Page 47 of Immortal Unveiled

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Manus felt as if he’d been drawn and quartered and then slowly been sewn together again. At least the lingering pain meant he was alive. And the reason for it appeared to be the metallic taste in his mouth. He recognized it: vampire blood.

He opened his eyes. Glaring hospital lights shining down on him blinded him for a second. Quickly, he turned his face to the side and sat up.

“Look who’s awake.”

He turned his head toward the female voice. Leila rose from her chair and placed her book upside down on the table.

“I feel like shit. How long have I been out?”

“Couple of hours.”

That surprised him. “Did somebody knock me out while I wasn’t looking?”

Leila chuckled. “You could say that. Your girlfriend shot you.”

“I know she shot me. And she’s not my girlfriend,” he added quickly, not wanting any misunderstandings to crop up.

“Sure.” Leila shrugged.

“Well, go on. What else happened? I wouldn’t have passed out from a mere gunshot wound. It’s ridiculous. I’m made of sturdier stuff than that.” And passing out in front of Kim was embarrassing as hell. There had to be a good reason for it.

“Of course, you are. But the bullet wasn’t an ordinary one. Somebody must have melted down a dagger from the Dark Days and forged bullets from it. Hence that bullet almost killed you.”

Manus’s heart raced. “Fuck!” He ran a suddenly trembling hand through his hair. “Did Ryder…?”

She nodded. “He drenched your wound in vampire blood and then made you drink some more. It worked.”

“Guess I owe the kid big time.”

“Yes, you do,” Ryder said from the door, strolling into the room as if he owned the place. A confident smile on his face, he approached. “Good to see you’re up.”

Manus shook his hand. “Thanks, bro.” It was the first time he’d called him what he called his Stealth Guardian compound mates. Ryder was like a brother to him now, somebody he could depend on with his life.

Ryder’s smile widened. He understood. He was truly part of the gang now. “Anytime, bro.”

“Where’s Kim?” Manus asked.

Ryder tilted his head toward the double doors. “Pearce and Aiden are interrogating her.”

Manus jumped off the gurney. “Interrogating? What the fuck?”

“Well, they said it’s warranted under these circumstances.”

“What fucking circumstances?” Manus growled.

“Let me see,” Ryder said and lifted one hand, raising his thumb. “First and foremost, she shot you and you nearly died.” He now added his index finger, counting off. “Secondly, from the video footage Pearce pulled when you guys exited the portal, it didn’t exactly look like you brought her with you voluntarily. And thirdly, she clearly had no clue that you’re not human.”

“Who told her that?” He should have been the one telling her the truth and not somebody else. He owed her that much.

“I did,” Leila said firmly.

Manus opened his mouth to let her have it, but she cut him off instantly.

“And before you shoot your mouth off: she needed to know. She was worried about you. She thought Ryder’s blood would turn you into a vampire.”

That stopped him in his tracks. He stared at Leila. “She was worried about me?”