“Now,” Trey urged.

They lifted at the same time and threw it to the side. It wasn’t as heavy as it had appeared. Darkness stared down and pain tore him apart. He’d found Kat. His knees collapsed. She was on her side, one hand over her face as if she’d tried to protect her head. Blood from a gash on her forearm smeared her skin. Blood covered her chest but he wasn’t sure if it was from the first injury or worse. Her sleeping pants were torn up, red-stained in spots.

“Fuck,” Trey hissed. He grabbed his phone. “Airlift them to Homeland or call for an ambulance?”

Darkness wasn’t even sure if she lived. He breathed in, the stench of smoke was overpowering but he could smell her blood. It took a lot to reach out and touch her. He gently gripped her arm and moved it. Blood covered her cheek. Her eyes were closed and he wasn’t sure if he breathed while he checked for a pulse. He pressed his fingertips against the column of her throat. He didn’t feel anything.

“No!” he roared out in anguish. Her arm twitched and he snarled. “Airlift.” He just wanted to get her to Homeland.

“On it. Don’t move her,” Trey demanded.

Darkness bent over Kat, shoving away debris. “Kat? I’m here. It’s Darkness.”

Her eyes remained closed but she was alive. He wanted to pick her up and cradle her in his arms when something inside the house blew. It was a smaller explosion but enough to make him fear more of the home would come crashing into the yard. He turned, evaluating the house again. Both floors were gone on the back of the house. Flames had spread to other sections.

“This is Trey,” the human yelled. “We need that helicopter to turn around. Land it right in front of the house if you can. We have two injured females. Alert Medical. Severe trauma.” He paused. “The f**king house exploded.”

Darkness blocked out everything but Kat. He put his body over hers but kept all his weight off. He wanted to protect her from more hurt. Someone grabbed his arm, jerking it. He turned and snarled, looking into Trey’s eyes.

“Let me help her. I have some medic training. She’s bleeding.” The male released him and tore off his vest, then his shirt. He started tearing it into strips.

Darkness knew Trey was right. Kat needed help but he was frozen, his mind blank.

“Move,” Trey repeated. “We’ve got to stop the bleeding or she’s not going to make it.”

He backed off a little. Trey took over. It made Darkness feel helpless, something he hated. Kat made a soft sound of pain when Trey moved her bleeding arm and wrapped the sleeve of his shirt around the wound, using the ends to tie it.

“It’s too tight.”

Trey frowned. “Do you want her to bleed out? Look for something flat that we can tie her to. The helicopter wasn’t expecting a medical emergency. We don’t have a backboard on it. I asked.”

Sirens grew closer. Darkness didn’t move away from Kat. He watched Trey carefully wrap the cut on her ankle, the source of the blood on her foot. Darkness knew he should handle the humans and take control of the scene. New Species were in danger if he didn’t. He just couldn’t leave Kat. He couldn’t even follow Trey’s directions on how to help her. It was as if he’d shut down until he gently held her hand on the ground next to his knee. It wasn’t bloody but it was lifeless.

Trey stood. “I’ve done all I can. I’ll find something to use as a backboard or grab one from an ambulance. I’m going to send the paramedics to her. I’m sure they’ll come with the police. Everyone along the block must have called for assistance.”

Darkness ignored him, staring at Kat’s face. Her eyes remained closed. “Kat? Can you hear me? I’m here.”

It was his fault she lay there on the ground. He’d sent her away from Homeland. She’d be sleeping safely in his bed otherwise. He visually examined her body. Every cut, every trace of injury rested squarely on his shoulders. She’d wanted him to give a relationship between them a chance. He’d shut her down.

“Kat,” the soft female voice whispered.

Darkness turned his head. The blonde female crawled to his side. The raw fear etched on her features might have reflected on his own face if he were able to look in a mirror. Tears fell freely down her face and he envied her ability to cry. He hurt enough to but his eyes remained dry.

“She saved me,” Missy sniffed. “She blew up the house because I think Mason was going to kill me.” Her shoulders rocked as she fought tears. “She threw us through the window before it blew up,” she gasped, crying. “She put herself between me and the glass. We hit the ground and she rolled on top of me. When the house went, it just tore her away. I should have held on tighter. I should have…” She stopped talking, dissolving into gut-wrenching sobs.

Darkness realized he should try to comfort the female but he couldn’t. He turned his head, staring at what once had been a home. The entire back side of the house was exposed to show the burning interior. The roof had collapsed inward where it hadn’t been blown outward. Kat had done that to save her friend. He wanted to kill Missy. Pure rage hit but he didn’t strike out at the blonde. Kat had to love her to sacrifice her own life.

Moisture filled his eyes, making his vision blurry. He leaned down, getting close to Kat’s face. He detected her breathing against his lips. It was shallow but she lived. He just didn’t know for how long. She would die. Sirens stopped nearby. His brain began to function and a new target for his rage surfaced. He leaned up and turned his head, grabbing hold of Missy’s shoulder. He shook her once.