“Okay,” Rowan said. The quicker they could get her away from all the patients there and into a more well-guarded place, the better.

  Two police officers came in and one of them physically recoiled when she saw the state Rowan was in.

  The other cop with her took a quick look around the room, noting Clive and the doctor.

  “If you can step outside while we speak to her. We won’t be very long,” the male officer said. He had teeny-tiny eyes, like a bird without the charm.

  “I’m her husband. I’ll be staying. As will her doctor,” Clive told them, all cultured and shit. Rowan ignored the compulsion he used.

  “Just to establish some basics. You’re Rowan Summerwaite and you were involved in a traffic incident earlier today?” Tiny Eyes asked.

  “Yeah,” Rowan told him.

  “Traffic incident is an interesting term for what happened,” Clive said dangerously.

  “And you’re a...private investigator here in Las Vegas?”

  It made her dizzy to nod so Rowan answered in the affirmative.

  “Your address on file is an office building.”

  Clive interrupted. “That’s not a question. It’s a statement. You can make statements when my wife isn’t in the recovery room after nearly dying. My turn to ask questions. Where did you take the men Rowan disabled? And did you find the ones who fled? Who are these people?”

  “They’re both in the hospital. One is in a coma from the head injury you gave him. The other is under sedation.”

  “Wait for me to cry over it with my one good eye,” Rowan managed.

  “Do you know why anyone would want to hurt you like that?” the other officer asked.

  “I deal with scumbags sometimes. Not usually scumbags who come at me like mercenaries.” Rowan winced as she tried to move to a more comfortable position and her stitches tightened. Things in her belly hurt. “What does the video show? I know there had to be a feed at that intersection.”

  “Awfully convenient,” Tiny Eyes said.

  “I love it when surgeons dig bullets out of my body and fix my torn-up internal organs. Lucky me. What’s your fucking problem?” Rowan snarled at him, annoyed she didn’t sound as scary as normal when her face was a swollen mess.

  Clive stood, getting himself between the police and the bed. He was beyond livid. His outrage rushed through their bond, cold and fast, and she was in no condition to deescalate or give him backup. Oh shit.

  “I was of the understanding you wanted to speak to Rowan about her attempted murder. In the middle of the afternoon. Complete with an audience because—which is also why there are cameras—it’s a busy tourist intersection with three of the four major casino hotels. If you’re not here to do your job and interview a crime victim, get out. You can speak to her via our attorneys from now on while I call the governor about this.”

  “You’re upsetting the patient,” Dr. Jenkins said. “Time to go.”

  “Wait just a minute,” Tiny Eyes said.

  “Officer Rankin, ease back,” the other one told him quietly. “We have absolutely no reason to believe she’s anything other than a victim of a rather unusual violent crime.”

  And there was nothing they could pin on Rowan for that attack because she sure as fuck had nothing to do with it. Since everyone was being calm-ish, she figured there wasn’t anything supernatural on camera.

  Tiny Eyes could eat a bag of cold, unsalted dicks.

  “He has to leave,” Rowan said carefully through swollen lips. He had bad energy, and she didn’t want him anywhere near her.

  Clive didn’t move until Tiny Eyes left.

  “He’s a transfer and super eager to prove he’s brilliant so he can be promoted,” the other officer said, clearly annoyed. “Hope that’s soon so I can work with someone else.”

  Clive grunted but sat back at Rowan’s side again. He looked her over carefully, wincing when he paused at her neck and chest.

  The questions were a lot more relevant after that. Rowan was certain David was at work on their sources within the police department to get more answers than they’d ever give her during an ongoing investigation.

  “If you think of anything else, please give me a call.” The officer held up a business card and placed it on the nearby bedside table. “This is early days, but if anything major develops, I’ll reach out.”

  After a few more questions, she finally left.

  “When can we give her Vampire blood?” Clive demanded once they were all alone once more. “When can I take her home?”

  Dr. Jenkins poked and prodded a few minutes longer before saying, “My recommendation is that you give her a very small amount. She’s already supercharged. Her system is healing itself at an exponential rate.”

  “Not fast enough,” Clive said.

  “If the cops come back or need to speak to me again and I look dramatically recovered in too short a time it could be problematic,” Rowan said, trying to be diplomatic.

  “I don’t bloody care about problematic. You’re lying there struggling to breathe, trying not to move because you’re in pain. That’s my concern.”

  “I know. Thank you. But even a sip or two will help. I’ll feel way better tomorrow. I can take more after the threat of having to be interviewed again has passed. Just like a day or two at the most.”

  He leaned in and spoke in her ear. “I will be helpless and unconscious for part of tomorrow. I will not have you here unless it’s medically necessary. And if it’s medically necessary you will take my blood until it’s not.”

  “Give me a sip, for fuck’s sake,” she said. “Then we see where I am in an hour.”

  He growled but stood to remove his suit coat and roll up his sleeve so he could offer his wrist after slicing it open for her.

