Page 16 of Love and Death
The heat turns to a chill as Cerberus drops his hand from me, and I open my eyes.
“What have you done?” I murmur, my voice small, hardly daring to imagine the extent of the damage that’s been inflicted upon me.
“I cauterized the wound. Now, if you value your life, you will say nothing of this … or of what has happened between us. Is that understood?” he says, an urgent edge to his voice, and I quickly nod my head. “Sayit.”
“I understand.”
“Good, now go clean yourself up, and remember … donottouch it again.”
With that, he turns on his heel and strides back across the room, leaving me with just barely enough time to gather a few of my scattered thoughts before he reaches the door.
“And, what of my request?” I call out just as he pulls it open. “What of my father?”
He hesitates, his back still to me as the sooty knuckles of his hand tighten around the heavy door.
“I will see what I can do.”
With that, he ducks out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.
I listen with bated breath as he turns the key in the lock and then steps away, leaving me alone to deal with my pounding heart … and the lingering taste of smoke and shame still bitter on my tongue.
5
HAZEL
Isink back against the wall once Cerberus’ footsteps finally fade from earshot and allow the ensuing silence to swallow me whole. My mind drifts aimlessly, wrapped in a comforting blanket of numbness, as I refuse to come to terms with all that’s just happened.
It isn’t until I reach up to scratch away an itch that I’m reminded of the blood still staining my fingertips … not to mention the wound on my neck.
My stomach twists.
Cauterized or not, I need to clean it, and quickly.
Forcing my way through the mental fog, I push away from the wall and stumble over to the adjoining room. Pulling off the tattered remains of my clothes, I tear off a strip of fabric and dip it in the bath’s steaming water before turning to face the mirror.
My breath catches in my throat, my reflection stopping me in my tracks. I stare at myself for a long moment, hardly recognizing the girl in the glass, before taking a tentative step forward.
Dried blood stains my mouth and neck, streaking down over my shoulder and chest from the congealed mixture Cerberus slathered across my skin. Bracing myself, I lift the wet cloth to dab at the wound, but the hiss of pain I’d expected does not come.
Frowning, I step closer to my reflection, slowly scrubbing at my neck with more and more vigor. As the blood and grime come away, I’m surprised to see that it isn’t a fresh wound that’s revealed, but the pale lines of a scar.
I grimace at the sight.
Two jagged crescent moons now taunt me, the raised skin glistening ever so softly in the dim light as a permanent reminder of my shame.
Of course, I knew Cerberus had bitten me, but what I hadn’t anticipated was just how obvious, and entirely feral-looking, the mark would be.
Dropping the soiled rag to the floor, I tilt my head slightly to get a better look at the scar as I absentmindedly reach up to trace its outline with my fingertips.
I’m immediately made to regret my carelessness. As soon as I touch the mark, I double over, my stomach churning as wave after wave of excruciating pain and nausea crash through me.
The air grows thick and stifling around me as I find myself gasping for air. Sweat beads across my skin, plastering the heavy waves of my hair to my body as they become slick with it.
It takes me yet another gasping breath to realize what I’ve done, my hand still pressed to my neck, before my knees give out and I finally collapse to the floor.
My body drops against the stone with a heavy thud,knocking my hand free of the scar in the process. Almost instantly, the unnatural pain and nausea subside, the physical pain and certain bruising of my fall nothing short of relief in comparison.
A cold shiver runs down my spine as the air cools once again, and I take several deep breaths as I try to pull myself back together.
