Page 87 of Dark Angel

He moves closer to her. Expecting Kora to flinch away again, she allows him to embrace her. Her own arms snake around him, and he gives her a light kiss on the top of her hair.

“She’s going to be fine.” Kora mumbles, looking at Daisy’s unconscious body.

Clarence nods, not taking his eyes off of Daisy sleeping. “She just needs to rest.” Pulling himself away from his sister to touch Daisy’s bandaged arm. “Can you believe it took three whole pints of blood before Robert let her sleep?”

Jordan’s whole body stiffens beside Kora, and she notices.

“Three pints. That’s way too many. She’ll be out all night.” Kora says in disbelief.

“Exactly. I don’t know why he should need so many. I think one is more than enough to extract poison from a single cut.”

“He’s collecting them from the infirmary.” Jordan mutters under his breath.

Kora looks sideways at him. “Sorry, what did you say?”

He looks down at her, his blue eyes enlarged with realisation. He looks up at Matthew, who is cautiously watching him. “Nothing. I just realised something. It’s nothing for you to worry about, though.”

Her hazel eyes narrow slightly at his, as if she doesn’t entirely believe him, but she drops the topic. “All right.”

“We should leave. We don’t want to be late for dinner.”

30

Desire

“Charles, the pints are ready.” Robert tells his son, placing the bags of blood into a wooden crate.

“Great. Emmett will want them delivered tomorrow morning. I shall take them down myself at dawn.”

Robert nods, sealing the crate top with a lock. “This should satisfy him for another couple of weeks, and you can get your enchantment replenished.”

Charles grins slyly at his father. “How many pints did you end up collecting?” he asks his father.

“Fifteen.”

Charles’ grin widens. “That is three more than last month. I think Emmett will be more than pleased.”

“Just make sure, as always, nobody sees you delivering this. The last thing we need is someone finding out and word spreading. This stays between us,” Robert warns him.

A soft scoff escapes Charles’ throat. “Of course I won’t father, I’m not an imbecile.”

Robert looks at him, raising an eyebrow. “And I’d never call you one, son.”

“I know I can’t be seen, father. If anyone finds out, you’ll be withdrawn as leader, and this will all be for nothing.”

Charles flops himself down in a chair in Robert’s study. His father sits opposite him, olive eyes dazzling in amusement.

Hands fiddling in Charles’ lap, he thinks everything over. “Do you ever question what Emmett is doing with these pints?”

“What?” Robert looks at him squarely for a moment while shuffling through papers. “I don’t usually question the work of other Marked kinds unless it’s a danger to our own.”

“So, you’re fine with him selling off Seraphim blood to whoever is needing it?”

Robert’s teeth grind as he considers his son. “I don’t wish to insert myself into Elemental and Spellcaster business. Yes, this might be considered illegal, and dangerous, but it’s also going to help you, Charles, and that’s what I care about most of all.”

Charles’ tongue dampens his lips before leaning his elbows on the desk between them. Robert watches him closely. “I just hope this is all worth it.”

“It is. As long as we keep this up, then you’ll become the next leader. Emmett has made sure that as long as he keeps replenishing your enchantment, then you will remain a strong fighter. You’re one of the best now with all of your training and heightened abilities.”

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