“She’s alive, she’s alive,” Amelia said.

Alexis had never felt such relief in her life. She took Katie’s hand and kissed it.

Byron stood and said, “Right, let’s get her to bed, and I’ll call the doctor.”

Alexis felt shattered inside but would allow no one else to lift Katie. She hesitated and said to Bhal, “Thank you, Bhal. I owe you everything.”

“You owe me nothing, Duca.” Bhal smiled.

Alexis had heard the rumours about Bhal’s so-called superpowers but had never seen them in action apart from her incredible strength. Clearly, she could bring life back from the brink too.

Alexis carried Katie to her room, followed by Byron and Amelia, and laid her down on her bed. When she took a step back, the realization of what had happened, and what she nearly did, hit her. Her hands started to shake and she twisted and turned.

“Alexis? Are you all right?” Amelia said.

“I need some air.” Alexis sped off down to the kitchen and opened the back door, just in time to vomit onto the ground.

Once she finished she wiped her mouth with her shaking hand. “What did I nearly do?”

Guilt descended on her like a cloud. Consent was sacrosanct in their clan, and she’d nearly violated it, violated everything she believed in. She was just like Victorija, and the scary thing was, she’d do it again if it meant saving Katie.

Alexis had to face it—she was in love with Katie and would do anything to make her safe and keep her alive.

* * *

“How is she, Doctor?” Byron asked.

Dr. Tyler McKenzie took off her stethoscope and ruffled her short blond hair. “It’s remarkable that she’s even alive.”

Amelia gripped Byron’s hand tighter. Tyler checked the lines on the blood transfusion bag that she had set up by the side of the bed and looked up at the housemaid standing by the door. “Could you get Katie as many hot water bottles as you have?”

“Yes, Doctor.” The maid quickly left the room.

“Despite the fact that she should be dead,” Tyler said, “she’s doing as well as can be expected. The blood transfusion should make her stronger, but she will need time to recover.”

Tyler’s family had been serving as the Debreks’ private doctors for two hundred years. They were another human family who had earned the Debreks’ trust. Not that vampires needed much medical care, but they did from time to time, and the humans in the household certainly did.

Byron was thankful for Tyler. Otherwise they’d have to find a way to explain to the accident and emergency department at the hospital why Katie was drained of blood and had bite marks on her neck.

“What do we need to do for her?” Amelia asked Tyler.

“Mostly give her time and complete bed rest. Whatever Bhal did, I don’t know, but Katie was dead and had her soul literately ripped from death, then put back into her body. That shock will take its toll on the body and mind. Katie will be weak and will need to regain her strength slowly.”