City of Dragons: Of Flesh and Blood Read Online Free PDF Page B

stumbled into the room and fell to her hands and knees, landing in a puddle of warm ichor.
    She reached out and pushed back a lock of hair from Reiah’s brow. His one good eye stared out at nothing and bits of brain clung to his cheek. Behind her Farley got on the phone with Garrett.
    Osa looked up at Haley, his bright green eyes wide with horror while at the same time pleading with her to make the other Male better.
    But there wasn’t anything she could do. Reiah was dead. Haley reached for Osa, and he ran, careening into the small table, then the wall. His hands dug furrows in the concrete as he tried to get away.
    “Osa…Osa…” She eased closer to him, but he didn’t seem to hear her. His terrified eyes kept falling on Reiah. “It’s okay…please…I’m so sorry.” Haley knew her words were a sad excuse for comfort, but she didn’t know what else to do. When she closed the distance, the Male slid to the floor and turned his face away, trying to hide under his arms. Urine puddle at his feet.
    Haley touched his shoulder, and the contact made him jump. She ran her hand down his back, and his muscles trembled like an earthquake. “Osa…” Haley eased in, slipped an arm around his back and drew him into her neck. He fought at first, screeching in panic, but it didn’t take long for him to give up and fall limp.
    Farley walked up and sat down beside her. Haley curled against him, holding Osa between their bodies. When she looked at Farley, his eyes were dark.
    Osa’s entire body hummed with a kind of pain which couldn’t be measured. It left his face pale and eyes clenched.
    When Garrett got to the door he said, “Jesus Christ” and looked away. “Get an EMS team in here. I want to know who did this and now.” Garret slipped back into the hall, his deep voice booming, making more demands. Haley barely heard him.
    In her arms Osa shivered. Haley ran her hands along his body, feeling for broken bones and open wounds. But none of the blood on him was his.
    “Farley, he’s cold.” She went to shrug out of her jacket but he stopped her. “What? We need to get him warm.”
    He looked at her with such sorrow and shook his head. “He’s already dead, Haley.”
    “What the hell are you talking about?”
    “They’re bonded.” He pulled the Male’s leg out. With his clothes gone, she could see the scar on the inside of his thigh. “He won’t live. He can’t.” His sad eyes slid over to the broken corpse of the other Male.
    Haley refused to believe it. She pulled Osa’s head into her neck. “
Feed
from me, Osa.”
    “That won’t work.”
    She glared at Farley while she rubbed Osa’s back. Strange mewling sounds came out of his throat.
    Haley pulled Osa’s face up. If he saw her, he didn’t act like it. “Osa, listen to me,
feed
from me. Let me help you.” Still nothing. Haley pushed Osa into Farley’s lap and ripped the sleeve of her blouse. She scored her wrist with her teeth and moved to force it to his lips. Farley caught her hand. “Let me
feed
him!”
    “He’s dead, Haley.”
    “He’s not dead yet!” She didn’t mean to scream. Not really.
“Haley…”
    She jerked her hand out of his grip. “Just help me
feed
him for Christ’s sake!” Osa made small desperate sounds as Farley eased him upright and held his head still. Haley rescored her wrist and pressed it to his mouth.
    The blood filled Osa’s mouth and ran from the corners. He wouldn’t swallow so she massaged his throat. Still nothing.
    “Please, Osa. Please. Please. Please…” Haley petted his face, his neck, rubbed her hands across his chest, but he wouldn’t respond. Then all at once the muscle tremors ceased, and he went lax.
    “No.” Haley pushed back his thick bangs. Osa’s pupils were so large they ate up all the green. His stare, flat. Empty.
    Haley wrapped her arms around Osa and held on. He felt so cold and so impossibly small.
    The EMS came in, and all their hurry-up when right out when they saw the