Warrior (Relentless Book 4)

“This is the last one.” I walked up to the large bonfire and tossed a body on top of the pile there. The stench of burning flesh assailed me, despite the wind blowing across the desert, and I held my breath until I put a safe distance between the fire and me.

“Thank Jesus,” groaned Noah, one of Geoffrey’s warriors. “I don’t think I’ve ever lugged around that many dead suckers.”

Abigail, the only female warrior on the team, stared at the fire. “Twenty-six vampires. I’ve never heard of a nest that big.” She looked across the fire at me. “Have you?”

“Yes, but it’s rare. Usually they are new vampires. You don’t often see that many older vampires living in the same nest.”

Mature vampires were territorial over their nests and didn’t play well with others their age. Younger vampires were weaker and more easily led, so it was common for an older vampire to surround themselves with younger ones.

It was the second nest we’d cleaned out this week. The first one was much smaller – five vampires holed up in an apartment in Spring Valley – but one of the vampires we’d interrogated had led us to the larger nest. All in all, it had been a productive week.

My phone vibrated, and I knew it was Tristan before I saw his name. He called me every other day with updates on Sara, which he received from Claire. His trip to India had been extended by a few days, and he’d flown back last night, eager to finally meet his granddaughter.

I felt a pang of envy that he was with her while I was seven hundred miles away in another state. I’d kept busy in the week and a half since I’d left Westhorne, but no matter what I did, it couldn’t assuage the lingering ache in my chest. It didn’t help that my Mori constantly barraged me with angry longing and images of our mate from the last time we saw her. The only time the demon eased up was when I was killing vampires.

I walked away from the fire as I put the phone to my ear. “You’re back.”

“Yes, and I see you’ve been busy. I’m looking at a report that just came in and I’m sure the numbers must be wrong. It says you took out a nest of twenty-six vampires last night.”

“That’s right.” I stopped walking and turned to look at the group of warriors near the fire a hundred feet away. “We’re just finishing the cleanup now, in fact.”

Tristan let out a low whistle. “I take it you took lots of backup this time.”

“You can let the Council know I went in with two heavily armed units. It was completely by the book.”

He laughed. “You’ve never done anything by the book in your life.”

My lips twitched. “Okay. It was close.”

“I’ll be sure to make a note of that.”

There was silence for a moment until I asked, “Have you seen her?”

“Yes.” A note of wonder filled his voice. “I just watched her… I’m not even sure how to describe it.”

Having spent so much time with Sara in Maine, I could only imagine what stunt she’d pulled to make one of the most composed warriors I’d ever known speechless.

“Well, don’t leave me in suspense. What has she gotten into this time?”

He took a deep breath and let it out. “Callum and I were walking to the arena when I saw Sara come out of the woods with Seamus and Niall. She likes to walk alone in the woods, and they keep an eye on her.”

“She loves being outdoors,” I said almost to myself. It was one of the reasons I’d known she would like our valley. The Irishmen were good warriors, and I was glad to have them watching over her. Knowing how much Sara valued her independence, she probably wasn’t as happy about them.

“So, what happened?”

“What happened was that those two beasts got loose.”

My stomach lurched. “Is Sara okay?”

Tristan let out a hearty laugh. “If by okay, you mean did she step in front of two charging hellhounds and command them to stop, then, yes, she’s perfectly fine. And then she ordered me and my warriors to lower our weapons because we were upsetting her dogs.”

I pictured Sara standing in front of the hellhounds, defending them from the warriors, just as she had put herself between me and her troll friend. She was fiercely protective of those she cared about.

“What did you do?”

“What could we do? We lowered our swords.” He laughed again. “I think we were all in shock. One minute, we were prepared to fight for her life, and in the next, she had those beasts fawning over her with their tails wagging. Then she made Seamus take her to the menagerie so she could make sure her hellhounds were being treated well.”

I smiled at the images his story created. Sara was already making her mark at Westhorne. I had a feeling life at the stronghold would never be the same.

Tristan exhaled loudly. “You told me about the things she did in Maine, but seeing it…”

“I know.”

“I can’t wait to get to know her. Don’t worry; I won’t push her. I want her to be happy here.”

I smiled. “Just let her know that her family is ready to meet her when she is. She might surprise you.”

Sara harbored a lot of anger toward Madeline, but she hadn’t been able to hide her interest when I told her she had a Mohiri grandfather. Once she saw Tristan was nothing like his daughter, she’d open up to him.

