Page 24 of Flawed Revenge

“I'm working on trying to recreate my drug, but it takes time,” Whitney piped up.

“Voodoo tried healing her,” Indigo added.

“Healing her?”

“Lion didn't go through their other enhancements?” Cassandra asked.

When Kate shook her head, Rose explained, “Steel has superhuman strength, Dragon superhuman sense of smell, Blade superhuman hearing, Thunder superhuman speed, and Voodoo an ability to heal others.”

Turning, she looked at Lion, still laughing with Ariella as they both had their sleeves rolled up and their hands in a large mixing bowl. “What’s Leo’s ability?”

“Superhuman sight,” Rose replied.

“I … this is … it’s a lot … to take in …” she stammered, so overwhelmed by everything she’d learned in the last twelve hours. It changed everything, and yet it didn't erase anything. Understanding why Leo had done what he did didn't magically take away all the pain she’d suffered, even if it definitely eased the anger.

“Of course it is,” Cassandra said, reaching over to place a hand over Kate’s. “And no one thinks you should just forgive Lion and go back to the way things had been between you two before.”

“Take your time,” Whitney added. “Work through your feelings. Figure them out. Whatever you decide is up to you. No one is going to pressure you, not even Lion. Whether you two get back together or not, you’re always going to be one of us. I’m going to keep working on creating the drug in case it can boost Ariella’s immune system, and Voodoo will keep trying to heal her. You and your daughter are family now to all of us.”

“Just don’t count anything out,” Maya said softly. “Sometimes the most beautiful light shines out of the darkness. It’s hard to believe it’s real. You don’t want to trust it because it’s easier to hide than take a risk. Only sometimes taking that risk is the best thing you’ll ever do.”

Shifting her gaze once again to watch her daughter and Leo, Kate forced herself to truly examine Maya’s words. Putting any faith in Leo again, beyond him stepping up as Ariella’s father, was handing him the opportunity to crush her heart all over again.

Was she brave enough to take that risk?

Chapter

Eight

March 15th

8:24 P.M.

“Time for bed,” Kate announced.

“Oh, can't we watch just one more movie?” Ariella asked with a little pout.

“Sweetie-pie, you have already convinced these guys to have a Disney Princess marathon with you. You’ve watched Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and The Little Mermaid. I think they might like a break now.”

“But I wanted to watch Snow White,” Ariella whined.

“We can continue the marathon tomorrow,” Lion assured his daughter. As much as he wanted to agree to let her stay up and watch as many movies as she wanted, he didn't, because he understood that his little girl needed her sleep. “How about your mom and I go tuck you in together? Maybe read a little before turning off the light.”

Ariella’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. “I love Alice in Wonderland. Mom reads it to me most nights when I'm not too tired and can stay awake a bit longer. She does different voices for everyone, and I love it. It’s even better than a movie.”

“Then go upstairs, get your teeth brushed and your pajamas on, and Mom and I will read Alice in Wonderland to you for a bit.”

“Okay,” Ariella agreed brightly, bouncing off the couch, all thoughts of watching Snow White seemingly gone.

If it weren't for the fact that the girl swayed slightly, and moved slower than her excitement would dictate, you would never know that she was a very sick child. Lion knew that Whitney was working in the lab they’d had custom built at the mansion, doing her best to try to create a drug that would boost her immune system enough to give the bone marrow transplant a chance. That Voodoo had tried several times now to see if his unnatural ability could save Ariella’s life. But none of it seemed like enough.

He couldn’t just meet his daughter only to have to watch her die.

“You really want to help put her to bed?” Kate asked as they both followed their daughter up the stairs.

“More than anything. I've already missed out on so much, I don’t want to miss another second of her life,” he answered honestly.

“Leo, I⁠—”