Page 31 of Helsing: Demon Slayer
Dianne shivered, remembering the cold malice radiating from the ruined visage of the man who’d clearly been the leader. Unlike the others, he’d been completely rational.
And he wanted to kill them.
They stopped fifteen minutes later at a large mall off the highway. It was still early on a Saturday morning in July, so the parking lot was largely empty. Their driver parked the Range Rover in a spot on the far side before he and Markos got out and ran to the rear.
By that time, Germaine had come around and grown vocal. Babbling hysterically, she slapped at Ryan as he opened the door behind him. When he moved to get out, she grabbed onto the SUV’s window frame with both hands, her voice rising in a near shriek.
Ryan shot a look at Dianne. “A little help, please. It will go better for her—and us—if she calms down so Markos can take a look at her leg. We can’t stay here long.”
Dianne nodded. Wordlessly, she opened her own door and stepped down, her knees buckling as her feet touched asphalt. If Markos hadn’t returned to take her hand, she would have fallen. As it was, she swayed into him.
“Easy there,” he said, smiling down as he steadied her, before leading her to the rear where Ryan had carried the still-writhing Germaine.
Dianne forgot her own unsteadiness as her heart went out to her best friend, who must be in unimaginable agony.
Letting Markos’s hand go, she stepped forward and reached for Germaine, who managed to strike Dianne in the face with one of her fists. Her head snapped back, starbursts of light filling her vision. At this assault, Ryan, who’d done nothing to protect himself until now, set Germaine into the back of the SUV before grabbing both of her wrists.
“Enough!” he barked. “We can leave you here in this parking lot with a call to the locals. Or you can get control of yourself and let my medic take care of you.”
Germaine responded to the clear note of authority in Ryan’s tone. Blinking rapidly, she held her eyes wide and looked around them as if realizing where she was.
Dianne took the opening to step closer and put her hand on her friend’s upper back. “Germaine, I’m right here with you. You’re safe.” She looked at Ryan. “Can you give her some of that chocolate? It’ll help, won’t it? If nothing else, it’ll distract her while Markos does something for her leg.”
Ryan shook his head. “Negative. She’s in shock. Markos will start an IV to get her fluids. You can have some chocolate and water, however.”
Dianne felt a spurt of disappointment. He’d said the chocolate had healing properties. When she’d awakened this morning, all of her injuries were gone, and thick hair had already sprouted on the bald batch.
Ryan directed a pointed glance at the driver. “Barts, get her both.” Then he spoke to the waiting medic. “Markos, give the injured woman a morphine shotnow.”
Both men moved with alacrity to follow Ryan’s orders. It was clear who was in charge.
Dianne accepted a chocolate bar and a bottle of water before crossing her arms. She watched as Markos pulled out an epidermic needle and administered the powerful narcotic. Almost immediately, Germaine relaxed into Ryan’s arms. He and Markos eased her onto her back on the flat area created when the driver folded down one of the third-row seats.
Ryan turned to Dianne. “You need to eat and drink that.”
“I will,” she said, not taking her gaze from her friend while Markos bandaged Germaine’s thigh and the driver started an IV bag.
She felt Ryan shift closer to her.
“I mean it,” he said.
“I’m fine.”
“Regardless, eat the damn chocolate, Markham.” Saying this, he began running his large hands over her shoulders and down her arms.
Sharp irritation shot through Dianne, taking her by surprise. She whirled, forcing Ryan to take a step back.
“I said I’m fine. You’re the one who’s bleeding.” She gestured wildly toward the oozing cut on his cheekbone. “I bet you’re black and blue from the way those monsters were beating you.”
Her voice broke onmonstersand began to waver with unshed tears, making her even more irritated. Why couldn’t she be as cool and collected as he was?
Ryan dropped his hands and narrowed his eyes. “That’s irrelevant, Markham. It’s my job to protect you.”
“Is it your job to die for me?”
“Yes.”
Dianne’s jaw dropped. She’d dated men who weren’t even willing to compromise on where to sit in a movie theater, let alone risk bodily harm for her. She had no idea what to do with this blunt acknowledgment.
