Page 41 of Secrets and Shadows

As I approach the hospital bed, my eyes scan over her battered body, taking note of every bruise and cut, making a mental map of them to return the favor once we finally catch whoever did this.

I will make them pay. For you, Lilith.

A large bandage is wrapped around her left side, and a pang of guilt hits me in the chest. Even though it wasn’t my call, I regret not being there to protect her. While I trust Simon and his abilities, our powers are different. Perhaps I could’ve done a better job at keeping her safe.

My fingers gently trace over her hand, hoping she can somehow sense my presence and know that I’ll always keep her safe. We may not be able to speak or touch properly yet, but I make a silent promise to protect her from the shadows where my twisted soul belongs.

“Never again,” I vow silently.

My fingertips linger on her skin, reluctant to break the connection. But as the door creaks open slowly, I retreat into the shadows once more. Watching. Protecting. Guarding.

My Lilith.

I’m slightly taken aback when Vaughn enters the room. His usual confident posture is slumped, and concern etches itself across his face at the sight of her injuries. “Oh, Fox. Who did this to you?” he murmurs softly.

He settles onto the edge of her bed, careful not to disturb her bandaged wounds. It’s no secret that these two can’t stand eachother, but I can see what’s really going on—Vaughn has strong feelings for her. It shows in the way he looks at her, the way he seems to miss her when she’s not around. He hides his affection with a tough-guy act, but deep down, he really cares.

In a rare moment of tenderness,Vaughn reaches out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Lilith’s ear. She shifts a bit in her sleep but stays blissfully unaware, lost in her dreams. Watching him gently stroke her cheek, I feel a sense of comfort knowing that the three of us will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

Seventeen

LILITH

As I struggleto open my heavy eyelids, confusion washes over me. My body feels as sluggish as my mind, making it difficult to sit up.

The room around me is unfamiliar, and it takes a moment for me to realize I’m lying in a bed with cold stone walls. A cart filled with healing supplies catches my eye in the corner.

So, I must be in the healing quarters. It seems I’m still alive after all.

Shifting slightly, I wince at the ache in my side. Ah damn.

Moving the covers aside, I look down to see a large bandage wrapped around my wound, confirming my memory of the attack. I turn my head and spot Simon sitting beside me in a small wooden chair, asleep and clearly uncomfortable. He looks too big for the chair, his long legs straight out, arms crossed, and his chin rests on his chest. Strands of his blond hair dangle on his forehead, his long lashes fanning over his cheeks, and for once he doesn’t look serious and in control. Seeing him like this, innocent and vulnerable, does weird things to my heart.

“Simon?” I croak, my throat feeling like sandpaper. It’s rough, and my voice sounds strained.

When he doesn’t wake up right away, I reach out to him and wince at the pain that shoots through my side. The moment my fingers brush against his skin, though, Simon’s gorgeous brown eyes fly open. He shakes off the sleep, now alert. I catch a small grunt from him, which hints that he might be nursing some injuries too, but I can’t see where.

“Lilith,” he breathes. “You’re awake.”

“It would seem so,” I reply softly, still sounding a bit raspy. “Could you grab me some water?”

He nods, quickly getting up from his chair but not without a wince. “Sure. I’ll check over by the sink,” he says, moving toward the small area across the room.

I watch as he rummages through a cupboard, finally pulling out a glass. He’s wearing his usual fitted black academy shirt and training pants, but he looks clean and fresh. He must have changed at some point because I now notice I am most definitely not clean and fresh. My shirt is missing, replaced by the massive bandage covering almost my entire torso and my pants are… yep, also gone.

After Simon fills the glass with cold water from the tap, he carefully brings it back to me. The cool liquid soothes my dry throat, and I can’t help but let out a satisfied sigh. Simon just watches me silently, back to his serious and stoic self.

Once I’ve had enough to drink, I clear my throat and glance at him.

“How are you holding up?” he finally asks, genuine concern written all over his face.

“I feel like I’ve been swallowed, then chewed and spat out by darkness,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood, but his expression stays serious. “I’m in pain, but I think I’ll manage. Hopefully. And you? You were there too… right?”

“I’m fine,” he reassures me as he settles back down next to me, gesturing toward my side. “It’s nothing compared towhat you went through. Do you remember what happened?” he whispers, leaning in a bit.

I take a moment, trying to piece together my jumbled memories and trying to decide what to tell Simon. He was there, so I’m sure he saw most of it. Can I trust him?

The last thing I clearly recall is being swallowed by this suffocating darkness in the forest. Just thinking about it gives me the chills.

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