A low hiss came out of him. “That changes everything.” He took the dagger, careful not to touch my hand. “We’ll take him with us and ask him a few questions.”
31
LIKE A GHOST
Alex
Irene hadn’t stopped shaking from the moment we’d found the thug. The ride home had been uncomfortable for everyone. My footman and coachman had carried the unconscious thug in the carriage, and I’d insisted on hailing a cab with Irene. She’d been too shocked to sit next to the bastard.
Now she quivered in my sitting room as we waited for the man to come around, and I hated that I wasn’t able to wrap my arms around her to protect her from the world.
I handed her a cup of tea.
“Where is he?” Her voice cracked.
“Secured in a cell underground. He’s still unconscious, as the blood loss was substantial, but he might recover.” I sat in front of her. The glow of her skin was fading, a sign her power was leaving her. “We haven’t solved your problem.”
She gripped the cup for dear life. “Can we discuss that tomorrow?”
“Yes, but we can’t postpone it any further.”
She put down the cup and cried. Silent tears trickled down her cheeks, shimmering like pearls.
I reached out to take her hand, but I had to stop when my skin grew clammy. My hand hovered awkwardly over hers before I gave up and withdrew it.
“He brought back everything.” She wiped her cheeks. “I remember something Sean told me.”
“What?” I stared at her hand a few inches from mine.
All I had to do was stretch out my fingers. The distance was minimal. The courage required to cover it was endless.
“He said he fed on fear and pain.”
That got my full attention. “Riley said the same thing.” I pondered the information. “It could be a coincidence or not. We have to wait for Darius to finish examining your house.”
“Thank you for helping me.” She stared into the tea as if wanting to divine the future.
“I regret not having stayed close to you after my transformation. I didn’t trust myself, and my control wasn’t reliable. Had I stayed, you would be home safe.”
“I missed you. I couldn’t believe you were dead.” A bitter chuckle left her. “Now we’re both dead. Well, you’re undead, and I’m almost alive.”
“With time, the pain, the confusion, and the fear will be forgotten.”
“If I don’t kill a man, will fading be painful?” Her fingertips almost touched mine.
The sensation going through me wasn’t entirely unpleasant. “Yes, it will. As a last resort, I could turn you into a vampire. It might not work though since you aren’t human anymore.”
“Biting people to survive is hardly better. I would exchange being a spirit for being a…” She held a breath.
“A monster? That’s what I am, and you’re right.” It stung, but it was true.
“I really didn’t mean—” She placed her hand over mine, and the burst of pain was so sudden and unexpected that I jumped, knocking the armchair backwards.
I gnashed my teeth, waiting for the pain to die down.
She looked horrified. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Don’t apologise. You asked me whether I was disgusted with you. No, I’m disgusted with myself.” I clenched a hand on my stomach as nausea threatened to make me throw up. “My transformation was particularly excruciating. I was beaten and then I transformed in a crowded hospital room where sick people were piled on top of me. Since then, my skin has become very sensitive. Touching or being touched triggers pain and fear, even though I’m aware a simple touch can’t be painful.” I touched my temple. “But the pain is here. I asked Darius for a potion or a spell to overcome my fear, but he said he could heal the body, not the mind. I forced myself to endure the agony of his touch, but I’ve always been too sick to succeed.”
