Page 34 of Wicked Vengeance

Raena sleeps soundly against Royal’s chest as we take in the billowing smoke and amber flames surrounding the mansion. He stole her from me before we walked out. I get it, though. We’ve all been through hell without her.

I would never deny either one of them their moments with her– even if it felt like he was forcefully removing my soul with a blade from my chest when he took her from my arms. Alek is the patient one, standing back, waiting for his turn to hold her like a mature and well-adjusted grown man.

I, however, am bouncing on the balls of my feet, itching to get her back against my body, to feel her heart beating and know she’s alive.

She’s still wrapped in the blanket someone found for us. I haven’t inspected her body yet, but I imagine it’s going to threaten my thread bare tether on my emotions and homicidal thoughts. Though the bloodshed here today has helped tremendously to alleviate my symptoms, I’ve been on the verge of crying since I laid eyes on my Bloody Queen. I’ve also been packing a semi since then, too. So…there’s that.

“She’s sleeping right now. She passed out right after we found her.” Ronan says into his phone, walking over to us. I assume he’s updating his very worried pregnant wife. “We’re heading your way. Stay calm. We don’t know what state she’ll be in when she wakes up. I love you, Little Thorn.”

He hangs up the phone and tucks it back inside his pocket. “Snow’s worrying herself sick. She won’t stop until she lays eyes on Red herself. Let’s get the fuck out of here before any more trouble shows up. Snow will chop off my balls and feed them to me if anything else happens to her friend.”

“Dr. Sterling is on his way. He’ll meet us there to check Raena out and treat any injuries we have.” Alek says, reading a text message on his phone before slipping it into his pocket as well. He turns to the group of men who helped us get this done. “Pack it up and move out, boys.”

My brothers and I ride with Ronan and Dax back to the cottage. The rest of our combined crew follow behind us at a distance as instructed. King is still out there somewhere, so we’ve got to be diligent in our movements. We don’t want to lead him to the cottage if he’s got eyes on us.

We’re the first to make it back after we circle around a few times to make sure no one is trailing us. Snow’s waiting on the front porch when we pull in. When we get out of the SUV, she races over to us. Raena is still sleeping against Royal, but Alek steps up and takes her from his arms.

“Oh my god!” Snow's hand snaps to cover her mouth on a gasp as tears fill her eyes. The blanket covering Raena slipped down, revealing a portion of her blood-painted body.

“It’s okay. We don’t think it’s hers. At least, not all of it. Red did good.” Dax says, pulling her to him and rubbing her back soothingly. He pulls back and kisses her forehead then leads her into the house. “Bring her inside. Someone grab the doctor.”

Alek follows him inside with the rest of us trailing behind, hot on his heels. She’s not leaving my sight. Period. I can’t go through this again. I won’t. Even if I have to stick a tracker in her, so be it.

Chapter 25

Raena

My body aches but there’s a familiar cocoon of warmth soothing me.

What happened?

Where am I?

Voices filter into my brain, making my heartbeat flutter, but I just can’t bring myself to open my eyes. What if this is all a dream? What if I open my eyes and I’m back in the house with King and his men.

If I keep them shut, I can pretend for a little while longer that I’m back with my Shadows, snuggled in one of their beds, surrounded by their warm bodies and soothing scents.

“Doc, you’re nice and all, but if you so much as look at her funny, I’ll cut your fucking eyeballs from your skull, set them on fire, and shove them up your ass.”

“Well that's– imaginative. I have to examine her. I can assure you, it will be purely clinical.”

A smile ghosts on my lips and my heart does somersaults against my ribs at Maddox’s threat. Memories start to flash behind my terrified eyes.

Blood.

Revenge.

My Shadows.

My friends.

I was rescued. It wasn’t a dream. I killed anyone standing in the way of me and my family. And when the last one went down, Ronan was there. Then Maddox. Royal. Alek. They found me. They didn’t leave me.

“Sorry, Doc. We don’t have the best track record with doctors around here.” My voice is barely a whisper, rasping through the space as I try to sit up and peel my eyelids open.

The room is dim. Confusion muddles my mind as I take in the space. Well I’m definitely out of King's house, but this isn’t the Shadows house either. The familiar fireplace crackles in the room– my room. “My cottage?”

They brought me home?

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