Page 129 of Endless Terrors
Wishful thinking, a voice in my head whispered.
It was proven right when, a moment later, he bowed and said, “Goodbye, Lady Sworn. If you change your mind about joining me, you know how to find me.”
“Goodbye, Lucifer.” I said his name with soft venom, and before he turned away, I could’ve sworn I saw remorse in his eyes. Then he sifted, and the devil darkened some other place with his presence.
The instant he was gone, my attention shifted to Lyari. She didn’t seem to have any injuries. She was on her phone, pacing back and forth across the driveway. I heard her say my name, and I would’ve bet my life that Collith was on the other end. Not that I’d have a life to bet with much longer—I was still impaled by a fence post, and I was bleeding out all over the brown grass.
A new sound reached me through the pain. I lifted my head, which had gotten heavier, suddenly. The edges of my vision flickered, but I still saw the figure coming toward me. Or rather, saw his head of bleached hair.
“Gil, no,” I protested, my voice weak. “The smell …”
The vampire didn’t even bother acknowledging me. He dropped to the ground in a graceful tangle of long limbs, and once Gil had scooted close enough, he crossed his legs. He carefully moved my head into his lap and said, “I don’t know much about stab wounds, but I did go through a Grey’s Anatomy phase. I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to keep the stake in and lie still. Oh, if you tell anyone about the Grey’s Anatomy thing, I’ll eat you.”
He waited for one of my usual comebacks. That was what we did, me and Gil. Even if we’d gotten more tender after the bonding spell, we spoke to each other in insults and sarcasm. I opened my mouth to do exactly that, but … I couldn’t. I felt like a rag wrung dry. I didn’t want to ignore it anymore, how terrified I was of Gil’s bloodlust. I didn’t want to pretend that I wasn’t constantly worried. So far, all pretending had gotten us was fear, shame, and blood. So much goddamn blood.
“It doesn’t bother you anymore?” I asked softly.
Gil knew what I meant, I could tell. But he dismissed my concern. He even made a flapping gesture with his hand. “Of course not. We’ve all got jobs, you see. Miss Uppity is getting a healer. Cyrus and Ariel are with the kid and the grumpy fellow—Thuridan, sorry—and they’re tucked into the protection spell like a baby in a swaddle. Seth is out looking for the wolf, because we all know he’s your favorite, and you’d feel better if he was here. So your only job,” Gil concluded, “is to lie very still, and try not to die.”
“What changed?” I pressed, looking at him intently. Gil sobered. He looked down at me, his dark brows drawn together. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, even with the bond, and the realization was startling. Maybe Gil still had some secrets of his own, just like I did. We were connected, but we could still choose how much of ourselves we shared.
“It was the spell,” Gil admitted. “Since the witch tied us all together, it’s been … easier. I feel more like myself. I don’t get a whiff of blood and turn into a rabid animal.”
I was about to respond when a bright, copper head appeared in my peripheral vision. Cyrus. I couldn’t summon the strength to give him the warm greeting he deserved, but there was no time, anyway. In his usual quiet way, the dragon told us, “The protection spell was breached. Thuridan is gone, and he didn’t go quietly—there are signs of a struggle. Ariel said there’s also magic lingering in the loft, so they must’ve done a silencing spell, and a transporting spell, too. That’s how they got him out so fast.”
Lyari made a strangled sound and sifted. She was going after him. She wanted to save Thuridan.
I knew she wouldn’t find him. Lucifer probably had countless Fallen at his disposal scattered throughout the world. He’d provided the distraction while one of his followers got to Thuridan and spirited him away. How had the devil known Thuridan would come here, though? Was it pure happenstance? Or was there some fucked up fate thing at work, bringing me and Lucifer together again and again?
I’d have to think about that later, I told myself faintly. “Gil?” I said, his name barely audible.
Luckily, my friend was a vampire, and he could hear everything. “Yeah?”
“I’m going to faint soon,” I told him.
“I’ve got you. I’m not going anywhere.”
A moment later, the wind shifted. Even though I was trying to be strong, I couldn’t hold back a shiver. Shit, it was cold. Gil said something at the same moment the air carried a scent past us, and I stiffened—it was the undeniable musk of wolf. I turned my head and saw something move in the trees. My heart lifted with hope.
“Finn? Is that you?” I tried to call. If he answered, I didn’t hear it.
Once again, the darkness claimed me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
I regained consciousness a few minutes later.
I knew it had only been a few minutes, because while enough time had passed for someone to carry me upstairs, there was still a fence post lodged between my ribs. Zara was leaning over the bed. After Viessa’s coup, she’d continued to be the healer for the Unseelie Court, but apparently she was loyal to Collith, too, if she was here. She touched my abdomen with her cool hands, her brows drawn together in concentration. By all appearances, we were alone.
“Would you like to know something funny?” the faerie said.
It took me a second to realize she was talking to me. She hadn’t looked up from my wound. “Sure,” I replied weakly.
She peered closer at the base of the post. “When the Dark Prince stabbed you, he struck a spot without any vital organs or arteries. You would’ve been completely fine if you’d just stayed still. But you kept struggling, so you caused massive damage. I’m surprised you’re still alive, actually.”
“We have very different definitions of ‘funny,’” I remarked. Then Zara wrapped her hand around the piece of wood and my mouth clamped shut.
“Well, I think we can both agree there isn’t anything amusing about this next part. The stake needs to come out. I’ll count to three, all right? One …” She yanked it out.
