“You let her go off alone?”
“I didn’tlether do anything!”
No. Of course he hadn’t.“Stubborn woman.”
“So you said.”
Antoine saw Cally’s lips move, but he couldn’t hear.“What did she say?”
“That she loves you, and we’re getting you out. To hold on and be strong. A week, maybe two.”
Two more weeks. He wasn’t sure he could manage two moredays.“I’ll be past saving by then.”
“Bullshit. All you need is some blood.”
At the word, his focus returned to her throat. He couldn’t help it, and he hated himself for being so weak. There she was, if not to touch at least to gaze upon, and all he could do was stare at what little he could see of her neck.
But Noah was wrong. He didn’t just need blood, he neededherblood. He couldn’t feed on just anyone, not anymore. And when Belle had entombed him before, then let him out after he was feral, there had been nothing left of the victim she’d brought him.
He couldn’t take that risk. Not with Cally.
“Promise you won’t bring her. If you do come, promise me she’ll stay away.”
“Don’t make that a compulsion, Antoine, please. I can’t make that promise. What do you want me to do, drug her?”
“If that’s what it takes.”
“Yeah? And how much would I have to give her to knock her out now she’s bonded to you? How much before I kill her by accident instead?”
“I’ll kill her if she comes. I won’t be able to stop myself. Don’t bring her.”Antoine tried to enforce it, but he was too weak. He felt the compulsion scatter before it reached him, like a whisper into the wind.“Noah…”
“I’ll tell her, but…”
Through Noah’s eyes, Antoine watched as Cally’s jaw set in determination, and she shook her head. When she spoke again, he didn’t need to hear her words to know it was a refusal.
“She says she’s not leaving you to do this alone.”
Damn it. “Leave me, Noah. I don’t want her anywhere near me. Not now, not then. Tell her to…”
“To what, Antoine? Forget you and move on?”His skepticism came through strong.“I’m not telling her that.”
“She has to, Noah. She can’t wait another two weeks. What if her power explodes? Has Belle fed on her?”
“No. We don’t know where Belle is.”
“Shit. You have to find her.”
“We don’t need to. We have Gabe—"
Antoine bucked against his chains, his rage lending him strength. But the water pushed back, and the movement wasn’t even enough to press him to the walls of his metal coffin.“I told you not to trust him!”
“Cally says we can.”
That bastard. He wanted her for himself. “Does she know Gabriel is the reason I’m down here?”
There was a pause while Noah conveyed the question, then Cally jerked back in surprise. He took no joy in her reaction, only something darker. And far too satisfying.
She shook her head, and her lips moved again.
