86

86

Jenny’s POV

The car ride home was a blend of panic and fear. I kept my hand on Sophia’s arm, checking for any sign of life, but her skin was cold, and her breathing was so shallow it was barely there. Every time I looked at her, my heart squeezed with dread. She was unconscious, completely unresponsive, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

We finally pulled up to the house, and Jacob barely had the car in park before Ian was out of the driver’s seat, moving faster than I could track with his vampire speed. He yanked the door open, scooping Sophia into his arms as if she weighed nothing. His face was the definition of fury and worry, along with other dark emotions swirling in his eyes.

“Get the door!” Ian barked, his voice sharp and eyes as cold as glaciers.

I scrambled out of the car, fumbling with the keys as I raced to unlock the front door. My hands were shaking so badly that it took me a couple of tries, but I finally got it open, and Ian rushed past me, carrying Sophia inside.

He laid her gently on the couch, his movements careful despite the urgency in the air. I hovered nearby, feeling helpless and useless. Sophia looked so pale, so fragile, and I had no idea what to do. She needed help—real help, and it killed me that I couldn’t be the one to help.

“Ian, what do we do?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Ian didn’t answer me. It was like he didn’t hear me at all. He was focused on Sophia, his hands hovering over her as if he could will her back to consciousness through sheer force of will. His jaw was clenched, the muscles in his neck tight with tension.

“She’s still breathing,” Jacob said from behind me, his voice low and steady. He stepped closer, placing a hand on Ian’s shoulder. “She just needs time to recover. We got her out of there. That’s what matters.”

Ian didn’t move, didn’t even blink. He was staring down at Sophia like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. And to him, she was. It would have been adorable under different, better circumstances.

“Ian,” I said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. “She’s going to be okay.”

He finally looked up at me, his eyes dark and angry. “We don’t know that, Jenny. She’s been through hell. They kept her dosed with vervain for days. It’s a miracle she’s still alive.”

The fear in his voice was enough to send a fresh wave of panic through me. Ian was always so in control, so composed even in the worst of situations. If he was scared, then things were really bad.

“We need to get her some blood,” Jacob said, his voice practical. “It’ll help her heal faster.”

“I’ll go get some,” I offered. I just wanted to do something, anything to help. “We have some in the fridge, right?”

Ian nodded, but his eyes didn’t leave Sophia. I ran to the kitchen, my heart pounding in my chest. As I opened the fridge and grabbed a blood bag, my mind raced with worst-case scenarios. What if she didn’t wake up? What if the damage was too much, even for her?

When I returned to the living room, Ian was still sitting beside Sophia, holding her hand in his. His expression was unreadable, but there was so much intensity in his eyes as he stared down at her.

“Here,” I said, handing him the blood bag.

Ian took it from me, carefully pressing the edge of the bag to Sophia’s lips. “Come on, Sophia,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “Drink.”

For a moment, nothing happened. Sophia’s eyes remained closed, her body still and lifeless. But then, slowly, she started to respond. Her lips parted slightly, and she began to drink, the movement so weak it was almost unnoticeable. Relief flooded through me, and I exchanged a hopeful glance with Jacob.

“She’s drinking,” I said, my voice trembling with both hope and fear.

But Ian didn’t look relieved. If anything, he looked even more worried. “It’s not enough,” he muttered, more to himself than to us. “She needs more than this. She needs—” He cut himself off, shaking his head as if trying to clear his thoughts.

I wanted to ask him what he meant, but before I could, Sophia’s eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Ian, her gaze unfocused.

“Ian,” she whispered, her voice so faint it was barely audible.

“I’m here,” Ian said immediately, leaning closer. “You’re safe, Sophia. We got you out.”

Sophia blinked slowly, her eyes drifting shut again. “So tired,” she murmured.

“I know,” Ian said, his voice soft and soothing. “Just rest. We’re going to take care of you.”

She didn’t respond, and after a few seconds, her breathing evened out as she slipped back into unconsciousness. The brief moment of relief I’d felt vanished, replaced by a gnawing fear that something was still very wrong.

“We need to move her,” Ian said suddenly, his voice low and urgent.

Jacob frowned. “Move her where? She needs to rest.”

“She’s not safe here,” Ian said, his eyes darkening. “They know where we are. If they come back—”

“We’ll protect her,” Jacob said firmly. “We won’t let them get to her again.”

“It’s not enough,” Ian snapped, his nose flaring. He stood up abruptly, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “She’s too weak to fight back right now. If they come for her again, I can’t risk it. I can’t risk losing her.”

I flinched at the raw fear in his voice. Ian rarely showed his emotions like this, but it was clear that the thought of losing Sophia was tearing him apart. I wanted to comfort him, to tell him that everything would be okay, but I didn’t know if it would be. Not this time.

“Ian,” Jacob said calmly, stepping in front of him. “You need to stay focused. We got her out of there. She’s safe for now. You can’t think like this.”

Ian shook his head, his eyes filled with anger and fear. “You don’t understand, Jacob. If something happens to her because I wasn’t careful enough—”

“Nothing’s going to happen to her,” Jacob said, his voice firm. “You’re not alone in this. We’ll protect her together.”

Ian didn’t respond, just stared down at the floor, his fists clenched at his sides. I shifted on my feet, feeling a bit uncomfortable. I really wanted him to calm down and tell him that everything will be okay but I doubted that. I doubted it will be okay. But still, I had to do something. I can’t always be the useless one.

“Ian,” I said gently, stepping forward. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe she’d be safer somewhere else. But we have to make sure she’s strong enough to move first.”

Ian’s eyes flicked to me, and for a moment, I saw the pain andfear swirling in his eyes, But then he nodded, his expression hardening with finality.

“If she doesn’t start to improve soon,” he said quietly, “I’m taking her to the realm.”

The realm. The idea of it sent a shiver down my spine. I knew that he was more than just another vampire, that he was the kind there and he ruled there, but the realm was a dangerous place, especially for someone in Sophia’s condition.

“Is that really the best option?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. “Won’t it be even more dangerous there?”

“It’s the only option if she’s not safe here,” Ian replied, his tone final. “They won’t be able to get to her in the realm. Not without facing consequences they can’t handle.”

I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. I didn’t want to argue with Ian, not when he was clearly on edge, but the thought of Sophia being taken away to some otherworldly place, surrounded by who knew what kind of dangers, terrified me.

But what if he was right? What if it was the only way to keep her safe?

“Let’s see how she does tonight,” Jacob suggested, his voice calm and careful. “If she doesn’t improve, we’ll figure out the next step together.”

Ian didn’t answer, but I could see the fear in his eyes. He was obviously torn between his instinct to protect Sophia and the fear of losing her if he made the wrong decision. It was a terrible position to be in, and I didn’t envy him for a second.

“Okay,” Ian finally said, his voice rough with pain. “But I’m not taking any chances. If there’s even a hint that she’s in danger, we’re leaving.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a heavy blanket. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. But for now, we had to take it one step at a time.

“I’ll stay with her,” I offered. “Make sure she’s comfortable.”

Ian gave me a grateful nod, but I could see the exhaustion etched into his face. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, and the stress of the rescue had taken its toll on him.

“Get some rest, Ian,” Jacob said gently. “We’ll keep an eye on her.”

Ian hesitated, glancing back at Sophia. I could see that he was struggling to leave her, but he finally nodded and stepped away from the couch.

“Call me if there’s any change,” he said, his voice tight with worry.

“We will,” I promised, watching as he walked away, his shoulders slumped with the weight of his fear.

Jacob and I exchanged a look, both of us sharing the same concern for Sophia. He walked to me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a hug.