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They froze at the door when they saw Leah sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Oh, you’re fine,” the person in the lead, a middle-aged African American woman in a nurse’s uniform, groused. “Next time, give some warning.”

Leah smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

A young man behind the nurse mumbled, “Vampires,” as if that explained everything.

“If you’re good, you can go. We need this room anyway,” he said.

The nurse shot a sharp glare at Julian. “So, my family and friends are safe?”

Confused, Leah looked at Julian.

The corners of Julian’s mouth quirked. “Yes.”

“Good. They would’ve shot you anyway,” the nurse said and left, followed by the rest of the staff.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing.” Her heart skipped a beat when his lips curved up in a wide smile. “Let’s go home.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Wherearewegoing?”Leah asked from the passenger seat for the second time in less than five minutes.

It had been two days since she was discharged from the hospital, and only the third time she’d seen Julian. The minute they returned, the Vampire King had dragged him away for official business. He’d been shut in with the human diplomats, attending meeting after meeting to maintain peace. She had tried to wait up for him, but her body needed rest to heal. They had only been able to have breakfast together this morning before he was called away again.

“You’ll see.”

Julian navigated them expertly through Vegas’ busy streets, even though the car had autopilot. According to him, some cars were meant to be driven, like this McLaren.

“How’re you feeling? Everything back to normal?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, just bored,” she said. The effect of Julian’s blood had diminished, so her senses had returned to normal. She had rejected any more vampire blood from him, fearing she’d become addicted.

Julian, being his overprotective vampire self, refused to let her work or do anything more strenuous than online shopping, so she’d been bumming around the Tower, doing her best to be out of everyone else’s way.

“How is Emily doing?”

Leah sighed, her heart twisting for the younger woman. She worried Emily would never forgive her for taking her from the Organization and throwing her amid vampires. Since their return, all Emily did was hide in her room and cry, even though no vampires had bothered her. When Leah went to see her earlier today, she had shouted and thrown things at Leah.

“I don’t know what to do.” Leah felt like a failure. Deep down, she knew she’d done the right thing. But it was hard to remember that when Emily won’t even look at her.

“She’ll be fine. Give her some time. If she survived what you said she did, then she won’t give up here. We can also move her to a place with fewer vampires once the Gathering is over.”

“Yeah, that’d be good, I think. I’m worried she’ll hurt herself.”

“She won’t. If she tries, we’ll know.”

Julian squeezed her hand in reassurance. She held tight to him, soaking in his steady confidence.

They left the city limits in a familiar direction, taking the exit she’d taken a few days ago.

God, had it been less than a week ago? It felt like forever since she’d driven this way on that fateful night.

“Why’re we going there?”

Julian’s mysterious smile made her stomach flutter. “It’s a surprise.”