Page 324 of Halfblood Deceived

“Or mine,” Zeydan said. “It’s healed her before.”

Mari shook her head. “She’s changing almost as if turned. Your blood would probably hurt her, Diana. Even Zeydan’s blood could trigger a violent reaction if it goes into her veins—” She shared a look with Kamilla. “She needs to feed!” they said as one.

Kamilla exhaled. “Of course. Turned vampires need the blood of those who made them in order to settle the transformation.”

“We don’t have that,” Mari said. “Because she’s born, not turned, and her parents are gone. So we’ll have to settle for the blood we know she’s less likely to reject.”

They both looked at Zeydan.

Zeydan removed his left vambrace and pulled up the material of his armor’s suit up to his elbow. “She can have every last drop if that’s what it takes.”

Something changed in the hologram.

“Her pulse is going into critical levels,” Kamilla interpreted.

“Because her heart is not receiving enough blood,” Mari said. “If it continues like this, it can stop.”

Those words echoed in Zeydan’s ears, increasing his headache and making him feel nauseated. He almost demanded clarification aloud, but he knew better than to interfere with Kamilla and Mari’s process. They could help Aella. He trusted them. With his peripheral vision, he saw Diana crying silently, one hand over her mouth and the other over her stomach.

“We need to feed her,” Kamilla said.

Mari shook her head. “Not without raising her pulse and oxygen levels.” She went to get a massive needle and filled it with a clear liquid.

“Her adrenal gland is overloaded as it is,” Kamilla said.

Mari approached the bedside again. “I know. But we need to keep her heart pumping.” She frowned as she palpated the black material of Aella’s armor. “How do I remove this thing from her?”

Zeydan recited the words that deactivated the spell keeping the armor in place.

It left Aella in a thin, white undersuit.

Mari snapped her fingers, vanishing the top.

The four of them cursed at the sight of the myriad of bruises covering Aella’s skin. She was practically purple.

The sight was painfully familiar. Zeydan felt as if the floor vanished beneath him. “How in all the Hells was she standing and fighting?”

Mari palpated her ribs. “She must have been very motivated.” She stuck the needle inside Aella’s chest.

Zeydan flinched even though he knew that was by far not the worst thing Aella had gone through.

Aella inhaled sharply, chest rising from the bed and eyes opening.

Her pupils were vertical and dilated. Her irises were blue near the pupil and red on the outer edges.

She parted her mouth to gulp for air, revealing her sharp, white fangs and the empty spaces where a tooth and a few molars used to be.

Zeydan wished he could revive Micah to tear him apart slice by slice.

“Aella, can you hear me?” Kamilla asked.

“Stay with us, Aella,” Mari said.

“Aella,” Zeydan called, cradling her face in his hands, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. “Stay with me, Amazon.”

“Feed her, Zeydan,” Mari said. “I’ll keep her throat open for you—”

Aella groaned-growled and turned her face to press her nose against his forearm. Her hand wrapped around his wrist viper-fast and her fangs brushed his vein. Her eyes were unfocused but Zeydan saw the silent question in them.

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