Page 21 of A Dawn Of Blood

“Where’s the infirmary?” I repeat, addressing Jaeger this time. But she’s already taking me by the upper arm and leading me towards one of the armchairs.

“Anna?” I hear Raven’s panicked voice even before I see her, Alaric, and de Groot barge into the room.

“What happened to her?” Alaric asks with a frown as they all come to hover around me.

Even de Groot frowns. “Is she—”

“Everyone,” Jaeger cuts her off, throwing her a pointed look, “just calm down.” She turns back to me, tenderness in her voice as she says, “Anna, why don’t you take a seat.”

I shake my head. “No, I have to—”

“What youhave to dois take a goddamn seat.”

I close my mouth shut, blinking in surprise. Jaeger rarely ever yells and the act is enough to make me snap out of my haze a little.

I do as she says.

“Now stay still and just breathe like you normally would,” she orders as she leans a little forward and places a palm on my neck, thumb searching and settling over my pulse point.

She frowns then glances over her shoulder. “Her pulse has slowed, so that’s number one.”

What the hell is going on?

“A mirror and a flashlight, anyone?” she asks and Nuala hands them to her.

She places the mirror in front of my eyes and directs the light straight at my face, allowing me to see my brown eyes turn black and then go back to brown when she switches the flashlight off. “What the…”

She throws a nod to everyone waiting and then turns her focus back onto me. “Can you sense your wolf or use your Sight?”

The question confuses me, but I take a moment to check. When I fail, panic starts overtaking me. “No, I can’t do either.”

“That’s alright, you’re perfectly okay, Anna, and everything will go back to normal soon. You just can’t sense your fae or shifter sides right now because…”

“Because what?” I snap a little.

She presses her lips tight. “Because vampires are a predatory species and it might take a few days for those three facets of you to come to terms with each other.”

My eyes round. “The blood… I’m a vampire.”

She gives me a solemn nod. “Yes, you are.”

My mind starts reeling. I barely register Jaeger turn to the others and say, this grin on her face, “We might not have the stone any longer, Nuala, but what wedohave is a fully actualized Aurora.”

Chapter 15

My mind still reeling, I make my way to the Junkyard, where Alaric and Raven are waiting for me with three cups of piping-hot tea.

It’s been a very long day and I have so much to think about — the shadow curse being finished, the fae talking about the woman in Nasgard, my being a vampire…

But what I can’t stop thinking about is Dryden.

“Alright, Miss Fully Actualized Aurora,” Alaric says as I join them in our old spot, “talk to us.”

I let out a sigh. “Where do I even start?”

“From the beginning please.”

I think for a second. “Well, there was this man in the lab, this old fae. He… Right before he died, he whispered something in my ear. He told me she’s in Nasgard.”

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