Page 30 of Crimson Elemental
“We don’t have time for this,” he grumbles. “Alek!”
“Whoa, what’s going on?” Dagon asks as he comes out of the dining room, a half-eaten muffin in his hand.
“Where’s Alek?” Saint snaps.
“He’s in his study.”
Saint spares me a glance, hesitation lining his features. “Go to your rooms.”
“Fuck you!” I snap, anger bubbling up from my toes. “You don’t get to order me around.”
Dagon’s mouth falls open before he takes a small step in front of me.
“Oh, you can knock it off too. I’m not afraid of him.” I glare at Saint as I shove Dagon out of the way.
“Pretty sure I’m protecting him from you right now,” Dagon says. “Saint? Care to catch me up?”
“Only if you can keep up.” Saint tears his eyes off mine, then speeds down the hallway and out of sight.
“Sorry, Aurora,” Dagon says before he follows him.
“Hunters,” I snap, anger radiating from my very core. The shift in Saint stings. I know seeing Samuel messed him up emotionally, butdamn.
Instead of heading to my room like I’ve been ordered, I make my way to Gabriel’s offices, needing to utilize the adrenaline flooding my body.
“You’re back sooner than expected,” Gabriel says by way of greeting. He wears a simple hoodie and sweatpants set, making him look way more youthful and disarming than his age and position as the top doctor demanded.
“Yeah, still trying to figure that one out.” I sigh. “Can we practice?”
Gabriel eyes me curiously. “Sure,” he says. “I was just finishing up looking at the queen’s scans.”
“How is she doing?” I ask, grateful to think of anything other than Saint. The vampire queen’s pregnancy is certainly more hopeful than my potential mate’s current state of mind.
Fear grips my heart. What if that’s why he’s upset? What if Samuel told him something that proves this mark belongs to Samuel, not Saint? I rub the mark self-consciously. That’s not possible, right? Not after everything that’s happened between me and Saint.
“She’s doing quite well,” Gabriel says. “Still in the early stages, but so far so good.”
The news brings me back to the present, stopping my spiral mid-spin. I need to focus. If I don’t, I’ll lose myself to my thoughts and that’s something I really don’t want to do right now.
“Shall we?” he asks, motioning toward the other side of his offices where he has his gathering of nocturnal plants for me.
“Yes, please.”
Two hours later, and I’ve managed to either heal or kill over two dozen plants.
“You’re advancing remarkably,” Gabriel says. “I really think we should try on flesh and blood subjects now. Willing participants, of course.”
Panic streaks through me. “I can’t.” I shake my head. “I kill things.” I point to the dead gardenias, black and lifeless in their soil.
“Yes, but you weretryingto kill those this time. It wasn’t by chance.”
I bite my bottom lip. He’s not wrong, but there’s still this giant question mark over my abilities and how well I have them under control. “I don’t think I could live with myself if I hurt someone. Even if they did volunteer.”
“I understand,” Gabriel says. “But these are dark times right now. The war is reaching a crescendo we’ve feared for yearsnow. I’m worried about the number of bodies that will fill my room soon.” He looks out his opened door, where his hospital-like operating room sits just beyond his office. “Having a healer would help the workload.” He looks back to me, smiling softly.
Hope shakes away some of the fear, but sadness and confusion are right on the borders. Still no word from Saint. And by the way he was acting, I’m not sure if I’ll get one. Which is super unfair, in my opinion.
“If it comes to that,” I say. “And there are lives at stake, I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
