ia

taxi, the silence of the house p

pulled the suitcas

oor slammed

ri

gh the halls. It shook the cr

hes. His shirt was torn, a smear of grime across his chest,

shouted, advancing on

oice hollow. "You have

eck straining. "The car sideswiped Gia's leg. Le

o them,"

you,"

rous second, hope flared in my

, breathless. "She has a rare type. You

cold, instant,

give blood to

r of my heir!" he roared, gra

cally hauled me down the stairs, my heels catching on

b doctor didn't ask questions

hooked

r plastic tube, leaving me to fill the veins

me water. He didn't ask if I was dizzy. He just watched the bag

I sat up. The room

hecking his watch. "Y

weak, brittle sound, like dry lea

scene. For the

my back-not to steady me, but t

life force coursing through her system. Leo was sitting on

show up," Gia sneered

ur life," I

, manic. He picked up a heavy cr

boy screamed.

ew the

s intent. It smashed against my shoulder, the impact sending a s

elf to the floor, screamin

e! She hit

scanning the scene. He saw the broken gl

rned

pure, unadulterated hatred. "You are unfit to be a V

. I looked at the three of them-

y portrai

walked out

tside. A cold, mi

catch a cab. I was dizzy from blood loss, aching from the

from the wet brick walls. Th

pped a metal pi

lead man said, his voice muf

. I didn't hav

heard the wet crack of bone. I

y. They kicked me until I couldn't fe

nto the dirty water, one o

e said into the rece

eps splashed away,

sed m

o anymore. Aria Vitie

treet lights, inch by painful

back, I wouldn

be the