“What do you need?” Damien and Dane ask in unison.Raven starts making a list as I watch Mallory drift into unconsciousness.”Hurry. But be careful, we don’t know where Salem is.” She mutters as the men disappear out the back door.Raven works to clean Mallory’s stomach, prepping it for whatever she needs to do. I find myself unable to move. I was inches away from getting my revenge for what she had down to me and yet6 I couldn’t say the words.”Damien will never forgive me if she dies.” Raven mutters, pushing intestines back in the gaping woundMy eyes flicker up to her, but she isn’t looking at me, instead, she is too focussed on saving Mallory.If I stop her from helping Mallory, it would put her matebond with Damien at risk. She will hate me for taking away her chance at happiness. I couldn’t lose the one friend I have.”Can you save her?” I ask quietly”I think so.” she gives me a tight lipped smile. “The wound higher up has already healed which is a good sign. But I think her stomach is a bit like my leg. I won’t be able to tell until I can get in there properly.”She sighs. “I know you have issues with her, Neah. I know a million ideas are probably running through your head right now, but this is what I signed up for. Saving people and helping them has always been my dream. Please don’t let me leave her to die.” ‘It’s your choice. I will stand by you no matter what you decide.’ Nyx murmurs.”Is there anything I can do to help?” It was so hard forcing the words from my mouth. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Raven gives me a small smile. “Give me your hand.”She takes my hand and places it on Mallory’s neck. “Normally, I would listen to her pulse, but it’s not clear. Her body is going through mass amounts of trauma so you have to trust what you feel. Do you feel it?”I nod.”Tell me if anything changes, even the slightest little jump.”The men return after what felt like forever. Accompanied by Eric, Klaus and Eric’s boys. The boy’s eyes are wide as they see Mallory but Eric guides them straight past and into another part of the house as I hear one of the boys asking if the woman on the table is dead I watch Raven work. She’s patient and calm, and completely in her element. The only sounds that could be heard is from the work she is doing.”Now it’s up to her.” She steps back, admiring her work. Mallory was lucky. There was enough flesh that once everything was back in its right place it had begun to knit itself together.I stumble from the kitchen, not quite believing that I had let her live.Dane’s hand catches mine, stopping me from going any further. “Talk to me Neah.””There is nothing to say.””You were going to let her die.””I didn’t though, did I?” The words sound so spiteful. “I… I helped.”His hands move to my shoulders. “I wish you would talk to me more.””I do talk to you.””Not recently. You are so short tempered all the time and if you are not, it lasts for all of five minutes before you lose your temper. And no matter how many times I have asked you not to do it, Nyx keeps blocking me from reading your mind. I can’t help if you keep blocking me out.” His crimson eyes bore into my own, making me feel small and seenI open my mouth to speak, but the words disappear into thin air like they were never supposed to be heard.