Mareeka turned and went into the ship. Big Guy followed, having listened to every word. Surral would already be doing everything possible to save Fiona. Mareeka and Big Guy… They’d probably help with Miko.
My heart suddenly hurt. It hurt so hard it burst.
I bit back a sob.
“Baby.” Shade reached for me.
“Don’t touch me!” I snapped.
He drew his hand back, his fingers curling into a fist.
“Don’t touch me,” I said more softly, “or I’ll break.”
“If you break, I’ll put you back together.”
Emotion ripped through me. I wanted to believe that. “Says the man who tore me apart.”
Something flickered in Shade’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Tess,” he said.
I nodded, acknowledging his words. But I suspected we both knew that the healing I needed now mostly came from the inside, as did forgiveness.
We stared at each other. I didn’t hate him. I thought I might love him. I wanted to trust. But it scared me to death—the idea of making the same mistake twice.
“I guess you got your comeuppance.” His leg. His whole life…
“I guess I did,” he said.
When I didn’t move, he nodded toward the instrument in my hand. “Want me to do that?”
His question brought me back to bigger problems than my bruised heart or my fragile new faith in the man I was about to take back into my life.
“Yes.” I handed it to him. I had to check on Fiona. “But wait a sec.”
I peeled off his soaked compress, relieved to find the bleeding down to a mere trickle again. Then I picked up a scalpel, pulled up the sleeve of my pink scrubs, and cut my inner arm.
“What are you doing?” Shade reached to stop me, and I twisted away from him.
I made four deep slashes, hoping they’d scar. “Miko. Shiori. Fiona.” I looked at Shade. “You.”
I marked this day onto my skin and then let my blood flow into Shade’s wound, mixing it with his.
“I’m guessing I should trust you on this,” he said a little warily.
“Let’s just say you won’t need antibiotics. I’m sparing you a shot.”
“Thanks?” He didn’t sound quite sure about that. “This is what they want from you?”
“In a way,” I answered. “I’m just the base ingredient for the enhancer they developed.”
“Is this going to do something weird to me?” he asked, watching my blood flow, watching ours mix.
“No. Your system will flush it out. It’s completely compatible.”
“Then what’s special about it?” he asked.
I was too sad and tired to lie—and not even sure I wanted to at this point. “I’m life-form A1. Or something like that.”
He seemed tired, too. Too tired to look shocked. “What does that mean, Tess?”
