Page 113 of White Raven
“Oh, my God…baby. Yeah, it’s me.”
She wished like hell she could open her eyes, but they felt glued shut.
“Detective Northwood? It’s Nick Specter. Can you hear me?”
Nick Specter? What the fuck was he doing here? And where was here?
Rhaena managed a nod, and bent her legs, clenching her fists at a hunger like she’d never felt.
“Sarah sent me to try some blood. It seems like it’s worked. How do you feel?”
Sarah. The change. What happened? Had she hurt Sarah?
“Where am I?” she choked out. Her throat felt like an arid desert. And the burn was agonizing. “Where is Sarah?”
“She’s okay, Rhae. You’re at home.”
Wren. Wren was safe, too.
“I’m—hungry. Thirsty. I dunno,” she admitted hoarsely, cracking her heavy eyes open. Brandon’s face blurred into view first. Then Wren’s. Rhaena turned her head to see Nick Specter, dressed down and oddly normal. He was holding a blood bag, and seemingly contemplating whether or not she needed it. That one look was all it took, and her body reacted without warning, swiping the bag from his hands and bringing it straight to her gaping mouth. Before Rhaena could realize what she was doing, she bit into the bag, and seized its contents, sucking down something cold, and blissfully delicious. Her eyes rolled back, and her body relaxed against her pillows as she drained every last drop of the blood.
“Holy shit,” Wren whispered, covering her mouth. Brandon sat in shock on the edge of her bed. Rhaena’s eyes widened, and she dropped the empty bag to her lap, breathing heavily, and not sure whether or not she was winning the war with herself that this was so unbelievably fucked up…but she wantedmore. She glanced at Specter, and he hurriedly pulled a spare bag from a lunchbox. Rhaena braced herself on her hands and boggled her eyes at him.
“Here,” he said, offering it to her. He didn’t seem completely surprised, and she wasn’t sure if that bothered her or not, but she wanted it. Badly. She snatched it, puncturing the bag, and drinking heavily. It was just as amazing the second time, and that burning in her body eased. As the bag droppedon top of the other empty husk in her lap, she noticed the two puncture holes right above the blank label.
“Yeah, you’re reading that shit right,” Wren said, trembling with nerves. “You’ve got fuckingfangs.”
“Rhaena…” Brandon whispered, consolingly. He reached for her hand, and she slid it away, her lower lip quivering when he winced.
“I’m—am I like Kane?”
“You’re…different than Kane,” Specter said from her other side. She turned her head towards him. “I looked at your blood. It’s still the same as it was before. Just…with some extra superheroes. You’re not just a wolf. You’re both.”
“How the fuck did you know I was a wolf?” she asked.
“St. James brought a sample to examine to see if we could get a reaction from the blood I’d stored before she changed. She told me what you were. The reaction didn’t exactly extinguish the problem. It just…changed it.”
She looked at Brandon, who seemed like he’d die if she didn’t touch him. “I—I don’t…”
“It’s okay, Rhaena. Whatever you’re thinking, don’t. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’ve caused you so much trouble,” she started, trying not to break into tears. “I can’t do this to you. I can’t put you throughanotherfucking nightmare. You didn’t sign up for this, Brandon.”
“Yes, I did.” He reached for her hand again, grabbing it this time, and refusing to let her go. “That diamond? That was me planting my flag in this nightmare. Which would be a worse one if you weren’t in my life, Rhaena Northwood. You promised me a future. Don’t you think for one second that I’m letting you back out on me.” He reached up and swiped his thumb across her lower lip. The blood that stained his finger made her want to lose her shit, and vomit all at once.
“I’m a monster.” Her voice clipped with tears, and they flooded out of her eyes uncontrollably.
“No, you’re not,” Wren said, taking a seat on the side of the bed next to Brandon. Her hand rested on Rhaena’s knee. “The real monsters are out there. Killing old ladies, and kidnapping people. It’s a hurdle, Rhaena. This doesn’t change who the hell you are.”
Rhaena sniffled and wiped her nose on the back of her wrist. “Killing old ladies?” she asked.
“You’ve missed a few things,” Wren said sadly. “Ryan Sykes murdered Nell.”
“Actually,” a booming voice said from her bedroom door. Rhaena’s eyes softened as her captain stepped through it, relief and fondness in his eyes. “She didn’t. She might have taken some things that didn’t belong to her, but this report says she’s not a murderer.” He teetered a file in his fingers.
“Cap,” Rhaena breathed.
“Welcome back, Gloves. You alright, kid?”
