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doesn t matter. All that matters is that it was a hunter. It was a hunter that held her down while
another cut her open and ripped my unborn cousin from her womb. It was a hunter who took pleasure
in making her watch as they did things to her child no mother should ever have to endure. And it was
a hunter who left her there to bleed out and die. It doesn t matter what their goddamned last names
were.
 Oh, God. Amia covered her mouth with her hand.
 I know you of all people are aware of the cruelty of hunters. There s no way you didn t see it
all around you when you were growing up, Clara said.
 Marcus kept me in the house. I wasn t allowed in the yard unless he was there. I was kept
away from most of it, Amia admitted.
 Why? Why would he do that? Clara demanded.
 I don t know. He just did. I always thought he was waiting for me to betray him the way my
mother did.
Clara quieted, trying to decide how to approach this topic.  How did your mother betray him?
she finally asked.
 I don t know. I just know she did. No one was ever allowed to speak of her after she died,
especially me.
 She died?
Amia nodded.  Marcus burned all her stuff. He told me to be good and remember my place or
I d be joining her. I think& I think he might have killed her.
Clara held her breath. Now was the perfect time to confess the truth. All she had to do was
open her mouth and tell Amia the truth
Your mother s alive. She s alive and has been living with me this whole time.
But Clara couldn t tell. She d given her word to her Uncle Thomas, and he was one person she
would do her best not to let down.
 You were the first person I saw dragged in by hunters since I was a little girl. Once I saw you,
I couldn t look away. There was something about you that drew me to you, Amia continued.
 You saw the glow of the animal inside me. It s a hunter gift, but you ve used it for good,
Clara said.
 I knew I couldn t let you die. I made my choice that night. They were getting ready to train me.
Marcus and Kellan had some plan to marry me off to Kellan. Amia shuddered and Clara knew the
other woman was imagining what life would have been like then.
 You both have the gift of sight. They probably hoped any children you had would have the
same.
 I don t care. I m just glad I got the hell out of there. Betrayal kept Kellan from having me. I ll
take the scars. Seems like a good trade to me.
 You do realize what this means, Clara prompted Amia.
 What? You think they ll still come after me?
Clara shrugged.  I don t know on that. It depends on how obsessed Marcus is with you, I guess.
I was referring to what it could mean for you and Reno, for the pride.
 What?
 You could have the first shifter born with the gift of sight, Clara said.  Not that we need it to
sense who is and who isn t. But wouldn t that be a slap in the face to every hunter out there. A shifter
born with a hunter s sight.
Amia grinned.  It would. It s almost enough to make me want to have Reno s baby.
 You don t want kids?
 Not now, Amia said.  Seeing how much Abby s pregnancy is taking out of her. God! It
terrifies me to watch her getting weaker and weaker every day.
 Why is she weakening? Is there something wrong with the baby?
 Not that any of Diane s equipment shows. Baby looks strong and healthy. But it s growing so
fast. Abby s body can t seem to handle it, Amia said.
 I don t understand. Was Abby sick before she became pregnant?
 No. From what she said, she s rarely ever sick.
 Then the pregnancy shouldn t be harming her. She s taking vitamins?
 Yes, Amia said with a nod.
 Getting plenty of rest and not overdoing it?
 She isn t allowed to do much anymore. But she s not resting. She s exhausted. Her body aches
all the time.
 I don t understand. Each transfusion should reinvigorate her and help her body adapt to the
changes the baby is making.
 Transfusion?
 Oh, God! I didn t think. He s&  She cut herself off.  I just expected you guys to know. God,
this is all so complicated.
 What transfusions? Amia demanded again.
 Abby needs a transfusion of Tah s blood. His child. His blood. All it takes is a pint every few
weeks, and her body will be fine. My God! She hasn t had any transfusions? How far along is she?
 Almost twelve weeks. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]