Page 107 of Sworn to Revenge
I open the golden box, finally facing Morlay’s black heart. Its rhythmic pulse, steady and surreal, captivates me. Instead of disgust, I feel mesmerized, watching the way it beats as if it’s still within a living body. Francesco mutters a few curses under his breath, and Mariano guides him from the room, leaving only Cora, Luca, Pedro, and me.
How do I do this?I think, waiting for Myko’s guidance, trusting his wisdom.
I follow his words and grasp the heart in my hand, tipping Alin’s head back as I let the black, pulsing blood drip slowly into her mouth. When it’s done, I place it back in the box and wipe my hands on my shirt, then place both hands on Alin’s belly, feeling the life growing inside her, sending a warm pulse of energy from my hands through her body.
Almost instantly, her body begins to tremble, as if caught in a seizure, black veins threading beneath her skin, the purple glow sparking and flickering.
Don’t let go!Myko urges, his strength fueling me as I hold my hands steady. Luca surges forward, trying to intervene, but Pedro seizes his arms, pinning him back with an electric shock that cracks beside his head, punching a hole in the wall. Luca struggles, cursing, but stops abruptly as a calm settles over us all. And then, a voice we’ve all been desperate to hear:
“Bay? Cora?”
Bay
It’s been a month since Alin turned Black Blooded. Everything at home feels almost normal—except for her rapidly growing belly. Thanks to Morlay’s heart, her baby is developing faster than anyone expected, kicking around like a little beast. At least, that’s what she’s been complaining about. Using her baby as the anchor she needed worked. Now, Luca seems more comfortable having me around; he’s been taking Pedro and me everywhere since Alin can barely sit still. Cora’s practically glued to her side all day, and I’m grateful to have them both.
Alin hasn’t shown any new powers or looked any different, but every time she’s near, her body emits a strange blue light. Maybe it’s the Coral of Life, but that’s a mystery for another day. I’m done digging under unknown stones.
I think you’re onto something. The Coral of Life feels unusually strong, though it’s still stable,Myko chimes in, though even he doesn’t have a clear answer. I sigh.
“Bay, Alin, come quick!” Mariano bursts into the room from Luca’s office, pulling us in to show us his mother’s case.
“What happened?” I ask, eying it. The case is glowing as usual, untouched. Luca decided to feed the rest of Morlay’s heart to her, but when nothing happened, he left her here in his office, waiting for answers.
“I was just making a call, and when I looked over, I saw this! It nearly gave me a heart attack,” Mariano says, pointing at Florencia’s face, visibly shaken. Alin and I step closer, but I immediately recoil, my heart racing. “She looks like a demon!” I squeal, gripping Alin’s arm for balance just as Cora joins us.
“Where did you all g—” Her words catch as her eyes land on Florencia’s face, eyes wide open, pitch black. The body isn’t moving, but it’s the most terrifying death stare I’ve ever seen.
What’s happening?I ask Myko, hoping he might know.
I have no idea. She’s human. I told you this was risky.
I study Florencia’s eyes from a safe distance, but Alin grabs my hand suddenly. “Bay, I think I’m gonna be sick. Let’s get out of here,” she says, half-gagging, and I quickly lead her back to the living room, easing her onto the couch.
“You need any of your mom’s medicine?” I ask, ready to retrieve it from the cabinet. She shakes her head, pale.
“When I got close to her, I felt so sick…” Her voice trails off, interrupted by a loud stomach growl. Cora’s laugh cuts through the tension from behind us.
“And now she’s hungry again…” I chuckle, trying to ease the mood.
“I’m so freaking hungry I could eat a whole whale,” now Alin grumbles, her voice dropping an octave, almost predatory. Just a second ago, she was gagging, and now she’s ravenous? Maybe it’s a new power. I hide a grin.
“You just ate ten minutes ago!” Cora teases, almost daring.
“Oh, no, you did not just go there, Mrs. ‘I eat every hour on the hour!’” Alin fires back, finger pointed. Out of nowhere, the water in a nearby glass ripples and splashes over the edge—right onto my lap.
“Was that really necessary?” I sigh, shifting as my tail appears on the sofa, prompting another laugh from Cora.
“Oops, sorry, Bay!” Alin shrugs, giving Cora a playful death glare.
“Okay, I’m sorry! Don’t be mad! You still look gorgeous!” Cora coos, adjusting Alin’s pillow and settling beside her.
“I look like a startled puffer fish,” Alin mopes, her eyes misting over. I can’t help but laugh with Cora as I turn my tail back to legs.
Alin’s never blamed me or Luca for turning her, but I know she hasn’t truly felt happy since. I wish I could change that. And then there’s Luca’s mother—no one’s really spoken about her since that day.
Cora calls the cook to bring some lunch for Alin, along with fruit—and, thankfully, my pancakes. I laugh, though a nagging sense of unease stirs from Myko. His energy has been off and on all month, and he won’t say why. Maybe it’s tied to Luca’s mom.
“So, why did you call us here?” I finally ask Alin, unable to contain my curiosity about the surprise she mentioned. It was enough to get me out ofbed with Pedro, so I’m hoping it’s worth it. I’m itching to get back to him.
