The Other Side of the Lie (EDITING, ON HOLD)

Nine-Hawk

Hawk caught the witch before she hit the ground, and her brother was there a split second later. She was surprisingly light.

"What-" Hunter was cut off by Mist when she announced in a dire tone, "poison."

"She screamed earlier," Swift said, a note of panic in his tone. "Maxim must have cut her before I could get him off her. I thought she was screaming because of me, not him!"

"It's fine, Swift, it isn't your fault," Mist soothed as she had Hawk lay Bella down to examine her.

"I beg to differ," Hunter growled.

"Please be quiet, I'm trying to save your sister's life and I need to concentrate. Swift," Mist said, "do you know what hemlock is?"

"Yes," Swift said, his face growing pale.

Hunter blanched. So did Hawk.

"You're telling me that my sister has been poisoned with something that has no cure?"

"No," Mist laughed, but it wasn't a happy sound. "I'm saying that Swift won't like the cure."

"My blood," Swift whispered.

"Exactly. Mine would work as well, but not quite so efficiently. Besides, you can make up for the blood loss more quickly and easily than I could." Mist tipped Bella's head back. "Since I'm the one making you do this, I'll hunt you a fully grown stag if you want."

With only the slightest hesitation, Swift brought his wrist to his mouth and ripped into it. Blood poured from the wound, and he pressed his wrist to Bella's mouth. Mist massaged her throat to get her to swallow.

"There were no signs," Hunter whispered. "No slurred speech, no erratic heart beats, just straight to unconsciousness."

"That would be her witch magic, fighting the poison off," Hawk told him. "It was successful for a few hours, but not more than that. Just be grateful that Mist and Swift are willing to help."

Hunter glanced at his sister, and Hawk followed his gaze. Swift still had his wrist to Bella's mouth, but Mist had her ear to Bella's chest. Her eyes were closed, and she was holding up a finger every time Bella's heart beat. Hawk knew enough to tell that the witch's pulse was too slow, but as he watched, Mist's fingers lifted with less and less time in between until Bella's heartbeat was normal once more. Hawk let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Suddenly, Bella made a sound, and soft as it was, Hawk heard it. Evidently Hunter did as well, because he surged forward. As if anticipating his reaction, Mist put up a hand to stop him. Hunter ignored it, so Hawk grabbed his arm to hold him back.

"Let them work," he told the worried human.

"I don't like it," Hunter said, and Hawk couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Yeah, well none of us do." Hunter glanced at Hawk, who continued. "My mother has bounty hunters after me. She wants me dead. Swift was a slave for I don't know how many years, and Mist was turned into a werewolf. I don't know if you've seen it, but when she's a wolf you can clearly see the scar that goes from her throat to her hip where there's no fur. None of us have life easy."

"That wasn't what I was talking about," Hunter said.

Hawk shrugged. "It doesn't matter. You needed to know either way. We aren't the monsters. We are the ones who survived the monsters."

Hunter stared at Hawk for a long moment in silence, considering his words.

"Hunter, you can come now," Mist said.

Hunter nodded at Hawk before going to join his sister. He passed Swift, who did a double take when he glanced at Hunter's expression.

"What did you do?" Swift asked, staring at Hawk in amazement. "Did you perform an exorcism or something?"