Page 90 of Bite of Passage
“Let me go.”
He released her hair but didn’t remove the knife.
“There are parasites—worms—trapped inside your eyes.I think they cause retinal damage every day.That’s damage to the part of your eye that processes vision.Overnight, when your body can really focus on healing, it has been able to repair some of the damage.I’m so sorry.It’s got to be awful.”
“Worms?And the treatment?”
“In my world…no, she called it a realm… Anyway, where I’m from there’s a medicine humans take to get rid of this.But there are several problems with the medicine.First, I don’t know if the treatment will work on a vampire.Second, I don’t know whether there may be permanent damage.I think the treatment is worth trying.You would swallow a few pills and get better.Maybe better enough not to need the bugs.That sounds worth it to me.”
“How do we get this medicine?”
“That’s the third problem.I have to find a mage or witch who can create a portal to my realm.I can’t be the one who goes to get it.My journey here was one-way.I’ll have to bargain with someone to go and find it for me.”She pushed on VanFliet’s hand, lowering the knife away from her neck.“I’d like to try to get the medicine so you can get better.There is one herb that might help until I can figure out how to travel back to my world to get the drug.It’s called wormwood, but I’m not sure it exists here.”
Horses surrounded them.
“You found her for me.Excellent.”Petra’s cackling laugh accompanied the announcement.
VanFliet banded an arm around Gemma’s waist, moved behind her, and put the knife back at her throat.He whispered to Gemma, “We have an accord.She doesn’t know what you are.”
Gemma whispered back, “Skarde will come.”
“Not before this goes south.He’ll be too late to prevent the crystals bringing forth a plague from hell.”VanFliet sounded disappointed, lacking the tauntingwe-wintone she had expected to hear.
Whose side was he on?
VanFliet might not be in collusion with Petra?He might actually be against her.That meant the witch somehow controlled him, that perhaps he wasn’t sleeping with her.They never had shown them having sex on the show.
Petra slid off her horse.She shook water off her jacket and out of her skirt.Why would she wear a skirt in the rain?Gemma didn’t understand the lack of common clothing sense in this world.
With a smirk, Petra sauntered toward her and lifted the crystal from around Gemma’s neck.“Finally.”
If this had been a work of television fiction the witch would’ve yanked it off, but the chain was far too strong for that.Petra pushed VanFliet’s knife hand out of the way and pulled the chain over Gemma’s head before placing her hand over Gemma’s chest.
For a moment nothing happened.She grabbed Gemma’s wrist and used a knife to remove the bracelet.The witch’s hand returned to Gemma’s chest along with a tugging sensation, which tore through her as if the other woman was trying to rip her heart out.
VanFliet yanked her away from Petra’s hand.“She’s more useful intact.I thought you said the summoned will want a vessel.They’ll go for the strongest one nearby.”
Did the vampire just volunteer her for a demon possession?
“We’ll use your place, VanFliet.Let’s go summon forth my demons.”She touched Gemma’s head.Gemma jolted as if she’d stuck her hand in an electrical socket.
Then nothing.
ChapterThirty-Seven
Skarde pushedhis horse until it grunted with each ground-slamming impact of its hooves.How he wished for his own horse and tack.This saddle was a smidge too small.
Fragments of the words he’d thrown at Gemma filtered through his brain.Whatever he’d said, even if spoken while he was half out of his mind, had been bad enough to send her running toward the Vorche.To not know where she was, to not know what was happening to her, to have lost her… He’d never experienced fear in this way.
Deep inside, he’d accepted she was his to protect.Hell, she washis.So long as he got her back, even if she chose to leave and forge her own path in this world, at least he’d know she was safe and alive.
The horse spooked at a lightning strike, nearly unseating him.He nearly roared out his frustration, but keeping the horse’s panic under control demanded all his attention.
“Slow up,” Cade yelled.“The horse dying won’t get you there faster.”
He slowed the horse to a trot but despised the slower pace.Spindles of steam rose from its nostrils in the chilled air.
“Thanks for…” Skarde blew out a loud exhale.“Showing up.”
