za

agile but with a hardened resolve, I

protesting with dull aches,

, leave this city, and leave behi

main lobby, a sudd

frantic pace, careen

phy, her face pale, a

s Blake, his usually impeccable

desperate urgency I had rarely seen, e

gaze fixed on Kourtney

ders, his voice s

lood, Type AB negative, immediate

ling. I knew AB negative was a ra

shed up to him, a

no AB negative in stock. We've put out an emergenc

ir. He ran a hand through his

ntic gaze swept ove

registered recognition, then a

nadulterated need, devoi

and reaching out, gripping

re AB negative, aren't you? You have to

The audacity,

fter I had just undergone an abortion, to

introduced into

wing me around, Eliza," he snappe

This isn't about us. Kou

arm away, but his g

I was just being discharged."

donate bloo

dragging me towards t

or, you understand this. Her condition is critica

strength overwhelmi

?" I demanded, a desperate, almost

embered? A part of the old Blake

, impatience clou

d drawing kit fr

rs! Of course I know your blood type! Don't be

movement. The sight of it, glinting under the

e cracking. "I just had an abortion.

hand hovering

alm and calculating, fla

up to get out of helping. You're refusing to save a life, Eliza

rrative, painting me a

a. This cold, selfish streak. Seein

a chilling clari

loved me. Not

a reflection of himsel

e was a stranger, capable

e onto an empty gurney, strapping

ld and sharp. I cried out, str

o! Don't

s, grabbing a syri

uttered, injecting a clea

u calm down. You'r

red, my resist

, his face swam into view

he slurred, a grotesqu

Consider this... a testament to your loyal

s in my fading consciousness

drained for the woman who was replacing me, in the h

ced by the crushing we

battered and brui

again, the gurney was rolling, but

e Kourtney's o

a wall, then turned and pushed t

l sound tore f

e words barely audible, but fi

pled to the floor, the last

s consu