Longing for You, стр. 22
“You’re awake.” Amelia smiled.
“Yes,” Katie said hoarsely.
“How do you feel?”
“My neck hurts, and I’m so cold.” Katie pulled the covers rightunder her chin.
The woman she didn’t know said, “I’m Dr. Tyler McKenzie. May Itake your pulse?”
“McKenzie? I know that name,” Katie said.
Tyler smiled. “You probably remember my father. He was the Debrekfamily physician. I’ve taken over from him.”
When Tyler lifted her hand she felt the drip in her arm for thefirst time. Then what happened last night hit her.
“Josie,” Katie said with panic.
Amelia stroked her hair. “It’s okay, stay calm. She’s gone.”
“But she caught me and was feeding on my neck…What happened afterthat?”
Amelia looked at Tyler, “Could you excuse us, Doctor.”
“Certainly. You’re doing fine, Katie. Just get lots of rest.”
Tyler gathered her bag and left the room. Amelia sat down on thechair at the side of Katie’s bed and took her hand.
“What’s the last thing you remember?”
Katie squeezed her eyes shut and saw Josie looming over her in thekitchen. She opened her eyes and looked at Amelia.
“I was in the kitchen making tea—” Katie rubbed her throat withher other hand. It was raspy and sore.
“Take your time,” Amelia said.
“Josie came in and wanted my blood. I threw my cup of boiling hottea on her and ran. I got to the landing and then up the stairs, and Josie wasalready there. Then I just remember her biting my neck and drifting out ofconsciousness. What happened after that?”
“Alexis found you,” Amelia said.
“Alexis?” Katie had been dreaming about her for a reason.
“Yes, she pulled Josie off you, broke her neck, and threw her offthe stairs.”
“And I was okay?” Amelia hesitated, making Katie suspicious.“Please tell me? I want to know the truth.”
“Byron and I got to you after that and I saw…I saw your spiritlifting out of your body. That only happened to me once before, when mygrandmother was dying, when I was a little girl, but my mum always told me Iwas dreaming. It must be one of my abilities, being part witch.”
Katie felt even colder than she had before. “I was dead?”
Amelia hesitated to tell Katie the truth. It would be upsettingbut Amelia would have liked to know if it was her. The only thing she wouldn’ttell her was that Alexis tried to turn her in order to save her. That was nother truth to tell—it was up to Alexis, and she didn’t want to make things worsebetween them.
“Very near, but Bhal saved you before we lost you.”
“The same way she saved my ancestors?” Katie said.
Byron had told Amelia that Bhal had saved Katie’s ancestors afterByron lost control and attacked them.
“Yes, it seems to be one of Bhal’s superpowers to bring peopleback from the brink of death by drinking water from her hands.”
“And Josie?”
“Escaped once she recovered enough from her injuries. Everyone wasdistracted by gathering around you. But she won’t get near you again, Ipromise.” Amelia noticed Katie was shaking badly. “Are you okay?”
“I’m so cold.” Katie’s teeth were chattering too.
Amelia picked up her phone and dialled. “I’ll get your hot waterbottles refreshed. Norah is looking after the house management while you’re notwell. Hi, Norah? Could you refresh Katie’s hot water bottles? Thanks.”
Amelia got up and took a blanket from the armchair on the otherside of the room. “In the meantime, this will help a bit.” She tucked thefleece blanket around her. “The doctor said being cold is a side effect ofbeing brought back from the edge—”
“Of death?” Katie finished for her.
Amelia nodded. “Yes, but don’t dwell on that. You’re here now, andwe’re going to look after you. Byron will come and see you soon. Is thereanything you’d like?”
“Hot tea please, oh, and could you ask Bhal and Alexis if I couldsee them. To thank them?”
Amelia smiled. “Of course I will.”
She didn’t know how Alexis would react to that. She was soemotional after what happened last night.
“Alexis was right,” Katie said.
“Right about what?”
“About The Sanctuary being too dangerous for humans alone, at themoment. I caused all this because of my stubbornness, by not listening toAlexis.”
“No,” Amelia said firmly, “it happened because you have a kind,loving heart and wanted to save someone who had been attacked and turned by arogue vampire. You weren’t to know that Josie would struggle to cope with herblood hunger. You’re a kind soul, Katie.”
* * *
Alexis got a message from Byron to come down to her office. Afterlast night she didn’t even know if she would still be the Debrek Duca. She hadbroken their most sacred rule, or at least tried to.
She hesitated on the top landing and looked along to Katie’s room.There were members of the household staff coming and going, taking care ofKatie as she should have done. Her security measures had failed and allowedJosie to escape.
She didn’t blame the guards on Josie’s holding room. She hadslipped out while the guard was changing shift.
Alexis blamed herself. She should have been there, guarding thatvampire every second, and protecting the woman she loved. There was no pointhiding it or burying it deep down any more—she loved Katie Brekman, and she’dnearly lost her.
God knew what Katie thought of her now—probably despised her nowthat she knew what Alexis tried to do. Alexis despised herself for it. Sheshook her head and carried on downstairs to Byron’s office.
Alexis took a breath, knocked, then entered. Byron was working onher computer, her lit cigar burning in the ashtray. Without looking up Byronsaid, “Sit down, Duca.”
This was it, she was going to lose her place in the clan, and herlife would have no meaning.
Byron lifted her cigar and took a puff, then sat back in herleather chair. “Have you been in to see Katie?”
“No. How is she?”
“Dr. McKenzie tells me she is in no danger but is extremely weakand will take some time to recover.”
“I’m glad to hear she’s well,” Alexis said.
“I wanted to talk to you about two things—”
“You don’t have to, Principe. I’ll resign and make the way clear foryou to appoint your new Duca.”
“What are you talking about?” Byron said with a confused look onher face.
“I broke our most