Page 69

This is what I feared.

I’m dying.

Theo pulls me close to him.

‘You’re not leaving me. I’ve only just found you,’ he whispers.

I blink slowly. His face comes in and out of focus. All I can see are his eyes, unblinking and as black as ink.

‘The blood didn’t work,’ I rasp. It hurts to even speak, and each inhale feels like I’m choking.

‘No,’ he says. His jaw tightens. ‘They did something. Poisoned you. It’s blocking the blood.’

My thoughts spin. I can’t think clearly. My skin’s going cold. ‘Theo,’ I breathe. ‘It’s okay.’

‘No,’ he says sharply, eyes locked on mine. ‘This isn’t over.’

‘I think it is,’ I say softly, my voice weak.

‘There’s one way to stop this,’ he says. My heart stumbles in my chest. ‘You’re not dying in my arms tonight. Not when I can stop it.’

‘Okay,’ I whisper, my voice barely audible.

‘Do you know what this means, Tara?’ Theo says urgently. ‘Are you okay for me to turn you?’

Nodding weakly, I consent. ‘Yes. Do it.’

My focus slips for a moment and I see Theo glide across the room. There’s a faint scream, and I wonder if it comes from the human girl that was left bleeding on the ground. Theo is back, drawing me closer to him, his eyes searching mine.

Theo’s hand cups the side of my face. His thumb brushes my cheek. I think he says something again, but I can’t make out the words.

‘Theo …’ I murmur. Or maybe I just think it. My voice doesn’t sound like mine anymore. The ceiling above me is shifting, warping. I blink, and the room twists.

‘I’m sorry,’ he whispers, his mouth moving to my neck.

Something burns through my veins. It’s not like before, when Theo previously gave me blood. This is deeper, feeling so wrong, but so right at the same time. It sears through every inch of me, threading heat and cold together, lighting up inside my body.

It still feels as if I’m dying. I gasp, swallowing my own blood as it mixes with his. My chest feels lighter, like my lungs somehow aren’t working the same as before. My eyes fly open. The world is too bright.

I see Theo’s face, still above mine, his hands pressed against my cheeks like he’s afraid I’ll fall apart if he lets go. His mouth moves, but I can’t hear him. My ears are roaring like a storm, taking in all these new sounds that are overwhelming me.

Something in me is clawing for control, like two halves of myself are fighting to take over. My human mind, slipping and breaking apart, fighting against something new and powerful. Something more forceful. More hungry.

Theo’s arms tighten around me again, and this time I feel everything. The texture of his shirt. The dried blood on his skin. The subtle tremble in his grip. His chest against mine, too still, too quiet and yet, I can feel the calm, strong bond between us as my body recognises him before my mind does.

It feels like everything has changed. My vision is too crisp, too clear. I shove to my feet and the movement happens much quicker than I can process.

‘Easy,’ he says quickly. ‘Your body’s still adjusting.’

‘Theo?’ Hunter’s voice calls from down the tunnel. He’s limping, looking worse for wear. They all do, with blood soaking their clothes and skin like they truly have been on a battlefield. ‘We’ve gotta move. We’re compromised. More of them are coming.’

Cora slides into view behind him, blades dripping red. ‘No way that was all of them. We’re a beacon down here.’

‘Is she awake?’ Raya asks from the rear, gentler. ‘Can she walk?’

I look up at Theo, as if he might have all the answers for the endless questions circling in my mind. He nods, steadying me momentarily, before stepping away. A different kind of strength coils in me, not muscle, but something deeper. My balance is perfect. My hearing is perfect. I feel like I could run through a wall. I’ve never felt this strong before.

The smell around us is potent. Death, mildew and decay. An unpleasant combination that I can taste in the air.