Raphael | Parish (18 page)

Cry
?
Why was he crying
?

She tried to push herself into a sitting position. Her elbow stung and stars swam before her eyes, but at least air was coming in and going out. She heard Raphael again. Then a female Pantera. They were screaming, roaring. But who were they screaming—

Ashe
.

Oh, god…they were screaming for Ashe.

The boat rocked and jerked, and Julia heard a loud splash to her right, then water hit her face. She gasped as sound rushed her from all sides. Everyone was screaming, calling out for Ashe.

“The bastard took her over the side with him!” someone yelled.

“Who was it?” said another. “What Faction?”

“I think he’s Nurturer.”

Julia blinked several times, trying like hell to get her bearings.
What the hell was happening
? Her vision cleared just as Raphael roared from somewhere in the water, “He’s swimming toward the other bank! We’re close to the border! Go! Fuck! Go after him. I have Ashe.”

Fully alert now, her heart slamming against her ribs, Julia scooted over to the edge of the boat. The water and the bank were complete chaos. Pantera were everywhere. She scanned the water for Raphael and Ashe. When she spotted them, her heart stopped. Raphael was swimming madly toward shore, Ashe tucked against him on her back. Julia could see the woman’s face clearly in the burgeoning light of day. She looked cold and pale and quiet.

Without thinking, Julia dove into the water and swam hell-bent for shore. Once there, she scrambled to her feet and ran, neither noticing her aching lungs or how dripping wet and cold she was. She needed to get to Ashe, to her patient.

Pantera crowded around Raphael and his mate, but Julia pushed her way through. She slid to her knees beside Ashe, put her face near the woman’s mouth and assessed her breathing.

“She’s bleeding.”

Julia glanced up.

It was Raphael. He stared at Julia, horror-struck, terrified beyond measure. “The baby.”

CHAPTER 9

PARISH had lost the piece of shit right as he’d crossed the border of the Wildlands.

Poof. Gone
.

The instant his traitorous feet had touched down on human soil.

Parish had no idea how such a thing could be possible, or how a traitor had lived among them without detection. Because that was exactly what the bastard was. Ashe was Raphael’s mate, which made her and her child Pantera. And when you attack within your clan you’re a goddamn, good-for-nothing-but-gator-bait traitor.

But Parish and his Hunters were going to find him. In fact, every Hunter he had was patrolling the border at this very moment. Except Bayon. The male was tight with Raphael, and had insisted on staying by his side at Medical. If anyone could keep Raphael from knocking down the door to Ashe’s room, it was Bayon. Julia had made both Bayon and Parish promise to keep Raphael out until she knew what was going on. But it was becoming a nearly impossible task. Understandably, the Suit was losing it. He looked feral, terrified as shit, pacing and cursing and swearing that once he knew Ashe was all right he was going to find and disembowel the one who’d dared to hurt his woman and child.

It had been one hour since they’d arrived, since Julia and several other Pantera doctors had whisked Ashe away. Parish was so proud of his female. He’d never seen hands that worked so quickly, eyes that saw everything, a mind so clear and strong.

“Julia will have news soon,” he told Raphael, who looked as though he wasn’t even aware of Parish’s presence.

“She’s a good doctor,” Bayon added, his gaze on Raphael even though he was speaking to Parish. “We’re lucky in that, as are you, Parish. She’s going to make you a fine mate.”

It was news to Raphael, but he didn’t acknowledge it. He was pacing, hissing, cursing at nothing but his thoughts.

“You must go to the Elders,” Bayon continued. “I’d like to see their face when they hear another Pantera has taken a human as his mate.” His eyes once again cut to Raphael. He was trying to pull the male back into reality. “Where will you live?”

Parish eyed the other Hunter, nodded. “Not in my cave. Can’t have a female and child there.”

“Child?” Raphael stopped in his tracks. “She’s not pregnant?”

Bayon released a breath, cursed.

“Not yet,” Parish told him. “But if you can make cubs with your human, so can I. For now, we’ll take a house close to town, and to Medical.”

The door behind Parish opened then, and Julia, along with three Pantera doctors, emerged. Her thoughtful blue eyes flickered momentarily to Parish, then quickly focused on Raphael.

“First, let me say, the baby’s perfect. All vital signs are normal; heartbeat, fluid within the—”

“Ashe?” Raphael demanded, his expression terrified as he rushed toward her. “Is she all right? Tell me!”

“Easy,” Parish said, holding the male’s shoulder.

“She’s okay,” Julia said quickly. “Stable, and her vital signs are good.”

Raphael seemed dumbstruck, his breathing shallow. Parish had never seen a male react this way, and yet he knew that if it were Julia inside that room, he’d be acting the same way. Maybe worse.

“Do you know what happened?” Bayon asked her.

“As far as I can tell, she was injected with something.”

Raphael growled, his canines dropping. Parish and Bayon drew nearer to him as calm, cool Dr. Julia Cabot explained, “I believe whoever did this was aiming for her uterus—”

“The child?” Parish uttered, slightly stunned. The attack was not on Ashe. It was on the baby.

Raphael hissed. “I will bleed that bastard out so slowly and painfully he will beg me for death.”

Julia swallowed, her face tight. “Ashe must’ve deflected somehow, and under the water. She’s already an amazing mother. The needle didn’t puncture anything vital.”

“I need to see her,” Raphael said, advancing on her. “I need to see my Ashe.”

Julia blocked the door, her eyes down.

“What is your woman doing, Parish?” Raphael said with a terrifying growl.

One Parish matched with his own. “Stop and listen, Raphael.”

“I know this is hard,” Julia said, taking a deep breath, then letting it out. “As I said, she’s physically well, healing properly, and all her vitals are stabilized.” She glanced at the Pantera doctor to her right.

The male Nurturer stepped forward. “I have only seen this once in our lifetime, brother. But whatever your woman was injected with…well, it has made her…” He paused.

“What!” Raphael roared.

“Unstable,” the male finished. “Dark magic now runs through Ashe’s bloodstream.” He locked eyes with Raphael. “Something is trying to possess her.”

The End

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author of the Bestselling
Mark of the Vampire
series, Laura Wright spent the early years of her life immersed in the worlds of singing, acting and competitive ballroom dancing. But when she started writing, she knew she’d found her true calling. Laura lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband, two children, three dogs, two frogs and two fish. She’s been thrice nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, and loves hearing from her readers.

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Book list

Mark of the Vampire Series

Eternal Demon

Coming: 5/2013

Eternal Beauty

(A Penguin Special)

Coming: 4/2013

Eternal Beast

8/2012

Eternal Captive

2/2012

Eternal Blood

(A Penguin Special)

1/2012

Eternal Kiss

4/2011

Eternal Hunger

10/2010