AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When did I get on my knees?
The power that’s in me is trying to fight back. Whoever did this must have been a powerful supernatural. My head pounds as the markings fights with both the blade and my power.
For my kids.I repeat it over and over like a mantra until I finish. The symbols slice off, and I gag. When I can no longer take the pain, my body blacks out.
Chapter fifteen
Benji
AfterKattookoffto her room and slammed the door, we made our way to the office to get to work. I don’t know how long we’ve been here brainstorming about how to find the kids and who could have taken them, but I’m surprised Kat hasn’t burst in making demands by now. Kat should be in on our plans, but she needs time to think on her own. I can’t imagine what she’s going through right now.
“I want the security guards who were supposed to be with the kids. There has to be something we’re missing—”Az stops pacing the office and braces his hands against the desk. A moment later, a rush of panic hits me. Our eyes meet in question, but Tyler breaks the silence.
“What the fuck is that?” He’s clutching his chest, and I think all of my brothers feel the same insane rush of anxiety that’s making my heart race inexplicably.
Ash makes the connection first. “Something’s wrong with Kat, that has to be it.” He takes off toward the office door and down the hall, all of us falling in behind him. Our bond isn’t sealed yet, but there is just something in my gut that’s telling me he’s right.
We race upstairs. The smell of blood and burnt flesh permeates the hallway. I’m worried she’s harmed herself because we failed her, and instantly I feel guilty about not being able to protect her or the kids. The memory of my parents and sister comes to mind; I wasn’t able to protect them either, and the thought only fuels me to run faster.
I twist her doorknob, but it’s locked, so I kick the door with everything I’ve got, even though I know that our doors are made of steel.
“Fucking Kat,”Az says as he rushes into his bedroom.
“Where are you going?” Ash asks, but Az ignores him, and thirty seconds later, he comes out with his lock-pick kit. We move aside to let him through.
He uses two metal tools and moves them around the lock until it clicks and the doorknob twists open.
As we push through the door, time seems to stop, and the air in my lungs turns rancid.
She’s on the floor next to her dresser, loosely gripping her blood-covered dagger, but she’s so still.
We’re too late.
My heart races as I take in her limp form, and I can see the wheels turning in my brother’s head. The confusion, the pain, and the sorrow.
Ash braces himself in the doorway with a sick look on his face, but Az rushes past him and falls to his knees next to her. He pulls her wrist into his lap and digs his fingers into her skin, looking for a pulse. “She’s alive,” he shouts, dropping her hand.
Those are the sweetest words I have ever heard. She’s going to make it. Her own dagger didn’t kill her. My body sags with relief.
Her weapon should kill every supernatural it comes into contact with, but it’s interesting that she seems to be the exception. Her dagger saved her from the magic that was locked up in the tattoo she tried to sear from her cheek.
“Oh, Katarina,” Ash says with so much emotion as he moves from the door and bends down next to Az and Tyler. “She sliced her skin to remove the heart tattoo.”
Az shakes his head and gently strokes her hair away from the wound. “She told me she felt a pulse of power. When we couldn’t find anyone at the tattoo shop, I didn’t think she’d go through such extreme measures to try and get it off. I told her I was going to look into it, which I have, but I came up empty every time. This magic isn’t like the tattoo that demons use to hide their true form.”
I try not to cringe. The smell of burning flesh is still in the air. It must have hurt her tremendously if she fainted.
Ash shoves Az aside and begins to shake her so she’ll wake up. He’s gentle at first, but when she doesn’t respond, the rattle becomes harder and faster. Tyler pulls him back to let Az take over again, and Tyler calls Amara while I message Doc to have them come in and check on our mate.
Maybe they can help us and figure out a way to get her to respond.
That’s when her eyes snap open and relief floods me before it quickly turns into shock and anger.
“How could she be so reckless?” She should’ve had one of us with her. Of course, we would have all said no to her as soon as she opened her mouth about using her dagger.
“That’s probably why she didn’t ask,”my wolf voices.
“Yeah. You’re right,”I tell him. The others and I would have never let her do that to herself.
