The corner of her mouth turned up just slightly. Andrew felt a brief burst of relief, then remembered Kate and the monster waiting for them outside.

“Just hold him still while I try to channel my mum. She could have been a seamstress.”

When the needle pierced the skin at the bridge of Ryker’s nose, Andrew faltered. Nikki pinched two meaty flaps of skin together and did her best to reconnect them. Ryker’s body shifted and Nikki huffed. Shaking his head to clear the fuzziness that wanted to creep in and take over, Andrew steeled himself. Nikki worked slowly yet methodically, her hands stained and slick with her husband’s blood. She tackled his lips next. They bled less, but it looked like she was stabbing squirming slugs. Andrew looked away in the interest of self-preservation.

If there was one thing to be thankful for, it was that Ryker remained out of it the entire time. After she was finished with his nose, Nikki went about connecting the folds of skin on his forehead, then his cheeks. When she was done, she was pale as milk but seemed more in control of herself.

“He’ll need a plastic surgeon,” she said. “But at least he won’t bleed to death.”

Together, they got Ryker to a more comfortable chair and covered him with a blanket. The area where they’d worked on him in the dining room was covered in blood spatters and crimson towels.

Andrew checked on Kate. Her forehead was cool to the touch. The fever was gone. Why wasn’t she waking up?

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this knackered,” Nikki said. She sat on the floor by Ryker’s feet. “And yet I know there’s no way I could close my eyes for even an instant.”

“You and me both. You did an amazing job, you know.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” She stared at Ryker’s patchwork face.

“Not many people could do what you did. He’s lucky to have you.”

“I tell him that all the time.” She kissed his knee, resting her head on his lap.

Andrew couldn’t stop looking at the glass doors to the back porch. They were no protection whatsoever. The beast could come crashing through at any second.

As if it could hear his thoughts, the creature ripped off a bladder-quaking howl.

Andrew and Nikki bolted to their feet, looking all around the cottage.

“Why won’t it leave us the fuck alone?” Nikki said, fingers enmeshed in her hair as if she were going to tear it out by the roots.

Andrew spotted the rifle and silently thanked God that Ryker had managed to hang on to it. It felt heavier than before, or was that just exhaustion settling in? How many bursts of adrenaline could he endure before he simply burned out?

“There!” Nikki exclaimed, pointing to the back of the house.