Page 61 of Deadly Alliances

In the next breath, he was gone. I guessed without me slowing him down, he was free to use his full speed. I was glad to finally be free of his presence, but not at all thrilled to be in the custodyof Vampirella.

“Come, Shea,” Marguerite called like I was a dog as she opened the door to the Sunroom. “Let’s get Julian cleaned up, hmm?”

Chapter 23

Julian

Pain. Indescribable pain. Even after the scorching light of the sun withdrew, the intense burning on my hands and face remained. And my eyes. I didn’t even dare try to open them for fear that they had completely melted from the sun’s devastating rays. I couldn’t even tell if I was crying, the sting was so incredibly overwhelming.

Something brushed against the charred flesh of my arm, and I jerked with a pathetic whimper, turtling in against whatever new threat was assailing me.

“Calm yourself, Julian, it’s only me.” It was Marguerite’s voice, her tone soft and attempting to soothe, but it only made me cringe tighter.

Her arms scooped beneath my neck and knees, and I felt myself being lifted off the cold stony floor. Was she taking me away from this nightmarish room? Was she carrying me to some place even worse?

What did it matter? Nothing was worse than this searing agony. I would pray for death if I didn’t know Shea was here, too. She’d come to this godforsaken place to get me out. I couldn’t die yet, not until I knew she was safe.

The familiar scent of lilac incense tickled my blistered nostrils, and I knew I was back in Marguerite’s room. She lowered me onto a soft, plushy surface, the cool sheets a small comfort to my roasted skin. I never thought I’d be so relieved to be in Marguerite’s bed. I was so grateful I wanted to cry.

“Witch, can you heal him?” Marguerite asked.

“Um, y-yes, I think so.”

Shea! That was Shea’s voice. She was still here with me. Did I repulse her in my current state? I could only imagine my repugnant appearance. Would she still love me?

“Well, what are you waiting for? Heal him,” Marguerite snapped, practically shrieking. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she actually cared.

“Okay, yes,” Shea said.

A weight settled on the bed beside me, and her sweet voice began to whisper pretty, foreign words. A warm hand gently landed on my forehead, scathing the crispy blisters, and I hissed.

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered, the tremble in her voice making me think she might be crying. “It’ll be better soon.”

She continued to say her words, and soon the warmth in her hands began to feel…pleasant. Nothing like the burning torment of the sun, but soft and soothing, like a summer breeze or a warm bath in winter. It was the kind of heat you wanted to melt into, and so I did.

Her warmth slowly spread across my face, down my neck, seeping into the surface of my skin and saturating me all over. Every tight muscle I didn’t realize I was clenching released, and I languished into the mattress, surrendering to the comfort and control of Shea’s healing touch.

The heat of her magic replaced the screaming pain inch-by-inch, until finally, none of my torment remained. My eyes no longer felt like stinging, congealed pools, so I finally gathered the courage to lift my eyelids.

Shea’s beautiful face was inches above mine, her stunningemerald eyes shimmering with too many emotions to identify. I wanted to lift my head to kiss her, raise my arms to hug her, but apparently not even her magic could account for the copper in my system or the drought of blood in my veins.

“Very good,” Marguerite said, her shrill voice reminding me she was still here. The constant thorn in my side.

She came into my view, shooing Shea away with a wave of her hand and taking her place beside me.

“My poor, sweet Julian,” she murmured, brushing her fingertips lightly down my cheek.

I turned my head away from her, but that didn’t free me from her wretched touch.

“I’m so sorry we had to do that,” she went on. “I didn’t want to put you through that, but you know how Hadrian gets.”

I sneered sideways at her. “So you’re just going to let him incinerate your toy whenever he throws a tantrum?”

She pouted, and for the briefest moment, I thought I saw a hint of actual concern. “I’m sure that was only a one-time thing. He needed to test out his new witch.”

She turned her head in Shea’s direction, and my dry and feeble heart skittered with fear.

“Mywitch now.” She beckoned Shea closer, and my beloved witch obediently stepped before her.

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