Page 31 of Wicked Thirst
“Actually, you won’t.” I hurried to the drawer and yanked it open. I grabbed a syringe and peeled it out of its sterile plastic container, then grabbed a bottle of medicine and held it up to the doctor. “This one?”
“Oh, I promise you I will. So long as the Earth moves around the sun, you will know my vengeance.”
“Dramatic but okay.” I waved the bottle at the doctor and raised my eyebrows at him.
The doctor nodded. “That’s the one.”
I pierced the rubber stopper with the needle and started to draw the liquid. “Atlas, think of it this way, when I save your bestie, you’ll forgive me. Not right away of course, because you are a prideful son of a bitch, but when you get more centuries with him, eventually you’ll come around.”
“You do not know me!” He hissed. “Forgiveness is a virtue I do not have.”
“That’s enough.” The doctor’s eyes widened. “He’ll be out for hours with that.”
“Excellent.” I pulled the plunger back a bit farther for good measure. I withdrew the needle from the rubber stopper and walked over to Atlas.
I leaned over him and his fangs extended as he snapped his teeth at me. I sighed and positioned the needle at the vein in his neck. “And you won’t hurt the doctor because you know I forced him into this. If he hadn’t told me, I would’ve used my power on him, and we’d be back in this exact position. Deep down, you know, and I know I’m the bigger threat.”
His eyes widened as I jabbed the needle into his neck and pushed the plunger down. The effect was almost instant. Atlas’ body went limp on the table, his eyes rolled back, and his head lulled to the side. I motioned to him. “Go ahead, doc.”
The doctor rushed forward and placed more bandages over the wounds. He narrowed his eyes at me and gave a heavy sigh. “It’ll be much easier now.”
I winked. “I know.”
“You truly do not fear him?” More techs hurried into the room and suddenly Atlas was covered in a sheet and being wiped down with some kind of liquid. I liked the way they took care to be sterile even though vampires were immortal. There was a level of respect for their care that the doctors and techs took that made me appreciate them more.
I shook my head. “Nah, like I said, I’m the bigger threat.”
“Somehow I’m beginning to see that.” He leaned over Atlas, examining the wounds.
“Oh, doc, they all will.” And somehow I knew I wasn’t wrong. My power made me stronger and faster, but my stubbornness would push me that much further and harder. “How long do I have until he wakes?”
“At least eight hours. At the most a day or two.” He held his hand out and one of the techs placed a scalpel in it. “Are you going to stay and observe?”
“Not on your life.” I turned toward the door. “I’m going to find someone who’ll actually be helpful.”
“Best of luck with that,” he called after me.
I hurried from the lab and ran through the castle. When I first arrived here, I felt so out of place, but now I was beginning to get used to the dark, gothic interior and where the soldiers would be stationed. I knew the directions through the castle and navigated them easily. There was only one person who I knew would be on my side, so I hurried toward her.
Moira was walking out of the throne room as I was hurrying in. I tried to stop but nearly collided with her. She held her hands out and caught me by my arms. “Piper? Dearest, aren’t you supposed to be with Atlas?”
I sucked in a deep breath and blew it out. “There was a small problem with that.”
Her brow furrowed, and her fingers tightened on my forearms. “Is he dead?”
“Is who . . . oh god no.” I shook my head. “Grayson is very much alive still, but I fear Atlas is not going to be the help we’re looking for.”
She pressed her lips into a hard line and dropped her hold on me. “Is that so?”
“Moira, I know you’ve lived years without your soulmate, but Grayson and I are just getting started. I need more time with him. I need to help him.”
“I know the feeling.” A haunted look passed over her face. “There is nothing worse than living without one’s soulmate . . . To be alive and be so very far away.”
“Will you help me?”
“Of course. I’ll do anything within my power.” She turned in the direction I’d come from. “But I’ll be dealing with Atlas directly.”
“No.” I reached out and grabbed on to her, stopping her from leaving me. “I put him out of commission for now. But if I’m going to help Grayson, I need to know anything you can tell me. I know this will be painful for you, but will you tell me?”
