Page 87 of Fated to Her

“What is it?” Claire asks.

“The wounds healed,” I mutter, rolling her onto her back.

Addie steps in, her scent wafting to me, and I spin around to face her. Eli behind her, clutches her arms, trying to pull her out of the stables. I look back at the girl before seeing her finger twitch.

“Did you see that, too?” Claire asks me.

“You saw that?” I ask her.

She nods, pointing to her hand. “What is it?” Addie asks again, as I lean over her sister and place my ear to her chest.

I hear nothing at first, but then… one thump. “Addie, did your sister have vampire blood in her system?”

“Not that I know of,” she says, rushing over.

“Dad?” Eli says.

I open the girl’s eyelids to find amber, reflective eyes. I gasp.

“What? What is it?” Addie says, clutching her sister’s arm.

“She is transitioning,” I whisper.

“She’s a vampire?” Addie asks.

I shake my head. “No, she’s turning into a Lycan,” I say, shocked.

It’s rare, very rare. Humans usually don’t make it to this phase at all; she’s technically dead, yet her body is still fighting, even though her heart has stopped.

“What? How? She’s human and hasn’t been around Lycans to ingest their blood,” Eli says, checking her eyes himself.

“Taylor said Pete gave her something to wear off the compulsion,” Addie says.

Her tears stop as she stares hopefully at her sister.

“Only thing resistant to compulsion is Lycans,” Eli says.

I look away guiltily and swallow; another misdeed on my part. We have been supplying our blood to Pete to help the hunters so they can’t be compelled. Maybe something good has come out of it, after all.

“You were giving blood, weren’t you?” Eli growls.

I nod. “I’ll take care of Pete. I’m not waiting for the supernatural council to do their investigations.”

“Crap, I forgot I need to warn my mother. Taylor told me Pete has been staying at home,” Addie says, staring up at Eli. He nods to her.

Cyrus comes in with the baby wrapped in a blanket. “Addie, you okay?” he asks, and she turns, looking back at him.

“She’s still alive,” she says, hopeful, and I glance at Eli worriedly.

“Addie, she may not survive the shift,” he tells her softly.

Addie shakes her head. “No, she is tough. She’ll survive. She has to,” Addie says, looking back at her sister before brushing the hair from her sister’s face.

Chapter 24

• Adeline •

I thought she was dead. I watched her die, and yet she’s still fighting as I peer down at her. I remain by her side, and time ticks by agonizingly slowly. The sun is coming up but she remains unconscious.