Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
A mara’s head swam with a whirlwind of thoughts. Her fear, uncertainty, and a nagging disbelief that any of this was real was literally blowing her mind. Demons? Realms? Blood powerful enough to tip the scales of existence? It sounded like a fever dream pulled from one of the fantasy novels she used to devour in her spare time. She half-wondered if this was some twisted fiction her mind had conjured while she lay unconscious.
But when she blinked and her eyes locked on King’s sharp, predatory focus zeroed in on her, his presence radiating strength, Amara knew she wasn’t dreaming. The tension in his jaw, the protective fire burning in his gaze, was too real. Too fierce. Somehow, despite the chaos around her, he made her feel... safe. It was a ridiculous notion, considering they were practically strangers. Yet, the weight of his silent promise grounded her.
A part of her clung to that feeling of security like a lifeline, even though her heart hammered against her ribs. She could sense everyone’s eyes on her, waiting for her to begin. Words tangled and twisted in her mind, and her mouth felt dry, as though forming coherent thoughts had suddenly become impossible.
She swallowed hard and cleared her throat. Just get it over with. The faster she started, the faster she could get back to Joey.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” she murmured, her voice low and hesitant. Her hands clenched into tight fists in her lap as she fought to steady her breathing. “This is so much bigger than I thought... than I ever could have imagined.”
“Start wherever it makes sense,” King urged, his voice calm but firm. “You don’t have to have all the answers right now. Just tell us what you know.”
Amara nodded, pressing her lips together as her thoughts raced to organize the chaos in her mind. Her heart pounded as she began to speak, her voice soft but steady. “Six months ago, I got a call asking me to donate blood. I’m registered on a worldwide network because of my blood type. I agreed because I wanted to help people like me. We don’t have any other options when it comes to transfusions. They told me it was an emergency and that my blood was the only hope. I didn’t hesitate.”
“That list needs to be wiped,” Daniel said sharply, cutting a glance at Sloan.
Sloan was already pulling out his phone. “I’ll get Jinx and Lacey on it.”
“The stuff that guy can hack into is straight-up terrifying,” Jake muttered, earning a nod from Jared.
Amara’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “I thought I was doing something good. Saving a life.” She let out a shaky breath, her voice cracking. “I didn’t know it would cost me my brother’s and maybe Joey’s.”
Her jaw tightened as the tears threatened to rise. Not now. Don’t fall apart now . She forced herself to push forward.
“I thought it was a blood bank, but when I got to the address, something felt...strange. It wasn’t until I stepped inside that I realized my mistake.” Her breath hitched as the memory clawed at her. “I barely had time to turn around before someone grabbed me from behind. I don’t remember much after that. I just woke up on a cold steel table in a dark room. Alone.”
Sloan’s sharp gaze didn’t waver. “Did you see anyone you could identify?”
She shook her head. “No. Never. But I heard voices. Two men arguing.” A shiver ran down her spine as the conversation echoed in her mind. “One of them was furious. He kept shouting that I wasn’t supposed to be turned, which, at that time, I had no clue what that even meant. He said it wasn’t part of the plan. The other man... who sounded calmer, colder said if it worked, my blood would change everything. None of it made sense to me; it still doesn’t. The rest was muffled, but I could tell they were angry at each other.”
“Do you remember the address?” Jared’s tone was clipped, all business.
“It’s in my phone,” she replied, pulling out her phone and shaking her hands. Then, she searched for it before handing it to Jared. Amara sighed when Jared handed it back to her after taking a picture with his phone, her eyes dark with regret. “I wish I’d stayed longer and listened more even though I couldn’t make out everything they were saying. But I knew if I hadn’t escaped while they were shouting at each other, I may not have gotten another chance. I was terrified.”
She quickly glanced at King, who stood silently with his arm crossed as his eyes burned into hers. She quickly looked away.
