Page 15 of This Blood that Bonds Us (This Blood that Binds Us #4)

Fourteen

Kimberly

My life had officially come full circle, and I hadn’t seen it coming. Not like this anyway.

Aaron, Presley, and I stayed in the cover of trees while fresh blankets of snow continued to fall from the sky. One great thing about Alaska was it was quiet everywhere. There was a low rumble of cars and a few animals in the distance, but nothing too loud. Which was great because I needed all my brain power for what we were about to do.

“Okay, Kim, let’s get you looking like a final girl.” Presley splashed me with fake blood from the craft store, barely leaving time for me to cover my mouth.

He poured it haphazardly over his hands and moved it over his clothes and hair.

“We need actual wounds,” I said, wiping the bit that had gotten in my eyes. “They’re going to check us when we walk in.”

“Right.” Aaron’s gaze lingered on my neck, and I swallowed, remembering that rush of heat as he bit into my skin. That, and the way I’d fisted my hands in his hair and pulled him to me. I’d wanted him to keep going.

I shook it from my mind.

We would not be having a replay of the car with Presley present.

“Got it.” Presley bit into his wrist, and black blood spilled into the snow like used oil.

Aaron and I shared a look and immediately did the same. I let the blood drain from my wrist like a faucet, and we used the fake blood to smear into our wounds, mixing it into a dark red.

“Not sure this is even believable,” Aaron said.

“We just need them to make the reports and then we disappear.”

“I don’t want to attract too much attention.” Aaron eyed me. “The wrong attention.”

The wrong attention, as in The Family coming to rip us apart. My stomach turned while they tore at their coats and left behind bites and fake blood. The Family had wanted them at one point. We needed to be careful.

“We won’t,” I said. “This will be enough for them to get a needle in my arm. Test vitals. We’ll be quick. I’m still holding out hope that The Family doesn’t want you and Presley at all.”

I hoped, but I wasn’t a fool. The twins could be enough. They were the ones specifically mentioned in the prophecy. Not that it made me feel better, but it would help if The Family weren’t looking for us too. Akira had tried to get the twins to come alone before he decided he wanted the set . That meant something was not set in stone with their prophecy. Something crucial was still up in the air regarding Aaron and Presley.

“Maybe we’ll get lucky.” Aaron winked.

I didn’t believe in that type of luck.

I ripped at my cardigan and bit into my arm again, higher on my bicep. Aaron watched me with a furrowed brow.

“Okay, that should do.” I was already feeling woozy.

“Alright, Kim, you know the drill by now,” Presley said.

I nodded, knowing exactly what was about to happen. Aaron picked me up bridal style and carried me toward the hospital.