Page 81 of Unmarked Magic

When I finally realized making enemies with a vampire wasn’t a wise choice, I took a step back, putting distance between us again. Gods, how I wished my glare could explode this vampire’s brain cells. Turning, I dropped to the ground, taking Reid’s head in my hands. My heart clenched when his unfocused gaze stared straight through me. Sweat beaded his brow, his lips a lighter, duskier pink than usual. I looked toward Colt for answers to the many questions burning in my mind. “I don’t understand. You said this happened years ago?”

He lowered to my level, balancing on his feet beside me. “That botanical was the only thing keeping his transition from starting.”

My voice abandoned me, producing only a whisper. “The botanical was stopping this?”

“Yes.”

My heart sank, knowing he’d had this under control until I came along and screwed it all up for him. I’d thought I was helping us, but, in reality, I’d made the situation so much worse. More than I could have ever known. My hands trembled, and I fisted them. “Where do we get more?”

Colt paused before answering. Like he was forcing himself to speak. “You destroyed the last living botanical of its kind that we know of.”

His words hit my gut like a sledgehammer. Gods, this really was all my fault. My fingers felt numb. My lips moved, but I found myself unable to speak.

Tyler stepped closer, kneeling beside me. He lifted Reid’s eyelids, inspecting him. “What are we dealing with here? How does a vampire and blood mage mix?”

Colt’s gaze wouldn’t find mine. “It hasn’t happened before, that I know of.”

Tyler patted Reid’s face as if it would rouse him. It didn’t. “This isn’t good.”

The color drained from my face. This couldn’t be happening. This had to be some cruel joke; but, deep in my heart, I knew this was all too real.

Cupping Reid’s face, I spoke to him, unsure if he could hear me. “Wake up, you need to wake up. For me. We can fix this. I know we can.”

Callan spoke again. “Nothing can fix blood lust. Once he’s turned, he will want to feed. And once he’s fed, blood will be the only thing that satisfies him.”

My heart blistered, hearing the words come from him. I wasn’t sure how to mend this or even if I could. “How long?” I asked, and the cell fell silent. “How long until he turns?”

Callan leaned against the doorframe to the cell.

“Hard to say. His body looks to be fighting it,” he replied.

Colt stood again, pacing the room. “I think this is the last of the tonic trying to override the venom.”

Callan chuckled. “I would not call it venom.” He stepped further into the cell, coming to stand beside me. “There is more pleasure than pain in a bite.”

I crinkled up my nose, leering at him. “I couldn’t think of anything worse.”

He dipped his head to the side, a knowing look in his eyes. “Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.”

“Fuck you,” I retorted. I wanted to throat punch him.

Tyler squared Callan with a hard look. “That’s enough. We need to focus. How does this work? Help us understand what he’s going through.”

Callan lowered to a crouch, lifting one of Reid’s eyelids.

Reid wrenched on his chains harder. “Fuck off,” he mumbled.

His hand lowered to Reid’s wrist, checking his pulse. “The transition has started,” he confirmed.

Horror burned in my chest.

Transition.

Callan continued speaking, making to stand again. “Once this tonic you speak of wears off, if it hasn’t already, his body will shut down. He’s got a fever; that’s the first sign. Then his skin color will change as the venom takes over until it ultimately stops his heart. When he finally wakes, he will want to feed. If he doesn’t, he will die.”

I stared blankly ahead of me, his words not sinking in. “If he doesn’t complete this transition and feed, he will die?” The last word crumbled as it left me. I couldn’t lose him. Couldn’t lose the incredible connection between us.

Callan nodded.