Lucien kicked the mansion doors open with Gemma in his arms, her body cradled tightly against his chest. Blood stained his shirt, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered except the weak, barely-there breath on his neck.
"Call Dr. Vaughn. Now," he barked at one of his men. "Tell him to bring everything. She's not dying on me."
They cleared a space on the king-sized bed and laid her down gently. Lucien knelt beside her.
"You're okay now, baby," he whispered, trying to convince himself too. "I've got you. You're safe."
Her eyes fluttered open briefly, unfocused. "Lu… cien…" Her voice cracked, barely audible.
"I'm right here," he said, gripping her hand. "Don't talk. Just stay with me."
Dr. Vaughn rushed in with a case full of supplies. "Holy shit," he muttered at the sight of her. "What the hell happened?"
"Fix her," Lucien growled, stepping aside to let the doctor work. "Do whatever it takes."
Lucien paced the hallway while the doctor cleaned wounds, stitched gashes, and carefully examined her leg.
After what felt like forever, Vaughn finally stepped out, wiping sweat from his brow. "She'll live. Broken leg, bruised ribs, deep cuts. She'll be in pain for a while… but she'll live."
Lucien exhaled sharply, his hands trembling. Relief washed over him He nodded, then went back inside.
Gemma lay there, hooked up to IVs, her breathing slow but steady.
Lucien pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down, taking her hand again. "I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner," he murmured. "I should've known Kol would stoop that low."
Her lashes fluttered, then slowly lifted. One eye was too swollen to open fully, but she still looked at him.
"You came," she whispered.
"Of course I did."
"I thought… I was gonna die."
He clenched his jaw, trying to hold back the anger he was feeling right now. "You're not allowed to die on me, Gemma. Not ever."
Her lips moved, almost a smile. "You sound like you care."
Lucien looked away, jaw tightening. "I do."
There was silence between them. Not awkward. Heavy. Intimate.
Gemma blinked slowly. "You killed him, didn't you?"
"Yeah. And if I could do it again, I'd make it hurt more."
"I saw you," she whispered. "You were… terrifying."
He looked back at her. "But you're not scared of me, are you?"
She hesitated, then slowly shook her head. "No."
Lucien leaned forward, resting his forehead gently against her hand. "I thought I lost you."
"You didn't."
They stayed like that for a long moment. Quiet. The only sound was the soft beeping of the monitor beside her.
Then Lucien stood, his expression hardening. "You rest. Heal. When you're better, we talk. About everything. About us."
"Us?"
"Yeah." He looked back at her, voice low. "Because there's no going back now, Gemma. You're mine. And I'll burn this entire world to keep you safe."
Her eyes fluttered closed, a tear slipping down her cheek. Not from pain this time, but from the emotions she didn't yet understand.
Lucien stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. John stood waiting down the hall.
"She's alive," Lucien said.
"Thank God."
"Gather the men. Tonight, we go after the rest of Kol's people. I want anyone who even breathed in his direction to pay."
John nodded grimly. "Yes sir."
Lucien lit a cigarette, staring out the window as the sun began to rise.
The war wasn't over.
But Gemma was alive.
And for now… that was all that mattered.