Ryder pressed a panting Blake back into the cushions, immobilizing his shoulder so Lilo could continue. Swallowing hard, her hand shaking, she dipped the spoon into the wound, guiding it to the spot where she’d felt the bullet. The spoon knocked against something.
“I heard it,” Ryder said. “You’ve got it. Easy now.”
She nodded to herself and guided the spoon until it was aligned with the bone, where the silver bullet had embedded itself. “I’m there. Hold him now. This is gonna hurt.”
Using the spoon’s handle for leverage, she applied weight to it and shoved the round portion of the spoon underneath the bullet. It dislodged, and with it all pressure eased and the spoon ripped from the wound, catapulting the bullet into the room. It landed on the coffee table, hitting the ornamental Chinese bowl that stood there.
She’d never heard a sweeter sound than the clanging of silver as it settled in the middle of the bowl.
Breathing hard, she looked back at Blake’s face. His eyes were closed. Her heart stopped. “Blake, no!”
“He’s alive,” Ryder assured her, wrapping the dish towel around his wound. “But we can’t let him sleep yet.”
Before Lilo knew what Ryder was planning, he was already slapping Blake’s face. “Wake up, Blake! You can’t sleep.” He slapped him again, this time harder.
Blake’s eyes opened, and his head jerked forward, fangs bared.
“That’s it, look at me, Blake! It’s me, Ryder.” He turned his head to look at her. “Lilo, in the pantry, all the way in the back, there’s a fridge. Get me two bottles of the blood that’s in there. Quickly.”
She didn’t question him, didn’t ask why there would be blood in bottles, but ran as fast as she could and found the refrigerator just like he’d said. She opened it. Rows and rows of pint bottles filled with red liquid stood there.
Her chin dropped. This was unreal. The bottles were labeled with short codes like AB-Neg or O-Pos. All the different blood types. She snatched two bottles, not caring about the labels, and raced back into the living room, where Ryder was still restraining Blake.
“Here.” She twisted the cap off one bottle and handed it to Ryder.
The young hybrid shook his head. “You’ll have to feed him. I need to restrain him. He’s close to losing control.”
Close to? Judging by the wild look in Blake’s eyes, she’d say he’d already lost it. But for whatever reason, she wasn’t afraid. Blake wouldn’t hurt her. Somehow she knew that.
Lilo slid on the couch next to him and brought the bottle to his lips. His nostrils flared and his head rocked forward. Some of the blood spilled, but she managed to tilt the bottle so the liquid dripped into Blake’s open mouth.
He swallowed, and with relief she saw that the blood seemed to calm him. So she brought her hand underneath his chin and continued feeding him, until he’d greedily emptied the bottle. She tossed it on the couch, then twisted the top of the second bottle open.
“There you go, my love,” she cooed, and pressed the second bottle to his lips.
Blake didn’t seem to register her. He appeared delirious, but he continued drinking, gulping down the red liquid quickly and thoroughly, until the second bottle too was empty.
She exchanged a look with Ryder. “And now?”
Ryder lifted his head in Blake’s direction and eased off him slowly. Blake didn’t move, instead, his head rested against the cushion and his eyes slowly drifted shut.
“He can only heal during his restorative sleep.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know. We’ll have to let him sleep until he wakes up by himself.”
She trembled now. Her eyes fell on the blood that had soaked not only Blake’s clothes, but also Ryder’s and her own. Everywhere she looked, there was blood.
“Is he gonna make it?” Tears rose to her eyes, and she knew she couldn’t hold them back any longer. At least Blake wouldn’t have to see her like this.
“He’ll make it. Thanks to you.” Ryder looked at her, the admiration in his eyes evident. “I’m glad that you’re not afraid of us.”
Tears were streaming down her cheeks now, but she tried to smile through them. “How can I be afraid of any of you, when I see how you love and protect each other? Like a real family.”
Ryder smiled. “We are a family.” He cast a glance at Blake. “Blake is like an older brother to me and to all the hybrids.” He rose. “I’ll get him upstairs and put him to bed. You should get cleaned up, too.”
But before Ryder could lift Blake from the sofa, they heard the sound of the front door ripping open and then slamming shut again. A second later, identical twins appeared in the living room.
“We lost him. Sorry,” one of them said.
“How is he?” the other asked.
“He’ll make it. We got the bullet out. Well… actually, Lilo got the bullet out,” Ryder said.
The twins looked at her in surprise. “Wow. She’s totally like Mom, don’t you think, Damian?” one of them said.