Page 168 of Eternal Ruin

He wasn’t human anymore. He could heal from this as long as his heart was intact. As long as Samson’s blood didn’t reach his vital organs. A sob of relief escaped Kidan’s mouth. She turned her hateful gaze on Samson.

“It’s not so bad.” His gaze was on her rotting hand. “The pain will become a part of you. Would you like to see?”

Kidan tried to sit up on the bed but the spasm along her arm kept her spine locked. She couldn’t move. Fear drowned her senses. Samson towered over her by the bedside. Slowly, he unbuckled the buttons on his metal glove. Kidan chokedback a sound. His entire forearm was cloaked in black veins that moved like waves. Similar to the inky veins on her body.

“How…”

“I asked him to let me die.” Samson’s eyes were red fury themselves. “I wanted him to let me die with her. He refused. He made me into the second vampire of the Nefrasi. Now black rot remains trapped in my arm, never spreading but painful. Do you know how it feels to always be in pain?”

Kidan could merely stare in horror.

“Your sister,” Samson continued with an unreadable expression. “She makes a concoction with sauag leaves. Every other night, she drains my veins and lathers on a healing salve. She is the only one that gives me some relief.”

June… did what?

Gritting her teeth, Kidan traced her symbol for trust, let it melt his anger into something pliable. It was difficult. Only panic filled her chest, but she forced herself to think of Susenyos, conjure a flicker of trust, then echo it throughout the room. The golden wisps returned, crowding Samson like a halo.

When he looked at her again, his eyes were clouded, as if he couldn’t quite see who she was. Good. More.

Samson took her rotting hand in his own, and traced it, face vacant. “Only I will be unafraid to touch or hold you.”

She flinched when he reached for her.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, frowning. “I’m here to comfort you.”

“You have done nothing but hurt me.” She tried to breathe, relax.

“You stood in my way. And you mean something to him.”

She was careful with her words. “I mean something to him, so you’ll hurt me?”

Samson touched her cheek with his metal hand. Kidan steeled herself as his caress sent a shock of ice through her.

“You think you know who Susenyos is.” His mouth skewered. “I will show you.”

Samson rolled up her shirt, revealing her stomach, slick with sweat. Kidan tried to protest, arms swinging. A bite to the stomach revealed pain, and she wanted no more—his fangs sank into her side, right along her ribs.

Kidan cried out, and her vision whirled, turning back time against her will.

Samson was there, both human hands, working outside a castle’s gates.

Susenyos rushed at him, running free from the forest, shaking all over, covered in dirt.

“Alert the guards!” Samson ordered, grabbing a sword and hurrying toward the prince.

Samson grabbed him by the shoulders. “What happened?”

“A—a monster,” Susenyos stammered, cheeks slick with tears. “Death. God, Talaa.”

A thousand lightning bolts struck the earth. “Where is she?” Samson demanded.

Susenyos only shook his head. “I tried… I tried to save her.”

“You left her?” Samson barked.

“We cannot touch her. She is infected. It’s too late—”

Samson pulled back in disgust and tore into the woods, shouting her name until his vocal cords tore. He must have searched for nearly an hour, whirling around at the faintest shadow, seeing her dress and jewelry twinkle between the endless greenery.