“Do not fuck with me,” she whispered. “You interfere again, and I will kill you.”

She vanished. I was left alone, sobbing and bleeding. I tried to move again but still was unable to. What was I going to do? I couldn’t even call for help. Of course, it probably didn’t matter. The pain was so great that I was either going to die or pass out any minute now. Human devices might not kill me, but demonic ones could, regardless if I was in stasis.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt strong arms slide underneath me, gently lifting me in a way that kept my back up. I stifled a small cry. Even without my back being touched, the movement hit every other muscle and place on my body that Nanette had hurt. I opened my eyes, trying to see who was there, but my vision was swimming and rapidly darkening.

“What . . .” was all I managed to get out.

“Shh, love. It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.”

Those arms gently eased me onto my bed. I moaned again as fire shot through my ribs. Cool hands smoothed back my hair, but I still couldn’t see anything.

“I can’t heal you,” the voice said. “But I’ll get someone who can help. Just don’t move. It’s going to be okay.”

There was something familiar about the voice, but I couldn’t identify it through the haze and confusion in my head. I could barely breathe, let alone think. Silence fell after that, as though my mysterious benefactor had left. Yet a few moments later, I blearily saw hands set Aubrey on the bed beside me. She leaned forward, sniffing my face. One of the friendly hands petted her head and back, in that way that could so often coax cats into lying down. It worked, and after turning in a couple of circles, she settled down beside me.

Then, the hand stroked my hair one last time. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

That was the last thing I remembered hearing. My savior might have stayed or left. I didn’t know because a few moments later, that blackness finally won, and I sank into a dreamless sleep that was mercifully free of pain.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

“Georgina.”

My name came to me from far away, from far down a tunnel without an end. It echoed off the walls of my mind, loud at first and eventually fading to nothing.

“Georgina. Look at me, sweetie.”

“Let her sleep, Hugh.”

“No, I need to talk to her and make sure she doesn’t have a concussion. Georgina, come on. Open your eyes for me.”