Page 83 of Cultivating Caden

Ten, I need you. How can I help A’kosh?

No reply other than the death throes of the Prime. Quade had to block them out if he was going to get Ten to listen.

Ten, goddamn it! Focus, or A’kosh is going to die. You wanted me to come here to help him, but how the hell can I do that if I can’t save him?

The Prime went blessedly silent, though fluids from the beast flooded the area.

He’s alive?The question was tentative, the pain obvious.

Yes, he’s alive. He’s hurt bad, though, and I’m not sure how to help him. What can I do?

Um… his people can regenerate, like with his mouth, but they need a lot of protein to engage it.

Protein?Quade didn’t hesitate, not when A’kosh had just saved his life.Blood is protein, right?

I don’t think the Bogran’s blood works like that. They’re physiology is too radically different for A’kosh to metabolize it.

Not that thing’s blood. Mine. Could he use mine?

Dad, he’d need a lot of blood to heal this kind of damage.

I don’t care. Can he use mine?

Dad….

Ten! Could he use my blood?

Yes, but—

Ignoring what Ten was saying, Quade shifted his hand into its lycan form.Where do I cut to get the most blood?

Please don’t do this. There has to be another way.

There is. I let him die. Is that what you want me to do?

He knew it wasn’t fair to put this on Ten, but Quade was willing to risk his own life to save A’kosh’s. Quade had been unfair to him. Had judged him harshly. And had watched as A’kosh put himself in harm’s way to protect Quade, only to end up at death’s door.

Quade?

Ah, shit. Of course Ten would get Caden linked into the conversation.

I don’t have time to argue.

The artery in your arm will bleed a lot. You have to be certain you can heal from it, because if not, youwillbleed out.

Was he certain? He’d healed a lot of things in his lifetime, but as sick as he felt, this one might be something he couldn’t come back from.

Yes, I’m sure. Tell me how to do it.

Images flashed through his mind, and he did as they instructed, slicing across his inner arm, not surprised when the warm blood began as first a trickle, then a stream. He held A’kosh’s head up and placed the crook of his elbow against A’kosh’s mouth. When there was no reaction, Quade’s heart began to race. Was he too late? Then he screamed as A’kosh’s razor-sharp mandibles sliced into the flesh, drawing deeply from the pool of blood.

His mouth has enzymes that break down the blood so his body can use it. He’s latched on because he’s desperate not to die. I’m sorry it hurts. I could try and block it, but—

No! You stay out of this.He didn’t want Ten involved.You were told not to—he hissed as the pain intensified—contact me.

I’msorry!When it grabbed A’kosh, I felt it. I shouted so loud, Poppa had to come in to see what was wrong. I—I didn’t know that we had bonded like that. It wasn’t supposed to be this soon.

Even through the pain, Quade heard the words.What are you saying?