“I’ll do that.” His chair squeaked as he settled back in it. “Did you find anything in that nest last night?”

I watched the warriors who had started digging a pit in which to bury the burnt vampire bodies. “Not yet. We tended to the humans and dropped them at the hospital. We’re headed back to the building when we’re done here. If there is anything in that place that’ll lead us to Eli’s Master, I’ll find it.”

“The Council is making the hunt for this vampire a priority. We’re organizing a special task force that will focus solely on searching for him.”

“Who did you get to lead the team?” Normally, I would have been one of the first people approached for a job like this, having hunted three Masters and killed two of them. Tristan wouldn’t have asked me to lead this one because he knew I could not leave Sara for that long.

“Mateo Ruiz is going to head it up. I believe you and he have worked together a few times.”

Mateo and I met on a Master hunt in Bolivia many years ago, and I’d never known a more ruthless hunter. When he was five, his entire village, including his human mother, was wiped out by a Master. The only reason Mateo had survived the attack was because his mother had sent him to a Catholic mission ten miles away for help banishing his “demons.” The Mohiri found Mateo when they came to investigate the attack.

Since then, Mateo had devoted his life to one cause: hunting Masters. He had four Master kills to his name, a feat surpassed only by Tristan, who had been around a few hundred years longer.

“Yes. If anyone can find this vampire, it’s Mateo.”

“I agree.” He paused for a moment. “I told the Council about Sara. They needed to be made aware of her unique situation.”

“And?” I asked tightly.

“We decided the task force should have the information. Maybe it will help them figure out why the Master wants Sara.”

The less people who knew about Sara, the better. But Mateo was discreet and I trusted him. I was still worried, however, with any other plans the Council might have.

“I can guess why you’re so quiet,” Tristan said. “The Council has some concerns about Sara’s power, but I made it clear that my granddaughter is off-limits. They won’t press me on this.”

“Good.” The Council and I didn’t agree on a lot of things, but we’d always been on the same side. If they believed they were going to have any say in Sara’s life, they were in for a rude awakening.

There was a beep on the line followed by Tristan’s sigh. “Speaking of the Council. Back less than twenty-four hours and already they are calling. I have a feeling my phone is going to be busy for the next few months.”

I started walking back to the others. “I’ll let you know if we find anything at the nest.”

“Great. And someone from the task force should be reaching out to you soon. Going forward, you’ll give any information you find to them as well.”

“Sounds good.”

* * *

“You have a visitor.” Chris walked into the garage where I was cleaning my gear. I wiped down my weapons after every job, but to keep them in the best condition, I polished the blades daily with a light coating of oil.

I ran a cloth over my blade. “Who is it?”

“She’s from the task force. She’s here for an update.”

“Geoffrey has everything she needs.”

“But I’d much rather talk to you,” said a warm English voice.

My head came up and I stared at the blonde warrior standing in the doorway behind Chris. A smile spread across my face, and I laid aside my sword so I could stand.

“Viv! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to Vegas?”

“I only found out myself last night.” She entered the garage and walked over to hug me.

My Mori cringed away from her, surprising me by its reaction to someone I’d known my entire life. Then I realized Viv was the first female I’d touched since I met Sara.

I gave her a quick hug and stepped back, earning a puzzled look from her.

“So you’re on the task force?” I asked as we walked back into the house.

She sank gracefully onto the couch. “Tristan called yesterday and asked me to be part of it. I’m surprised he didn’t tell you.”

“He probably thought it would be nice if you surprised me instead.”

“A good surprise, I hope.”

I smiled. “You know I love seeing you. I assume you’re here on business.”

She laughed. “I always mix business with pleasure, you know that. Have you eaten? I’m starving.”

“Not yet.”

“Good. Let’s go out. There are a ton of great restaurants in this city.” Her blue eyes sparkled. “Or we could go to my hotel and order room service. I’m staying at the Palms and the accommodations there are wonderful.”

The thought of being with anyone besides Sara caused an unpleasant sensation in my gut and made my Mori growl.

I shook my head. “How about Japanese instead? I know a great place you’ll like.”

“Japanese would be perfect.”

Her smile faltered a little, and I realized my tone had been a bit cool. I immediately regretted it. Vivian was one of my closest friends, and she deserved better.

I extended my arm to her, and she took it, letting me pull her to her feet.

