Page 25 of Blood Bound (Blood Mafia 3)

Her heart is beating, barely.

Blaze moans something incoherent and tries to push off the ground, only his arms give out and he flops back down.

The room reeks of piss and some unidentifiable tang.

“Shit,” Grayson mutters. “They need a healer.”

He cringes, probably feeling guilty for killing the witch again. Seeing as Quorana killed Lacey’s coven all those years ago, I don’t blame him for exacting revenge on her behalf. However, the fucking witch would be really helpful right about now.

“I think I can find something to flush it out of their system.” Nicole says from the doorway. “I’ll be right back.”

After gently lowering the girl to lie on the floor, I move to help Blaze onto his back. More incoherent noises bubble from his lips. He hiccups and gasps in pain. Blood trickles from the edges of his lips.

“Odin, how much did they give them?”

This is more than a little silver nitrate. A drop wouldn’t cause this much damage. It would substantially weaken them, but it wouldn’t make Blaze, a giant shifter, incapable of lifting himself off the floor.

We’ll be lucky if they make it long enough for Nicole to come back with whatever she’s getting.

Mateo kneels next to me to wait. I appreciate that he doesn’t try to speak to me because I’d probably rip his head off.

I can’t keep from glancing around, hoping to see my parents hidden away in a corner. They’re not here though. I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.

Hope is a fool’s dream and I’m a sucker.

A few minutes later Nicole returns with two bags filled with fluid and IV stands. She goes to the girl first, sticking a needle into the vein in the crook of her elbow and taping it in place. Maria hangs the bag on the hook of the stand.

“This is a saline solution. It should help flush some of the silver from their system, then the rest is up to their supernatural healing.” Nicole places the little girl’s frail hand on her stomach and pats it before coming over to fix Blaze up.

“How long will it take?” I ask, watching as she tapes the needle in place.

“We should know within thirty minutes if they’ll survive.”

Shit.

I lean my head back and gaze at the ceiling, blowing out a harsh breath. “That’s enough time for a meeting with the Guild. We need to talk.”

“I’ll gather them,” Maria says, not bothering to ask why or what I want to talk to them about.

If they wish to live in peace with me and my people—Blood Mafia, Zander, and X—we need to make a few agreements.

* * *

When I comeout of the gym, I see the remaining members of the Guild are standing outside of the gymnasium with Maria. A few of the younger hunters have joined them as well. They’re whispering among themselves and quiet when they notice me approaching.

Mack nods to me, encouraging me to speak first.

“Tyra didn’t have to die.” I let those words hang heavy in the air, meeting each person’s gaze before continuing. “I understand you want to grow your numbers, but your people should be free to live their lives and not governed by archaic rules.”

“What do you know of our laws?” One of the older hunters asks.

I look him in the eye. “I know they cost a life today. I’m not asking you to abandon all of your laws, but something has to change. I will not let you hurt people because they don’t agree with edicts that are hundreds of years old.”

He glances away from me, clearly not willing to argue the point. They all know what happened to Tyra was beyond wrong. It’s written all over their faces. They’re just as culpable as Gerry for ordering it and as me for allowing Tyra to come on this trip.

Maria tips her head to the side. “What are you proposing?”

Here’s my shot. “Make an alliance with the vampires.”

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