“Of course. Do they carry any diseases I should worry about?” I ask, but as I wait for Luke’s answer, the bat blinks, and I spot a sliver of bright red under the eyelid. I cock my head. In the human world, red eyes would be normally associated with albinism, but this isn’t necessarily the case in the Nightmare Realm. Even the cows have eyes like stoplights.
Luke hands me a long garment reminiscent of a surgical gown, then a mask to protect my face, then finally helps me pull on the thick gloves. I help him to get into a similar outfit, and I’m glad that most of the nobles don’t seem interested in the zoological exhibition, because we both look like goth beekeepers.
The bat peeks at us again when we enter, but it remains still as we close the cage door behind us and drift toward it. Its paws are blue, which might be normal for this species but might also signal severe deficiencies. I’m so out of my depth it’s annoying. I want to know more about all these strange animals.
“Hello, what is your name?” I ask, advancing very slowly to avoid spooking the poor creature.
It hisses at me, showing off very sharp teeth with two long, prominent fangs.
“I called him Snowflake, because he’s so fussy and has the white fur.” Luke laughs but then trips and falls over before I can catch him. I guess the alcohol has gotten to him. “Fuck, not my jacket,” he groans and assesses the rip in his sleeve, while I’m more worried about the blood dripping out of it.
Snowflake, who so far has been a grumpy little guy hiding in the shadows, perks up instantly, and the long ears that have laid flat, now stand tall. He screeches, eyes wide, and lets go of the branch he’s been hanging from to drop to the ground.
I barely restrain myself from catching him, but he starts crawling toward Luke almost immediately, despite this new position revealing his emaciated form. And yet despite being very weak, he is willing to spend precious energy on movement.
And the cause was blood.
“He’s a different species, Luke,” I say, following the animal, in case it needs to be restrained. Tristan might be willing to offer an arm for me, but Lord Kyran would not react kindly if his husband got hurt any further on my watch. “You said you identified him by fur color. What if it was different?”
I scoot next to Luke, but I’m not sure what I’d do if this creature decided to rip my face off with the sharp teeth and tiny claws. I get an unpleasant, sinking feeling in my stomach as I watch Snowflake desperately lick the blood in the dirt, making the saddest whimpers. His ribs are as prominent as mine were after my time in the dungeon, and suddenly all I want to do is hug the little thing, and feed it blood, even if it’s my own.
Luke seems to feel the same, because when the bat paws at him helplessly, he holds up his arm and lets the droplets of blood fall right into the needy mouth. “Hm. I guess I didn’t ‘identify’ him. Kyran got these bats from different sellers, and that’s what he was told. Now that I look at his fangs and see this desperation for blood… I’d say he could be a wyrm bat. But they’re all black, with red inner wings.”
“His eyes are red. Might be an albino,” I say, daring to stroke the bat’s head with the tip of my gloved finger. In its desperation to feed, the animal ignores me, so I meet Luke’s gaze. “I assume it has favorite prey? Not sure if letting it feed on humans is such a good idea.”
“Hm. You might have a point. I just don’t have the heart to say no. Look at it. So hungry!” He coos to the bat but does pull his arm away. “If he’s an albino wyrm bat, he’d drink the blood of small prey animals, like rabbits, rodents, and the like. He’s not going anywhere until I nurse him to health. God, what a relief. I hadn’t considered that we might have misidentified what he is.”
Luke is so excited I instantly feel a connection with him. It’s unexpected. I’ve worried the Lord’s husband and Dark Companion would be stuck-up, or even dangerous, but he’s such a nice person. Just a normal guy I’d gladly be friends with even back in the human world.
“I hope you’ll allow me to assist,” I say as we retreat from the cage. Hopefully, soon enough, Snowflake will be able to hunt on his own and return to health.
Luke pats his dirty knees and laughs as we take off the safety gear. “You’ll have to. You’re the royal vet now. The full moon is what… in two days? Or tomorrow? If Snowflake feels better, maybe he could be a guest at your wedding.”
I drop the protective glove when my hands twitch, but I quickly pick it up to hide how nervous this comment makes me. “It seems a bit early. We only reconnected not long ago,” I say, imagining Tristan waiting for me at the altar. Would there even be an altar? Would my grandparents lead me to him? Would they be allowed to attend?
Luke grins. “Sure. Why not, actually? You can exchange your Dark Companion vows and have the wedding later. Why not have two parties, right? They can afford it.” He shrugs and discreetly points with his head outside the tent where Tristan stands with Kyran, talking about something as they clink glasses.
And as those golden eyes meet mine from afar, I find myself smiling, because why couldn’t I have this? After the shadow bond is severed, we’ll get to explore our relationship under new conditions, and if feelings prevail, I will be certain it’s true love.
Chapter 31
Tristan
Iwasn’t sure how Nate would fare at this event after avoiding company for weeks, but he and Luke have latched on to each other with such ease I’m almost jealous. After all, this is a love-themed ball, so I keep peeking toward the bat tent to make sure no one drags their unworthy person to my promised’s side.
We’re back together, and I can’t even describe the sense of relief I feel whenever I see him wearing the emblem of my house. He belongs with the Bloodweeds now, for better or worse, and I will make sure he’ll never regret the decision he made earlier.
I’ve never had a sweeter kiss than the one he bestowed on me up in our rooms. His lips were warm, juicy, and full of promise, and when I sank into him, when he opened up to me despite all the suffering he had to endure because of my mistakes, it was like nothing I ever shared with anyone before.
Half of my mind is always on him, pulled by the thread of shadow I’m so relieved we don’t need to break anymore.
Kyran puts his cherin glass down and steps forward, about to pass me, when I grab his arm and look back to where Luke is slowly pulling himself up after a fall. He and Nate are wearing protective gear and have entered one of the bat enclosures, but they both seem fine.
“Don’t worry, he must have just stumbled,” I say to calm my cousin.
Kyran huffs, eyes like a seagull spotting prey. “They’re in a bat enclosure,” he grumbles, but must understand his worry is unreasonable, and doesn’t leave. “I’m relieved to see Nate fully recovered and willing to step out of his hermitage.”
I grin like a madman when I think back to how we reconnected not long ago. “He now understands he’s safe with me.”