“I’m sorry, Viv. I’ve been in a foul mood for a few days.”

Chris let out a bark of laughter as he passed us, heading for the stairs. “A few days. Sure.”

I ignored him. “I’d love to have dinner with you.”

Her warm smile returned. “Only if you tell me what’s causing your bad mood.”

“I will.” There was very little the two of us hadn’t been able to talk about over the years. We would never be intimate again, but our friendship was important to me, and I valued her advice and her opinions.

“Good. Let’s go then, because I’m famished.”

We went outside, and I chuckled when I saw the red Aston Martin sitting in the driveway. Vivian had a weakness for fast cars, and she didn’t believe in being inconspicuous.

She insisted on driving, and she was grinning when we pulled up to the valet parking at the restaurant. “God, I love this car.”

The valet’s eyes gleamed when she handed him her key along with a hundred. “Take good care of her for me.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“You treat your cars better than you treat your men,” I teased as we walked into the restaurant.

Her rich laugh drew the attention of people nearby. “She’s not mine yet, but I think I’m in love.”

At my request, the hostess seated us in one of the restaurant’s small private dining rooms. A waitress came, and we ordered enough sushi to sink a boat, along with two bottles of their best sake.

The girl looked from me to Vivian. She was no doubt trying to figure out where someone as slender as my companion was going to put all that food. I hid my smile. Mohiri females’ appetites rivaled the males’, and Vivian loved sushi.

The waitress left, returning a few minutes later with our wine. Vivian filled our cups, and we toasted our friendship before we drank, a custom she’d started the first time we drank together back in our training days.

We talked about the task force while we waited for our food. Vivian was staying in Vegas for two days before she met up with Mateo and the rest of the team in Portland. The Master was interested in Sara and Madeline, so Mateo wanted to start the search where Sara grew up.

“I’m curious,” Vivian said after the waitress brought a large tray of food and left us to our meal. “Why aren’t you leading the task force instead of Mateo? Don’t get me wrong. Mateo is in a league of his own, but this is Tristan’s granddaughter. I should think you would have insisted on going after the Master based on that fact alone.”

I thought about the best way to answer. “Tristan didn’t ask me to be on the task force because he knew I couldn’t be away from Westhorne for that long.”

She let out a laugh. “What do you mean? You leave for months on end. You’re away from Westhorne now.”

“Only for a month. I’ll be going back in a few weeks.”

Her eyebrow arched. “Does this have anything to do with the bad mood you’ve been in?”

“Yes.” I laid my chopsticks on my plate and met her inquisitive gaze.

“I found my mate.”

Vivian choked on her sake.

I probably should have waited until after she’d drunk to spring the news on her.

“Good one,” she wheezed, her eyes watering.

I waited for her to catch her breath. “I’m not joking. I bonded with someone.”

“You…” She stared at me. “You’re serious.”

I nodded.

“But when? Who? It’s only been two months since I last saw you, and you’ve been in Maine that whole time with…” Her eyes widened. “Oh my God. Tristan’s granddaughter?”

“Yes.”

She put a hand over her mouth. A second later, she dissolved into laughter. My scowl only made her laugh harder until tears streamed down her face. It was a full five minutes before she could look at me without losing it again.

“And you wonder why I’m in a mood,” I muttered, reaching for the sake bottle.

“Oh, Nikolas, forgive me.” She dabbed at her eyes with her napkin. “But you would laugh too if you were in my shoes.”

“Probably,” I admitted grudgingly.

The two of us had always joked about which of us would “fall” first. I don’t think either of us expected it to be me. I thought about Sara curled up beside me on the plane, and a smile came unbidden to my lips. Suddenly, I couldn’t remember why I’d resisted the idea of a mate for so long.

“Wow.”

“What?”

“If you’d ever smiled like that for me, I’d have fallen head over heels for you.” She stared at me in wonder. “You love her.”

“Yes.”

Her eyes glistened with fresh tears. “Look what you’ve done to me. I’m crying like a school girl.”

I picked up my phone. “I should take a picture or no one will ever believe me.”

“Don’t you dare!” She rolled up her napkin and threw it at me.

Chuckling, I caught it and tossed it back to her.

She grew serious. “Tell me you’re happy. I’ve known people who bonded and weren’t happy so they broke the bond. I don’t want that for you.”

I refilled our cups as I thought about how to answer.

