Page 80 of Revenant

A hidden door pulls open on the other side of the room, all of our eyes swinging to the intrusion. Eryx saunters in like he doesn’t have a care in the world, and given the circumstances, that just might be true.

“If this is some sort of intervention, save it for someone who cares.” He tries to cross the room, but Bastian steps into his path. “Bastian, I think it would be in your interest to get out of my way.” Bas doesn’t move, instead becoming an impenetrable force that stands between Eryx and the exit.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” Bastian pushes through clenched teeth, attempting to talk with his words and not his fists, but his resolve is slowly being chipped away as the seconds tick by.

“You really want to go there?” Eryx questions, his words hushed. There’s a silent conversation happening between them, one the rest of us aren’t privy to.

“You really thought you could feed from her, and get away with it? What is going on with you?” I interject.

Eryx gives me his front, looking me up and down as if this doesn’t concern me. “Talk to Bas, he’s the one who told me to do it.” His confession is deafening.

“Not without her consent, you bloody imbecile.”

“You told him to do it?” Koen sounds just as confused as I feel.

Bastian runs a hand down his face. “Technically, yes. But you guys didn’t see him. Crazed and manic, a fucking drug addict looking for a fix.” Bastian starts pacing, and suddenly it’s all making sense. The guilt. He’s been projecting all day, trying to make himself feel better for what he did. For what he put her through. “He wasn’t feeding. I tried giving him a bag, but he couldn’t stomach it. I thought it was the only way…”

There was no malice in his intentions, that much is clear. But he’s the one that put the idea in Eryx’s head, a catalyst to the shitstorm we’re currently in. A thought dawns on me, an answer that would’ve prevented all of this. “Why didn’t you just give him her bag from the blood verification?”

Bastian’s eyes dart to Koen, something unspoken passing between them and I clear my throat, crossing my arms over my chest. “Do I need to repeat myself?”

“We used it, okay,” Koen answers. “It was a moment of weakness, but before we knew it, it was gone.” I don’t need more details to fill in the blanks. With these two, it’s always something, and most of the time, spontaneous, and unfortunately this time we all paid the price.

“Regardless, I only suggested that he feed from her. Never once did I say to do it against her will. That was all him, and frankly why we’re in this mess.” Bastian points his finger back at Eryx.

Eryx does a slow, sarcastic spin. “And look, I’m all better now.”

“Until you have to feed again,” Bastian and Koen fire back in unison.

“Then I’ll do what I have to do in order to keep the student body intact.” Eryx says it nonchalantly, as if what he did was truly no big deal.

Bastian gets in his face just like he did mine, and I know from the twitch of his head, he’s two seconds away from hanging Eryx from the rafters while he bleeds out. “You will not touch her again.”

“And what are you going to do about it? You can’t watch her every minute of the day.”

“Is this a game to you?” I ask, wondering how we’ve fallen so far from the path.

Eryx’s expression weighs on boredom, not at all concerned with Bastian’s rising anger or the circumstances. “It’s about survival. Speaking of, how is the little pet doing? I trust she’s been keeping you company during your time of need?”

Bastian’s hand lashes out, gripping Eryx’s throat with unrelenting force. “Admit it. There’s a reason you can’t stomach any other blood. Not since she’s been here.”

Eryx rolls his eyes. “I’ll admit her blood is the only thing that can satisfy my hunger. Other than that, I can’t wait for this bloody curse to be broken, so I can leave her and this place behind.”

“And if we don’t?” Elias chimes in, curiosity playing on his brow.

“If you don’t…what?”

“If we don’t want to leave her behind. What then?”

Eryx takes his brother’s words, digesting them while trying to hide the pain behind his mask. He bares his teeth, unbothered by the growing noose around his neck provided by Bastian. “Then I suppose that’s your decision. I would think all our friendships are worth more than a little pussy, but maybe I was mistaken.”

Bastian lets out a low growl and throws him against one of the bookcases without another thought. Eryx’s body slams against the wood, shelves splitting in half and ancient texts tumbling to the floor with the impact.

Eryx’s laugh is slow, slicing through the air with surgical precision. “Guess I should’ve expected that.” Elias meets his brother’s cheekbone with his fist. He doesn’t try to fight back, as if he’s already accepted his fate.

“Tell me, where is the little wraith now?” Eryx’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes, blood running from the corner of his lip.

“Out,” Bastian replies.