Page 55 of The Duke’s Bloody Bargain

Astonished, Fiona nodded and left.

I searched the corridor, worried Alex might jump on me.

“What a mess. We must…” Darius frowned, staring at the window. “What is happening?”

Fog was creeping down the hill of Willow Grove. It was like a massive creature about to swallow us. Thick and grey, it rose to engulf the palace. An eerie silence fell. The birds’ songs ceased. The sound of the wind disappeared. The air became heavy with humidity. Breathing was difficult.

I walked over to the window to take a better look, but there wasn’t much to see aside from a grey blanket. “Darius?”

He was petrified. Even his aura was frozen.

“What is it?” I touched his arm.

“I have no idea, and that terrifies me. I don’t like things I know nothing about because there are so few.” He swallowed hard. “We’d better see what Alex is doing.”

“Is this fog caused by him?” I stepped closer to him, a ripple going down my back.

He stepped back from the window. “I don’t believe in coincidences. Let’s go.”

Grey light had fallen in the hallway as the fog covered the windows. Not a sound came from the other rooms. A sudden yank in my chest made me slip over the tiles and warned me that Alex was coming.

I gasped, my shoes screeching against the floor. “He’s here.”

Alex’s silhouette swept into view from the other side of the corridor, looking imposing and lethal.

Darius shoved me behind him and raised the golden symbols that rattled. “Stay away. I have enough holy water to drench you.”

Dressed in clothes dirty with blood, mud, and grass blades, Alex came forth, holding up his hands. A scarf hung around his neck, and his coat was halfway down his shoulders. Dirt smeared his cheeks.

He stared at me, and the bond spread warmth through my chest, blossoming like a flower that had been in the dark for too long. “I doubt the blessed water will have any effect on me. I’m in control.”

I didn’t move, and Darius didn’t withdraw the holy symbols although Alex wasn’t recoiling at them.

“How?” Darius lifted the vial of blessed water.

“Carabosse reversed the spell. Sort of. It doesn’t matter right now. I’m normal.” He moved closer. “Irene, I’m so sorry for what I did to you. I’ll make amends.”

“I think he’s telling the truth.” Our bond wasn’t strained but soft and relaxed.

Darius sprayed him with the blessed water anyway.

“Dammit!” Alex wiped his face, streaking it with mud. “I told you I’m normal.”

“That’s your point of view. I have a different opinion.” Darius lowered the symbols but kept holding the vial. “Cara reversed the spell in exchange for what? Do you realise you’re going to pay a new price?” He pointed at the fog covering the windows completely. “Did she do this?”

Alex cleaned some blood from the corner of his mouth. “I went out to search for her⁠—”

“That’s not what I asked you.” Darius cut him off. “Besides, it’s pretty obvious!”

“The sun weakened me to the point that I was dying. She found me on the ground and promised to reverse the spell if…” He raked a hand through his hair. “If I turned her into a vampire.”

“And?” I glanced at Darius, not sure if Cara’s request was a good or a bad thing.

Darius corked the vial and slid it into his pocket. “I want to do a little test.”

He hugged Alex who leapt back, shouting. I hated seeing him so frightened and in pain, but his reaction proved it. The spell had been reversed, and he was back to his old self.

“I don’t understand.” Darius shifted his weight. “Why did Cara ask to be turned into a vampire? She can’t become a vampire. She’s a witch. Her magic will destroy the vampire venom as it would destroy a disease. Why don’t I understand anything as of late? It’s frustrating. Tell me more.”