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Cyn rushed around the bed as Rae stepped back, hands over her mouth as she watched Zeke twist. Cyn sat on the edge and pinned Zeke’s upper body to give Ezra the chance to bite into Zeke’s shoulder.

Blood spilled over Zeke’s chin, but his throat worked as he unconsciously drew blood from Ezra’s palm.

It took several minutes for the convulsions to subside, but Zeke’s pained expression made it clear the fight wasn’t over.

Ezra lifted his hand and sat up. “It isn’t gone, but the curse is weaker now.”

“What the fuck?” Cyn looked at Ezra, his face pinched in desperation and pain. “What do we do then?”

Ezra looked at Rae hovering close by.

Although I hoped she wouldn’t have to give her blood after everything she endured in Feranzis, I knew she could be Zeke’s only means of survival at this point.

She approached, and Cyn stood, letting her take his spot again. She extended her arm to Ezra in a silent request.

He took her arm in his hand, fingers brushing across her inner forearm before his claw pierced her palm, making her wince.

Without second-guessing herself, she parted Zeke’s lips with her fingers before placing her hand over his mouth. His answering groan lit a spark of hope in my heart.

His legs twitched, so I tightened my grip. Then his upper body twisted, dislodging Rae’s hand. It felt as though the curse were trying to run from her blood by controlling his body.

Ezra reached to pin him, but Rae climbed onto the bed, straddling Zeke’s waist.

“Bite me, cut me, do something,” she demanded, baring her throat to Cyn.

“What? Are you insane?”

She looked down at Zeke, who lay still now that no one was trying to stop the curse invading his body. “It’ll keep him from getting away.”

“Why me?”

“It doesn’t matter who. You just—” She dismissed whatever she intended to say and looked at Ezra. “Can you do it?”

“No, I’ll do it.” Cyn moved closer, his lips finding the bare skin of her neck, and with a soft growl, his teeth sank in.

To my surprise, he pulled away without lingering, taking the spot beside Zeke to secure the arm Ezra wasn’t holding.

Rae curled forward, placing one hand on the back of Zeke’s head to hold him still and the other on his shoulder for balance as she lowered her neck to his mouth.

Zeke tensed beneath her before writhing as he tried to break their connection. But it was no use. Rae held him as if she were afraid he’d float away if she let go.

He wrenched his arms free of Ezra’s and Cyn’s hold so fast I didn’t have time to react. Cyn jumped up and reached for Zeke to stop him from throwing Rae off, but before Cyn could touch him, Zeke wrapped both arms around her in a tight embrace.

I released his ankles and stepped around the bed. “Should we stop him?”

“No,” Rae breathed. “He’s not hurting me.” She moaned. “Just… sucking.” She gasped, whimpering softly. “And biting.”

Cyn cursed, standing and pacing across the room.

“Rae,” Zeke sighed, his fingers flexing as he loosened his grip. After a beat of silence, he spoke again, his voice clear but confused. “Wait. Rae?”

She rose until she sat astride his hips, hands resting on his chest.

Cyn rushed back to Zeke’s side. “How do you feel?”

“My head hurts.”

I rounded the bed to stand behind Cyn. “What about the curse?”