I placed my fingers below Theo’s jaw and found a muted thump with my fingertips. I knew his heartbeat like it was in my own chest, and it felt weak. Drained. Close to stopping.
I didn’t know which wound was killing him quickest, so I simply got to work. Fighting the urge to abandon the knife and heal him with both hands, I pressed my palm to the worst of the holes and gashes one at a time. My skin tingled—practically stung—as I stitched him back together.
I’d never healed anyone this much, my body was fatiguing. Was my power not limitless? I should be strongest in my field.We were in my field.
I forced myself to pretend nothing was wrong. I needed to be a good “battery”; they wouldn’t let me waste my juice if they knew it was in limited supply. My own pulse slowed irregularly as I worked.
As long as I had a heartbeat to share, it was Theo’s.
Stars speckled my vision by the time my love finally twitched—the first sign he was coming back to me. I choked out a relieved gasp, pressing my hand harder against the pit in his stomach. The tattoos visible through all the crimson were darkening, his body returning ready to fight.
“Shhhhh,” I breathed, wishing I had a spare hand to soothe him with. “You don’t need to do anything, baby. Just heal.”
“V…” He murmured. He was trying to say my name.
“I’m right here. You need to relax and let me help you.” I felt a tear fall from my jaw, landing on his cheek.
“Vivian,” he choked successfully, his eyes opening. “Fuck.” He reached for the hand that held the knife to my throat.
“No,” I snapped so firmly he froze mid-movement, his brow furrowing between his horns. “This is protecting us. Don’t touch. Lay back down.”
The color returned to his features rapidly once his stomach wound was healed. It must’ve been the worst of the damage. I moved to the next injury, trying to ignore the way his eyes flickered around the room and blackened—that feral protectiveness desperate to defend what was his.
“He’s well enough!” the Thornian barked impatiently. “Now heal me!”
“I’m not done!” I objected.
The Arielna-Quadmos pressed the tip of their gun to Theo’s temple. “I will shoot. Heal Dr. Gable.Now.”
Right on queue, the purple-haired Thornian fell to the ground. My bargaining power was about to become useless. They were growing desperate, and all it would take was the twitch of a scaly, clawed finger to rip Theo away from me in a way I couldn’t heal.
“Okay, okay,” I said, forcing myself to my feet despite the way the room was spinning. Theo grabbed my wrist, but I quickly yanked it free and stepped away from him. He needed to trust me. I wasn’t a killer by nature, but Iwasa healer. And I could use that to protect us right now.
The man, Dr. Gable, extended his arms to me, shaking talons offering his broken horn and eyeball for repair.
“I can’t reattach something that’s been amputated,” I said firmly as I pressed my palm against his bleeding throat.
My handburnedfrom the labor of trying to heal more, and it felt that much worse knowing who my energy was mending. My soul protested the work to keep this evil in the world, but if it was between him living and Theo dying… so be it.
“What the fuck do you mean?!” he roared.
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone. If you want me to shove your eyeball back into the pit of your skull, I will, but it won’t work.” I wasn’t sure that wasentirelythe truth, but I wouldn’t try for his benefit.
Dr. Gable only had one vital injury, and as I closed it up, he quickly returned to his horrifyingly composed self. He kept his scornful sneer pointed at me as he chucked his horn to the side,the sound of it sliding across the floorboards filling the tense silence.
“Some demigoddess you are.”
Without warning, his talons hooked through my hair, yanking my neck sideways at a harsh angle. I stumbled to adjust, my head twisting unnaturally. Dr. Gable’s rough palm pinched the strands between densely-fleshed knuckles, the jagged curves of his claws pressing hard against my scalp.
I yelped from a mix of surprise, pain, and fear. My hand had dropped the knife in surprise, the blade sliced my shoulder on the way down before clanging to the floor.
A gunshot sounded in the room and I feared the worst. Then I heard Theo struggling against the Arielna-Quadmos holding him hostage. Peering through the strands of hair hanging in my face, I saw sawdust rain down from the ceiling that had been hit by the missed shot.
Amidst the chaos, a ball of puffed-up black fur hissed and ran out of the bathroom, past the two fighting giants. Nurghle made for the bedroom in search of a refuge free of gunfire.
The Lychan-Quadmos standing by the partition bent over and caught my cat by the scruff of his neck, lifting him up to the ceiling in front of their face. His little feet twisted and turned, searching for purchase. The next “meow” that came from his mouth was raspy and terrified.
“What beast do you have there, Voss?” Dr. Gable scoffed, tightening his grip in my hair just enough to make me gasp.
