Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cassius’s blood soaked the back of Thalia’s cloak.
She gritted her teeth, trying to push aside the image of that creature’s claws digging into his chest like butter.
Keegan rode hard in front of her, the dead creature tied to his horse’s flank, its head resting in a knapsack.
They were almost to the castle, but Cassius’s grip was starting to slacken around her waist. He grunted behind her, and Thalia gripped one of his hands.
“Almost there,” she murmured, spotting the castle spires through the trees. But Thalia didn’t breathe a sigh of relief as they broke into the inner courtyard.
Keegan dismounted, immediately going to grab Cassius as he half slid, half fell off his horse.
Thalia was right behind, looping his arm around her shoulders and they both helped Cassius up the castle steps.
The only sound was the dripping of blood from Cassius’s chest as they traveled through the dark castle. Thalia didn’t know where to go, but Keegan aimed for the back wing, the sconces flickering as they passed under them.
After what felt like eternity, they entered the infirmary.
It wasn’t a large space, with a few cots and a back wall covered in a stone fireplace with a cauldron hovering over a stack of wood inside it.
Cubbies lined the right wall, filled with dried herbs and glass jars of liquid.
A large worktable sat smack in the middle of the room, and both Keegan and Thalia helped Cassius onto the table.
Thalia immediately pulled off Keegan’s cloak that’d been staunching the blood and sucked in a gasp.
Cassius’s chest was a mangled mess of flesh. The claws had cut much deeper than she’d thought, and bits of his rib cage were visible between the torn muscle.
Thalia shoved the bile out of her throat, turning to Keegan.
“What do we do?” Keegan’s face was hard as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.
“Keegan? What do we do?” Panic laced her words.
Cassius’s breaths came out in wet pants, his teeth stained with his own blood.
His normally tan skin had paled, turning a grayish-green color.
He can’t die, she thought. He can’t die. Because he was a Vampyr, the only way to kill him was to stab him with an iron stake through his skull.
But Thalia had never seen an injury like this.
“Keegan—” Thalia’s voice was on the verge of hysteria as Keegan shoved her aside.
“Stop us when it’s done.” Keegan’s words were firm.
“When what’s done—?” Thalia cut off as Keegan brought his dark wrist to his mouth, cutting into his own flesh. Then he brought his arm to Cassius’s bloodless lips.
Thalia didn’t think Cassius had any strength left in him, but as soon as Keegan pressed his wrist to his mouth, he lunged. Cassius grabbed Keegan’s hand, his sharp canines sinking straight into the tender underside of Keegan’s wrist.
Keegan grunted as Cassius pulled the other Vampyr’s arm closer, his fingers gripping Keegan’s arm like a lifeline. Cassius’s throat worked as he took long pulls from the Vampyr’s veins.
Thalia’s eyes flew to Cassius’s chest. His flesh was knitting back together, muscle snapping back into place, his skin inching slowly closed.
Thalia glanced back at the two of them. Cassius’s eyes were closed, his face relaxing, yet his mouth still worked.
Keegan’s eyes were closed too, his face just as relaxed as Cassius’s, almost like both of them were experiencing pure bliss.
Her cheeks heated as she realized they were.
Keegan gripped Cassius’s neck, allowing him to drink his blood. Neither of them seemed inclined to slow anytime soon.
Thalia snapped back into focus. Stop us when it’s done. Because, given the way they were both entranced in whatever pleasure they were experiencing from Cassius’s bite, Cassius wouldn’t stop until he’d bled his friend dry.
Thalia focused on Cassius’s chest, the skin slowly sealing itself back together. After another few seconds, nothing but smooth skin stared back at her.
Thalia jerked, shaking Keegan’s arm. “Keegan?”
The golden-eyed Vampyr didn’t move, didn’t so much as open his lids.
“Keegan,” she said more firmly, gripping his bicep and shaking. “Snap out of it. It’s done.”
A low sound came out of Cassius’s throat, one that sent awareness right to her toes. She ignored him, shaking Keegan harder.
“Keegan!” she yelled.
He moaned, but he couldn’t pull himself out of his pleasure-induced trance. His skin had taken on a waxy sheen as Cassius continued to gorge himself.
Thalia looked around the room, heart pounding. She spotted a small knife near a cubby full of herbs. She raced over, fingers gripping the handle before she turned to the Vampyrs.
Keegan swayed slightly, and she didn’t think twice as she cut her palm. She fisted her hand, letting the blood gather between her fingers before it dripped out, plinking onto the cold ground.
Keegan’s head jerked up. He turned, sluggishly looking over his shoulder, his golden gaze hazy. Thalia held up her fist, letting him see the droplets of blood.
