Kade staggered back, one hand pressed hard against his side, blood welling dark between his fingers.
"No," I screamed, catching him before his knees could buckle, lowering him gently to the stone floor while my heart tried to climb straight out of my chest.
Damon froze, staring at his own son bleeding on the altar steps, the silver blade still clutched in his trembling hand, and for one terrible moment his face showed something that looked almost like genuine horror.
"I didn't mean," he started, then stopped, as though even he could not finish that sentence honestly.
"Get away from him," I snarled, and something hot and furious surged up inside me, the same silver light from before beginning to flicker faintly along my skin.
Wren's translucent form flared brighter, urgency sharpening
