TheBeastKindredlooked at him andCassiesaw that his golden eyes were already beginning to cloud.
She felt the bottom drop out of her stomach.
“No,” she whispered.“No, no, no.”
Ravik looked down at the bite, then atSeverin.Forthe first time since she had met him, something like real fear crossed the bigBeastKindred’sface.
“Fuck,” he growled, looking down at himself and the blood streaming from his arm.Hisgaze moved toCassie.“Getback,” he said hoarsely.
She shook her head, tears already stinging her eyes.
“Ravik—”
“I said, fuckingget back!”Hisvoice dipped into a growl, and the white haze spread farther across his eyes.Hishand tightened around the shock blade, knuckles white.“IfIturn,I’llkill you.”
Severin stepped forward, one hand still outstretched to his friend.
“No,” he said.“Youwon’t.”
Ravik laughed once, harsh and broken.
“You wanted a reason to bite me,Sev?”Hisbreathing was getting rougher now, his shoulders bunching as though something inside him was trying to claw its way out.“Well, here it fucking is.”Hepointed to his eyes, which were changing from gold to milky white.
Cassie looked from one male to the other, her heart pounding so hard she could barely breathe.Wasthe bigBeastKindredfinally going to take the cure?
Apparently so—Severin’sfangs were already out.
Ravik’s eyes flickered from gold to white and back to gold while his massive body trembled with the effort of holding himself still.Helooked atCassieone more time, and for a moment she saw him clearly—the male who had carried her out of theDeadZone, who had held her at night so gently, who had risked his life to protect her.
Then the fog rolled over his eyes again and she knew he was losing himself.
“Do it,” he growled atSeverin.“Biteme beforeIhurt her—bite me beforeIkill you both.”
44
SEVERIN
“I don’t like doing this here.”Severinlooked around.Theywere almost to the base of the communications tower but the area was too open—too exposed.Whatif the cure he carried in his fangs overwhelmed his best friend?Whatif it weakenedRaviktoo much for him to fight if moreInfectedcame?
But there was no time to worry about such things now.HeandRavikhad been fighting about this almost from the momentSeverinhad stepped out of his lab and announced he had a cure.Nowthere was no more time to argue—the virulentHungerViruswas already at work onRavik.AsSeverinknew, a second exposure rapidly exacerbated the symptoms from the first exposure.AndRavikwas right to be worried—he was about to become incredibly dangerous in a matter of minutes if he didn’t get the cure into his system right away.
“Lay down.”Hetugged onSeverin’sunhurt arm and his friend looked at him with barely a hint of gold left in his eyes.
“Lay…down?”he repeated, his deep voice hoarse and confused.
“I can’t do this with you standing.Laydown!”Severinpointed to a patch of grass, hoping a direct order would do the trick.
Ravik just stared at him but thenCassandrawas there, tugging on his hand.
“Come on, big guy,” she said.“Let’slay down together—okay?”
“Lay down withCassie?”Ravikasked.
“Yes, exactly.Laydown with me.”Cassandrapulled until he got clumsily down on his knees, then lay flat on his back at her urging.Shelooked up atSeverin.“Nowwhat?”
“NowIneed to bite him and we pray the cure works,” he said honestly.“Ifit doesn’t, we’ll need to run before he becomes aggressive.”
Her face paled, but she nodded firmly.
