Page 28 of The Coven’s Sacrifice

Sienna had helped me change into a clean pair of boxers. I was truly sick, because I didn’t protest when she held out the elephant ones. The ones I’d been sure to hide away. How the fuck she found them was a mystery.

“You need more,” Nicco urged, holding out another spoon full, this time with some meat on it.

I did as he ordered, swallowing down the juicy chicken as I tried to feel less like I was dying. I’d been told by Sienna that it was dinner time, so that meant I’d been out in the coop for a few hours.

My eyes widened. The bat!

“Nicco,” I rasped, hating how much speaking hurt my throat. He grumbled, but listened. “I need you to open the door to my bathroom.”

He eyed me funny, then did as I told him. When no bat came flying out, I felt worry take over. Even in my weakened state, I was responsible for the tiny creature. “Is there a towel bundled up on the floor?” I rasped, afraid that if I mentioned the bat he would think I was losing my mind. How many people would willingly take in a wounded bat? I hoped a lot would, but I wasn’t risking it.

He huffed and went inside to look. He came out looking bored and resumed feeding me. “Sienna has cleaned your bathroom, no towels left on the floor.” He then looked me right in the eye. “Your Majesty.”

I would’ve scoffed if I could. Did he seriously think I was worried about leaving a mess? What were they thinking about me if that was the case?

Somehow, I ended up eating the entire bowl of soup, Nicco staying patient beside me as he fed me spoon after spoon. I thanked him, getting a gruff sound in response and then I was left alone. Sienna had briefly told me that the masters would stay away as I recovered. They weren’t allowed to feed from me while I was sick, as it could prolong my sickness and in turn cause them to fall ill, too. It was the best news I’d had all day. Maybe I should try to get sick more often? No, what a silly thought. I had to be a man and be able to face them again. Just as soon as this sickness was over with. Even while feeling like death, I prayed it would take a while.

A soft chirp came from my right and relief filled me. The bat was sitting next to me on the bed, forcing a genuine smile to form on my lips. “Hi there, gorgeous,” I rasped, making the bat tilt its head. “I know my voice is scary. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

It did a wiggle thing with its body, making me smile wider. Damn, it was cute. I gazed at the balcony and sighed in relief when I saw it was left open, just enough to let in some fresh air, but no more. The bat could easily squeeze its way out, when it wanted to.

Fatigue took over and while watching the bat, I let my eyes fall shut, feeling safe and ready to finally get some true rest.

It had been a few days. The only way I knew time passed was because of Nicco showing up to feed me and Sienna coming in to clean and remind me to use the bathroom. She was like a worried mother, just without the care or desire to truly be there for me. But even without her basic comfort skills, she still showed up multiple times a day to care for me.

My one true companion though, had been the bat. I named him Grumpy. I’d seen his balls now, so I knew he was a male, and his name was because he was a grumpy little bat. He did not like Sienna or Nicco, always hiding when they came. Which I totally got. He also wasn’t fond of being petted, in the beginning, but after some time he began to welcome my touch, seemingly starving for it.

Which led to today.

“You need to get back out there,” I told Grumpy, pointing to the balcony doors. It was night, the perfect time for him to fly outside and return to his home. But Grumpy didn’t seem to want to leave my warm bed. “I need to return to work tomorrow,” I continued, scratching his left ear. “You’re welcome to visit my coop and garden whenever you please. I’ll get some chickens, too, soon. If the vampires don’t kill me first.”

I could’ve sworn his eyes widened at those words, but I brushed it off. He couldn’t possibly understand me. And still, I elaborated. “I was sort of seeing two vampires, but they couldn’t share me. But get this, they could happily share each other, but add me into the mix and it was too hard for them.” I rolled my eyes. “So I’m slightly worried what they’ll do once I’m no longer sick.” I was terrified, but Grumpy didn’t need to know that. “And then there’s their other lover. He doesn’t like me much.”

Grumpy bumped his head against my hand, impatient to get more pets. I smiled down at him. “I’m going to miss you.”

His eyes were black, but there was so much wisdom in them as he searched my gaze. He then shook out his wings, and flew straight out the balcony doors, disappearing into the night.

I couldn’t help but feel like I’d lost another part of my heart. Perhaps that was my true curse as sacrifice. Losing pieces of myself until I wasn’t Colin anymore.

Chapter Twenty

Colin

My body was still aching after the sickness, but I felt refreshed and ready to get back out into the garden. Sienna had told me I’d been sick in bed for over a week, so the vampires would likely visit me tonight to feed. It was a warning, I felt. Seeing Jacob and Harland again made my stomach all queasy, so I stopped thinking about the inevitable night I had ahead of me, focusing instead on righting the garden. My breakfast had been delivered to the pavilion again, the old daily routine back in motion.

To my surprise, Nicco had left me vitamins to swallow along with my breakfast. He either did care about my well-being, or he would prefer not to handfeed me again anytime soon.

Sienna had been able to fix my laptop. How, I had no idea, but it worked and had all my pictures and everything in it. I used it now to order the last things I needed before getting the chickens. I also added a shed for all my tools and chicken feed. I’d yet to order my plants and seeds, so that got added in as well. Jetty had shown me where the different water supplies were for my part of the garden and had even told me to buy a watering hose for myself. I took that to mean he wouldn’t be sharing his pink one with the rhinestones on it.

With everything ordered and my breakfast eaten, I felt dread settle over me again. Would Jacob and Harland show up tonight? Would I want them to? If they didn’t… I thought that would hurt me more than if they did. Feelings were hard and I got nothing accomplished as I sat there worrying. So, instead, I got up and got back to work.

“You should rest,” Sienna said, eyeing me as I finished building the rest of the garden beds.

“I did, for an entire week,” I reminded her, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

“You should rest more,” she added, tone neutral.

“I will tonight, promise.”