gh

br

skull would stop. Her neck throbbed with sharp pain, and her b

blinked he

of disinfectant. The steady b

osp

ght had been nothing more than a nightmare. Maybe she

gers touched her

raised punctures. Exactly

omach

d bee

ed eyes. The sharp bite that had set her veins on fire. The wolf with go

and sensitive, as if a hidden fire still lingered beneath. She

s a strange mark. Not ink, not a scar.

ay as if touching it mig

his can't

r creak

side, carrying a clipboard. Her smile was polite, but her eyes

e nurse said. "How

onfused. My neck hurts. Wh

lmly. "Somebody called it in, and an ambulance brought you

blanket. "And t

answer. Instead, she scribbled something on

t too careful

. The door closed with a soft click, leaving he

. or ma

last night pressed against her skin, prickling t

e was

oom, half hidden by the curtain. She hadn't heard the window

jumped. "W

ed forward, and

was

was both sharp and unnervingly beautiful. High cheekbones, dark hair falling ove

d ran co

if to calm her. "If I meant to finish what I

utched the blanket so tightly her knuckle

pened. "You a

t pounde

g closer. "My bite claimed you. Your blo

rembling. "No. No, I didn't ask

gaze, almost amused. "You

d answer, the d

ough the room, carrying the f

gas

ulders, sharp jaw, golden eyes that seemed

wo

t she knew it was him. S

the room, tension snapping betw

mpire said smoothly, t

and rough. His eyes flicked to Aria, softening just slight

ne to the other. Her body still ached, but a strange pull t

night. One f

she whispered, "Wha

of them

o her bed. The wolf moved to

rt right there in the hospital room. The air was thick w

for her to hear his whisper. "Remem

ut the vampire vanished, melti

hitched. He wa

oken only by the

remained. His golden eyes

e now," he

't sure if sh

. And she was beginning to realize that whatever had st