His nostrils flared, once, then twice. Then he looked back down at his own arm. That seemed to pull him out of whatever stupor he was in.
Keegan shook his head, then pushed down on Cassius’s now-healed chest. “That’s enough, Cass.” Cassius’s eyes opened slightly, and he let out another low sound in the back of his throat, his fingers tight enough to bruise Keegan’s arm. “You’re healed; let go.” Keegan tried again, pushing harder.
“Cass?” Thalia said.
Cassius stiffened, then slowly looked at her.
Thalia didn’t balk at his gaze, his irises glowing as Keegan’s blood dripped down his throat. She took a step toward him.
“I wouldn’t do that—” Keegan warned, his voice much clearer now.
Thalia ignored him, coming up to Cassius’s side. “Let go,” she said. Cassius’s eyes flared as she brought her uninjured hand to his. She gently pried his fingers off of Keegan’s wrist. “Let go, and I’ll give you something.”
Cassius cocked his head at that. His pupils were so blown out they nearly devoured the rings of his irises.
“Let go, and we can finish what we started the other night.”
Cassius’s throat bobbed, his nostrils flaring, then he released Keegan’s arm. The golden-eyed Vampyr sagged, his shoulders light with relief.
Cassius stared at her, his lips bloodied. Thalia thought he’d lunge at her next, but then he blinked. He took a deep, shuddering breath, squeezing his eyes tight. He lowered his head back down on the table, his eyes still shut as he murmured, “Are you hurt?”
Thalia shook her head, then realized he couldn’t see her. “No.”
“I smell blood.”
“I-I think that’s Keegan’s.”
Cassius cracked open an eye, staring at his friend. “Thanks,” he rasped.
Keegan nodded, the color returning to his face. The bite marks on his wrist were already clotting. “I’m going to see about that creature.” He flashed a relieved look at Cassius before nodding to Thalia. Then he left, leaving them alone.
“Are you all right?” Thalia whispered.
Cassius swallowed, his words low. “It feels like my chest was cleaved open.”
Despite the circumstances, Thalia’s lips quirked. “It basically was.”
Cassius relaxed against the table, his breathing slowing. Thalia’s chest squeezed. She made to move away, but his hand snaked out, gripping her injured one. “Stay.”
She swallowed, ignoring the pain in her hand. But Cassius must have sensed the injury, because he cracked open both eyes, his brows furrowing. “You said you weren’t hurt.”
Thalia shook her head, finding a small wooden stool under the table and pulling it out, still holding on to Cassius’s hand. “I’m not.”
Cassius made a face, but his lids were growing heavier by the minute. He brought her wrist to his mouth and Thalia had a sudden pang of fear that he’d bite her, but he simply pressed his lips to her cut heart line.
“Thank you,” he murmured, before sleep claimed him hard and fast.
Thalia stared down at their entwined hands now resting on Cassius’s chest. Her eyes watered, and she blinked the tears away as she rested her chin on her other arm.
She watched the rise and fall of his chest, ensuring he still breathed.
Until the fear and adrenaline finally wore off and sleep claimed her too.
Something rustled above Thalia’s head, and she jerked, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. It took her a moment to adjust to the dim light cast by the fire in the room.
She relaxed when she realized it was Cassius shifting on the table.
As if her eyes snapping open had made a noise, Cassius opened his own. He blinked, his blue gaze bright but not glowing.
He swallowed, his brow furrowing slightly. “You stayed.” Thalia nodded, not able to break away. Then his brow furrowed more. “You’re hurt.”
Her face twisted in confusion, and she nearly startled as Cassius’s hand gripped her face.
She winced as he ran his thumb lightly over her cheekbone. She hadn’t realized the branches had cut her face when she fled the creature.
Cassius suddenly sat up, and Thalia started. “Should you be doing that?” she asked as he swung his legs over the side of the table.
“I’m fine,” he said, standing.
“Hours ago your chest was hanging open.” Thalia twisted in her seat, watching as Cassius rummaged around the cubbies.
“Keegan’s blood did the work. If I wasn’t fine, I’d rest.” He turned to look over his shoulder, then jerked his chin at the table.
Thalia made a face, but she managed to hop onto the surface, a groan of protest escaping her lips. She hadn’t realized how sore she was. Her body ached, and her skin was bruised from fleeing the creature.
Cassius kept his back to her as he mixed herbs and other tinctures in a mortar, grinding them together before he added liquid to make a paste. He grabbed some rags and a bowl of water, then turned back.
Thalia swallowed as he set the things down next to her, stepping between her dangling legs.