“What the hell?” I breathed. “Where am I?”
“The hospital,” Damien said as he made himself my prime view. “You were brought here a few hours ago. We’re all here; everyone is just down the hallway with the doctor. They all wanted to hear what he had to say, but I wanted to stay here with you in case you woke up, and you did. I’m so fucking happy you did, Mama Bear.”
Damien did cry then.
“Dame,” I said, panicked. “Don’t cry, honey. I’m okay.”
I had no idea what happened, but I was awake and I was talking so that must have meant I was okay. Or would be okay.
“Before they cleaned you up you had so much blood on you, we didn’t know if—”
“Damien,” I cut him off. “What happened to me?”
I felt a bit of pain, but mostly my body felt like it was floating on a cloud.
“Don’t you remember?” he asked, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. I shook my head and he continued, “Big Phil took you to lure Kane to his apartment.”
As soon as he said the name Big Phil, I remembered everything. Everything I felt, every word I spoke and heard, and everything I saw.
Kane.
“Kane,” I said then quickly lowered my voice. “Is he okay?”
Damien nodded. “He’s perfect, not a hair out of place.”
The relief that hit me caused my eyes to well up.
“It’s okay,” Damien crooned. “It’s all over. He’s gone and is never coming back.”
The image of the blade used to hurt me sticking out of Big Phil’s chest was once I’d never forget.
“I’m glad it’s over,” I whispered..
“Me too.”
I inhaled a deep breath. “I’m so tired, me eyes hurt to keep open.”
“Get your rest, the doctor mentioned to Ryder before they left the room that you’d need plenty of it.”
Ryder.
I lazily blinked as my eyelids became heavier.
“Where is he?”
“With the doctor,” Damien answered. “Everyone else is too.”
I nodded.
“He wanted to go and get you himself,” he quickly added. “But if he did that then he wouldn’t be able to finally be done with the Feds.”
The who?
I furrowed my brows. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“You know the thing Ryder and my brothers kept from us?” he asked, lifting his arm so he could scratch his neck.
I managed a nod.
“Yeah, well, let’s just say it’s a fucking shit storm.”
I felt my eyelids droop.
“Can’t be any worse than what’s happenin’ here,” I mumbled.
“It’s just as bad,” Damien grunted.
That wasn’t good.
“Tell me about it when I wake up.”
My eyes closed just as my sister’s voice could be heard, my friends, too.
“Oh, my God!” Bronagh cried. “Is she dead? She looks worse!”
“No,” Damien replied instantly. “She was just talking to me. She’s really weak from blood loss, and the nurse came in after you left to talk with the doctor and upped her morphine to manage her pain. With that combination it’s no wonder she’s out. I’m surprised she woke up so soon in the first place.”
“What did she say?” Alannah’s voice asked, nervousness sounding in her tone.
“She wanted water, so I gave her some. She wasn’t really with it, but she knew who I was which is good. It means her memory isn’t affected.”
“Thank God,” a few voices murmured.
“What did the doctors say to you about her?” Damien quizzed.
“He said it could have been a lot worse,” Alec explained. “She has flesh wounds, but nothing serious now that the bleeding is stopped. A few of her ribs are bruised, her face, too, but that’s it. No long term damage.”
“It’s not the physical damage I’m worried about,” Keela said, her voice tight with what I think was emotion. “It’s the mental. What that bastard did to her will haunt her.”
“You all were exposed to evil like Branna was, and you have overcome it.” Alec quickly stated. “She will, too. She’s strong.”
Be strong.
“Please,” my sister whispered close to my ear. “Don’t leave me. I love you so much, Branna.”
I love you, too.
I wanted to verbally say it, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t speak or move. My senses were beginning to shut down.
“You got this, Bran,” Aideen said, and I wanted to force myself to open my eyes when I could hear in her voice that she was about to cry. “You’re too strong not be okay.”
Be strong.
I heard quick paced footsteps, then a loud intake of breath.
“Oh, Christ, she looks even paler than before!”
Ryder.
“She’s okay,” everyone whisper-shouted in unison.
I heard more movement, and then I felt a hand on my chest, and a hand on the crown of my head then lips on my forehead.
“I’m so sorry,” Ryder whispered. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
“Ry,” my sister sniffled. “She’s goin’ to be okay. She won’t leave us, I know she won’t.”
I felt a droplet of liquid fall onto my cheek, then another one quickly landing on my nose. I didn’t know what it was, until I heard sniffling right next to me.
Oh, please, no.