Page 161 of Cold-Blooded Creatures

“No.” Cursing, I hoisted Kali higher up. He had to know. But I couldn’t leave her alone. I was not letting her out of my sight. “He’s out.”

“Okay. Then I’ll wait for him,” Eislyn promised, and I held no doubt she would. From the late nights and rare days she’d spent with me in our underground, I learned one thing. Eislyn always carried out her promises, whether they were thespecialkind made to my playthings or a simple offer to bring you a cup of coffee made from the bag of beans I’d stolen from Gedeon when he wasn’t looking.

The doc brought a couple of bottles of water from their med supply closet and carefully placed them in Kali’s lap. “Take these. We would’ve put in an IV for hydration, but seeing as you won’t let us, make sure she drinks plenty once she wakes up.”

“If she gets nauseous at any point in the night, bring her back here.” Eislyn adjusted the blanket to cover Kali’s legs. “Jayce and I are on duty tonight. I’ll stay for tomorrow morning to check her over as well. And Zion, I don’t say this lightly. She can’t miss thecheckup. I know you tend to do that, but Kali needs to talk with someone who”—she smiled sadly—“understands what she went through. Not all wounds are physical, and the psychological ones take the longest to heal.”

Gritting my teeth, I agreed to Eislyn’s ask. Kali’s head rested on my shoulder as I brought her to my bedroom and laid her on the bed. I tried to peel the blanket’s corners away, but she whimpered, clutching it and curling into a ball, and I had to pause to breathe.

Once I had collected the remains of my non-existent-to-begin-with self-control, I carefully tugged the duvet from underneath her and covered her, crawling beside her but halting a few feet away. Warily, I stroked her side, avoiding her neck. She didn’t push me away, and I slowly scooched closer. A knife sliced my ribs as she choked on her spilling tears.

I didn’t dare to pull her flush with me. “You’re safe. I’m not letting you go.” I gave her the same promise I’d made to my sister. “I’m here… I’m here. You’re safe.”

A few wracking sobs were all it took for her to pass out.

Creak.

Pure instinct carried me into a sitting position, knees bent and core tensed as I blocked Kali with my body.

A familiar shape materialized in the room, and my muscles relaxed. I laid back on my side and gradually inched closer to her. She let out a pained sound, her eyelashes fluttering, and I stiffened. Another nightmare had trapped her.

As he sat on the mattress, a muscle feathered in Gedeon’s jaw. “Little death.” He curled her hair behind her ear, so careful not to harm her, but his other hand flexed in the sheets.

I was deeply familiar with the move. He was going to snap without an outlet. Usually, it entailed a session at the training rings and a row of new bruises both on him and me.

But this time? His blows wouldn’t end with a tap out. Because mine wouldn’t, either. Rage was vibrating my body so intensely it physically hurt.

“Eislyn told you?” I rested my head back on the pillow and pressed her palm to my chest.Feelingshe was actually here and not in that godsforsaken forest was the sole thing placating my need to carve Ilasall up.

Gedeon nodded, then asked quietly, “How long has she been like this?”

“What time is it?” Utter darkness had fallen behind the large windows overlooking the compound, and even the shimmers of those stars Kali loved so much and regarded as gods couldn’t penetrate the gloom.

“Five in the morning,” he said, inspecting her neck where a red circle was emerging, a faint sign of brutal bruising to come.

I forced myself not to stir, not wishing to disturb her sleep. “I found her around two, so about three hours. Where were you?” I’d never asked him personal questions before, but fuck that. I was going to cross the line separating us. The fact there would be no way back held no sway over me. My restraint had cracked tonight, and I had no intention of gluing the shards back together.

I wanted it all.

I wanted them both.

“A commotion broke out between the new arrivals from the auction. Apparently, some attempted to flee back to the city.”

Some always did. The complete turnaround of your life could freak anyone out. And a familiar environment always felt like a haven, despite it being abusive. Like how Kali had attempted to escape after we’d brought her here.

She abruptly sat up, choking and then convulsing with a sob. Covering her ears, she rocked back and forth, her eyes wild. “I’m not a message, not a message, not a message.”

Gedeon gently pulled her wrists down to her lap, keeping them there as she tried to rip them out, gasping like there wasn’t enough air. “You’re okay. You’re home. There’s no one here but me and Zion.”

“You’re safe, Kali.” Saying it without proof to back it up, without a guarantee, with evidence of the opposite befalling her, was suffocating. My tongue had barely formed the words.

“I’m home,” she whispered, a sheen of sweat coating her skin. “Safe. Safe.”

I exchanged equally haunted looks with Gedeon, swallowing the dryness in my mouth. “What message?”

“I—” She licked her cracked lips, scrunching up the fluffy duvet so hard her fists quivered. “He said he was a messenger. That he knew what I’d done with Alora.” Sniffling, she furiously wiped at her nose. “He said he would take me back to Ilasall to bear his children because I owed them. That he could do whatever he wanted to me because nobody would care,” she said calmly, her tone serene and devoid of any indication she comprehended what she’d shared.

Maneuvering her to lie back down, I pulled the woolen blanket and the duvet up to her chin. “He’s dead. He won’t do anything to you.” I closed my eyes, willing down the waking need to rain destruction. “You’re safe here, you know that, right?” I forced myself to repeat the impossible promise. “You’re safe.”