The Darkest Star (Origin 1)

The stranger stepped around me as I tried to breathe through the throbbing pain, casually walking off like he hadn’t just snapped my bone with a twist of his hand.

Emery was there in a second, kneeling in front of me as she gripped my shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“No,” I said with a gasp, rocking backward as another wave of sharp, burning pain shot through me. “He broke my arm. Like, for real.”

“Dammit.” Emery looked over her shoulder at Connor as she wrapped her arm around my waist. “I’ve never done the healing thing before, and you’re wearing a Disabler. Call Luc.”

“Luc?” I said, and gasped again, my head not working right. “I need a hospital. Doctors. Pain meds—strong pain meds.”

“We have something far better than that.” Emery hauled me to my feet with striking ease. “Come on.”

My gaze darted around the parking lot. I saw Connor was on the phone, his mouth moving fast.

Heidi was suddenly there, her face pale. “What happened?”

“I thought I told you to stay back.” Emery walked me out between the trucks. “But of course you didn’t listen.”

“You should’ve known better than that.” Heidi grew closer. “Holy crap, what happened to your arm?”

“Some guy broke it,” I gritted out. “And I need a hospital.”

“Some guy?” Heidi repeated.

“I don’t know who it was, but that’s not important right now,” Emery said. “Grab her bag. We’ve got to go.”

“To the hospital?” I suggested, wheezing through the pain. In the back of my mind, I remembered the whole Luxen and Origin healing thing. Hell, Luc had healed those marks on my stomach, but my arm was broken. I wanted a doctor. I wanted pain meds. Lots of them.

Connor turned, sliding his phone into his pocket. “He said he’ll meet you.”

“Thank you.” Emery ushered me past a group of people. They were starting to pay attention. “Heidi.”

She came running to our side, carrying my bag. The world spun a little. A car door opened in front of me. It wasn’t my car, but I was suddenly in the backseat and Heidi was crawling in beside me. Another door slammed shut.

“Let me see your arm.” Heidi scooted close as the engine turned on. Emery—Emery the Luxen was driving.

I stared at her face, taking short, quick breaths. “How bad is it? I can’t look.”

“Um.” She glanced at the front seat. “I don’t see a bone, but it’s swollen and really red.”

“Okay,” I whispered. “Not seeing . . . a bone is a good thing, but I don’t know if I can feel my fingers.”

“It’ll be okay.” Tears gleamed in her eyes. “I promise.”

Needing to believe her, I nodded as Emery peeled out of the parking lot and gunned the engine. I swallowed hard and tried to focus on anything other than the breath-stealing pain. “It was him—he killed them. Colleen. Amanda.”

Heidi blinked and then pushed her hair back from her face. “Oh God.”

“He didn’t say who he was?” Emery demanded from the front seat.

“No. But he knew Luc. He knew me. He . . . he was at the club when it was raided. I . . .” The pain was getting worse. I felt like vomiting, and there was a good chance I might. Squeezing my eyes shut, I pressed down against the seat, onto my side, legs curling and uncurling, but it did nothing to help with the deep, inescapable pain.

“Evie?” Heidi placed her hand on my leg.

Sweat dampened my brow. “I think I’m going to be sick. Oh God, th-this really hurts.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Heidi’s trembling fingers pushed my hair back from my face, tucking the hair behind my ear. “We’re going to get it fixed. I swear.”

“There he is.” Relief was evident in Emery’s voice. “Finally.”

I kept my eyes shut as I felt the car pull over. A car door flew open, and the sounds of traffic poured in, along with the scent of exhaust and . . . and pine. Evergreen. I pried open my eyes and turned my head.

Luc replaced Heidi. He cursed.

I panted through the pain. His hair was a mess of waves and curls, like he’d been in a windmill.

“H-how did you get here?”

“Ran.” Concern filled his face, darkening his eyes. The front passenger door opened and then Heidi’s face appeared between the two front seats. “Get us to the club,” he ordered. “Now.”

“I need a hospital.”

Luc leaned over me, and those churning violet eyes became the only thing I saw. “You need me.”

“Wha—”

“I’m going to touch your arm.” And then he did just that, curling one hand around my elbow. “And this is going to hurt, but only for a second.”

Panic dug in. My wild gaze swung around the car, glancing off Heidi’s stricken face to Luc’s. His jaw was hard, and extreme concentration was etched into his features. “Wait. Please. I know you can heal, but I want—”