  * * *

  Clive wanted to rip someone apart.

  After taking a few small sips of his blood, Rowan had closed her eye and fallen into sleep.

  “Let her rest. Give the blood an hour or two to work. Let’s assess then to gauge when she can go home,” Dr. Jenkins told him.

  Genevieve came back into the room with David.

  “I need to deal with my people. I’m just stepping next door into the lounge. I don’t want her to wake up without me here and not know where I am,” Clive said.

  David nodded. “I’m not going anywhere. I can get work done here. Vihan is holding the office together just fine. I won’t leave her alone.” He paused. “You should know her father has called multiple times.”

  Clive pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d had Alice inform Nadir of Rowan’s attack not too long after he’d arrived at the hospital, but he knew they couldn’t hold off dealing with the First forever. The sun would be rising there soon enough. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll handle it.”

  Genevieve patted his arm on his way past. “I’m here as well. Darius is in the waiting room. No harm will come to her. We’re all here now. She’s going to be okay.”

  He wasn’t there when she’d been attacked. But that extra armor he’d had custom plated for her vehicle had helped save her life.

  Clive held on to that and knew he’d use this as an argument for every single security measure he insisted on for the rest of her life.

  He didn’t need to call Alice because when he walked out into the hallway she was there, Patience at her side.

  “They said we could use this lounge,” Clive said as he led the way and closed the door behind them.

  “First, is she all right?” Alice asked.

  “She’ll recover.” He ran through the list of injuries. He didn’t say he’d given blood or that she’d have absolutely died if the attack had happened two years before. Rowan would hate for Patience to have too many details of any possible weakness. “They’re keeping her under observation for the next few hours to see if she can be transferred to the house.”

  “You’ll tell us what you need,” Alice said and then pulled an insulated cup from her bag and handed it to him. “Tea.”

  “Thank you. Update,” he said to Patience.

  “We’ve got copies of the surveillance footage. Got a partial plate on the car that picked up two of the runners. The third we’re still tracking. Gathering more information and video angles trying to follow him. They can’t be Vampires because it was full daylight, but they moved like paras,” the head of his security said.

  “Agreed. Witches. Maybe Weres.” The shooters were beefy, broad shouldered. Like tanks. That indicated a shifter but there were witches who were linebackers too.

  “The SUVs used weren’t stock. They were custom,” Patience added. “Seth is on that. He and David have connected. Hunter Corp. has some contacts in that world too.”

  “I want security on the house. Triple the guard but keep it discreet.” If Rowan saw three times as many guards as usual his wife would not be pleased. He also didn’t want to wave a giant red flag indicating someone important was inside.

  “There was a police officer today. Last name Rankin. I want to know everything there is to know about him.” The manner with which he’d treated Rowan was simply outrageous and he would not tolerate it. He just needed to understand more before he decided how he’d deal with it.

  “Just because it was daylight doesn’t mean it wasn’t a Vampire who organized the attack,” Clive said. “Could be witches as we said. There’s something happening with them, though I have no idea exactly what. But Rowan has been working with Genevieve on it and there’ve been a few problems over the last day or two especially.”

  “I will continue to coordinate with David,” Alice said carefully, reminding him his wife would not be pleased if she felt they were doing things without her or around her. This was most definitely a Hunter Corp. issue and as soon as she could stay conscious for longer than a few minutes, she’d tell him that herself. Repeatedly.

  Clive couldn’t wait until she was well enough to harangue him once more.

  His phone rang. Nadir. He held it up to quiet the other two and then answered without preamble. “She’s out of surgery and healing.” He detailed the list of injuries and what the surgery had addressed. “I gave her some blood. They’re observing her for the next two hours or so to see if she can come home tonight. To be frank with you, she’s hard to look at right now without wanting to burn something down. You’ve seen the camera footage so you’ll understand she’s bruised from the accident and then the fight afterward. There are myriad stitched-up wounds. She’s swollen.” He had to swallow back his emotion for a moment. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea for any sort of video chats with her and anyone else at least for a day or two.” Like her father. “I’ve got people on the surveillance video and tracking the attackers who escaped. I need to get someone into that hospital where they’re holding the two Rowan took down. One is in a coma.” It was easier for Clive if the guy stayed that way. He could take those memories without a struggle. It was a matter of getting the information and eliminating the suspects before they could reveal the existence of paranormal beings to humans.

  Nadir blew out a breath. “You have access to Nation resources to make that happen. Is this connected to Vampires?”

  “I do not know. It’s very coincidental that it happened right after this situation with the lords. But Rowan busily makes mortal enemies of powerful beings on a regular basis. It comes to her as easy as breathing.”

  “Her father is unsettled and worried. I have convinced him, after lengthy discussion, to remain here at the Keep rather than traveling to Las Vegas to see her himself. I take your point about a video call, but a call of some sort after sunset for us would be a good thing,” Nadir said very carefully.

