‘But you’re not alone.’ Lisa spun around, staring wildly. The room was empty. She was the only one there. And she hadn’t spoken aloud. There was only… Lisa turned back to the bed. Cullen lay with his eyes closed, but his hand was moving slowly across the comforter to find her fingers. Immediately she laced her fingers through his. “Thank God, Cullen. I’ve been so worried.”
A faint smile touched his mouth. “I should be sorry I worried you” – his voice was quiet but strong – “but the truth is, I’m glad you cared enough to worry.”
“Thank God you’re awake,” she said staunchly. “I don’t know where Corinne is, and we aren’t at the hospital. Your friends came and took you out. They said those people would try to kill you if we stayed there. I thought they’d take us wherever Dayan and Corinne are, but…” She looked around rather helplessly. “I don’t know, maybe they are here; I just woke up myself. I’m not even certain how we got here.”
Cullen’s lashes fluttered as he tried to pry open his eyes to see her face. She sounded forlorn and lost and he wanted to gather her close to him. “Barack and Syndil from the band came, remember? I was talking to them. I thought I heard Darius too.”
She pulled his hand to her chin, held it close against her bare skin. “I don’t know any Darius. I can’t remember hearing that name before.”
“Darius is our lead singer’s brother. He handles security for the band. When Darius is around, you don’t have to worry too much about anything. If he gave the order to move Corinne and me to a safer situation, they would do it.”
“I only saw Barack and Syndil. They were pretty nice, especially Syndil,” Lisa said. “I’ve been so scared, Cullen. The doctors said you might not survive the night and they told me Corinne and the baby both were going to die. And then Corinne just disappeared without a trace.” Lisa was trying very hard to keep the wail out of her voice, but it was there all the same and she hated it.
Cullen managed to get his eyes open to look at her. He inhaled deeply, taking in the faint peach fragrance that always clung to her skin. She was so beautiful to him, it hurt to look at her. She tried hard to be strong, to be something she wasn’t, and criticized herself because she didn’t measure up in her own eyes. “It’s going to be all right, Lisa. I promise I’m not going to die. Barack gave me his blood.”
She blinked at him without expression, not comprehending what he was saying. “You needed a transfusion and he gave you one? I heard Syndil say you needed blood, but the memory’s vague.” Lisa found her memories of the band members were hazy. She couldn’t form a distinct impression of any of them, though she had just been with them. She rubbed her forehead; her temples were pounding.
Cullen tugged at her hand to get her attention. “None of that matters, honey. Let the others take care of everything else.” He smiled at her. “I’m glad you’re here with me. I know you’d rather be with Corinne, but I need you here. Dayan’s a good man – he would never allow anything to happen to her.”
“Where was he? Why were you with Corinne, instead of Dayan?” Lisa tried to keep an accusatory tone out of her voice. A big part of her disliked Dayan tremendously – unless he was standing directly in front of her. Then, she didn’t know why, but it was almost as if her entire opinion of him changed. None of it made sense to her. Lisa swept a hand through her hair and looked bemused. “I’m very confused about Dayan.”
Cullen thought she looked more beautiful than ever. “Dayan is good for Corinne. I know him, Lisa. If you value my opinion, at least trust me on this one issue. I know him – I know what he’s like. He would never betray a friendship, and he’s the closest thing to family I have. The band took me in when I had no one. Everyone I loved was dead, and I had no future. They disregarded the fact that I had actively helped to hunt them and instead allowed me to travel with them for protection. They not only offered protection and friendship, but they took me into their family and made me feel a part of it. Very few people would have been that kind to a total stranger.”