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Ami had screamed mentally Probably when he had yanked the knife out of her flesh It killed him to know he had hurt her so much

"How badly is she hurt?" David asked "Does she require healing?"

"Yes"

"Where are you?"

Marcus told him

"I’m too far away I’m in Asheville You’ll have to take her to Roland He and Sarah finished their hunt early tonight"

"I’m already on my way"

"Good Please keep me informed"

Chapter 8

Around her teeth Every bump the Tesla hit inspired a new tsunami of pain "Was that David?" she asked as Marcus ended the call

"Yes"

He must have heard her scream If David had tried to speak to her telepathically, she hadn’t heard hiet a little hinky when she was in excruciating pain

Marcus gripped the steering wheel so tightly she expected it to break Ahead of them a car and four SUVs drove with their buhas one lane each ith double yellow lines indicating a no-pass zone Swerving into the opposite lane, he zipped past the other vehicles and cut back in front of the slow driver just in ti logging truck carrying a full load

"I’ the silence

She looked at him in surprise "What? When?"

"When I jerked the knife out I could’ve removed it more slowly and--"

"Sloould’ve causedyou"

"I know," she assured him She would’ve reached out and taken his hand, but knew the hts, Marcus peeled one tense hand off the wheel and covered hers where it rested on her thigh

They exchanged a look, both were comforted

Then Marcus refocused his attention on the road

Ah the windshield "This isn’t the way ho?"

His shoulders tensed

Not the network, she thought with dismay and a touch of that hated fear She would rather open the car door and throw herself out of thevehicle than face the doctors at the network No matter Seth’s assurances, she would never trust the?" she repeated when he reave her an uneasy look fro

"What?"

He sighed "Roland’s house"

"Roland Warbrook?" she de the fact that her voice rose in alarm

"Yes"

Oh, no, they weren’t Not if she could help it "I’m fine, Marcus Really A little bed rest and--"

"Bollocks! That knife probably pierced your kidney"

It had, but the da she couldn’t tell him because she didn’t want him to realize she was different and ask what she was Not because she didn’t trust him But because she didn’t want him to view her as some kind of freak

Yes, he was different himself as a result of both his advanced DNA and the virus that infected him But there were many others like him

Ami was alone

Besides, the kidney wound wasn’t the worst of her injuries Earlier she had balled up her shirt just above the knife wound to prevent Marcus fro the similar puncture wound just beneath her arm The vamp who had inflicted it had nicked her aorta andher heart by enerate as quickly as it did, she would be dead by now

And there were other injuries he couldn’t see Organs badly bruised by punches and kicks backed by preternatural strength A possible concussion

Though it wouldn’t kill her, it all hurt like hell "Seth or David could--"

"Seth is unreachable David is too far away"

"Then have him meet us halfway!" She would rather wait and endure the pain than face Roland Warbrook

Marcus frowned over at her "Roland is only ave him a duh look "Because he’s Roland"

Marcus rolled his eyes "He isn’t as bad as everyone says he is"