Page 7 of King

“You’re not going anywhere until I get answers,” King growled.

Her eyes flashed with something dark. Maybe it was anger, fear, or perhaps a secret she wasn’t willing to give up.

She was pale, her striking features etched with an otherworldly allure. One golden eye gleamed like molten fire, while the other was a piercing, cool green—a contrast that only added to her face's sharp, surreal beauty. Her long, silken, wild white hair framed her delicate features like a fallen angel sculpted from marble. Her ethereal, almost angelic appearance was hard to look away from.

Beautiful.

The word crept into King’s mind before he could stop it, but he shoved the thought aside, burying it beneath his growing frustration.Beautiful or not, this woman had something to do with Joey’s disappearance, and he wasn’t leaving without answers. His jaw tightened as his eyes bore into hers.

“Start talking,” he demanded, his voice edged with a menace that left no room for misunderstanding. “Where is Joey?”

“You’re King,” she said, relief flooding her eyes as she stared at him. Once tense like a coiled spring, her body softened beneath his grip, her shoulders dropping as if the weight of fear had been momentarily lifted. Hope flickered across her delicate features, fragile but unmistakable.

“I am,” King confirmed, his voice steady but cautious. His eyes narrowed as suspicion clawed at the edges of his mind. Trust was a luxury he couldn’t afford, not now, not with Joey missing. “Why does that matter to you?”

Her lips parted as if to speak, but she hesitated, the moment stretching taut between them until she finally spoke. “Because Joey trusted you.”

“King!” Jake’s voice bellowed through the woods, cutting through the tense silence.

“Over here!” King shouted back, his eyes never leaving the woman. “What’s your name?”

She hesitated again, her gaze searching his face as though weighing whether or not she could trust him. Finally, she whispered, “Amara,” just as Jake crashed through the brush. “Lee is my brother.”

The words hit King like a sledgehammer. Not much shocked him, but this revelation left him reeling. He released her slowly, his eyes narrowing as he took a long, hard look at the woman before him. Trusting eyes, haunted by fear, stared back. Joey had never mentioned having an aunt, let alone one who was a half-breed. That wasn’t the kind of thing Joey would’ve kept from him...unless he had a reason to do so.

“They found him,” Jake announced, but his sharp gaze flicked to Amara suspiciously.

“Joey?” Both King and Amara spoke at once.

Jake’s brow furrowed as he nodded toward her. “Who is this?”

“Apparently, Lee’s sister,” King replied curtly. Suspicion still churned in his gut like acid. “Did they find Joey?”

“Yeah.” Jake’s expression darkened as he turned to King. “He’s in bad shape.”

“No!” Amara scrambled to her feet so quickly that she stumbled forward. King caught her instinctively, steadying her as she gripped his arms. “Where is he? You have to take me to him. Is Lee with him? Please. Joey is in danger.”

King’s eyes hardened. “Where’s Lee?”

Jake shook his head grimly. “He’s not with Joey.”

“Take her back to the compound.” King straightened, his heart heavy with dread as he began walking toward his bike. “I’ll be there soon.”

“No!” Amara’s hand shot out, grabbing his arm again, her panic unmistakable. “You don’t understand. Ihaveto get to Joey. If he needs blood, I’m the only one who can help him.”

King’s eyes sharpened, a flicker of realization cutting through the haze of mistrust. “Why?”

Jake glanced between them, confusion deepening his frown. “Slade said Joey lost a lot of blood.”

“He has a rare blood type.” Amara’s voice was urgent, her breath quick. “RH null. If you don’t take me to himnow, Joey will die.”

The weight of her words hit both men at once. King clenched his fists as his mind raced. Jake’s eyes widened with understanding, his expression morphing into one of disbelief.

“I never said anything about his blood type. Slade said they are having a hard time finding a match.” Jake said, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Are you reading me?”

“No, I am not reading you,” Amara said firmly, her voice trembling with desperation. “But I’m Joey’s only chance. Please believe that.”

“You have the same blood type,” King frowned, hoping this woman wasn’t lying to them, but what choice did they have? Joey’s life was literally on the line.

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