Logan set Maria's body down on a cot and moved to stand between Elena and the men.
"I think you should go home," he told her.
"I'm not going anywhere," she said and lifted her chin stubbornly. "I didn’t receive hunter training, but I’m a hunter too. I took self-defense classes, kickboxing, and I’m a blackbelt at Krav Maga. I can fence, and I’m an excellent shot. I’m completely capable of defending myself."
When the AC kicked on, the lights overhead dimmed before flaring back to full strength.
“What was that?” Elena whispered.
“Just a power surge,” the doctor said. “It sometimes happens when the air conditioner turns on.”
“I’ve never seen that happen before,” Asher said.
“It’s not every time, but it does happen,” the doctor assured them. “Don’t worry; it’s not uncommon.”
Logan continued to stare at the lights as the demon churned inside him. It was growing stronger as it poked at his skin while seeking to break free. When he looked down, he was surprised, yet also not shocked, to see black creeping across the backs of his hands.
He’d seen that same color before as it seeped across the flesh of the pureblooded vampires when they lost control. He’d never seen it on himself. It made sense; he wasn’t a purebred, but as a hunter, he had more demon DNA in him than the average turned vamp.
But if the hunters saw this, he’d find himself imprisoned with Leonardo and Diego.
He couldn’t let that happen.
He couldnotbe locked away while Elena was free and all of this was happening.Noone would protect her as fiercely as him. He would not separate from her.
He focused on the back wall as he willed himself to regain control. He’d never felt this out of control, but he’d never been in love before, and he’d never tasted the blood of his mate before.
Having these men here, near his mate, when their bond wasn’t complete and she was still mortal was rattling his control and irritating the demon. Inhaling through his teeth, the constriction in his chest started to ease.
Finally feeling more stable, he lowered his gaze and met Asher’s. He saw the apprehension on his friend’s face, but there was nothing he could do to ease his friend’s concern. He’d regained control; that was the best he could offer right now.
“There’s no blood left in her body,” the doctor said.
The words drew Logan’s attention. He didn’t know how long he was staring at the ceiling, but the doctor had Maria cut open and was examining her. Elena looked disgusted, but she leaned closer to see what was happening. Juan stood on the other side of the bed, staring at the body as if it wasn’t there.
Elena lifted the back of her hand to her mouth when the doctor pulled Maria’s ribs apart, but she didn’t run away or throw up. She’d never seen anything like what the doctor was doing, and she found it oddly fascinating as well as entirely morbid.
As he shifted some of Maria’s organs around, her stomach heaved and bile surged up her throat. She swallowed it back and told herself to look away, but she couldn’t tear her eyes off what the doctor was doing.
And though the assorted body parts held her attention, she was also acutely aware there wasn’t any blood. She was certain there wouldn’t be much considering Maria was already dead, but shouldn’t there be some?
“None at all?” Elena asked.
“There’s some,” Dr. Espinosa said, “but not much. And certainly nowhere near as much as there should be. Manuel drank her dry.”
Elena finally succeeded in tearing her gaze away from the cot. Tears burned her eyes as she recalled their son. At least her mother and sister would take care of him, but no child should grow up without the love of their parents.
Suddenly feeling exhausted, Elena retreated to a bed across the room from Diego and Leonardo. She sank onto it. Logan appeared in front of her a moment later. She blinked away the tears in her eyes before tipping her head back to look at him.
His eyes were the same color, and his face was a little tense but not too bad. However, there was something a little unnerving about him. She glanced down at his hands hanging by his sides as they flexed. His knuckles turned white, and he kept them fisted for a second before releasing them.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes. Areyouokay?”
“I’m fine.”
He said the words, but she didn’t believe him. Before she could say anything or question him on it, she was distracted by the doctor. She didn’t know if Dr. Espinosa was talking to them or not as he continued to examine Maria’s body.
