Page 71 of The Rogue's Curse

Misha shook his head. “No,” he said. “Though I just woke up. I should be fine.”

“Good,” Paris said quietly, even as a voice screamed in his head, what if he’s not what if he gets hurt what if he DIES. “And have you seen Shoshanna today?”

“Not yet, but she sent me approximately forty text messages and a long email summarizing all her findings,” Misha said wryly. “She’s a brilliant little witch. Between the two of us, we can figure this out.”

“And once we’re past the wall, what then?”

“Then we kill Shea,” Misha said. “Just like we’ve been planning all along.”

“Even if he has an incredibly powerful witch on his side now?”

“Even then,” Misha said. He nodded to Paris and said, “We can handle this. Don’t worry.”

Paris sighed and nodded. He walked with Misha to his workshop, where he retrieved a flask of a fragrant red-brown brew. The smell of it was powerful and medicinal, like the one he’d given to Edward to feed Paris. There were familiar threads beneath the mix of herbs—Dominic’s scent entwined with Rachel’s.

“It smells like Rachel,” he commented.

Misha nodded and said, “I asked her to give me a sample. Her blood is strong, and since he was her Maker, it will resonate properly. I have a theory that she could help pull him back, so to speak.”

After fetching a tablet, Misha gestured for Paris to follow him. Nervous energy boiled in Paris’s gut as they left the building. He grabbed an umbrella on the way out, shielding himself and Misha from the fading rays of sunset.

Hope was dangerous, but he could not extinguish that little flame that threatened to consume him. Misha had already done far more than Paris thought possible. Perhaps he could do this, too.

He held the door for Misha to enter, and when he followed into Building Two, he was immediately struck by Dominic’s familiar scent. When they strode down the hall to the makeshift infirmary,Paris was shocked to find Danielle Pierce waiting in the hall. Anger bubbled up in his chest as he stopped. “You don’t mean for her to help,” he said.

“I was with Olivia when she was trying to get a veravin, and I volunteered,” Danielle said, rising to face him. “I’m cooped up here anyway, so I might as well.” She shook her head and let out a little laugh. “You all seem to forget I used to like being bitten. And for once, it’s helpful.”

The door to Dominic’s room swung open, and Rachel stepped out. She was dressed nicely, with her long hair curled to frame her face, as if she was preparing to greet her handsome paramour when he woke. Her eyes drifted to Misha, then to Paris. Her lips parted as if she was going to speak, and he could practically taste the tension in the air. She nodded to him, and her expression went stoic.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“We’re ready,” Misha said.

“And you promise it won’t hurt him?” Rachel asked.

“I never promised that,” Misha said. “But there’s no reason to think it would. And surely it’s worth a try, as letting him heal on his own hasn’t worked thus far.”

Her eyes widened a little, as if she was shocked that he would be so blunt.

Welcome to Misha Volkov, Paris thought.

But Rachel nodded and said, “Let’s do it. I guess it’s my job to make that decision.” With her shoulders high, she marched into the quiet room where Dominic had slept for nearly three weeks. In one corner of the room was a large tote bag. A stuffed whale breached the bag and stared at them with shiny plastic eyes.

Misha led Danielle into the room, gesturing to a chair at Dom’s bedside. When she sat, he handed over the flask of deep red liquid.“Miss Pierce, this is probably going to make you feel strange. Have you drunk one of these before?”

“When Lilah and Kieran held us prisoner, they made me drink something before they let people bite us. But it looked more like a cocktail than this,” she said. She held it up and peered at the translucent liquid against the hazy yellow lamp. Her nose wrinkled.

“Flavorings from Elsa Wolfe’s bar,” Paris said. “They’re primarily about taste, with maybe a bit of extra energy. Not like this.”

Kneeling in front of Danielle, Misha nodded and said, “It’s very intense at first, but it will pass. Rhys is going to be here to keep an eye on you, all right?”

When she nodded her agreement, Misha handed over the flask and watched as she downed it like a shot of tequila at a bachelorette party. Her eyes flew open, and she gripped the arms of the chair tight. “Oh, you weren’t kidding,” she wheezed.

“Just breathe,” Misha said, gently stroking her hand.

While he coaxed her to breathe, Paris squeezed Dominic’s hand. “Friend, I hope this works,” he said quietly. “As soon as you’re awake, we’ll get you a proper shave. And then you and I will celebrate properly.”

On Dom’s other side, Rachel tucked the stuffed whale under his arm. With a soft smile on her face, she said, “Emily sent Walter to take care of you. I want you to deliver him home personally, okay?” She placed his hand on the soft toy, and looked up at Paris with her eyes gleaming.

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