13. In the Shadows
IN THE SHADOWS
Irene
The bond between Alex and me remained too quiet as I waited for him in front of the carriage. He had to be miles away.
He’d run off at such a speed it’d been impossible for me to follow him.
But I had no intention of going home alone.
The deal with Cara was already testing his patience and control.
His sire had added kerosene to the fire, and I didn’t completely trust him.
If he lost control, he might do something reckless, like bite someone.
I paced around the carriage, paying attention to the flutter in my chest. The tension in the bond left me tired, and fatigue was weighing me down.
“My lady, we should leave.” The coachman’s aura was boiling with worry. He was a not-so-powerful wizard, and his aura didn’t show all the wonderful colours of Darius’s. “His Grace was clear. He’ll be disappointed to know I haven’t followed his orders.”
“Five more minutes. If the duke gets angry, I’ll talk to him.”
Granted he would listen. His mood had been mercurial in the past few days.
“My lady.” He nodded.
Even the footman was restless, climbing up and down the driver’s box.
The tug in my chest came alive with a jolt. Alex had to be close. I searched around, but among the people walking down the pavement and passing carriages, I didn’t see him.
The bond gave another tug.
“I’ll be back soon. Stay here.” I followed the pull.
“My lady!” The footman started to chase me.
I held up my hand. “Don’t worry.”
The pull led me to a dark alley not far from the carriage but isolated. I slowed down my pace and released my power. A white glow came out of me, lighting the cobbles and the dirty walls. The noise of my boots thundered in the quiet alleyway.
“Alex?”
The bond urged me onwards. He was lying on his back in a corner, coughing and groaning.
I crouched next to him. “What happened?”
Silly question. The rogue had beaten him up. Blood oozed from his shoulder, neck, and arm. His face was red and puffy. Either his healing power didn’t work properly, or the wounds were worse than they looked.
I touched his chest. “The carriage is just around the corner. Can you walk?”
His fully obsidian eyes were set on me with predatory intent. “I think so.”
“I’ll help you.”
Touching him was still a novelty to me, and if I had to be honest, a little quiver of uneasiness went through me since our connection had changed. I slid my arm under his and pulled. He staggered to his feet, groaning.
Together, we slogged along the alley. He limped badly, leaning against me. My legs nearly gave in under his weight.
“Why aren’t you healing?”
He winced. “I need to feed.”
“So soon?”
He licked his lips, staring at my neck. “So soon.”
“It’s too soon. You must admit the deal with Cara has changed you. The sunlight bothers you. You need to feed more often, and your healing power has slowed down.”
“I don’t care about healing more slowly if it means that I can touch you.”
But I did care. “This isn’t normal. I’m worried. You’re losing control. Alex, you must see reason. The bond between us has changed. I know you can feel it, too.”
When we reached the high road, he disentangled from my arm and leant against the wall of a building. Under the light of a streetlamp, his wounds were revealed in all their gory detail. The count had bitten and cut every inch of his neck. I’d never seen Alex so badly injured.
He heaved a breath. “Go home. I’ll hail a hansom cab.”
“The carriage is over there.”
“No.” He didn’t offer further explanation. “You take the carriage. I’ll hail a cab.”
I didn’t insist. If he didn’t want me close, his control was about to snap.
I nodded. “I’ll see you at the mansion.”
He licked his lips, and his fangs flashed. “Send the footman for Darius. Stay away from my bedroom.”
With these ominous words, I headed for the carriage, leaving him in the shadows.