“I wasn’t tied down or anything, which was odd,” Amara said with a frown. “I was almost afraid to move, but I got up as they continued to argue. It was really dark, but I found a door and opened it, praying no one was behind it and that it was a way out. It was a single bathroom with a window. I was able to slip out. Now, hearing all of this, I probably should have stayed. I might have learned more.”
“You did the right thing by getting out,” King said, his voice low, deadly serious. “Where does Lee fit into all of this? Is Joey on the list?”
Amara nodded, the fear in her eyes as raw as the tremor in her voice. “He’s supposed to be. Lee said he would make sure he was on the list,” she whispered, swallowing hard as her words gathered momentum. “When I realized what they’d done to me, I called Lee and told him everything. He wanted me to come stay with him and Joey. He said it was safer together. But I... I couldn’t. I didn’t know what would happen to me as a half-breed. I didn’t want to risk hurting them. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to Joey because of me.” Her voice broke slightly before she took a steadying breath.
Her words hung heavily in the room, but she pressed on.
“Lee decided not to tell Joey anything. He said Joey had enough to deal with and that he would take care of him. He told me he had connections—people who could help if things got bad.” She looked directly at King.
“Do you think he was talking about us?” Jake asked Amara, his gaze hard.
“I don’t know. Maybe. Lee never talked about any of you, but Joey sure did.” Amara answered honestly, her voice steady, but her eyes clouded with memories. “Lee hung around some pretty shady characters, which is one of the many reasons Joey’s mom up and left them. I have a feeling whoever brought Joey to the hospital probably knows more than I do.”
Sloan’s sharp gaze flicked to Jared. “Get Jill on this right away. I want a picture of that woman. Find out who she is and what her connection is.”
Jared nodded, already moving as Amara continued. “We told Joey I was in Mexico for my job to keep him safe...from me. Joey didn’t question it. He knows I travel a lot for work.” She sighed, a weary, bitter sound that seemed to drain her strength. “We still talked on the phone almost every other day.”
“Lee kept Joey in the dark to protect him...” His voice trailed off.
“Yes,” Amara whispered, her trembling hands clenching into fists. “But now Lee is gone, and Joey is in the hospital fighting for his life. I should have been there, but the risk to Joey outweighed everything.”
“Should I have the hospital contact Joey’s mother?” Slade, shifting seamlessly back into his role as Dr. Buchanan, asked with a clinical calm that contrasted the tension in the room.
Amara’s reaction was immediate and fierce. “No. She won’t care. She washed her hands of them long before she walked out the door. Joey hasn’t spoken to her since he was little. Calling her now would only hurt him more. Lee had full custody of Joey.”
“You said you’ve been turned for six months?” Slade continued, steering the conversation.
Amara nodded. Six long, lonely months, but she kept the truth of her isolation locked behind her lips.
“And you haven’t fed on blood or experienced sickness?” His sharp eyes watched her every move, his interest more scientific than personal.
“That’s right.” She nodded again, her voice growing steadier. “The only real changes are one of my eyes turning gold, and I get short bursts of something like adrenaline when I’m scared or under extreme stress.”
“Like when you almost kicked my ass?” King’s grin broke through the tension, his teasing laced with warmth and a hint of admiration.
To her own surprise, Amara laughed. “Yeah, like that.” She offered a small, shy smile. “You were my first-ever fistfight.” Her smile faltered as worry reclaimed her, the weight of fear pressing heavily on her heart.
“You’re safe, and so is Joey,” King reminded her firmly, his voice carrying a promise.
“How can you be so sure?” she whispered, her eyes searching his face for answers her heart desperately needed.
“Because,” King said, his tone like unshakable granite, “they’ll have to go through me first.”
Before Amara could reply or even process King’s words, a nurse hurried into the room, her expression urgent. “Dr. Buchanan.”
Amara’s heart clenched at the sight of the nurse. Anxiety flared in her chest, and without thinking, she grabbed King’s arm, her grip tight as her mind screamed with fear, praying Joey was okay.
“The orthopedic surgeon is here,” the nurse said quickly, her voice a rush of professionalism. “And Joey’s awake. He’s asking for King. I don’t know what that means.”
