THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

pulled away. “I know, and it’s all my fault.”
    “Where’s Devon?”
    “Delano sort of hypnotized her and sent her off to sleep. He says she won’t remember anything of this when she wakes up.”
    Lucy burst into tears. “Thank God.”
    “I’ll take you to her right now. Then I have to attend to a wounded man.”
    “Just point me in the right direction. You’re needed here.”
    Ainsley obliged. “Second suite of rooms down that hall.” She gave her friend another quick, tearful hug. “I’ll come see you after this crisis has passed.”
    Ainsley was vaguely aware of Janecek’s pilot entering the penthouse, but he was quickly shuttled down the hall to share quarters with his shackled co-pilot while he awaited Delano’s pleasure.
    The next twelve minutes were eaten up stabilizing the critical patient, who was carried down from the roof by Delano and one of the security guards. Again, she and Delano worked together easily, as though they’d been doing this forever. When they’d done all they could do, Ainsley leaned back on her heels. “Now what?”
    “Now we airlift him to a private clinic about twenty minutes away, where he’ll get world-class treatment with no questions asked. I’ve already called ahead and they’ll have a trauma team waiting.”
    “Isn’t that highly illegal? Not to mention a blatant contravention of the Canada Health Act?”
    “You left out exorbitantly expensive.”
    “Hey, wait a minute. Your helicopter is Swiss cheese. How are you going to airlift him?”
    “Janecek’s pilot is going to give our boys a ride, as a gesture of atonement for his bad judgment in choice of employers. Isn’t that right, Mr. Hitchman?”
    Ainsley glanced up to see Janecek’s pilot once more standing in the room, with one of Delano’s men in close proximity.
    “That’s right, sir. Whatever you need.”
    Ainsley returned her gaze to Delano. “But what about Janecek?”
    “I’m going to remove him from the craft right now, and these men are going to load Mr. Bartlett. I’ll accompany them, of course, in case he crashes en route.” He glanced at Ainsley. “Can you cope here by yourself, taking care of Eli and the others?”
    “Of course.”
    “Good.” Delano tucked an extra blanket around the unconscious Bartlett, stepped back and nodded for two men to take the gurney.
    Ainsley opened the door for the stretcher-bearers, and Delano went ahead to get the rooftop door. Not waiting for an invitation, she followed the procession up to the roof.
     
    Delano turned to motion to the three men to hang back while he approached the helo himself, and caught a glimpse of Ainsley’s fair head. Dammit, she’d followed them up. Her concern for his safety warmed his heart, even as he wished she’d stayed below. He glanced at the helicopter, seeing no one on their feet. It should be safe enough, he supposed, as long as she stayed back with everyone else.
    He approached the helicopter soundlessly. Well, soundless except for the rumbling of his stomach. And damned if he wasn’t downright dizzy from hunger. Good, old-fashioned alimentary hunger. Not that he’d given the fierce pangs much attention. His ribs ached too much for him to be aware of much else in the pain department. The rib fracture certainly hadn’t been helped by his exertions in getting Bartlett out of the Comanche, and then bending over him to tend his wounds.
    The door to Janecek’s helo hung ajar, just as the pilot had left it after his hasty exit with Mrs. Michaels. Nevertheless, Delano employed extreme caution as he approached it. A caution that proved unnecessary, he discovered, after risking a quick glimpse inside.
    Janecek lay on his back, completely preoccupied with his struggle for the oxygen his body needed. Like Webber before him, Janecek’s chest, abdominal and neck muscles labored rhythmically for each breath in a way that put Delano in mind of a fish out of water, gills working uselessly.
    He climbed aboard the helicopter. “Radak?”
    The dying vampire looked up, struggling to focus. “Ah, come to … gloat as I … gasp my last?”
    “I’ve come to evacuate you inside so you can die in comfort.”
    A choked laugh. Radak lifted his head and looked past Delano, out the open door to the men holding the gurney. “Don’t believe this. You need … my aircraft.”
    “That, too.”
    “Will this … take much longer?”
    Delano looked down at the incredibly handsome young man before him, and suddenly he saw