Thatmakes Asher sigh and me grin. Quinn means it, of course—the way he says it makes me think it’s a conversation he and Asher have had before—but he’s being a dick, too. Fun. I lean over and kiss Vlad’s cheek.
“I’m taking him back,” I say, and Asher outright laughs.
“Yeah. Obviously.”
“Maurice needs to check for other vampires Eirian might have blessed,” Vlad says as I help him to his feet. He lists to one side, pain creasing his face again. “We cannot risk any of them roaming around unsupervised.”
“I’ll tell him,” Asher promises. “Get some rest.”
I pause at the doorway to the flat. Rachel has stopped crying, but she’s still watching me.
“Can we… Can I see you again before I leave?”
She doesn’t move for a long moment. Maybe she’ll say no. I’ll have to be all right with that, if she does. It’s not up to me. It’s not been up to me since I left.
“Sure,” she says, so quietly that I almost don’t hear it, and then rests her head on Margot’s shoulder again.
I press up against Vlad’s side. “Come on. Let’s get you back.”
Vlad leans against me all the way back, which tells me better than anything else just how hurt he is. Once we’re safely in our room, he pushes away, making a beeline for the bathroom, but I twist around him and stand in the doorway.
“Go sit on the bed.”
“Grant—”
“Go.”
I’m not mad at him. No, well, I am mad at him, but I also totally get his reasoning in that ofcourseI’d do the same thing if our roles had been reversed. It’s just that he needs to get it into his skull right now that it’s not acceptable behaviour. I had everything under control. I mean, I guess we wanted Eirian captured rather than dead, but I think I made the right decision, considering the circumstances.
Vlad lets out a sigh when he sits on the bed. He’s always pale, so it’s hard to judge pain from his pallor, and I’m pretty sure he’s like a cat in that he’ll not reveal he’s injured unless completely necessary.
Maybe all vampires are like cats. Maybe that’s why we’ve, historically, not got along with werewolves so well.
“Grant,” Vlad murmurs, and my attention snaps back to him. Okay, maybe I’m coming down, too. That was… a lot. I killed someone. Again.
“Let me see,” I say, and I don’t know what about my voice or expression convinces him, but after a moment, Vlad bows his head and shrugs off his jacket. His shirt beneath is cornflower blue, the side all torn up and wet with dark blood.
I gasp. Vlad grabs my hands, but pain tightens his eyes at the sharp movement.
“I amfine.”
“That’s not fine. I don’t know what definition of fine you’re using, but that isn’t it!”
“Grant…”
“Are you serious?”
Vlad brings one of my hands to his lips and presses them to my knuckles. “I will heal.”
“Let me heal you.”
He’s reluctant. I get that. But I know I won’t hurt him. I checked Maurice when he was injured and didn’t hurt him. I just healed Rachel. I think if I control the magic, it’ll be just fine.
“Okay.”
“W-what?” Now that he’s said it, I feel faintly sick.
“Heal me. I trust you. I know you would never hurt me.”