Amara gasped at the news, her hand tightening on King’s arm as a flood of emotions hit her. Relief, fear, and confusion had her glued to the spot. Before she could even think to move, King grabbed her hand, his grip firm and steady as he pulled her out of the room. He moved quickly, his long strides forcing her to keep up, but all she could focus on was the pounding of her heart.
Joey was awake. Relief surged through her, but it was tangled with a hundred questions. Her eyes darted to King’s determined face as he led the way. Joey had asked for King, not Lee. Her stomach twisted. Did Joey already know his father was gone?
They rushed into the hospital room, and King immediately released her hand, his focus zeroing in on Joey. He moved straight to the boy’s bedside, his presence commanding but gentle.
On the other side of the bed, Jessie sat holding Joey’s hand, tears glistening in her eyes. Her grip on Joey was fierce and protective as if she could shield him from the world with just her touch.
“King,” Joey’s voice was hoarse but unmistakably steady as his eyes flickered open. He looked pale against the hospital sheets, but there was a spark in his gaze that gave Amara hope.
King leaned down, his tone soft. “I’m here, buddy.”
Joey’s lips twitched into the faintest smile, but his gaze shifted past King to land on Amara. “Aunt Amara?”
Her breath caught in her throat, and she stepped closer, her legs trembling. “I’m here, Joey.”
Jessie wiped at her eyes, giving a shaky smile to King. “He’s been asking for you since he woke up.”
Joey looked between King and Amara, his voice trembling, barely above a whisper. “My dad’s dead, isn’t he?”
The room froze, the weight of his words suffocating. Amara’s throat tightened, her chest aching as she looked at King. His jaw flexed, his features hardening, but his eyes held the grief he tried to conceal.
King shifted his gaze to Amara, silently asking her permission. She nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. Joey deserved the truth, no matter how much it hurt.
“I’m sorry, Joey,” King said, his voice gentle but resolute. “I swear to you, I’ll find out who did this, and they’ll pay.”
Joey’s lip quivered as he nodded, his eyes clouding with tears. “I know you will. That’s why I asked for you,” he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. He coughed, his body trembling slightly, prompting Slade to step forward and check him. Joey managed a small, pained smile. “Plus, you’re the only real friend I have.”
Amara bit her lip to keep the sob trapped in her throat, but it was useless. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to hold herself together.
“Yeah?” King chuckled softly, though his voice carried a proud edge. “Well, right back at ya, kid. You’re the only one who laughs at my jokes.”
Joey’s smile returned for a fleeting moment but quickly faded as his eyes reopened, filled with fierce determination. “Make them pay, King,” he said, his voice cracking as the tears came. “My dad could be a real asshole... but he was my dad. Make them pay for what they’ve done.”
King leaned down, his expression softening as he whispered something to Joey. The boy nodded, their hands clasping briefly in an unspoken vow.
Straightening, King scanned the room with a look of unrelenting resolve. “I want a guard on this room 24/7 when I’m not here,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
“Done,” Sloan, Jake, Duncan, and Jared said in unison.
King gave a short nod, pulling his phone from his pocket as he turned to leave. He strode out of the room without another word, his presence lingering like a protective shield even after he was gone.
Amara sank into the chair beside Joey’s bed, her fingers trembling as she gently brushed his hair back. Her eyes stayed fixed on the doorway, and her heart ached as she watched King disappear down the hall.
Her gaze shifted to Daniel, who was leaning against the doorframe. His odd yet beautiful eyes locked on her. He gave her a slight, knowing nod before following King out, his father close behind him.
Amara’s shoulders slumped as the door clicked shut, and the silence wrapped around her like a suffocating blanket. She glanced down at Joey, whose tear-streaked face was calm now as he drifted into a restless sleep.
She clenched her hands together tightly, determination flaring in her chest. She didn’t know how she was going to help, but she knew one thing for certain: she would stand by King and do whatever it took to make those responsible pay.