Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [36]
Robby glanced at Connor, then back at her. “So ye have trouble following orders? Where have I heard that before?”
Connor gave him a wry look.
“So I was punished,” she continued, her shoulders sagging. “Zackriel took my wings. I don’t remember much after that.”
“I heard him attacking you.” Connor squeezed her shoulder. “I saw the fireballs and heard yer screams. He left you in a dirty pit, bleeding and wounded.”
She looked up at him, her eyes softening. “I remember someone holding me and a soft, lilting voice that gave me comfort.”
“Oh yeah.” Gregori smirked. “Our Connor is such a sweetie.”
He grabbed a paperback book off a nearby bookshelf and tossed it at Gregori, who managed to dodge it with vampire speed.
“Ye doona remember going anywhere?” Robby asked.
Marielle shook her head. “I remember pain, lots of pain. And darkness. It was very strange, because I’ve never lost consciousness before. I suppose it happened because of this human body I have now. When I woke up, I was here. With Connor.”
She glanced up at him, her blue eyes beseeching. “Please tell me what happened.”
He groaned inwardly. “I wanted to spare you the details. ’Twas no’ yer fault, lass. Ye kept telling me no’ to touch you, but I did anyway, and nothing happened. Emma, Roman, and Laszlo touched you, too—”
“When?” Marielle asked. “Where?”
“At Romatech Industries,” Connor explained. “ ’Tis the place where we manufacture the synthetic blood ye saw me drinking. Roman and Laszlo are brilliant scientists, so I took you there, thinking they could patch you up.”
“You were trying to save my life,” she said quietly.
“Aye.” He didn’t want to admit he’d suspected her of being a Malcontent, or that he’d wanted to keep her alive so he could question her. “Ye warned us several times no’ to touch you, but we dinna think much of it . . .”
She stiffened. “I didn’t kill someone, did I?” She jumped to her feet. “Tell me! If he’s not scheduled to die, then maybe it’s not too late to undo it.”
“She’s no’ dead,” Robby said, anger flashing in his eyes. “She’s in a coma.”
“Oh God.” Marielle lifted a trembling hand to her mouth. “I—I’ll pray for her to be healed. Bunny could do it.”
“A rabbit?” Robby and Gregori both asked.
She shook her head, then bowed her head, clasping her hands together close to her mouth as she murmured quietly.
“Buniel is a healing angel,” Connor explained. He touched Marielle’s arm. “Shanna is in a vampire coma. Her husband attempted to transform her.”
She turned to him, opening her eyes. “Her husband is a vampire?”
“Yes, Roman Draganesti. Shanna already planned on becoming a vampire. It just happened sooner than they expected.”
“We’re no’ sure if she’s going to make it,” Robby grumbled.
“Then I will pray for Bunny to help her through.” Marielle’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m so sorry. You were trying to save me, and I repaid your kindness with . . . death.”
“ ’Tis no’ yer fault,” Connor insisted. “Ye warned us—”
“Of course it’s my fault!” A tear rolled down her face. “I disobeyed again. And that always causes terrible things to happen.” She gripped Connor’s shirt in her fists. “I always mess up! And I hate it!”
“Lass!” He grabbed her hands and squeezed them. Bugger, she was falling apart. He knew she’d been through too much in one night. “Come, let’s . . . see what Emma packed for you.”
“What?”
“Come.” He dragged her back toward the kitchen and grabbed the tote bag off the counter. He glanced back at the three men who were all standing and watching. “She needs a break.”
Robby frowned. “I still have a lot of questions.”
Father Andrew lifted a hand. “Leave her be for now. Connor’s right.”
He gave the priest a grateful nod, then escorted Marielle to a nearby bedroom. She stumbled alongside him as if in a daze.
He opened the bedroom door and handed her the tote bag. “Take all the time ye need.”
She gazed up at him, her cheeks glistening