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A delayed response, a rush of relief landing with a sudden jolt in my chest. Man, this…this joy surpassed the threat of the fire and smoke, my skin tingling with the promise of safety he projected.

Silvanus…

My constant…

“What is this place?” Elio managed between the coughing. “Majesty? Paris?”

I broke down into my own coughing fit, relief now taking a back seat.

More pounding, the cracking of wood. Whatever the vampire king was doing, he’d made the floorboards split.

Fingers crossed.

“There will be no es—” Aidan screamed before he finished.

Please let him be on fire.

“Let’s go.” Silvanus’s voice was a gentle breeze carving through the wicked elements around me. The good kind of shiver raced up my spine as my feet were lifted off the ground.

He was carrying me. Leaping, falling, breaking out of the dark smoke into a different darkness below. Cooler, with the stink of rotting vegetables, the vampire’s citrussy scent and body heat a blanket of safety.

I hacked, I wheezed, thankful for the slightly fresher air, despite the musty tint to it. Anything was better than the smoky room upstairs.

I managed to keep my eyes open to see his red peepers glowing in the dark.

He’s here.

He’s really here. And he’s holding me. He’s holding me so close, so tenderly but with so much strength.

My constant…

Fuck, he was amazing. I’d known that for a while, that realization both a heavy weight and a delicious comfort. He made my toes curl and my belly flip, simply by standing there.

I slipped into a strange, dreamy state as he put me down.

Silvanus…

“I’ll be back,” he told me.

He’d be back and I’d be in his arms again. Where I belonged.

I want him.

He loves me.

And I… And I need to keep him safe.

A hole in the ceiling let smoke into this grim basement. The light of the fire illuminated silhouettes. I saw the king come back through, holding Elio, the scarlet throbbing of the Heart of All creating a modicum of light for me to see by. He put the elf down, then went back for the mer woman.

Her and the dead mage upstairs were the curse makers. They were responsible for all of this.

No. What about Elio?

“Exit.” Silvanus spoke with steely determination, speeding across the room.

Something went bang and cold air whooshed into the basement.

It all happened so fast. Me back in his arms, the others following into the streets.