself.