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The explosion from the main lodge rocked the entire camp, and Lyrica grabbed the counter in the medical building for balance but still went dow n to her knees.

“Damn it.” Hope fell and quickly rolled up to her feet. She looked wildly around. “Do we have we apons in here?”

“I don’t know.” Lyrica started pulling open drawers to see gauze, tape, medication, and scalpels. Was Vero all right? How many explosions could his body take? “We have scalpels.”

Hope looked over her shoulder at Lyrica, shivering in her ruined nightie. “I don’t think scalpels are going to d o us any good.”

“Agreed,” Lyrica said, rubbing her eye. Spikes of ice, rapidly melting into mushy soot, covered her yellow dress. “You need a blanket.” She hurried toward a basket in the corner where she grabbed a fleece blanket and immediately returned to wrap it around Hope’s shoulders. “You mus t be freezing.”

“That’s okay,” Hope said quietly. “I’m immortal. I can’t die.” She rubbed soot beneath her eye and smeared gray mush across h er pretty face.

Lyrica studied her, having wondered about her new friend since Hope had arrived in camp only a month before. “You’re the only female vampire eve r born, right?”

“Yeah,” Hope said, wincing, her blue eyes bloodshot. “Until my birth, vampires only created males, just like Kurjans, I guess. I’m a mixture of pretty much every species out there, but my dad is a demon-vampire and my mom is an enhanced human. All immortals take on one aspect of their heritage. So, for example, if your dad’s a demon and your mom is a shifter, you’re likely to be only one of those. You r true nature.”

“Oh.” Since Lyrica had known only Kurjans as immortals since her kidnapping months ago, she was just learning about the other species.

Hope sighed heavily, looking at her cousins, both still unconscious on the beds. “I’ve never shown any extra strength or abilities.” She pursed her lips. “There was a prevailing thought that perhaps I’m more human than immortal, and we never really found out, although the prophet markings on my neck show that I’m definitely imm ortal somehow.”

“Fascinating.” Lyrica nodded. “But now that you’ve mated Paxton, you’d be immortal regard less. Correct?”

Hope brightened. “That’s correct. However, it’s been less than a month, and no one quite knows when immortality kicks in. In all the tests, it’s a different time frame for each person. Genetics and all that.”

“Oh,” Lyrica said, quickly checking o ver Liam again.

The vampire hadn’t moved, but the air popped wildly around him. She’d sensed the healing cells that immortals could employ, and somehow they altered the air, or rather atmosphere, around whoever was using them.

“So that’s why Paxton is so overprotective of you.” Lyric a had wondered.

Hope grinned, a dimple appearing in her cheek. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to change. I may hit five thousand years old someday, and I doubt he’s going to be any less protective, bu t that’s okay.”

Lyrica wondered for a moment what it would be like to have somebody in her life who cared that much. She never had. “Must be a safe feeling.”

Hope glanced at her, awareness darkening her cerulean eyes. “Among other feelings. What about you? Do you have a boyfriend out there searching high an d low for you?”

Lyrica snorted. “No.” Sadness wandered through her. “Right after the Kurjans kidnapped us, they gave us the option of either just disappearing or emailing our loved ones to let them know we had gone on walkabout and needed space so they wouldn’t worry.” In fact, she’d heard that Vero had insisted upon the opportunity. “I didn’t have any body to email.”

“Not at all?”

“No. I’m an only child, and I never met my mom. My dad and I were poor and lived out of cars and sometimes shelters. In the best times, we stayed with his father in the mountains, and I never wanted to leave, but Dad had wanderlust. He died several years ago. When I was taken by the Kurjans, I’d just moved across the country for a new start and hadn’t even found a job yet. I’m a mathematician and an expert in crisis management for financial companies when things go wrong. I love solving problems.” How freaking depressing. Nobody knew she’d been kidnapped. Nob ody missed her.

The door burst open and Vero hauled an unconscious and bleeding Paxton inside, dragging him over to heft onto the docto r’s desk chair.

“Paxton,” Hope cried out, rushing around her cousin s to reach him.

Vero staggered back, blood flowing from a wound in his forehead. “Another bomb detonated, and we jumped out the window. I landed on him.” Vero winced and a cut in his lip bled freely. Burns, bruises, and broken bones showed down his right side.

“Are you sure you landed on him?” Lyrica pushed him into one of the two guest chairs. They only had one more chair left if anybody else came in wounded. “You look like a truck landed on you both. We need to get you a bed.”

“I don’t need a bed,” he growled. “ How bad is he?”

Hope touched Paxton’s face and brushed back his thick, black hair. She ran her fingers down his neck, torso, and legs as he slumped in the chair, his head ag ainst the wall.

“Here.” Lyrica rushed to fetch another blanket f rom the basket.

“Thanks.” Hope covered him, careful of his left side. “I feel a few broken ribs, obvious contusion from a lump above his ear, and probably some in ternal damage.”

The air heated and swept a round the room.

Hope’s eyes widened as she looked around. “Apparently, his healing cells have gon e into action.”

“Good,” Vero grunted, sitting in the chair. The fire and explosion had burned away much of his jeans and sweater, leaving raw skin and wounded flesh visible.

Lyrica grabbed the final blanket and brought it over. “Here. You need to stay warm.” She leaned in to look at the bleeding wound on his head and the room began to swim.

“Whoa. Take a deep breath.” He g rabbed her arm.

“Sorry, not great with blood,” she said. “I think we need to s titch that up.”

He leaned in, his blue eyes intense. Lighter than normal. Icy. “No, I’m fine, and my blood will burn you. Toss me a cotton ball.”

Lyrica’s stomach dropped, but she turned away to rummage in one of the drawers for gauze. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” He took the bunch and slapped the mass onto his head. The flimsy material immediately turned red with blood.

She reached for the hand he wasn’t hiding from her. “What injurie s do you have?”

“Minor concussion. The explosion knocked me out for a brief moment before I came to and hauled him in here.” Vero pulled free and reached behind his back to pull out a weapon. “Who’s guarding this place? I didn’t see anybody out front. I gave orders.”

Lyrica’s eyes widened. “Nobody is guard ing the front?”

“No,” Vero bit out. “However, it’s entirely possible that after the explosion, they went to see who was harmed. I saw a couple of people down but getting back up. We were the only ones in the actual explosion.” He turned the chair, winced as pain no doubt engulfed his damaged body, and aimed his gun at the only door. “Hope, do you have any w eapons on you?”

“No.” She stared at her cousins, who’d arrived wearing only boxers. “Nobody here has any weapons oth er than yours.”

“Fantastic,” Vero growled, looking furious and deadly even though blood poured from several injuries in his chest. The blanket fell down to his waist. He shifted, pa in in his eyes.

Lyrica felt a desperate urge to assist him. “Wha t do you need?”

“Help me remove this shi rt, would you?”

She b linked. “Okay.”

No doubt the material continued burning him in several areas, and he probably needed his skin free. The cool air would hopefully soothe som e of the burns.

She reached for the bottom of his shirt and gently lifted up. He gave her one arm and then the other, and she pulled it over his head. Truth be told, she’d imagined taking his shirt off before, but not like this. Whoa. Muscle, dangerously cut, shifted beneath his skin. Yet the wounds kept pou ring out blood.

Her gaze caught on a piece of wood that had embedded itself in his heart, with only a small bit still visible. “Oh my God.” Panic grabbed her. She took a step back, stumbling and slipping on a chunk of ice and fallin g to her knees.

“Whoa.” He reached down and grasped her arm, lifting her up even though it appeared as if one of his wrist bones poked through his skin. It was like he didn ’t even notice.

She stood. “How are you breathing? Did the stake not go throu gh your heart?”

In answer, he slowly looked down to see the wedge of wood poking out of h is skin. “Huh?”

Hope snorted behind Lyrica.

“What?” Lyrica snarled. “It’s not funny. There might as well be a stake in his heart.”

“A stake?” Hope looked at her unconscious mate overwhelming the chair. “I know it’s not funny.” She chuckled. “I’m sorry.” Her eyes filled with merriment that glowed in her pale face.

Vero snorted, but pain rode the sound.

Lyrica put her hands on her hips. “I don’t think you understand. If we pull that stake out, you could die, Vero Phoenix. You took it to the heart.”

Vero looked up, his face, at least the part that was working, in a frown. “What are you talking about?”

She pointed to the wood. “You’ve been staked thro ugh the heart.”

“Jesus.” He grabbed the edge of the stick with two fingers and s tarted to pull.

“No,” she yelled, trying to grab his hand.

Before she could reach him, he yanked out the fragment. Blood spurted from his chest. Wincing, he tossed the offending wood onto the ground. “A stake to the heart doesn’t kill us, sweetheart. You need to stop believing movies m ade by humans.”

Embarrassment warred with panic inside her. She shook her head, walked slowly to the drawer, and brought out more gauze. “At least let me cover the wound.” Gently, she laid the white mesh over his heart, removing her hand before his blood could burn her. If they mated, his blood wouldn’t harm her. The thought came out of nowhere, and she shoved it away. “You can’t tell me that a stake to the heart doesn’t cause damage.”

“I’m not telling you that.” Vero closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the wall. “It takes a while to repair a heart, but the wood only nicked the edge of it. I’m okay.”

He didn’t sound like he was okay. Even so, with his eyes closed and his head back, his gun remained leveled evenly and unwaveringly at the doorway. The air shimmered around him. Not quite with glitter or anything too shiny, but somehow, the very oxygen appeared filled with a hint of magic. Healing cells at work.

With a gasp, Paxton sat straight up, sucking in air. His eyes had morphed to a shockingly electric green as he looked around and took in the entire area. “Hope?” Urgency rode the firs t word he said.

“I’m safe.” Hope leaned toward him and cupped the side of his face with her hand. “Are you all right? My gut feeling says you’re experiencing inte rnal bleeding.”

As an empath, Lyrica could feel Hope’s concern. Had Hope allowed that since they were friends, or was Lyrica gaini ng more skills?

“I’m fine,” Paxton said shortly, turning to look at his brother, blood still sliding from a cut above his ear. “What were you doing trying to put your body between me and the bomb?”

Vero opened his eyelids almost lazily to focus on his brother. “I was doing my job. It’s to keep you safe at all costs.”

“Meaning even your own life?” Paxton spat, fury rolling of f him in waves.

Lyrica took a step closer to Vero and away from the king of the Kurjans.

“Yes, dumba ss,” Vero said.

Lyrica’s eyes widened and she let herself fall onto the chair next to him. She just couldn’t handle this right now.

“Did you just call me a dumbass?” Paxton growled, blood dripping from the sid e of his mouth.

“Only because you’re acting like one,” Vero muttered, shutting his eyes again and leaning his head back.

Even in the current bizarre circumstances, Lyrica had to hide a grin. They actually sounded like brothers. She looked over at Hope, who had a soft smile on her face, even as she fussed with the blank et over Paxton.

“What the fuck?” Liam sat bolt upright and bunched his fists as if ready to fight.

Vero sighed and opened his eyes. “You’re fine. There was an explosion. Everybody’s good. We’re fairly safe in this room, although I’m the only o ne with a gun.”

Liam frowned and looked over at his unconscious twin. “How long hav e we been out?”

“I don’t know. An hour maybe ,” Paxton said.

“More like thirty minutes,” Vero corrected.

Liam leaned over and punched his brother in the shoulder. “Collin, wake up. We’ re in trouble.”

His brother didn’t move. Lyrica expected panic or concern, but instead, Liam punched his brother harder. “Wak e the hell up.”

Collin’s eyelids opened and he turned only his head to stare at his brother. “You hit me again and I’m ripping ou t your throat.”

An inappropriate giggle emerg ed from Lyrica.

Hope shook her head. “Now is not the time, you two.” It sounded like she’d repeated that mantra to her cousins more than once.

Groaning, Collin pushed himself to a seated position. “Did somebody try to blow us up?”

“Affirmati ve,” Vero said.

“We only have one weapon?” Paxton repeated, looking down at his damaged chest, then over at his brother.

Vero kicked out his legs and something loudly popped back into place. “This i s the one gun.”

“What about guards? ” Paxton asked.

“I assigned two, but they disappeared after the second explosion. My guess is they went to help.”

“Huh,” P axton murmured.

The outside door opened again and Dr. Fizzlewick walked inside, followed by Jonathan. “Dear Lord,” the doctor said. “You all look terrible.”

Paxton cleared his throat. “We’re fine. Have you checked for in jured outside?”

The doctor waved a hand in the air. “Of course. We have some burns, a couple of concussions. Nothing major.” He leaned his head to the side to look at Vero’s chest. “You get hit in the heart?”

“I did,” Vero said, the sound m ore of a grunt.

“You better heal that first,” Fizzlewick said helpfully.

Vero stared, his eyes flat. “No shit, Doc.” He sounded grumpier than a trapped bear.

“Don’t be so darn cranky.” Fizzlewick walked over to Paxton and looked him over. “I feel internal injuries riding the air along with healing cells.”

“I know, Doc,” Paxton said easily. “I’m sending healing cells to my spl een right now.”

“Spleens are more important than you think, kid.” Fizzlewick turned to check the twins. “Boy, that’s an impressive lump you have on your head,” he said, prodding the back of Liam’s cranium.

Liam slapped his hand away. “Yeah, my skull felt better before you poked it.”

Fizzlewick smiled. “You’re all being babies.” He looked at Hope and Lyrica. “Are you lad ies all right?”

“We’re fine,” Lyrica answered for both of them, unable to move from her seat. Her sopping dress was heavy now that the ice had melted, and her ears still rang from the explosion.

“Well,” Fizzlewick said. “I can feel the healing cells, so everything’s g oing smoothly.”

Vero looked at Jonatha n. “You armed?”

“Of course,” Jonathan said. “I’ve got two guns. I had no clue if speed dating was going to be dangerous or not, so I loaded for bear, as they say. Of course, we only had enhanced females and no bear shifters there. It’d be fun to meet a bear shifter.”

Vero’s chin lowered in a purely intimidating move. “Good. I want you to cover the front of this place until we’re all healthy e nough to move.”

Jonathan nodded solemnly. “That’s all right, but Thaddeus and Ranton are alre ady out there.”

Paxton cut a look at Vero. “Are the y trustworthy?”

“Affirmative,” Vero said. “They’re the two I ordered to cover the building in the first place. They must have gone to help people when they heard the explosion.”

The tone of his voice hinted that he’d speak with those two about that later. Hopefully not with a punch to the face, but Lyrica wouldn’t be t against that.

Vero focused back on Jonathan. “Then take a soldier or two and search the entire east wing of the lodge for more explosives. My gut feeling is that they would’ve already blown, but sweep the be drooms anyway.”

“Yes, sir.” Jonathan ra n back outside.

“All right. We need to regroup,” Paxton said. “We have to rebuild so there’s no sign of an attack—the coming Cyst can’t know we’re vulnerable. Also, first thing in the morning, Hope, Collin, and Liam will move to Re alm territory.”

Hope’s head jerked and her eyes burned a wild blue. “Not in a million years.”

Paxton looked at her and his smile was slow. Not slow and sweet. S low and deadly.

A shiver wandered down Lyrica’s spine, and she edged her chair closer to Vero.

Paxton reached out and tugged on a piece of Hope’s hair. “That’s nonnegotiable, my sweet mate. You can check on my dog when you’re home and then bring him back with you. I miss him. Until I figure out who all is trying to kill me, or kill you, you’re going to visi t your family.”

Hope’s chin lifted. “You are my family.”

Paxton’s gaze softened in a way Lyrica never would’ve imagined from the leader. “I know, baby. Which is exactly why you’re going. It’s nonnegotiable.”

Vero sat up, losing the lazy look. “Family. Speaking of whom…where the h ell is Hunter?”