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It took a second to ease the burning, but the truth finally settled in—she'd been blooded.
And even if she wanted to scream "no, it can't possibly be true," there was no denying the fact that Yesenia's brother, River, was her fated lord.
No, no, no.
Memories of the last time a male had touched her, and used her, and made most of her private parts bleed from abuse, rushed forth. Even if it had been four strangers over the course of ten years, they were all the same. They only wanted to hurt her, to restrain her, to even cut her if she didn't lie still and accept what they wanted from her.
To use her for her womb, to birth their children, and take them away as soon as they were born.
Shaking her head, she did her best not to cry. For so long, Nora had been able to keep the memories mostly at bay, except in her nightmares. It'd been fifty bloody years since then. It shouldn't affect her so.
But terror seized her because unless she wanted to go mad and lose her mind, she'd have to bite her fated lord, drink from him, and either taste or accept his orgasm inside her private parts.
Which meant enduring pain, a great deal of pain, just like before.
She heard someone's gasp. The sound helped snap Nora out of her version of hell. Opening her eyes, she looked at the brown-haired, unresponsive male on the ground. The thought of any male touching her that way again made her want to race to the roof and jump to her death.
Only when she noticed Yesenia's shocked face did reality come crashing back. This male wasn't just anybody—he was Yesenia's brother.
And if she didn't help him, he'd die.
Leo moved toward her, his brows drawn together. "Nora…"
Closing her eyes, Nora focused on breathing deeply, the air strange in her lungs, and yet bringing a small, much-needed dose of calm.
Her sister-in-law needed her help. No matter what horrors awaited Nora later, she needed to ensure River Vale didn't die. It was the least she could do for her friend.
I can do this. He's unconscious and on the verge of death. It's not as if he will pin me down and force me right now.
Repeating that inside her head, Nora finally managed to tamp down her panic and opened her eyes. She did her best to keep her voice strong, like when she'd tended an ill person in the past. "All that matters in the present is saving Yesenia's brother. Fetch me hot water and towels, and John is already bringing my medicine chest. For now, I need someone to help me strip his clothes so I can better assess his injuries."
The older fae witch with dark skin and black hair heavily streaked with gray named Rebecca stepped forward. "I will."
She nodded, and they went to work carefully tearing off his strange shirt and trousers, doing their best to use the newly arrived hot water to help peel off any bits stuck to blood or pus.
By the time he lay naked on the ground, Nora was close to casting up her accounts at his injuries. Healed burns and scars mingled with fresh ones, distorting the images permanently drawn onto his pale-skinned chest and arms.
Combined with his emaciated state—his ribs were visible, and he'd clearly been starved—she wondered what had happened to him.
But as her medicine chest arrived, along with more hot water, she focused on cleaning him up as best as she could. Nora worked on the upper half and Rebecca on the lower.
Even if his manhood would be soft in his current state of health, she didn't want to see it and risk more of her memories returning.
She didn't know how long they'd been working when an older fae witch male arrived, one Nora recognized as Dr. MacPherson from when both Yesenia and Nora's grown son Ambrose had been incapacitated and injured a couple months ago.
She and Rebecca cleaned up the shredded clothing as the fae witch doctor did his best to heal River with his magic.
By the time the ruined clothing had been handed over to a pair of maids, Dr. MacPherson had finished. He stood and faced Nora. "He's in a delicate state at the moment and will need constant monitoring. I'm afraid I can't stay the whole night as I have a birth to attend next and I can't put it off. May I give you a set of instructions and entrust his care to you until morning?"
Nora wanted to scream no, she wanted as little to do with the fae witch male as possible. She may have to complete the claiming once to avoid losing her mind, but she didn't want to give him any opportunities to take advantage of her. Even if they weren't married, fated ones were nearly the same thing in her time, and River Vale could treat her as his property, if he chose to.
Never.
Then the male in question groaned and she looked down at her fated lord, grateful the doctor had laid a towel over his private parts. River looked much better, and less pale, but his broad chest meant when he was hale and hearty, he would be strong.
He would easily overpower her when he had the chance.
However, as her eyes roamed over his rail-thin arms and legs, she knew he was a far cry from even standing on his own.
