War of Hearts(105)
She didn’t scream but dropped to the floor, teeth gritted as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“What are you doing to her?” Callie demanded, horrified.
“Iron,” Ashforth said. “Pure iron.”
Callie didn’t understand.
He smiled, a wicked, mad smile. “I’d leave if I were you.”
“No!” Thea bit out through the pain, her eyes blazing as she finally glared at Ashforth. “Give her my blood and I’ll play nice.”
Ashforth considered this and then nodded to a guard who disappeared out of the room. He strode slowly over to Thea and reached out to touch her cheek. She strained away from him with a snarl. “It’s true, then,” he whispered.
“What is going on?” James cut Callie a look.
She didn’t want to tell him if Ashforth didn’t know, but Thea was obviously determined to hold up to the bargain for Conall’s sake.
They couldn’t leave her.
Conall would never forgive her if she left his mate to this … brute.
And what was with the iron? Why did it hurt Thea so badly?
“Take the handcuffs off her,” Callie demanded. “It’s unnecessary.”
“Do I have your promise, Thea? I give the wolf your blood and you will submit to me.”
Thea jutted her chin out, her defiance in the face of her agony impressive. She was a warrior.
This pleased Callie beyond measure.
“I swear on Amanda’s grave I’ll play nice.”
Ashforth slapped her. Hard.
“Hey!” James shouted.
Callie’s nails bit into the arms of her wheelchair.
Thea merely smirked at Ashforth. “You can tell the entire world I killed her but we both know you got her killed. You put the bullet in her head. And you’ll never be able to lie to yourself about that.”
Another smack.
“Stop it!” Callie cried.
Thea laughed softly and then bared her teeth like a wolf at the billionaire. “You can’t hurt me anymore.”
Ashforth narrowed his eyes. “We’ll see about that, darling girl.” He nodded at the guards behind Thea and they bent to remove the handcuffs.
She hissed and slumped, bringing her arms forward. Her wrists were red, raw, and blistered like they’d been burnt.
“New scars to add to the collection,” Ashforth mused. “You’ll never be free of the marks I’ve made on your life.”
Thea didn’t answer this time, just stared at the wounds. Callie scowled. The woman was supposed to heal remarkably fast. That’s why her blood was a cure. But iron must be to Thea like silver was to a wolf.
“You bastard,” Callie sneered.
Ashforth cut her a dark look. “You have no idea what she’s capable of.”
“Shut up and give her my blood,” Thea ordered wearily.
The words were barely out of her mouth when the guard from earlier returned with a large needle. Thea sat back on her heels and rolled up her sleeve. She held out her hand. “I’ll do it.”
Ashforth decided not to argue and handed over the needle.
Thea turned her gaze to Callie as she plunged the needle into her arm and pulled on the plunger. The syringe filled quickly with her blood and when she pulled out the needle, there was no mark at all on her skin. The small prick healed over in an instant.
Callie’s eyes widened as Thea handed over the syringe to Ashforth. “Playing nice only continues if you give it to her now. I want to see for myself.”
With a curt nod, Ashforth turned and moved to the table. He emptied the blood into a glass and handed it to Callie.
Callie felt a little nauseated as the coppery smell filled her nostrils.
“Drink it,” James urged.
Ugh, really?
“Callie,” Thea spoke.
Her eyes flew to her.
“Drink it.”
With a nod, Callie closed her eyes and threw back the blood. It was disgusting, and she felt like retching it back up. Instead, she forced herself to swallow.
“Well?” James asked, his expression bright with hope.
Not feeling anything but the yucky, sludgy blood sitting in her gut, Callie shook her head.
James’s face clouded over and he opened his mouth to speak, to rage, probably, when Callie felt the sharp twinge in her spine. She held up a hand to stop James. The twinge turned to a flood of heat, like a course of hot water flowing down her back and settling at the base.
And then everywhere began to tingle. Energy sparked through her being, the fatigue melted from her mind, her limbs, and with a gasp of disbelief, Callie pushed up on the arms of the chair and her body moved.
It moved with ease, with a strength she never thought she’d feel again.
Tears flooded her eyes.
There was no more pain.
No more weakness.
In fact, she felt stronger than ever before.
Her blurry eyes caught on James’s.
Her love.
They could be together now.
“James …” She laughed, tears spilling down her cheeks.
He gave a bark of disbelief, his eyes shining, and then she was in his arms as he held her so tight. “You’re okay?” he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. “Jesus fuck, you’re okay.”
Callie squeezed him tight and over his shoulder, she met Thea Quinn’s gaze.