Page 114 of His Dark Vendetta

“Help!” she cried. “Somebody, please help!”

I grabbed one of her hands and squeezed. “It’s okay, baby. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. You—you’ve been shot. Oh, God. Luca.” She started crying in earnest and placed her other hand on my shoulder. “I’ll get help. I’ll find help.”

She looked around, frantic, and moved to stand. I pulled her back down.

“Siobhán. Please. Look at me.” Her eyes were bloodshot and watery, but she did as I said. “I promise you—I’m fine.”

“How many you take, kid?” Gio appeared and squatted next to us.

Siobhán gaped at him like he was crazy.

I winced. “At least two. Not really sure.”

“Let’s have a look,” he said and lifted his chin.

I propped myself up and saw stars. Gio grabbed my shoulder and held me in place.

“What the hell are you doing?” Siobhán shrieked. “We need an ambulance.” She looked around. “Where’s my purse? I need to call an ambulance.”

Gio’s eyebrows drew together. Now it was his turn to look at Siobhán likeshewas crazy. He shook his head and frowned. “She doesn’t know?” He jerked his thumb in her direction.

“Know what?” she shrieked.

“No,” I said. “She doesn’t know.”

Gio shifted me forward so he could look at my back. I sucked a breath in through my teeth.

“Three,” he said. “Sit back.” I leaned against the wall below the window. “But only two up front.” He took out his cell phone, hit the screen, and held it to his ear.

Siobhán’s forehead creased in confusion, and her eyes snapped between Gio and the holes in my chest. They pumped out blood like fountains, my natural healing slowed from holding back my power.

“Hey, Doc. We got a situation. Yeah. They sent three Messages. One didn’t make it through. Yeah. We’ll move him to The Mountain. See you in twenty. Grazie.” Gio turned his attention back to me. “Dr. Levine’s on his way, but you’re mighty pale, kid, and we gotta move. Time to turn the lights on.”

I glanced at Siobhán, then back at Gio.

He raised an eyebrow. “It’s not like she wasn’t going to find out eventually.”

“What are you talking about?” Siobhán asked, her voice shrill. “Find what out? What the hell is going on? We need to get him to a hospital!”

I sighed, closed my eyes, and let go.

My power surged, flying through my veins with each pump of my heart, energizing me, healing me. My torso itched as the tunnels from my back to my front slowly stitched themselves together, cell by cell.

“I didn’t want you to find out this way,” I said. “I wanted to explain. That’s why I brought you here.”

“Explain what? Tell me!”

I opened my eyes, revealing their fire, and I curled back my lips, revealing my fangs.

Siobhán gasped. Her hand flew to her chest, and she fell back. She studied my face, her eyes wide and pupils dilated. “Oh my God.”

ChapterThirty-Six

Siobhán

“Iwanted to tell you,” he said and winced. His face was white. It made his glowing red eyes all the more terrifying. “I brought you here to tell you.”

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