Half-Blooded | The Dark Child Prophecy Series [✔️]

Chapter 35: Miracle

"I'm going to need more gauze, Luce," Marcus murmured and I winced when he dabbed the cut along my ribs with an antiseptic. "We need to completely wrap her torso until we get back."

A wave of chills broke out over my skin, and I shuddered again. Luce slowly pulled me up into a sit as Marcus began to unwind more medical gauze from the roll. When we hit a bump in the road, he growled from nearly dropping it to the floorboards. "Easy, Adrian," he warned my brother, sounding fatherly and annoyed, as AJ continued to drive.

"Sorry," Adrian muttered from the driver's seat.

Marcus began to wrap my ribs carefully. "This is going to be uncomfortable, Serenity, but I promise I'll be as gentle as possible," he told me, his voice turned soft. I gasped when he pulled the first two layers tight, and I gritted my teeth. "I know, honey, I'm sorry," Marcus apologized.

I lowered my head against Luce's shoulder so I could hide my eyes. 

My forearms were black and purple with bruises, and crusty cuts wrapped around my wrists from the shackles. Blood caked my body, and I smelled like the truly dead. My skin was three shades paler and marred with new scars. 

Once Marcus finished wrapping my ribs, he pulled a thick flannel blanket around my shoulders and body. Luce helped him situate me so I could lean across my brother's warmer torso, partially on his lap. Luce had always radiated stronger body heat because of his heritage. I sighed softly and closed my eyes, pressing my nose into his shirt again.

Luce wrapped his arms around me carefully, his hand stroking up and down my shoulder over the blanket to stimulate heat. Marcus had covered my legs and bare feet with another blanket at the other side of the backseat of the extended cab SUV. My adopted brother reached up and cupped the side of my head with his hand, his thumb stroking over my temple gently. I sighed softly.

I tried to ignore the throbbing and burning ache in my body. The blood I had drained from Doctor Nelson circulated sluggishly in my veins and brought my muscles back to awareness that there had been trauma and damage. Despite the medication Luce had injected, I was in bad shape...

 

After two and a half hours of silence, I waited for the knowing swarm of attention coming as we drove through Shadow Stalker territory.

"Luce," I whispered softly.

"Hmm?" he asked, and I felt his chin tip down to look at the top of my head.

"Please don't let them put any more needles in me?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Not without putting me out first."

"Okay," he answered.

Marcus reached over and placed his hand on my ankle beneath the blanket. He gripped it gently just above the pressure marks to reassure me. "Doc will be careful, promise," he told me. "And we'll get you cleaned up so you can rest."

Just then, the tires hit gravel as Adrian turned into the coven's driveway. He drove down the half-mile stretch to the house and pulled up near the main door. We sat there for a moment, no one moving. Finally, Adrian broke the spell and opened his door as the car's engine stopped. Papa was next, Contessa right behind him from the very back of the utility vehicle. When Marcus moved to open his door and get out, I caught the sight of the front door opening as my mother came out in fast steps, nearly running. Jenny was right behind her.

"Serenity!" my mother called, her voice higher than usual.

Luce opened his door as Papa and Marcus came around to help him get me out. He pulled me across his lap as carefully as possible and I winced. Marcus and Papa both got a hold of me and I felt Marc hesitate. I turned my head to see my father slowly pull me upward and into his arms as Luce held my legs. Once I was completely lifted out, Papa cradled me against his body and I dropped my head onto his shoulder.