“That’s just it. It isn’t. Araya’s blood is immortal,” he unloads, and gasps erupt from all around.
Brazen almost smirks as he sits back in his chair, and Clay collapses to the chair behind him as if the words have exhausted him.
“How is that possible?” Hale asks in disbelief.
“I have no idea. Hybrids have spans. The only immortals are the full bloods. I’ve never seen anything like it at all.”
“And you’re sure this isn’t a mistake?” Nicholas asks warily.
“I’m positive. I’m also certain this is their big plan. They think by using her blood to finish the sequence, they’ll have an endless lifespan. There will be no need for children if they don’t kill each other off. This is a huge fucking deal.”
Brazen’s wry smirk only grows as he realizes he’ll be around as long as I will but Hale won’t. Hale’s lips find mine as relief flows through him, and I just shiver slightly as I let his lips free my anxiety.
“Don’t fucking scare me like that again,” he mumbles to Clay.
“Sorry. It just… it shouldn’t be possible. I’m completely stupefied by this, and I have no idea how to proceed with my testing now. I’ve been treating her blood as human and full blood when really it’s something completely evolved. I have to start all over,” he murmurs in despair and shock.
The kiss breaks up, and Brazen is completely relaxed now as he leans back to face Clay.
“So the serum for the full bloods, will you have to start over with it as well?” he asks.
“No. That’s a completely different process, and I’m actually making great grounds with it. I’ve used my gift to expedite the process a little.”
“Your gift?” Nicholas muses.
“Clay has the ability to manipulate blood in ways that would astound you. He’s the reason we won in the great wars that led to the United having so much range. He’s also the reason the blood dilution process was sped up, and the blood drought was ended due to him,” Hale explains.
“Angelica’s blood… is she anything like Araya?” he asks.
“No. Her span is incredibly long for a hybrid, but not immortal. The emergent mother is what made Araya this way,” Clay explains.
“Is there any complications with my daughter’s condition?”
I wince when I realize he’s referring to me, and Hale’s hand tightens on mine when he feels my shiver.
“None so far. To the best of my knowledge, she’s just a better version of us.”
Hale sighs in relief again as he leans over to drape his arm back around my shoulders. Clay turns back to stare at the screen showing what is apparently strands of my blood on it, and then he shakes his head.
“There’s more,” he murmurs softly.
“What?” Hale almost demands.
“If they succeed in their quest to get blood from her third phase, they’ll succeed in finishing their species. The problem is, it won’t sustain the way they think it will. Within a few centuries, the forced evolution will cause a mutated species that will be all savage and all power. The world will crumble once the powers they see as gifts become a curse instead.”
Breaths stop filling the room as each person holds theirs. Everyday the stakes rise, and I’m in the center of all of it. If I’m not here, none of this can happen. If I’m not here, no one will die.
“Fuck no,” Brazen blares immediately as he peers into my inner thoughts with his far too keen powers of perception. “I know what you’re thinking, and I won’t fucking let it happen.”
“You’re fucking crazy if you think I’m losing you now,” Hale growls.
“You’re on twenty-four hour watch as of right now for even thinking that,” Clay asserts as the anger fills up in his eyes.
Shit. How did they fucking know?
“What?” Grayson chirps in bemusement.
“Araya thinks killing herself would solve the problem, but we will all die if she does. They’ve already produced their army. You’re the only one strong enough to fucking face them,” Clay continues, his eyes burning into mine.
