Deception Read Online Free PDF Page B

from the tent with Morrigan – Layla’s other grandma. When they saw their granddaughter’s limp body, they screamed her name and fell to her feet.
    Quin’s vision blurred as his chest filled with fire. He counted the seconds ticking by, and as surely as he watched Layla’s life fade, his own was slipping away. “You can’t do this to me,” he whispered, listening for a breath as he tracked her pulse, its pace dangerously slow. “Come on, baby, just keep breathing.”
    The seconds turned into minutes, and he feared lasting damage at best. Moisture slid down his temple, dripping to her cold cheek, and he quickly wiped it away as he pleaded with her to stay.
    “Give her a breath,” Serafin instructed.
    Quin quickly obeyed then returned his ear to her lips.
    After a short moment, Serafin spoke again. “Her breaths should be coming easier now.”
    Quin concentrated, but there was no change in her condition.
    “Are they coming easier?” Serafin pressed.
    Quin shook his head no, and Serafin cursed as he looked at Caitrin. “Are the lungs repaired?”
    “Yes,” Caitrin answered, grasping a handful of his messy, blond hair.
    Air tickled Quin’s ear as his fingers quivered over her heart. “Yes,” he choked, dizzy with solace as he found her face. “Layla.”
    Her lashes fluttered as color seeped into her lips and cheeks, but she didn't respond.
    “She should be waking up,” Quin asserted. “Why isn't she waking up?”
    Serafin reached for the crown of her head and closed his eyes. “She’s okay, but between the drop in her blood pressure and the lack of oxygen, she'll have a hell of a headache when she wakes up.” He pulled his hand from her head and moved it to her ribs. “That was the most severe case of tension pneumothorax I've ever witnessed. I've never seen it hit that fast.”
    Quin’s stomach churned as he swallowed a lump. “Maybe I missed it.”
    “Missed what?” Caitrin asked.
    “A punctured lung,” Quin answered. “Maybe I missed it when I healed her yesterday.”
    “Small tears are easy to miss,” Serafin noted. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”
    “I should have caught it,” Quin disagreed, finding her serene face. “Come on, baby, wake up. I need to see your eyes.”
    Her heart rate spiked. Then her hand flew to her forehead. “Quin?”
    Quin’s heart sprouted wings as relief swept the air from his lungs and hastened his blood. “Yes,” he breathed, burying his face in his bicep. “I’m right here.”
    “What happened?” she asked.
    Quin took a deep breath. Then he pulled his face from his arm and sloppily mended her dress. “You punctured a lung and passed out.”
    She blinked and raised her head, focusing on her surroundings. Then she squeezed her eyes shut on tears. “Oh god. Is everyone okay?”
    Serafin ran a hand across his forehead and sat back on his heels. “Everyone's going to be fine.”
    “Who's hurt besides Kemble?” she asked.
    Caitrin handled that one, his sea-blue eyes bloodshot and shiny as he reached for Morrigan. “Belinos, Drystan, Kearny and Devlin.”
    “Alana . . . ” Layla squeaked. “She must be so scared.”
    “Alana and Brayden didn't see a thing,” Morrigan assured. “We made sure of it.”
    “Do they know about Drystan?”
    “No. They won't see their dad until he's doing better.”
    “That's good,” Layla whispered. “That would scare them.”
    “You need to stop worrying about everyone else,” Daleen countered, “and start taking care of yourself. This coven’s fate is not your burden to bear.”
    “Yeah, right,” Layla breathed, slowly shaking her head. “I'm sorry, guys.”
    “For what?” Caitrin asked.
    “For passing out,” she answered. “They need you in there, and I'm out here causing trouble.”
    “Everyone in the tent is stable,” Quin replied. “You almost died on this lawn.”
    “It's my own damn fault. I should learn to control myself.”
    “You've been put through hell this week. No one faults