7. Connor
CHAPTER SEVEN
connor
The she-bitch’s screams follow us down the hallway. More than a few students stop and stare at the racket, their eyes cautiously dipping to us and the way Felicity is protectively tucked under my arm as I shepherd her away.
She feels small—fragile and reeking of fresh blood.
My wolf bristles, his rage heating my blood even as he lunges forward, trying to force his way out. He doesn’t understand what’s going on, but he knows our female is hurt, his protective instincts urging him to defend her from the danger.
“What happened?” I ask quietly, my voice rough with the beast. My canines are still extended, the sting telling me they’ve split my lip.
“Who knows?” Felicity responds tiredly, most of her usual snark missing.
I don’t like the way she’s drooping, each step dragging behind her like her energy has been sapped by a succubus.
“I was walking to my next class, and she yanked me in there, clearly forgetting that stones do actually break bones.”
Her humor doesn’t land, my fury still too raw. “I’m sorry.”
Felicity’s steps falter, and I tighten my arm around her, urging her forward. “You’re apologizing? For this?” She’s gone all high-pitched, and I feel a flare of apprehension. “But you won’t apologize for what you did to me last semester? For Dizzy?”
That name on her lips does nothing to calm my wolf, and my mouth moves before my brain has a chance to kick in. “She shouldn’t have been fuckin’ touching you. And you shouldn’t have been letting her.”
A low laugh escapes her that is anything but amused. Felicity tries to pull out of my hold, but I just pull her in closer.
“You’re unbelievable,” she hisses, as feral as a little kitten. But she stops trying to get away from me, and my wolf lets out a sound of approval.
“I know,” I say agreeably, stroking a hand over her arm. “Come on. We need to get your head looked at.”
She huffs, but lets me lead her to the west side of the castle. We don’t speak for several minutes, but just as I herd her up the first flight of stairs, already knowing where Vaelor will be, Felicity hesitates. “This isn’t the way to the infirmary.”
My mouth twitches. “You don’t need an infirmary.”
She wriggles away from me, ignoring the scowl I send her. “My head is bleeding. I need to see a medical professional.” Her tone is snooty, like she’s mimicking her mother, but I see it for the shield it is. Underneath the prickly exterior, she’s hurt and scared, exhaustion beating at her.
“Let me help,” I tell her softly, stepping closer. She doesn’t back up, but the wariness lingers in her expression. “This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for me. Let me fix it.”
It’s the wrong thing to say, and I know it even before her expression sets mutinously. “A few things wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you,” she mutters bitterly. “Don’t see why you’d fix this one and nothing else.”
I’m not always a slow learner, so this time, I keep my mouth shut. Felicity shakes her head, turning as if she’s going to head back down the stairs and away from me. Before she can take even a step, she sways, the color draining from her face.
“Starling!” I lunge forward just as she drops, catching her in my arms. I pull her against my chest, bridal style, and her head limply lolls back against my forearm.
Her eyes are closed, her face worryingly white, and I can feel a warm trickle of something on my arm where her head is lying. Fucking hell.
My wolf howls, a mixture of fury and fear, torn between the urge to go back and rip the she-bitch apart and the need to look after his mate. Ignoring his turbulent emotions, I run up the stairs, taking them two at a time, heading for the western spire.
By the time I burst through the door, my skin is damp with perspiration, but my breathing is even. Vaelor looks up from where he’s sitting on the outdated settee, a book in his lap, and his eyes flicker as they bounce from me to the unconscious female in my arms.
“What the fuck did you do?”
I shoot him a dirty look. “Why would you assume that I did anything?”
A dark laugh rolls out of him. “Your control is laughable these days. There were far better ways to handle her friend than running to your family.”
“We agreed not to talk about that,” I grunt, striding toward him and jerking my chin, silently telling him to move. When he does, I gently lay Felicity down, turning her head to face the couch.
A low breath hisses out between Vaelor’s teeth as he catches sight of the blood matting the dark strands at the back of her head. He crouches down, shifting hair out of the way, exposing the three-inch gash that’s still steadily seeping blood.
He looks up at me, his eyes dark with fury. “What happened to her?” His voice is stiff, cold, but I know better.
“That bitch from yesterday,” I mutter. “I only heard the end of it, but she was warning Felicity off me, I think. Called her prey.”
I watch as he gently examines the wound. A whimper escapes Felicity, but her lashes don’t lift. I shift my weight, crossing my arms and then dropping them, hating the hopelessness surging through me.
He hums thoughtfully, and I burst out, “Can you fix her?”
He lifts a shoulder. “Yes.” There’s a long pause before he slides me a look from the corner of his eye. “But you know it comes with consequences.”
I press a hand to my sternum, right where the rune carves the skin of my chest, knowing he’s talking about us. “She’s not dead, or near to it,” I protest. “This isn’t like that.”
He shakes his head. “All magic comes at a cost, but this kind requires a higher price.”
I step closer. “So you’re saying you can’t help her? Fuck.” I scrub a hand through my hair. “I should’ve just taken her to the infirmary.”
“I didn’t say I couldn’t help her.” I throw an impatient look at him, but he’s focusing on Felicity, his eyes narrowing as she lets out a low moan. “Hold her steady.”
I edge around him so I’m next to her legs, leaning down to place a hand on her waist and thigh. Felicity seems to relax under the firm touch…as if her body recognizes me and who I am to her, even when her mind refuses to.
Vaelor hits me with a searching look, not moving for a beat. And then another. I tip my chin down. “Get on with it.”
He exhales slowly and nods, leaning forward to press a rune-covered hand to her head, his palm centered over the wound.
She whimpers. “Steady,” I murmur, my wolf letting out a reassuring rumble through my throat, even as I pulse my fingers gently against her skin.
I look over at Vaelor, waiting for something to happen, but he just sits there, his fingers curled around her scalp, his forehead creased.
I frown, looking between the two of them, but nothing happens outwardly.
I’ve never seen him do this before, but then again, he’s never done this before—except for when he brought me back from the brink of death.
The longer he sits here, the more drawn his expression becomes, lines carving into the skin around his mouth and eyes.
“Vaelor?” I ask. He shakes his head sharply.
I clamp my mouth shut, focusing on Felicity. It looks like her cheeks are brightening up, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking. Another minute passes, and then Vaelor sits back on his heels with a sigh.
“You okay?” I ask quietly, eyeing him with concern.
“Yeah,” he mutters, reaching up to touch his head. When his hand drops, his fingertips are bright with blood. My eyes widen.
“What the fuck…?” I whisper, and he shoots me a grim smile.
“The price,” he answers, shifting the strands of Felicity’s hair to show the gash on her head is gone, leaving only reddened skin behind.