The Blood Alpha's Mate.

Chapter 19.

She jerked back up as her back touched the bed.

“Skylar,” Nick reached out a hand to her. Her teeth clamped down hard on his finger.

“You demon,” she screamed into his face, “let go of me!”

He took a step back. “Skylar.”

Her eyes widened. “Who are you, guys?”

Liam's heart thudded to the sole of his feet. He glanced at his brother. There was an indescribable expression on Nick's face.

“They've run her mad,” whispered Sapphire.

“Skylar,”

The girl shook her head and scooted back on the bed. “Stay back. Stay away. STAY AWAY!” She threw a pillow at them and bit into another one.

Nick sighed.

“Demon, demon, demon,” the girl chanted, pointing at Nick. “Demon, demon,”

The look on their mother's face was pure agony. “My baby.”

Skylar curled on the bed and rocked herself slowly.

“Is there nothing you can do?” Sapphire asked Nick tearfully.

Nick shook his head. “No.” But he knew she would be fine. She had to be. Whatever they had done to her would have killed her if it hadn't been for the bond between them, he knew. And he couldn't heal her without endangering her the more. She had to heal on her own. But for how long? he wondered. For how long would she jerk away from his touch, for how long would that veil of nothingness and madness stay in her brain? For how long could he do without her?

He reached out again, she jerked back.

When they left the room a few minutes later, she was still rocking and chanting.

“The demon is gone, the demon is gone.”

****

When they returned later with food on a tray for her, she screamed and kicked it away from his hands.

The food on the tray landed on him. She scuttled back and pressed herself against the wall.

“Don't run,” he said, his broken voice in agony.

“Skylar,” Liam reached out gently and she raised her head slowly, glancing at Nick from the corner of her eyes.

Something, a part of her, a tiny part, seemed to be reaching out to him. She wanted to hold his hands. She looked at the hands from through her hair. They seemed wicked.

Wicked hands.

Yes. This man was wicked. He would hurt with his hands. His great, big hands.

But the other one did not have wicked hands.

“It's okay, Sky. You're amongst family.”

Without taking his eyes off her, Liam called, “Sapphire, get something else from the kitchen, please.” He turned back to Skylar, “You're safe. You're safe.”

“Safe, safe,” she repeated.