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Setting me on the floor, Cooper covers my ears with his big palms, muffling the shocking sound is the best as he can. He bows forward, getting into my face. His silver flashing eyes search mine, and he tries to say something, but my brain can’t focus on the words he’s mouthing.
Mya steps up beside him and takes over, helping me cover my ears next. Cooper holds my hand as he bites his other arm, sending blood dripping over his wrist. My heart thrashes at the sight, and jealousy sneaks through me as he holds his arm up to Pearl’s lips. I close my eyes, trying to snap out of it. She needs help. She needs his blood to help her heal, and I know that there’s nothing more to it. But damn, do I want to suck the hell out of him right now—his blood and his body. This bloodlust is really messing with my head.
The shock alarms turn off once more, and the lights flicker back on. My ears ring and my head spins, but a couple of deep breaths help get my body back into control.
“Knox is coming. Mya got a hold of him on the bathroom com device.” Cooper strokes his thumb over the side of my hand. “Apparently, the renegades unleashed Strip dwellers in the hotel. They were armed and trying to take over.”
Of course, they were. They always are. If it isn’t the leadership, then it’s something else. The renegades were supposed to be on our side though. We are one of the few hotels that bring equality to donors. It’s a fair trade between blood donations and protection. Why they would dare go against one of the few people helping them is beyond me. I still can’t believe it.
And then everything finally sinks in. The vampire doctor said he couldn’t inseminate me because I was already pregnant.
I am fucking pregnant.
Holy shit.
My mind and body shut down as I try to process everything that happened. Cooper continues to talk to me, his eyebrows knitting together with concern. He touches my chin and tilts my head back-and-forth. Biting his arm again, he offers me blood in an attempt to get me to focus.
But I can’t even find the will to drink his blood, my stomach twisting and turning, my whole body turning cool.
How on earth am I going to bring a child into this dangerous world? How will we manage when it feels like we are about to fight to our deaths at any second?
And then there’s Alexander. He’s so certain that he will take this child as his next heir, molding it into the perfect dhampir. Will it actually be one? I have no idea. I know that we are rare. We have to have the recessive gene.
I need to know more. Maybe Cooper can tell me something. He understands better than anyone. And because he has this knowledge, he manages to stay alive. It’s what saved him today.
“Hayley,” Knox kneels in front of me, shining a flashlight into my eyes. “Hayley, hey. Look at me. Did you hit your head? Are you in any pain?” He came in so quickly and quietly that I hadn’t even noticed.
“They were going to rape her,” Mya says, her voice quivering with her words. “They had manipulated my mind and wouldn’t allow me to do anything. I had to watch and not be able to help her. It was awful.”
Knox tenses, flashing his fangs, and a deep guttural growl escapes his mouth. “Fuck. Did any of them escape?”
Mya licks her lips, touching her hand to my knee. “No. Someone else came and killed them all. There are more around though. I heard them talking on com devices.”
She doesn’t mention what the doctor tried. He probably manipulated her mind to forget, keeping the focus on the renegade donors. It probably happened when he had her call the Bella Crew and tell them that we were hanging out.
I didn’t hear most of the phone call, but I know that it happened. I just vaguely remember him being instructed to manipulate both of them to give him extra time.
“Take Hayley to your room, Coop. We’re going on lockdown. Every donor will need to go to their rooms. We need to do a sweep. This is out of control. If we can’t trust the donors who live here, then things are going to have to change.” Knox touches my shoulder. “Just take a couple deep breaths. I will send Sawyer up in a bit. Let Cooper take care of you, okay?”
“Come on, Mya. Come with me and we will get you to Govan. He’s losing his shit.” Knox scoops up Pearl in his arms. “We’ll drop you off with Tatum, and she’ll make sure you are okay, Pearl.”
I open and close my mouth, trying to get my words to escape. I want to beg him to stay with me. I want him to call Sawyer and Monroe, so we can all be together. I don’t want to separate again. I’m so afraid of what can happen.
Cooper lifts me back into his arms and presses his lips to my earlobe. “Everyone will come as quickly as possible, my showgirl. Let me take care of you. We’ll do whatever you want, okay?”
I bob my head. It’s all I can do.
Knox disappears with Mya and Pearl, and I close my eyes and rest my head on Cooper, saying a silent prayer for the universe to help me through this.
How can I?
Do I even want to?
This is so fucked up. How could this happen after everything I’ve already been through? I feel like I’m cursed.
I’m supposed to be powerful. I’m supposed to be able to handle anything.
So why do I feel helpless?
