Page 17 of King

King’s fury burned brighter, his protective instincts flaring to dangerous levels. His jaw set with unbreakable determination. His eyes never left Amara, watching her fragile strength with a ferocity that promised retribution. He wasn’t surprised by this reaction. King had always been a man driven by loyalty, a trait as ingrained in him as breathing. He protected those he cared for without question or hesitation, and Joey was more than important to him. If Amara was important to Joey, then by extension, she had also earned King’s protection. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself, ignoring the deeper pull he felt every time his eyes landed on her.

No one would touch Joey or Amara—not demons, humans, or vampires. And if anyone was foolish enough to try, they would answer tohim. His fury simmered, cold and lethal below the surface, promising retribution that would leave no room for mercy.

As if sensing his silent vow, Amara turned her eyes toward him. Something in her gaze made his chest tighten...a quiet strength wrapped in vulnerability, a fragile courage that refused to break even under the weight of her grief. She didn’t ask for help outright. She simply stood unyielding despite her shaking limbs, which made King’s protective instincts roar even louder.

CHAPTER 9

Amara’s head swam with a whirlwind of thoughts. Her fear, uncertainty, and a nagging disbelief that any of this was real was literally blowing her mind. Demons? Realms? Blood powerful enough to tip the scales of existence? It sounded like a fever dream pulled from one of the fantasy novels she used to devour in her spare time. She half-wondered if this was some twisted fiction her mind had conjured while she lay unconscious.

But when she blinked and her eyes locked on King’s sharp, predatory focus zeroed in on her, his presence radiating strength, Amara knew she wasn’t dreaming. The tension in his jaw, the protective fire burning in his gaze, was too real. Too fierce. Somehow, despite the chaos around her, he made her feel... safe. It was a ridiculous notion, considering they were practically strangers. Yet, the weight of his silent promise grounded her.

A part of her clung to that feeling of security like a lifeline, even though her heart hammered against her ribs. She could sense everyone’s eyes on her, waiting for her to begin. Words tangledand twisted in her mind, and her mouth felt dry, as though forming coherent thoughts had suddenly become impossible.

She swallowed hard and cleared her throat. Just get it over with. The faster she started, the faster she could get back to Joey.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” she murmured, her voice low and hesitant. Her hands clenched into tight fists in her lap as she fought to steady her breathing. “This is so much bigger than I thought... than I ever could have imagined.”

“Start wherever it makes sense,” King urged, his voice calm but firm. “You don’t have to have all the answers right now. Just tell us what you know.”

Amara nodded, pressing her lips together as her thoughts raced to organize the chaos in her mind. Her heart pounded as she began to speak, her voice soft but steady. “Six months ago, I got a call asking me to donate blood. I’m registered on a worldwide network because of my blood type. I agreed because I wanted to help people like me. We don’t have any other options when it comes to transfusions. They told me it was an emergency and that my blood was the only hope. I didn’t hesitate.”

“That list needs to be wiped,” Daniel said sharply, cutting a glance at Sloan.

Sloan was already pulling out his phone. “I’ll get Jinx and Lacey on it.”

“The stuff that guy can hack into is straight-up terrifying,” Jake muttered, earning a nod from Jared.

Amara’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “I thought I was doing something good. Saving a life.” She let out a shaky breath, hervoice cracking. “I didn’t know it would cost me my brother’s and maybe Joey’s.”

Her jaw tightened as the tears threatened to rise. Not now. Don’t fall apart now.She forced herself to push forward.

“I thought it was a blood bank, but when I got to the address, something felt...strange. It wasn’t until I stepped inside that I realized my mistake.” Her breath hitched as the memory clawed at her. “I barely had time to turn around before someone grabbed me from behind. I don’t remember much after that. I just woke up on a cold steel table in a dark room. Alone.”

Sloan’s sharp gaze didn’t waver. “Did you see anyone you could identify?”

She shook her head. “No. Never. But I heard voices. Two men arguing.” A shiver ran down her spine as the conversation echoed in her mind. “One of them was furious. He kept shouting that I wasn’t supposed to be turned, which, at that time, I had no clue what that even meant. He said it wasn’t part of the plan. The other man... who sounded calmer, colder said if it worked, my blood would change everything. None of it made sense to me; it still doesn’t. The rest was muffled, but I could tell they were angry at each other.”

“Do you remember the address?” Jared’s tone was clipped, all business.

“It’s in my phone,” she replied, pulling out her phone and shaking her hands. Then, she searched for it before handing it to Jared. Amara sighed when Jared handed it back to her after taking a picture with his phone, her eyes dark with regret. “I wish I’d stayed longer and listened more even though I couldn’t make out everything they were saying. But I knew if I hadn’tescaped while they were shouting at each other, I may not have gotten another chance. I was terrified.”

She quickly glanced at King, who stood silently with his arm crossed as his eyes burned into hers. She quickly looked away.

“I wasn’t tied down or anything, which was odd,” Amara said with a frown. “I was almost afraid to move, but I got up as they continued to argue. It was really dark, but I found a door and opened it, praying no one was behind it and that it was a way out. It was a single bathroom with a window. I was able to slip out. Now, hearing all of this, I probably should have stayed. I might have learned more.”

“You did the right thing by getting out,” King said, his voice low, deadly serious. “Where does Lee fit into all of this? Is Joey on the list?”

Amara nodded, the fear in her eyes as raw as the tremor in her voice. “He’s supposed to be. Lee said he would make sure he was on the list,” she whispered, swallowing hard as her words gathered momentum. “When I realized what they’d done to me, I called Lee and told him everything. He wanted me to come stay with him and Joey. He said it was safer together. But I... I couldn’t. I didn’t know what would happen to me as a half-breed. I didn’t want to risk hurting them. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to Joey because of me.” Her voice broke slightly before she took a steadying breath.

Her words hung heavily in the room, but she pressed on.

“Lee decided not to tell Joey anything. He said Joey had enough to deal with and that he would take care of him. He told me he had connections—people who could help if things got bad.” She looked directly at King.

“Do you think he was talking about us?” Jake asked Amara, his gaze hard.

“I don’t know. Maybe. Lee never talked about any of you, but Joey sure did.” Amara answered honestly, her voice steady, but her eyes clouded with memories. “Lee hung around some pretty shady characters, which is one of the many reasons Joey’s mom up and left them. I have a feeling whoever brought Joey to the hospital probably knows more than I do.”

Sloan’s sharp gaze flicked to Jared. “Get Jill on this right away. I want a picture of that woman. Find out who she is and what her connection is.”

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