“Of course not. I wouldn’t risk a meeting like that just to heal a broken wrist. I could go and pay cash at an urgent care center.” She spoke wearily and didn’t open her eyes.

He sat back on his haunches, laying her injured wrist on her thigh, thinking through the entire night. “You are unable to create healing cells?”

She sighed and opened her eyes, the blue dark with pain. “Yes.”

“Have you tri—”

“Of course, I’ve tried,” she snapped, twin dots of red blooming and then disappearing in her pale cheeks. “I don’t think I ever quite got the skill down, and tonight in that bar wasn’t the right time to practice.”

He shook his head. “Healing is a skillset, and I figured your sister would’ve taught you. This is my fault.” He was about to die, and he hadn’t prepared her to deal with life without the possibility of his protection.

Even in agony, she managed to roll her eyes. “This has nothing to do with you.”

There were many things Adare disliked in life—tons of them, actually—and being in the dark about something topped the list. “Why were you trying to get vampire blood?”

She exhaled. “Since we mated, I’ve helped people whenever I could. If I saw an elderly man with an injury, I’d slip him some of my blood in his coffee and he’d heal quickly.”

That was odd. Her blood should’ve been strong enough to stop an elderly human’s heart. “All right,” Adare said as calmly as he could. “You were trying to find blood to help old humans?”

“No.” The look she gave him prickled irritation down his back. “There’s a child at St. Bart’s in Greentown, and she has leukemia. My blood hasn’t been strong enough to help her.”

Adare paused, staring at her. “You’re serious?”

“Of course.” She jerked her head, her nostrils flaring. “I know you immortals don’t care about humans, but I do.”

Sometimes he forgot what a complete sweetheart she could be. “Grace. Immortal blood can fix broken bones and wounds, but we’ve never been able to cure diseases in humans. Not even the common cold.” How did she not know this?

“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped. “I didn’t know that.”

What in the world? He’d give anything to erase that defeat on her pretty face. “However, we do have excellent doctors, and I’ll make sure they take a look at the little girl. I promise.”

“Thanks.” Her smile was soft and barely there. “The girl’s name is Janell Lewiston, and her prognosis is already good, from what I saw. I volunteer at different hospitals as I move around, and I read her chart. But still, I wanted to give her even better odds.”