Or dead.

She breathed in raw fury and looked around for the rogue. When she saw him, the shock on his face didn't surprise her. She charged him, but right before she had her hands on him, he disappeared.

"So you are not so powerless." The old vampire's voice boomed around her although she could not see him. The concrete wall behind her reformed and she sensed it grew thicker this time.

"What are you?" she hissed, knowing no ordinary vampire could build a wall back up.

"Did I not ask you the same thing?" he answered.

She ran to Lucas. A hand to his chest told her he was still alive. She yanked his chains off and dropped beside him on her knees. The gravel on the concrete floor bit into her skin.

Remembering she possibly had the power to heal, she moved her hands over him, then remembering what she'd done for Sara, Kylie pressed her palms around his head.

"Talk to me, Lucas. Please." The memory of him saving her from the bullies and of him looking up at the sky for elephants filled her mind and tears filled her eyes. "Please be okay."

She tried to think positively, tried to think about her hands sending warmth into his body. She didn't know if this was how it worked, but for Lucas's and Sara's sake, she prayed it was. Her heart filled with hope when the swelling on his face disappeared.

"Now talk to me," she whispered, and she began to lean down. His eyes shot open, panic marred his expression, and he swung his fist.

She tried to catch it but whatever power she'd had was gone. She did manage to avoid the punch to the face. Instead, his fist slammed against her shoulder. Pain exploded. The blow knocked her clear across the room.

"Christ!" He lunged to his feet. "I'm sorry." He picked her up and cradled her tenderly against his chest. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. Thankful he wasn't vampire and wouldn't know she lied. Her shoulder throbbed like a bad toothache. "Down," she managed to say.

He complied but her knees buckled and he had to catch her. "I'm sorry."

She looked into his blue eyes. "It's okay." He hadn't meant to hit her. "I don't think it's broken."

"Did you get..." She stopped talking, remembering the old vampire was probably listening.

"Burnett?" she mouthed the name, and looked up at him with a question in her eyes.

He nodded and she prayed he'd read her lips correctly and this meant Burnett and the FRU were coming.

Her shoulder pounded. Her legs shook. She leaned against the wall and slid down to sit on the cold concrete floor. Lucas sat down beside her.

She shivered and he must have felt it because he put his arm around her.

His body oozed heat. She leaned into him to soak up his warmth.

"You are so hot," she said.

"It's about time you noticed," he teased.

She would have smiled if her energy hadn't felt spent. In spite of the pain, she felt safe.

"It's a werewolf thing," he said. "Our body temperatures run hotter."

"What time is it?"

"After midnight," he answered.

She remembered her mom who must be panicking by now. Then feeling too exhausted to think, Kylie closed her eyes and leaned closer into his chest, careful not to move her shoulder.

He shifted her into his lap. His warmth surrounded her. She felt him moving a hand through her hair. "You've got something in your hair," he said.

"Probably concrete, from when I ... came through the wall," she said.

"What wall?" he asked.

She recalled he'd been unconscious then. Did he even know she'd healed him?

"That one." She nodded. "He put it back together, though."

"I think I hit you harder than I thought."

She didn't have the strength to argue. "So tired."

"Rest." He pulled her closer. "Soon," he whispered.

Was he saying that it would be over soon? God, she hoped so.

"Kylie. It's time."

Lucas's words stirred her awake some time later.

She felt Lucas jump up with her in his arms and she became instantly alert. Loud noises came from behind the wall and, in one easy leap, he had them against the back of the room, away from the noise. Before she could insist Lucas put her down, the front wall collapsed and Burnett and several other FRU personnel hurtled though the cascading concrete.

Burnett rushed forward. "Is she okay?"

"Fine," she said, embarrassed that Lucas held her like a child. "Put me down."

"Her shoulder," Lucas said. "I think it's broken. My fault. I did it ... accidentally."

"I'm fine." She went to move her shoulder to prove her point, and winced.

"They're here!" someone screamed from down the hall. Lucas, Burnett, and the other men ran through the rubble that had once been a wall. She stood alone in the cloud of dust their hasty departure had created. The sound of men fighting in the distance reached her ears. Feeling useless, she started to follow, hoping her strength would return, but she hadn't taken one step when she felt the rush of air move past her. The young, evil-eyed rogue stopped beside her and before Kylie could do more than scream, he had her in his arms. Forgetting about her shoulder, she struggled. Pain exploded in her arm, but she continued to fight. But his hold was strong, and her own strength spent. "No!" the deep rumble of Lucas's voice filled her ears. "Put her down," Lucas demanded.

"She's mine," the rogue hissed.

"Over my dead body," Lucas roared, and his eyes deepened to a burnt orange.

"That will be my pleasure," the vampire roared back, his gray eyes now glowing red.

Realizing her opportunity, Kylie jabbed the palm of her hand into the rogue's throat. He dropped her, and she had no more than hit the ground when she saw Lucas attack. The sound of fist pounding into bone filled the room. In horror, she watched as Lucas was thrown across the room.

She felt her own strength returning, but before she got to her feet, Lucas was back, holding the vampire by the throat. The sound coming from the vampire's throat left Kylie with no doubt that Lucas's hold was crushing his airway.

"Drop him!" The voice of the old vampire filled the room and made the air heavy. "Drop him or she dies."

While Kylie could see no one, she felt a hand close around her throat. She clawed at the invisible force that choked her and tried to pull air into her lungs. None came.

She saw Lucas's gaze shoot to her. Dark sparkles started filling her vision, and right before everything went black, she saw Lucas drop the rogue, who then disappeared. No wind, no air. Obviously the old man's magic had taken him away.




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