  In other words, the First was worked up because his child was hurt, and he was too far away to do much of anything other than worry. And Clive understood that part. Rowan was not in any shape to manage her father’s emotional state, but Nadir was telling him that a call was necessary or things would escalate. He didn’t want the First in his guest room.

  “Any update on the lords situation?” he asked. If Rowan had to deal with her father while Clive was at daytime rest, he’d at least be sure she knew what was going on so she wouldn’t be making that call cold.

  “Andros managed to find the stragglers after an enterprising Scion or two managed to locate their hiding place. They’re all here now. Below. The First is leaving them there a few days, but I’ve had a chat with them. There are things I would speak to you about when you’re not at the hospital on a cellular phone. They can all wait for the time being. Go tend to Rowan.”

  “I’ll have David work with her to set a time to have a brief call with him. She’ll be healing still.” So please try to keep the First in line. He couldn’t say that part out loud, but he hoped she heard it anyway.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Genevieve took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It wasn’t the time to lose her composure. There was a lot to do. She needed to give an update on Rowan’s condition and find out if there’d been any news from the searches they’d been running through Genevieve’s office at the Senate.

  Zara had a contact in the Las Vegas PD, so she and David had combined those resources and were expecting some more information by midnight or so when their person was off shift and could meet them.

  The Vampires apparently had a plan for dealing with the two attackers currently in custody. David had called some sort of special threat level for Hunter Corp. All across the world wherever Hunters were, they’d take extra care. They all wanted to know who it was that had attacked Rowan. And why.

  Many parts were moving, all searching for answers. So many smart people looking there was no doubt they’d eventually find them.

  Genevieve wanted the answers too, though she was worried it would be connected to the magical community. She was the one who’d brought Rowan into their world.

  This was why she held herself back from getting attached to anyone new. Being in Genevieve’s world was dangerous. Immortality was a gift, but not without a price. To walk among those whose pace could never equal hers was bittersweet. Still, Rowan wasn’t human. Her life burned bright and steady within her, and Genevieve believed it would continue to do so for centuries if she managed not to get killed in the interim.

  She wasn’t going to think about that part. Instead, she reported what she knew thus far to Samaya and then Konrad, dashing off several texts and emails after that.

  The moment she slowed down all she could think about was how Rowan had sounded when she’d called for help. How Genevieve had listened to groaning metal, the slap of bullets hitting the armored parts of the car, Rowan’s breathing as she’d moved, the grunts of pain, the intake of breath and at one point, a sob.

  Shoving her fear away, Genevieve went cold as she’d gone to her backyard, opened the slider, and called Darius’s name. He’d come immediately. As he always had.

  Rowan wheezed out the intersection her car had been wrecked at. Genevieve heard herself calmly tell her friend she was getting help and to keep the line open so she could follow along.

  It had been muffled then, but clear enough to get the horror of it all.

  Genevieve had her cellular device to one ear when Lorraine had rushed in, thrusting her phone at Genevieve. Urging her to use it. She did, arranging an ambulance and a medical team to be waiting at the hospital for Rowan. Then she had to call David and that had been...a lot. Darius too had been giving orders in the background. Darius had driven Genevieve to the hospital to wait though there’d been a terse argument as she’d wanted to go to the scene, but he didn’t want to endanger her or to present another target that would only complicate matters when the focus needed to be on Rowan.

  But David had arranged for Hunter-style backup to be sent. There was only so much they could risk in public, but she knew without a doubt they’d break every law they had to if it meant saving Rowan’s life.

  Her friend being the power she was hadn’t needed the help, as it happened. True to form, she’d single-handedly taken out the two remaining shooters before passing out from blood loss.

  They’d remained at the hospital while Rowan had been in surgery. Genevieve had been there to lend some power to her friend. Even at the worst moments, Genevieve hadn’t doubted Rowan would recover but, as sundown crept closer, she and Darius left David at the hospital and headed to the house to tell Clive his wife had nearly died while he’d been at rest.

  She grimaced at the memory. But he’d been strong and unwavering by the time Rowan had regained consciousness. His dangerous side had risen, and Genevieve approved mightily.

  It played through her mind over and over. Well, she didn’t want to do it alone, so she headed to the kitchen and found Lorraine there with Darius, making a meal.

  When she’d first met him, Genevieve wouldn’t have imagined this domestic scene. His locs tied back from his face, feet bare as usual as he padded over to her and gave her a close look before brushing his lips over hers in greeting.

  “I’m teaching Madame how to make kung pao with fried tofu,” he said with a smile in his eyes.

  “Tofu,” Lorraine said with a sigh that made Genevieve smile for the first time in hours. “How is the girl?”

  “They allowed her to go home not too long ago. I’ll stop over there tomorrow afternoon when she’s awake.”

  “I made her a package with some teas and honey. You take them when you go.” Lorraine pointed at a pretty little basket with several glass jars holding teas and tisanes to aid in healing and rebuilding stamina. “You should sit.”

  “I can’t sit right now. All I did at the hospital was sit.” Her voice wavered slightly.