“It’s complicated, but yes, I’m happy.” Or I would be when I could finally tell Sara the truth.

“Do your parents know?”

“God, no. You know what my mother is like.”

Vivian laughed again. “She’s going to be ecstatic. And she’s going to make my life impossible after this.”

I gave her a questioning look.

“When she tells my mother you’ve settled down, I’ll never hear the end of it.” She sipped her wine. “What’s your mate like? I want to hear everything about her and your time in Maine.”

I leaned back in my chair and smiled at her. “How long do you have?”

“As long as it takes.”

We continued our meal, and over the next two hours, I described seeing Sara for the first time and the moment I knew she was my mate. I told Viv about Eli, his obsession with Sara, and my frustration at not being able to find him. Vivian made comments every now and then, but for the most part, she listened. Her eyes filled with disbelief and awe as I related the events of the last month, and I could imagine how it must sound to someone who hadn’t been there and was hearing it all at once.

My voice grew gruff when I spoke about the day Eli finally found Sara and how she’d disappeared. Vivian reached across the table and laid her hand on mine as I talked about the search for Sara and the agonizing three weeks that followed.

I told her about Sara’s sudden return and her story about where she’d been all that time. Being on the task force, Vivian already knew about Sara’s Fae heritage, and it felt good not to have to keep that from her.

“Sara must be very special to win your heart. And she doesn’t know how you feel?”

“I think she knows I care for her, but not how much. She knows nothing of the bond.”

Understanding dawned in her eyes. “Being away from her must be hell for you. Why aren’t you with her now, making her fall madly in love with you?”

“She’s been through so much, and leaving home was hard on her. I’m giving her time to adjust to her new life before I tell her the truth.”

Vivian leaned forward. “Your expression tells me leaving was not your idea.”

“It wasn’t.”

I told her about my reaction to Callum and about Tristan asking me to leave for a month.

“As much as I hate to see you hurting, I have to agree with Tristan. You’re intimidating enough without adding the emotions of a bonded male. No one would dare to approach Sara with you glowering over her shoulder.”

She smiled brightly. “But when the month is up, go get your girl and sweep her off her feet. There is no way any female could resist you for long.”

“You don’t know Sara,” I replied dryly. “But she’s worth the wait.”

“Okay, now I really have to meet this girl.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “You know, you seem to know a lot about bonded males for someone who’s avoided relationships as much as I have.”

Her smile faded. She pressed her lips together and looked away from me. I was not expecting the next words to come out of her mouth.

“That’s because I’ve experienced it firsthand.”

My jaw dropped. “You bonded with someone?”

“It was a long time ago, and no one you know. I met him in Germany in my third year out of training, and we felt the bond immediately.”

She let out a short laugh. “He was an arrogant piece of work, and I couldn’t stand him. He thought courting me meant talking about him and telling me I no longer needed to be a warrior. I broke the bond a week after I met him, and I haven’t seen him since.”

I stared at her. “All these years, why did you never say anything?”

She lifted a shoulder. “It’s not something I like to remember.”

“If you were hurting, I would have been there for you, had I known.” She would do the same for me.

“It was uncomfortable, but I never let the bond grow, and it dissolved a few months after I left. I wasn’t in pain; trust me on that. He probably wasn’t happy at first, but he didn’t pursue it.” Her smile returned. “It was nothing like what you have with Sara.”

The waitress came with our check. I paid it, and we left the restaurant.

“I’m going to miss our time together,” Vivian said wistfully as we waited for the valet to bring the car around. “But I’m happy for you, Nikolas.”

“Thanks, Viv.”

She nudged me with her shoulder. “You know, there are going to be a lot of disappointed women when word gets out that you’ve mated.”

I laughed. “They’ll get over it.”

The valet arrived with the car, and we headed back to the safe house. At the house, Vivian put the car in park and looked at me.

“Well, you seem to be in a better mood, so I’d say my job here is done.”

I smiled at her. “I’m glad you came by.”

Chris came out of the house and walked up to my side of the car. “Hey, you two planning to sit here gabbing all night?”

“You have something better in mind?” Vivian asked.

“We just got word about another nest with at least a dozen vampires. We’re heading out in five minutes.”

“After dinner entertainment. You guys think of everything.” Vivian grinned at me. “What do you say, Nikolas? It’ll be just like old times.”

I smiled and reached for the door. “Let’s go.”

* * *

“Nikolas, your timing is perfect.”

