Kaiwas strapped to a metal table in a large cement room. It was an industrialbuilding. I could smell burning ash, metal, death. The room held tables andtables of laboratory equipment. A man in a white lab coat had Kai strapped downwith silver shackles. His wrists were bubbling with red blisters. His breathingwas ragged. They were cutting pieces of skin off of him and watching infascination as it grew back. They tucked the skin pieces inside of a glass tubeand capped it off.
‘No!’I screamed into the vision. I calmed mybreathing like Sylvia taught me and imagined a thick cord binding myself toKai. We were soulmates, we were one. He was my mate. I chanted this in my mindand imagined all of my silver immunity was shared with Kai. We were one. Wewere one. What was mine, was his. I became aware of a pain on my arms, at thesame time I saw Kai’s wrists begin to heal. His breathing evened out. He openedhis eyes on the table and gave a weak smile.
“MeriPyari,” he whispered.
ThenI was sucked out of the vision. Nahuel was shaking me.
Myeyes snapped open. “What are you doing? I need to go back. He needs me!”
Nahuellooked concerned. “No, Aurora. You stopped breathing for a few seconds. Look atyour arms.”
Ilooked down and gasped. My wrists were bubbled with silver blisters and my forearmhad a two-inch square of missing skin. It was healing but slowly, very slowly,like I had silver poisoning. Mist was hovering in the car from my leftoverspell.
“Yougave Kai your immunity. All of it,” Nahuel said in amazement.
“Good.Then he has a chance.”
Iheld my left hand over my injured forearm. “Heal,” I whispered as mist seepedout of my palm and coated my arm. It was helping. It was still slowly healing,but that had given it a kick start. My eyes found Sadie’s, she was looking atme in shock.
Ishrugged. “Witch stuff.”
“Incredible,”Alexa commented. I kept forgetting she was a new werewolf. I should check inwith her and see how she was doing.
“Howare you doing with all this?” I asked her.
Shesmiled. “I’ve seen a lot in my ten years at RAIDOS. I’ll be fine.” And that wasthat. No need to worry about her. It was time to get Kai.
Istared at the scorched skin around my wrists. I felt Emma’s sorrow turn into adark depression; all of this boiled up inside me and any notion I had of tryingto be nice, was gone. If Earth needed balancing out then I was going to do it.I would purge every last one of the people against us. Human or vampire.
Nahuelgave me a strange look. I stared straight.
Thedrive to the holding facility in Seaside was surreal. We passed small scufflesof looting and panic. It was daylight out so the vampires were not yet out infull force. A few of the elite vampires had sun immunity thanks to some witches,but not all of them. Layla had it. When the sun went down tonight, all hellwould break loose.
Alexaopened a duffle bag and handed out uniforms and badges.
“We’regoing in as security, bringing in a wolf. That will get us into the room wherethey will be keeping Kai.”
Genius!“Where did you get this stuff?” I asked her as Brett crept the car along athick wooded back road.
Alexasmiled. “Working ten years for a highly secretive government agency will garnera healthy amount of paranoia. I’ve always had multiple exit plans, in case Iwanted to leave the agency. I’m still tapped into their computers. They haven’tfigured it out yet. I can print high clearance, all access badges.”
Isqueezed her hand. “I’m glad you’re with us.”
Shelowered her eyes. “Me too.” I could feel genuine feelings of her gratefulnessfor my changing her. She also felt guilt for pushing me to do it, but it wasthe only way she felt she could be strong enough. I sent thoughts of forgivenessto her and she smiled.
Isthis what Kai dealt with all the time? He knew what every member of the packwas going through and had to keep the peace within each one of his wolves atall times? It’s exhausting! I could still feel Emma’s grief and Diya’s concernand everyone else’s lingering panic. It made me want to drink myself into acoma.
Alexaopened a map application on her tablet.
“Pullover,” she told Brett.
Hepulled off the road and hid the car deep in the woods.
Sheindicated the map. “Through this dense patch of forest is an entry point forreceiving. With the latest news, I have to assume they will be capturing andbringing in any wolves they can.”
Myanger flared at that. She lowered her eyes and continued. “They have facialrecognition software. They will know my face and Aurora’s. We should go in ascaptured wolves. Sadie and Brett can be guards. They won’t be looking for them.”
Ilooked at Nahuel.
