Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
VALARIC
I wake to the cold bite of iron against my wrists, the weight of chains pulling me down, even as I blink against the dim light filtering into my cell. My head throbs, a dull, relentless ache that makes me grit my teeth.
I drag a hand through my hair, tugging on the strands as if it could pull the night’s events back into clarity, but the memories blur together—flashes of intense desire and hunger, of her lips on mine, darkness, chasing her through the gardens, and—
The door creaks open, and I tense instinctively before I realize it’s Eben.
Relief crosses his face as he kneels beside me to remove my chains. “You feel all right?”
I sit up, rubbing at my wrists and then my head, trying to shake off the lingering fog. “Feels like I had a difficult night.”
“You could say that.” Eben chuckles under his breath, but I note the edge of worry in his tone.
I rest a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for taking care of me.”
His eyes flick to mine, and he nods, but there’s something else there, something unsettled. “Yeah, well... you had a rough night at first, but you settled down after I gave you some of Juliet’s blood. I mixed it with a bit of elyrian root, like we talked about, and it worked. As soon as it took effect, you went straight to sleep.”
I go still. “How did you manage to get her blood?” Concern tightens my chest as a flash of memory flits through my mind of drinking from her on the bench. “Please, tell me I didn’t—”
“You didn’t drink from her,” he reassures me. “I asked her to give me some in a goblet and then Cole and I poured it down your throat.” He shakes his head, huffing out a laugh. “Did I ever tell you how ridiculously strong you are in that form?”
Ignoring his question, I ask, “What did you tell her?”
“That you were just being cautious because you were really thirsty. It made sense.”
“Gods, Eben,” I wince, dragging my hand over my face. “I really messed things up last night.”
Eben frowns, crossing his arms. “What happened?”
I lean back against the stone wall, the memories of last night breaking through the fog in jagged pieces. “She kissed me. And for a moment everything felt right. But then, I sensed the change coming on.” I clench my jaw in frustration. “She thinks I rejected her. She doesn’t understand why I pushed her away.”
Eben sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. “Well, that’s... complicated,” he mutters. He looks at me, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. “But I think she’ll forgive you.” He flashes a teasing grin. “But if she doesn’t, I’ll be more than happy to take her off your hands and court her myself.”
Anger surges through me. “She is mine,” I growl.
“Then what are you waiting for? Go to her,” he insists. “Tell her that you want her.”
“It’s not that simple,” I snap.
“Yes, it is. She’s obviously falling for you, Valaric. It’s you who is making it complicated.”
Frustration fills me. “You don’t understand, Eben.” I meet his gaze evenly and tell him the truth that has been torturing my soul. “The witch changed my curse.”
“What?” He frowns. “How? What did she do?”
“If Juliet fails the final test, she will not simply fall asleep like the others.” I swallow hard. “She will die a true death.”
His eyes widen. “It won’t happen,” he says. “She’s the one who will break your curse.” He gestures to the rosebush. “They’ve only started to bloom and Juliet has already kissed you. It’s a good sign, Val. She wouldn’t have done it if she didn’t have feelings for you.”
That may be, but her emotions could quickly disappear after she learns the truth. “She doesn’t know of my curse. She has no idea what happened to my previous wives.” I clench my jaw. “I cannot rush this with her, Eben. If she discovers my dark secrets, she will be afraid, and love will be the last thing on her mind.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I cannot risk telling her now. Not when she is beginning to trust me. She looks to me for comfort.” Pain tightens my chest. “I cannot bear to see the look in her eyes when she sees my cursed form.”
“Have faith in her, Valaric.” Eben claps a hand on my shoulder. “Juliet cares for you. She will look past it. I know she will.”
“I’m so afraid, Eben.” The words leave my lips in barely a whisper as I admit my biggest fear. “If we don’t break the curse, she’ll die.”
His silver eyes flash with concern.
“Promise me you’ll end me,” I tell him.
“What?”
“If it ever comes down to me or her, I want you to save her.” I meet his gaze evenly. “Do you understand?”
He shakes his head in disbelief. “Does it even work like that? Can your death free her and the others from the curse?”
“I don’t know,” I tell him. “But it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
Eben looks down at the ground. “I… don’t know if I can do that, Val. Your my best friend, I—”
“I love her.” The words leave my mouth, full of conviction. “If she speaks the words, I’ll transform,” I tell him. “And when I do, if she rejects me, then she is dead. Either by my hand, in my monstrous form, or by the curse.” I lean in. “Promise me, Eben. Swear to me that you will do whatever it takes to save her.”
Reluctantly, he nods. “But I truly believe she is already falling for you, Val. You’re going to break the curse and then, you’re going to name your firstborn child Eben, after your best friend.” His mouth curves in a teasing smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes as he tries to lighten the mood. “All right?”
Emotions lodge in my throat, but I somehow manage a half-grin. “All right.”
He claps a hand on my shoulder, but I can see the sadness still lingering in his gaze. “I’ll hold you to it. But before you go.” He hands me a cup. “Drink this.”
The scent of iron touches my nostrils. “Where did this come from?”
“Cole and I set some aside from our last kill in case you needed it. Which, you do.” He pushes the cup closer to my mouth. “Now, drink up.”
I bring it to my mouth, drinking it down quickly. A sigh of relief escapes me as my need is temporarily dulled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now, you need to go reconcile with your bride. Woo her with some of that brooding Vampire charm that your people are known for.”
Sound advice, but I’ve no idea how to apply it.
With my previous wives, we were little more than acquaintances. I have no experience with this sort of thing.
“By the way,” he says. “That furniture you ordered, it arrived a few hours ago from Nightshade. Where do you want it?”
Hope sparks in my chest. It seems fortune favors me this day. “I’ll take care of it. And thank you for the advice.”
Eben nods. “That’s what best friends are for.”