“Why is that?” I walked to my bike in the parking lot of the steakhouse where Chris ate at least twice a week.

Tristan’s chair creaked as he settled into it. “I just got back to the office. Sara and I had our first dinner together tonight.”

“How was it?”

I was happy he and Sara were getting to know each other, but I couldn’t help feeling envious of him. I wanted to be the one sharing meals with my mate.

“It was very nice. I can tell she’s still a bit uncertain about me, but I can’t blame her after what her mother did. We’re taking it slow.”

“I’m glad she has you.” I stood beside my bike and waved for Chris to go on without me. “How is she?”

“Good. She’s still adjusting and getting to know people. It’s a big change for her, and she misses you.”

My chest fluttered. “She said that?”

Tristan let out a breath. “No. She tries to hide it behind her anger, but I can see it when your name comes up.”

“I should have waited to say good-bye to her.” She’d deserved some kind of explanation for me leaving, instead of waking up to find me gone. I didn’t blame her for being upset with me. She probably thought I didn’t care for her at all.

“You should have said good-bye,” he agreed. “I still stand by my reason for asking you to leave for a month, but I think we both could have handled it better. I was feeling a little overprotective when she got here, and I didn’t stop to think how it would hurt her if you left. I should have asked you to delay leaving for a day or two.”

“What’s done is done,” I said. “I’ll make it up to her when I come home.”

I hated hearing she was hurting, and my first instinct was to grab my stuff and head back to Westhorne tonight. But I’d left to help her settle in without me hovering. If I went home now, it would mean I’d put her through that for no reason.

“How’s her training coming along?”

“She’s struggling, but it hasn’t been that long.” He chuckled. “Yesterday, she had her first training with Celine, and probably her last.”

Sara and Celine? I wasn’t sure whether to be alarmed or amused. “What happened?”

“Each trainee was supposed to hunt and kill two bazerats. According to Celine, Sara refused to kill them, threw a knife at her, and incited the class to not perform the task.”

I shook my head. “Sara wouldn’t throw a knife at someone unless they were a threat.”

“Celine can be a bit dramatic. Sara told me she threw the knife on the ground. But she did admit to telling the other trainees it was easier to kill something than to catch it.”

I let out a laugh. “That sounds like Sara, all right.”

He laughed with me. “She can hold her own against Celine. I don’t think you need to worry about her.”

“I think that comes with the bond.”

“I know. And I know this isn’t easy for you either. But it won’t be much longer.”

I stared at the lights of the Strip and wished I was looking at the mountains back home instead.

“Less than two weeks, and then I’m coming home.”

* * *

Geoffrey walked with me to my bike. “You guys sure you don’t want to stick around for another few weeks? This place is a lot more exciting than Oregon.”

“I think it’s time for a change of scenery.” I stowed away my stuff. “Chris wants to visit Longstone before we head back to Idaho.”

The other warrior held out his hand. “It’s been good working with you again. Come back anytime.”

I shook his hand and mounted my bike. My Mori shifted impatiently as I waited for Chris. It had been three weeks since I’d seen Sara, and I still had a week to go, but my demon was excited we’d be closer to her. I was too. A few days in Longstone might help to ease my restlessness until it was time to go back to Westhorne.

Chris came out of the house and said good-bye to Geoffrey. Then the two of us were on our way. Neither of us talked much during the ride, except when we stopped to eat at noon. Chris was looking forward to going home again, and I was happy to be closing the distance between me and Sara.

We had just crossed into Oregon late that afternoon when my phone rang. Tristan called every second day to let me know how Sara was doing, so I knew it was him before I answered.

“You’re late,” I said lightly.

“Yes, it’s been a bit crazy here today.”

The strain in his voice instantly put me on alert. “What happened? Is it Sara?”

“She’s okay,” he rushed to assure me. “There was an incident in Boise today with her and three of the other trainees.”

“What the hell was she doing in Boise?”

“She needed a day out, so I sent her and some of the other trainees with Seamus and Niall. They went shopping, and they were planning to watch movies then go to dinner.”

My hands gripped the handlebars. “What happened?”

“Lamprey demons attacked the movie theater they were in. Several humans were injured as well. Sara and the others managed to kill all the demons before Seamus and Niall got to them. No one was badly hurt, and they’ve all been treated by the healers.”

I heard what he said, but all I could think was Sara was hurt enough to need a healer.

