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“Whatever you, or Elijah need,” Logan says.

I nod and turn to my Mom. “Will you come in with me?” I ask her.

“Of course.” Now that I have her back, I don’t want to let go.

I squeeze May’s hand. “Would you come with us?”

She nods tentatively. “Sure.”

I look at Penny, silently asking her to follow. She has been so supportive. Mom encircles my waist and we walk into the house. I take a deep breath before going into the bedroom.

Elijah is still laying so still in the middle of his bed. Estes is putting all his tools back into his bag. A needle is sticking out of Elijah’s arm, connected to a bag of blood above his head. Ryker is standing at the end of the bed beside Bash and Marie.

I move to the end of the bed. “Tell me,” I demand.

“He has internal injuries. I cannot fix them all. He needs blood and rest. If he was awake, he could shift and heal. It is going to take longer this way. I stitched what I could. I want to stay in the other room. I want to give it twenty-four hours, if there is no change, I have another idea.”

“What’s the other idea?” I ask, none of this sounds good.

“I will tell you in twenty-four hours.” He smiles kindly and leaves the room.

I look at the vampires. “You can trust him. If there was no hope, he would tell you,” Ryker says.

That’s a small comfort.

“You need to eat and rest. Elijah would want you to take care of yourself,” Bash says.

“We’ll all stay with you, if you want,” Penny offers, her hand on my shoulder.

There was a time where I would shrug off their presence and comfort. Not this time. “I would like that.”

I hug the side of the bed beside Elijah, my back against the headboard, turned toward him, staring at his chest. His breathing seems easier, at least that’s what I’m telling myself.

All of our friends are still here. Laken brought back a feast. They started a fire in the pit at the side of the house and gathered around it. They are talking quietly and giving me space. Ryker left briefly to check on his pregnant mate, but returned relieved. Ava is with her but he had to see her for himself. His devotion is clear.

Sally is entertaining them all—every little while I hear laughter, and it’s a good sound. The doctor quickly fell asleep on the couch despite of the noise.

“Hey,” my mom says from the doorway.

I look over and see May hovering behind her. “Come in.”

May sits on the floor underneath the window while Mom finds a seat in one of the chairs facing the bed.

“How’s he doing?” Mom asks.

“I can’t tell. His heartbeat’s steady. He’s alive,” I say quietly.

“He’ll be fine,” she says.

“How do you know?”

“The universe wouldn’t be so cruel as to give him to you and then take him away so soon.” She smiles.

“I hope so,” I whisper.

“You found a group that will do anything to help their friends,” she says.

“I stumbled into it.” I shake my head. “I can’t imagine not being here now.”