Page 167 of Crimson Tears

“Was my mother involved?” Arrow asks.

“Apparently this was not her idea, but she never stopped what it turned into.”

From the little that Kai told us about the sponsor, we think is my father, he’s the one who executed the children.

“Send us the location then, we’re ready,” Laney says.

Then, I remember what we originally thought all of this was for and make sure to let them know what is happening.

“This is pretty fucked up over here, but I don’t want you picturing anything worse than what it is. They weren’t sex trafficking the kids.”

Kai’s grip turns bruising, and I hope like hell it’s not because that happened here. Even though from his earlier story, it seems like maybe there was foul play involved.

“What were they doing with them then?” Dr. K asks.

“Training them. That’s why the four died. It was a training exercise.”

And they were apparently too weak.

“Training them for what?” she questions.

I let out a heavy sigh. “War.”

They hang up, and I send them the location of the house. I feel like the world is spinning as Boris and Cillian talk with Doc by the cars. Evie and Alexi grab the last of our things when a wave of nausea I know I won’t be able to keep down hits.

I turn and bolt for the trees, holding onto one of them as I vomit. Kai follows me, running a hand over my back.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t have told you to come here. I know this is a lot.”

As soon as the wave passes, I stand and look down at him with a small smile.

“It wasn’t you,” I say with a chuckle. “I’m pregnant, and apparently stress can cause the morning sickness to come back.”

Kai looks at me in shock then smiles.

“You’re going to be a great mom.” I pull him in for a side hug and ruffle his hair. He laughs as something moves behind us.

Lev’s voice comes over the comms. “Heat signature right behind you guys!”

We both turn, and I feel him try to put his body in front of mine the second a gun registers in my vision. With less than a second to think, I push Kai to the ground just before a shot rings through the air.

I don’t feel myself falling, but the next thing I know, I’m on the ground. Pain like I’ve never felt exploding around my abdomen.

My hands shake as they try to feel for my stomach, meeting a warm sticky mess instead.

The baby.

Panic overtakes me with the need to protect the life inside of me. I was supposed to keep them safe. It was my one job.

I hear Kai cry out as Boris and Cillian appear just above me. Cillian cradles me in his arms while Boris almost seems to hover at my other side.

I blink, but it’s slow, my eyes don’t want to move or open. People are yelling, and Cillian and Boris look so scared.

I want to tell them it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay. But my mouth suddenly won’t work. I can’t hear what they’re shouting as my body relaxes into a warm, peaceful state.

It’s almost like I’m floating in a pool as the world fades away. Then, a small smile touches my face because I know I’m going to see my sister and my baby too.

I am going to the one place where they will both be safe and I get to be with them.

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