I started looking for the first exit that would take me east to Idaho. “I’ll be there in a few hours.”

“There’s no need for you to come home,” Tristan said. “Sara’s safe. I knew you’d want to know what happened.”

“I appreciate you letting me know, but I need to see for myself that she’s all right.” It would take a horde of vampires to keep me away from Westhorne tonight.

He sighed quietly. “Just take your time. She’s asleep, and she should be out until morning.”

“Asleep? I thought you said she was okay.”

“She is. The healers wanted her to stay overnight in the medical ward, and they gave her something to help her sleep.”

If the healers wanted Sara to stay for observation, that meant she’d been bitten. Lamprey demons were vicious, and their bites could cause serious infections. The thought of her in pain made my stomach twist.

“I promise you she’s fine,” Tristan said when I didn’t speak. “I just saw her.”

“Okay.” Some of the tension left my body because I knew Tristan would not deceive me. “I’ll see you soon.”

I hung up and called Chris to let him know what had happened. We were only two hours from Longstone so I suggested he continue his trip, but he said it could wait.

It was just after eight when we reached Westhorne. Tristan met us in the main hall, and walked with me to the medical ward.

“She has an infection and a fever, but the drugs are taking care of it,” he said in a low voice as we entered the east wing.

At the door to Sara’s room, I stopped to look at the girl lying on the hospital bed. Her dark hair spread across the pillow, and damp tendrils clung to her pale face that glistened with a fine sheet of sweat. She wore a hospital gown, and her blankets were twisted around her legs. Shivers racked her slender frame, and she curled into a ball.

Solmi, my Mori cried, and I shared its anguish at seeing her in pain.

I went to the bed and disentangled the sheets around her legs. They were damp and cold, which was why she’d pushed them off her.

A healer name Margot appeared beside me with a fresh gown and blankets. Tristan and I turned away while she changed Sara’s gown and tucked the warm blankets around her shivering body. Margot checked Sara’s vitals and wiped her face with a cloth before she turned to me.

“She’s almost through the worst of it,” Margot said in a hushed voice so she didn’t disturb Sara. “I’ve never seen anyone fight off a lamprey infection this quickly.”

“She’s a fighter,” I replied, relieved she was on the mend. I had a suspicion Sara’s Fae power might have something to do with her ability to fight a demon infection.

“I need to check on my other patient. Olivia isn’t healing as quickly as Sara. I’ll be back shortly.”

“I’ll stay with Sara, so you don’t need to rush.”

Margot looked surprised, but she merely nodded and left the room.

Tristan walked up to the bed. The two of us looked at Sara, who had stopped shivering and seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

“She’s tougher than either of us gives her credit for,” he said softly, his admiration evident. “She fought a lamprey demon with her bare hands after she was bitten by one of them.”

My head jerked toward him. “She killed it?”

He nodded and motioned for us to move to the other side of the room so we didn’t disturb her.

“She told me she used her Fae magic to destroy it, but she had no idea she could do that. All the others saw was an exploding demon. They have no idea what she did.” Tristan chuckled. “She’s something else. I thought to comfort her after her ordeal, and she told me Jordan was scarier than a dozen demon worms.”

“Jordan?”

“She’s one of the trainees and quite skilled with a sword. I’m glad she was there.”

I remembered the blonde trainee who made the others look like amateurs, and I was happy to hear Sara had made friends.

“I’ll leave her in your care and check in on her tomorrow. It’s good to have you back, Nikolas.”

“It’s good to be back.”

Tristan left and I settled into a chair beside the bed. Not long after, Sara began to toss and kick her covers off again. Her face grew flushed and hot to the touch, a sign of the fever burning through her.

I ran a cloth under cold water and used it to wipe her face and neck as she mumbled incoherently. I tended to her like that for an hour before she quieted again.

Margot came in to check on her, but I was already doing everything that could be done. I kept up my ministrations, and over the next few hours, I changed the blankets two more times before the fever subsided.

It was long past midnight when I sat near the bed again and laid my hand over Sara’s smaller one. She was no longer tossing, and her color looked better. Her hand clasped mine, and I laced our fingers together, smiling as she sighed and tugged our joined hands to her chest.

She murmured in her sleep, and my heart squeezed when she whispered my name. I adjusted her blankets with my free hand, letting my fingers linger against her cool cheek.

I’m here, Sara, and I promise I won’t leave you again.