Words flew through the air, overlapping and melding until I couldn’t understand anything they were saying. Where had Damien gone? I wanted to feel him with me, wanted to feel his touch as the darkness crept in again, the agony too much to bear with each movement. Arms stabilized me as white-hot, searing pain shot across my stomach, and I cried out.
Damien!
65
DAMIEN
The monitor’s beep echoed through the doorway. The annoying, level sound was the only thing tethering me to this place, the only thing giving me hope. Zephyr and Vincent sat on the bench outside Cassie’s room, quietly talking as they sipped their black coffee.
Thalia lay on the floor at the foot of Cassie’s bed, still in her wolf form. She hadn’t spoken a word or shifted since we’d found them in the woods. She slept, but the moment someone set foot in the room she would stir, her teeth baring as she gave a low warning growl until she knew the person didn’t mean Cassie any harm.
Cassie’s chest rose and fell in a rhythm that was far too slow, her heart beating just as slowly. She was hooked up to so many monitors, so many machines. They’d given her blood transfusions and worked over the last few hours to stabilize her, to treat her wounds. Her cries still echoed in my mind, my throat tightening as I remembered the look of agony on her face as the nurses held her still while Johnson worked.
That beautiful face that had been marred with so much pain just a few hours earlier was now nearly lifeless. I couldn’t take the sight of it, couldn’t bear how pale she was. She’d lost so much blood… too much.
I approached the doorway, and, as I expected, Thalia tensed at my approach. A low growl rippled from her throat before she lifted her head to see it was me. She settled, exhausted pale eyes fluttering as she lowered her head back down over her crossed paws. Gods, what had she gone through these last few weeks? What had she endured, alone?
I knelt at her side, running my hand through the gray fur on her head, grateful that she’d been there, that she’d defended Cassie. “Thank you.”
Her back lifted under my hand, and she let out a heavy sigh, a whimper so faint I almost didn’t hear it. She felt what we all did—the fear that Cassie might not make it, and the pain of watching her in agony.
She would, though. I didn’t care what it took. I didn’t want to leave them, didn’t want to make her suffer, but I couldn’t bear to lose her again, couldn’t go on without her. For centuries I’d been cursed to live on in the wake of her death. I would use that very curse to ensure she survived.
A soft groan pulled my attention to Cassie. I shot to my feet and hurried to her bedside, heart leaping into my throat. Her face twisted, chestnut brows furrowing as she stirred.
“Try not to move,” I whispered, and her lashes lifted, barely revealing those beautiful hazel eyes. I lifted my hand to brush a finger down her cheek, her skin cold under my touch. Gods, she was too cold.
“I’m going to get you more blankets,” I said.
“No… please,” she muttered, her hand shaking as she struggled to lift it.
I halted. “You’re cold,mea luna.”
“Please…” she said, her voice barely breeching her lips, laced with so much pain that I wondered if the morphine wasn’t working.
“Let me call Zephyr, then.” Her shoulders eased, her eyes lowering to the door before her bed. Her lashes fluttered as she tried to stay awake.
“Call me for what?” Zephyr asked, peering through the doorway. He stiffened when he caught sight of her, awake and somewhat aware. “Does she need something? You okay, Cas?”
“Can you get another blanket and call a nurse? I think she’s in pain,” I said, and Zephyr nodded, dipping back out the doorway.
I settled into the chair at her side, taking her hand in mine. “I’m here,mea luna.”
She seemed to ease at that, her head settling back into the pillow, her hand going slack in mine. My eyes and ears narrowed in on the steady beep… beep… beep of the monitor, on the proof she was still here, still alive.
I ran my fingers through her hair as her eyes roamed over me. They fluttered again, the exhaustion heavy in them.
“It’s ok. Rest. I’m not going anywhere.”
She tried to smile, her lip twitching, but she gave up, her eyes slipping closed once more. The sight of it was enough to break me. Gods, I couldn’t believe Kat was Melantha. How had we been so blind? How had she avoided detection for so long? I could only imagine how deeply it must have hurt Cassie—what she might be feeling now.
Cole appeared in the doorway, hesitant, and Thalia growled a warning, her eyes locked on him as if she was still weary.
“It’s okay, Thalia,” I said, and she gave a light huff as she lowered her head back onto her paws.
“She still hasn’t shifted,” Cole said.
I shook my head, my gaze drifting to her once more. “She hasn’t spoken to any of us.”
