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1
SHANE
Fire covered Raika’s body, the flames high and strong like a bonfire.
For half a second, I watched in shock. Then I acted. “Raika?” my trembling voice called. Fear gripped my insides as I tried reaching for her. The fire flickered, sending embers my way, and the heat singed the hairs from my arms. I flinched, my despair growing.
I grabbed my phone and—
The fire died.
Just like that. One second, it felt like it would explode and spread across the entire village, the next it was gone.
Raika stood there, her eyes half-closed, her lips parted, her skin covered in soot. Her clothes were in tatters, but she wasn't burned.
“Raika?” I took a step closer to her. The heat was still there, but not nearly as bad as before.
Raika let out a long sigh and fell back.
I dashed to her and caught her before she hit the ground. Her hot body burned my skin, and I hissed. Cradling her in my arms, I ran to the infirmary.
Jay’s face paled as he saw us coming. “What—?”
“Help me,” I asked, my voice frantic.
“I …” He was in shock. “I don’t have supplies yet. It’s better if—”
I didn’t hear him finish. I ran to DuMoir Castle.
I yelled as I approached one of the guarded side doors. “Help!” The two vampire guards stood at attention. “I need a healer! Now!”
One of them disappeared inside the castle, while the other came to me. “What happened?” He glanced behind us, as if looking for an imminent threat. “Who did this?”
“No one,” I whispered, still stunned with what had happened. “It was her.”
The guard balked at me and halted. I ran into the castle, toward the infirmary. Rapid footsteps sounded through the corridors. Prince Killian and Lavinia faltered as they took in Raika in my arms.
“What happened?” Killian asked.
“I …” I shook my head and kept going. They followed me.
The infirmary was located in the east wing of the castle, on the first floor. It was a large room with a handful of hospital beds, and a couple of doors in the back led to private rooms.
I laid Raika on one of the beds as a female vampire stepped closer. “What happened?” she asked. I growled at her, not willing to let anyone touch my mate. The female shot me a stern look. “If you want me to help her, back off.” She pushed me aside, her strength surprising.
When I moved only half a step, Killian caught my arm and pulled me back some more. “What happened, Shane?” he asked, his voice low.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Did I even know what had happened?
More footsteps echoed in the infirmary. Thea and Almae arrived. They took one look at Raika, and without hesitating, took over. They stood beside the vampire then hovered their hands over Raika’s body, using their magic to find any wound or injury.
As far as I knew, there was none.
The only thing consoling me right now was the fact that I could hear Raika’s heart beating and her breathing. She didn’t seem to be in any danger, though that had been scary as hell.
“Bring a washcloth and water,” Almae told the other female vampire. I had seen her a couple of times and didn’t remember her name. The vampire nodded and headed to a storage room where all the supplies were located. Then she turned to me. “How are you?”
I opened my mouth again. Closed it. Swallowed, my throat parched and hurting. “I don’t care about me,” I finally said, my voice rough. “I care about her.”
