Page 40 of Knight’s Absolution

Silas laughed with him. “So nothing’s changed, then.”

“Nope. You’re still as confusing as fuck.”

Grace walked out of the elevator, a tray of food and a drink in her hands. Gunner got to his feet, Silas with him.

“Let me take it in,” Gunner said to her.

Grace screwed up her nose.

“I’ve waited out here for hours. I’ve fucking left her alone like she wanted, I just need to see her for myself.”

“Fine. It’s not like I can stop you.” Grace knocked on the door. “Luna? You wanna open up? I wasn’t sure if you need to do the whole food thing, but I’ve got some here for you just in case.”

Nothing.

Grace tapped on her door again. “Luna?”

A low moan, so soft, but it still reached them.

Gunner was against the door in a second. “Luna, answer me,” he yelled.

Again, nothing.

He gripped the door handle and twisted it viciously, busting the lock. Then he put his shoulder to the door, smashing the deadlock, and rushed in.

Luna was lying on the floor, shaking and pale. Her cheeks were sunken in as if she’d been starved for days not hours. Gunner dropped down beside her. “What’s wrong? What’s happening to you?”

Her eyes were glazed, and her little fangs extended. “I need him,” she whispered, then sobbed. “I need his blood. I need it.”

Gunner scooped her up off the floor. “Jesus, why didn’t you come find me? Why did you let it get so bad? I’ll give you all you need, love. Whenever you need it.”

She shook her head, her body arching as a wail of pain tore from her. “I need him. I need Sir.”

Everyone in the room stilled. Gunner’s arms unconsciously tightened around her struggling body, holding her tighter to him, afraid she was going to get away from him, that he’d lose her again.

“I’ll feed you, Luna. Let me feed you.”

She shook her head again, bloody tears starting to leak from her eyes. “No, not you. I need him.” Another sob left her. “Let me go. Just let me the hell go.”

Gunner’s heart might as well have been torn from his chest and thrown on the fucking floor.

Silas stepped closer, his silver gaze moving over her thrashing body and looking into her pale violet eyes, almost as pale as the day Gunner had found her starved in that fucking basement.

“It’s as if she’s going through withdrawals, like a human addicted to drugs.”

Gunner growled. “How the hell is that possible? She hadn’t fed for a month when we found her. What is she addicted to?”

“This demon, his blood, if she drank from him a lot, her body could’ve developed a dependency.”

Gunner tore his gaze from Luna and back to the angel. “Before me, she’d only ever fed from him.”

Silas frowned. “There’s something different about this demon, his blood, for it to do this to her.” He leaned closer and gently cupped Luna’s face. “Look at me, Luna.”

Her glazed eyes struggled to focus, and she arched again, crying out.

“What’s his name?” Silas asked her. “Tell me his name, sweetheart.”

“Sir. Only Sir. N-never his real name,” she said, panting, still struggling.