Part 34 (2/2)

But Maggie's sister was already whipping out her large screen cell and scrolling through the pictures. ”Nope, that's a selfie of me and Candie...Oh, here it is,” she said, flipping it around and pus.h.i.+ng it close to the viewscreen. ”See?”

”Oh...Oh my G.o.d...” Maggie put a hand to her head, unable to believe what she was seeing. There was Donald, lying in a hospital bed, his narrow face pale and slack. There were tubes and wires poking out of him and... ”Blood,” Maggie whispered, horrified. ”There's so much blood.”

”Yeah, well, he had a compound fracture,” Tammy said. ”If you look, you can see the bone poking out. See?”

”Oh!” Maggie reeled and almost fell. She was actually faint and nauseous with guilt. This is all your fault, whispered the mean little voice in her head. You did this to him. You cheated and somehow he knew. He knew and it upset him so much he stepped in front of a bus!

Maggie knew it wasn't rational but the idea took root in her mind and wouldn't leave her alone.

You should be home right now, the snarky little voice continued. You would be if you hadn't taken up with Kor. If you hadn't decided to do your own thing you would have been to Gaia and back again already. Then you could have driven Donald wherever it was he was going and this never, never would have happened! It's all your fault!

”Maggie? Maggie, please, honey-talk to us,” her mother pleaded.

”Put that d.a.m.n thing away, Tammy,” Michael growled. ”You're not helping anyone showing his G.o.dd.a.m.ned bone sticking out of his leg.”

”That picture Tammy showed you was the before shot,” her sister Tricia put in quickly. ”Donald looked a lot better once they cleaned him up and set his leg.”

Somebody's cell phone went off and Maggie's father turned away for a moment. ”h.e.l.lo?” Maggie heard him say. ”Yes? He is? Wonderful! Look, can I call you right back? Thank you so much!”

He turned back to Maggie with a relieved expression on his face.

”Guess what, princess? That was the nurse at the ER. She said Donald is awake and asking for you-isn't that great?”

”Great...right...” Maggie whispered, putting a hand to her head. ”Oh my G.o.d, what am I going to do?”

”If you're talking about picking between Donald and Mr. Tall Dark and Angry over there, I'd say go with plan B,” Tammy advised. ”Looks like you'd be trading up, Sis.”

”Tammy, how can you joke at a time like this?” her mother snapped. ”Maggie isn't going to leave Donald-especially not while he's sick and injured. She loves him.”

Maggie felt a sick, stabbing pain in her gut-it was as though someone had slipped a knife made of pure guilt right into her stomach and was twisting it viciously.

”You guys...” she began. ”I don't know how to tell you this but-”

”Then don't,” Kor's deep voice came from behind her.

Maggie looked back at him. ”What?”

”You heard me. Don't say anything. You don't have to.” He was already moving away from her, gathering his things.

”What are you talking about?” Maggie asked. ”What are you doing?”

”Leaving. It's clear I'm not wanted-here or with your family.”

”Kor, that's not true! Please stay,” Maggie begged.

”Why? To hear more about how much your family loves your fiance? To hear how much you love him? No.” Kor was pulling on his s.h.i.+rt as he spoke.

”Kor, wait! Just give me a chance to think about this,” Maggie pleaded. ”I mean, this is all so sudden and we never said...”

”Never said what? That we'd be together forever? That we loved each other?” he growled. ”Tell me, something Maggie-can you deny you're going back to him?”

Maggie felt miserable. ”I...I have to,” she whispered. ”Please, Kor, try to understand-he just got hit by a bus.”

”I don't know what a bus is and I don't care. He's not the one you love, Maggie. Or is he?”

”I...I don't know.” Maggie twisted the tiny engagement ring around her finger in agitation. ”I can't...this is all so...”

”That's all I need to hear.” Kor's eyes were glowing red. ”If you don't know, if you aren't sure how you feel about me, then it's clear you don't feel the way I do. So I'm leaving.”

”Kor, no! Don't!” Maggie reached for him but he shook off her hand.

”Don't worry, sweetheart-you'll be safe with Salix. He may be a son of a b.i.t.c.h but he always gets the job done when there's a payday involved,” he snarled. ”You'll get back to your family and your precious fiance in one piece.”

Salix, who was still holding out the portable viewscreen showing Maggie's family, nodded gravely. ”Indeed. I have a s.h.i.+p standing by right now and the Kindred Mother s.h.i.+p is all set to fold s.p.a.ce for us. You can be home before last meal time, my dear.”

”Hear that?” Kor gave a sharp, angry laugh. ”You can be home in time for dinner.”

”But...” Maggie shook her head. This was all moving so fast. Just a few minutes ago she'd been intertwined with Kor, having the most moving s.e.xual experience of her life and declaring her love for him. Now he was walking out the door and she was going home to see her family and Donald. It was as though she'd been on some wild fantasy ride that the theme parks in Florida were famous for and now the ride was over and the operator was telling everyone it was time to get off. How had her life changed so quickly? And what was she going to do?

”Goodbye, Maggie.” Kor nodded at her shortly, just as he had when he was leaving her at the spa. His eyes were unhappy and glowing a bright, dangerous red. ”Have a nice life. I hope you enjoy it.” He looked at Salix. ”Get her safely home or I swear to all the G.o.ds I'll find you and rip your f.u.c.king skin from your bones.”

”Not to worry,” Salix said smoothly. ”Miss Jordan will be safe in the arms of her family and beloved before you put your head on the pillow tonight.”

”But...” Maggie's mouth felt numb and her lips wouldn't work except to say that one stupid word. ”But...but...”

”Goodbye,” Kor said again and then he was stepping out the door and leaving her behind. Walking out of her life a second time and this time, Maggie was certain she'd never see him again. Ever.

”Oh my G.o.d,” said Tammy from the viewscreen. ”Did you just get dumped? Over Donald? Are you crazy, Maggie?”

”I...I...” Maggie buried her face in her hands and felt the hot tears sting her eyelids. ”Oh, G.o.d...” she whispered thickly. ”What am I going to do?”

”Just come home, honey,” her mother said. ”Just come on home.”

Maggie supposed she would-what else could she do?

Chapter Thirty-two.

”I told you she never loved you,” whispered the dark voice in his head as Kor strode away down the narrow underground corridors. ”She was just using you to get the implant out-she planned to go back to her fiance as soon as it was accomplished. As soon as she didn't need you anymore.”

Kor knew some of the thoughts the dark voice was feeding him were unfair and deep down he also knew he'd been hasty. Maybe he should have given Maggie more time to think, to consider her options...

If she had to think about it, she didn't really love you in the first place, the voice whispered. You need to forget her, Therron. Forget her and embrace your roots-finish your quest to find your origins and your true people, not those lying Kindred. Come to the Black Planet and all shall be revealed.

Yes. The Black Planet. The thought solidified in his mind like an anchor, something he could grab on to keep from drowning in loss and grief. He would go to the Black Planet and see what the dark voice was talking about. He would banish all thoughts of Maggie and purge his heart of love for her.

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