Page 10 of King

“Good to be seen,” Daniel replied with a grin.

They let go, and King’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. “I doubt this is going to be a happy reunion.” He glanced back at Joey, pale and unmoving, then fixed his gaze on Daniel again. “What’s going on here, Daniel?”

Daniel’s lips thinned, and he exhaled slowly, his weariness apparent. “In our world today, there isn’t much to be happy about.” He gestured toward the door where Amara had vanished with Slade. “Let’s wait for Amara to fill in the blanks. She’s the key to understanding all of this.”

Jake had moved to lean against the wall, arms crossed, his expression guarded. “So, you know what’s going on?”

“For the most part,” Daniel replied, his frown deepening. “Unfortunately.”

King didn’t like the direction the conversation was heading. His patience wore thin as tension mounted. “Who’s after them?”

Daniel’s gaze darkened as it flicked between Joey and King. His voice lowered, almost a growl. “Vampires. Half-breeds. Demons. Humans with the wrong allegiances.”

Jake let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. “Great. It would be easier to tell uswho they’re notin danger from. Seriously, what the hell is going on, Daniel?”

King felt the pieces slowly locking into place, but the picture was still unclear. “Does this have anything to do with their blood?”

Daniel’s eyes met his, grim with certainty. “It haseverythingto do with their blood.”

The words hit like a hammer, heavy with implications.

Daniel continued his voice a mix of frustration and urgency. “RH null blood isn’t just rare—it’s almost mythical. It’s power in its purest form, coursing through human veins. For half-breeds and demons, it offers immortality. To a vampire, it can amplify their strength a hundredfold. And in the wrong hands...” He trailed off, his eyes growing darker as if recalling horrors best left buried.

Jake, still leaning against the wall, snorted in disbelief. “So, they wanted to drain the kid dry and use him like some kind of supernatural energy drink?”

Daniel nodded grimly. “And it gets worse.”

King’s eyes narrowed. “Worse?”

“Joey and Amara’s blood isn’t just pure,” Daniel said. “It’s connected to ancient lines, to a power that is rooted in bonds meant to be forgotten. If the right...or wrong people trace it to its origins, they won’t stop at just draining them. Amara is obviously a newly turned half-breed. Someone already has suspicions of the secrets Joey and Amara’s blood holds.”

“Please tell me that’s the worst.” Jake sighed and then cursed when Daniel shook his head.

“Nope. It’s not. They’ll use them. Harness them. And others with the same blood type. Imagine armies of beings more powerful than anything you’ve ever fought, all fueled by bloodlinesawakened from the past.” Daniel informed them with no hesitation in his voice.

King took a step closer, his anger simmering dangerously. “What the hell do you mean,harness them?”

Daniel’s expression didn’t waver. “Turn them into conduits. Weapons for forces older and darker than anything the Warriors have ever faced. Forces that don’t just want control...they want annihilation.”

A heavy silence filled the room, the weight of Daniel’s words pressing on them like a suffocating fog.

King clenched his fists, his mind racing as he stared at Joey’s frail form. “I won’t let that happen,” he said, his voice sharp as a blade, his resolve unbreakable.

Daniel’s eyes never left him. “You’ll need more than resolve. More than muscle and loyalty. This... this isn’t a fight you’ve seen before. The Warriors thought they knew their enemies. This is bigger. Blood, this powerful, has painted a target on every person connected to it. Monsters you can’t even imagine are coming, and they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want.”

Jake pushed off the wall, his usual smirk replaced with something far graver. “I’m going to call Sloan.”

“Call my dad, too.” Daniel’s expression hardened. “We are already behind the curve here. We don’t know how many of the few with this blood type have already been taken.”

Slade rushed in with a nurse trailing close behind, a determined look etched into his face as they moved swiftly to Joey’s side. Amara followed, her steps faltering only slightly as she clenched her bent arm where the blood had been drawn. King watchedher, noting how pale she looked, her golden and green eyes darkened with fear. The worry poured off her in waves so strong he could almost taste it. Jessie approached quietly, wrapping a comforting arm around Amara’s shoulders as they both stood helplessly by. On her other side, Jill whispered something too low for King to hear, her hand resting lightly on Amara’s arm.

King’s focus sharpened as he glanced toward Joey. His friend looked too small, too fragile. Every beep of the monitors ratcheted up the tension twisting in his gut.

“How well do you know her?” Daniel’s voice pulled his attention away, calm but edged with a quiet, dangerous curiosity.

King met his gaze, the truth slipping easily from his lips. “I don’t.”

Daniel tilted his head, his eyes glinting with something unreadable. “You will.”

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