“That makes two of us,” Nicholas growls while responding to Grayson’s comment, and his hand slides to be on my shoulder as my eyes stare into Hale’s.
“You’re going to be okay, baby,” Hale soothes as his eyes slant in painful guilt.
I just shake my head when words continue to evade me, and then he motions for Grayson to hand him the second pack. He does as ordered, and then Hale rips it open while taking away the empty packet. I cry out when I feel my bones snapping into place with the first sip of the second pack, and I gasp loudly as air returns freely to my lungs.
“What the hell happened?” Clay gushes as his feet crunch over the debris.
“Araya was attacked by my ex-lieutenant,” Nicholas asserts guiltily.
“Shit. Damn it. I should have went with you. I ignored my own fucking policy of no one walking around alone.”
I just look away from all of their sympathetic eyes. My body isn’t healing as well right now because of all the electricity I endured. It sucked me free of all my own energy, and my broken bones aren’t fully healed.
“She needs more blood,” Hale urges toward Grayson.
“I’m on it. Maybe this time I’ll run into Brazen. I’m sure he wants to know,” Grayson murmurs before sprinting out.
Hale’s eyes show his wince, and then I lean into him for comfort as my body still trembles.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he coos while his lips stroke my forehead.
“It’s not your fault,” I choke out.
“It is, baby. You would have never come here if it wasn’t for me. I’m so sorry,” he mutters so gently while his lips threaten to find mine.
“Fucking shit,” Brazen’s voice rings out, and I promptly turn to face the door as he stares at all the damage and the dead body.
He steps over the body of my attacker, and he pulls me into his arms as I scream out my pain.
“What the fuck? She’s not healed?” he asks in disbelief while pulling me into his body.
He gently sits down in my chair while holding me carefully in his lap. His gentle lips stroll over my face, and I curl into his perfectly cool touch.
“She needs more blood to make up for the electrical torture. I sent Grayson. How did you find out?” Hale asks while standing up.
“I fucking didn’t. I was on my way to my apartment - where I thought she would be - when I saw this shit. What the hell happened?”
His throat trembles his words out in the end, and I snuggle into him as Nicholas answers.
“He attacked her.”
“Isn’t that the prick you kicked out of here?” Brazen growls.
“It is. I’m not sure why he was back, but he was on top of her when I came in,” Nicholas murmurs, his voice a near whisper at the end.
Hale’s eyes widen as this new revelation comes to light, and his jaw threatens to snap off when he clenches too tightly. His eyes show me the mounds of guilt he’s exuding, and then he glares at Leon’s lifeless body. I’m thankful the sheet has kept me covered, not exposing my bare body below that would have screamed out the truth of how close it was to happening.
“What the fuck?” Brazen prompts.
“Here,” Grayson interrupts as he runs in with another pack of blood, and Angelica is behind him with two more in her hand.
“I thought we’d be safe and bring extra,” she murmurs softly.
Brazen takes the blood and rips the pack open for me before handing it to me. I nestle into his chest as I taste the healing liquid. His lips continue to graze my forehead as he strokes my back with his hand.
“What happened, baby? Did he touch you?” he asks worriedly.
I steady my trembling breaths, and I lean against him for more security as I answer, “No. He took my blood, but it didn’t go any farther. Nicholas got here in time to stop it.”
