Page 62 of Sorrow & Strangers

I hold the image of the rune in my mind and follow the headmaster’s instructions exactly. When the runes don’t immediately start to glow, I panic, trying to work out what I’ve done wrong. I reach out to retrace the lines, but it finally lights up, and I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Rafe’s body relaxes, but when I look at his face, I notice black liquid trickling from the corners of his closed eyes.

Tears?

I wipe them away, and Rafe whimpers again.

“I’m here.”

Rafe’s eyes spring open, and I gasp. They’re flooded with black, and more dark tears slide down the sides of his face, his breath coming in labored, ragged gasps.

“I’ve just redone your healing rune. It’ll all be okay,” I say, gently wiping his face with a cool cloth. “I’m here. You’re safe.”

His breathing calms, and his eyes drift closed. Tears are still falling from his eyes, but I can see him relaxing back into unconsciousness. Good. I hope he can stay unconscious throughout the most tumultuous parts of this ­process.

Alice sits up on the other side of him. Her eyes are dark, probably thanks to the blood that seems to be still leaking from him. Is that what his tears are? Black blood? I’ll need to do more research on how to care properly for a Fallen. Though given how infrequently this happens, I’ll probably have to settle on a book on demons and adapt it somehow.

“His rune?”

“I’ve just redone it. He opened his eyes.”

“He did?” Alice scrambles up and leans over him. Rafe grimaces with the movement before settling back into sleep. “Oh, my gods!” she yelps, making me jump.

“What?” I ask, frantically looking him over.

Alice gently lifts his upper lip. “He has fangs just like his mom’s!”

My lips twitch as my heart rate returns to normal. The sun is beginning to rise, casting the room in a happy orange color, easing the terror of last night.

Alice smiles like a proud parent. “Top and bottom! I’m a proud vampire.” She frowns when she notices his lip is bleeding a little, and she hops out of bed and hurries out of the room before coming back with some old chopsticks. Snapping one in half, she parts Rafe’s lips again before opening his mouth and placing the chopstick inside to protect his lips from his growing fangs.

She settles back in bed, curling against Rafe’s side, and is almost immediately asleep again. I envy her for her ability to fall asleep so quickly, to have dreams that don’t bring her discomfort, but also I’m happy for her. Alice has had her own fill of trauma, and she deserves to be happy and healthy. I lie back next to Rafe and allow myself to be at peace for a while.

A few hours later, I shift and gently shake Alice from the realm of sleep. “Al? I’m going to take a shower.” I’m still caked in mud and demon blood, but I’ve not felt confident enough to leave Rafe’s side.

Alice waves her hand sleepily, and while she’s still half-asleep, I can tell she’s attuned herself to Rafe’s breathing.

I shower quickly, washing away not only the physical evidence of last night, but letting the warm water soothe my emotions and thoughts. I step out and start drying off, noticing a book on the bathroom counter. Frowning, I stare at it, knowing it wasn’t there when I got into the shower. I look around and tighten the towel around myself before picking it up.

Demonology: By Demons for Demons.

I look around my bathroom again, unsure of what I’m looking for, or who I’m looking for, but I know it must have been the stranger. I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that he was in the bathroom with me while I was showering, but I’m too interested in the book to put much energy into any form of outrage. It reeks of brimstone, the same thing that was in that pouch the headmaster brought and gave to Alice last night. That means the stranger must have gotten this from Hell. That is a locked realm, so I’m unsure how he managed to get in. I open the book and a note slides from between its pages. There are two words, and my stomach flutters reading them.

For Rafe

I take the book back to my room and set it on the bed so I can change into shorts and a T-shirt. Once I am dressed and have pulled my hair back, I pick up the book and pad barefoot back to Rafe’s room, reading as I go.

When I step through the doorway, I glance up and stop, doing a double take. Alice is kneeling over Rafe, examining the top of his head.

“All good?” I ask.

“His horns are coming in,” Alice says, throwing me a look as if it is obvious.

I nod and climb back in bed with them, going back to my reading once I settle with my back to the headboard.

Alice’s nose scrunches. “That book reeks.”

I nod and curl toward Rafe, barely paying attention to either of them, captivated by the knowledge contained within the book.

Demon or daemon in Latin or diamon in Greek loosely translates to “unclean spirit” or “god of the heathen.” They are a proud, protective species that values their privacy.