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“It’s vented to the outside through an intricate piping system.”
“You must be a world of engineers.”
“We have many talented people and universities.”
In the space between, a shelf held a three-tiered silver candelabra. The stone was etched behind in an intricate pattern of lines.
“There’s that pattern again.”
“Oh, that’s right. I had the craftsman use that design in the Andes house.” When another cramp took hold of him, he knew he had to start addressing his issue and get things sorted. “So, how are you feeling?”
She pulled her hand away from his neck, disconnecting the chains. “The pain’s all gone.” She even smiled.
“Good. I’m glad to hear it and I’m really sorry you had to go through that again, twice.”
She nodded, frowning this time, her gaze fixed on him. “Wait a minute. You’re in some kind of pain yourself. What’s going on? Marius, this is serious, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is, and it’s getting worse. I might need your help, but if you can’t do it, I’ll contact Rumy. He can bring someone in.” Even his breathing had changed; this was coming on fast.
* * *
“What do you mean, if I can’t do it? What exactly do you need me to do?”
“I’ll need to be bound so I can’t move, or hurt you, and later you’d need to donate.”
She swallowed hard. “As in donating blood?” She touched her throat absently.
“Yes.” He told her about blood-starvation and the resulting madness that comes from the reintroduction of blood into a vampire’s depleted system.
Shayna stared at Marius, her eyes wide. “And this is what’s wrong with you now?”
He nodded. He leaned over and wrapped both arms around his stomach.
Images of a frying pan and a fire came to mind. She’d just left two different kinds of horror, first with the atrocities at the Dark Cave system and then the recent battle. But given how pale Marius had just turned, she was about to enter a third.
“Tell me, Shayna, whether you can do this. Otherwise Rumy will send someone in.?
??
“To feed you?”
He nodded. “And tend to me. Blood-madness recovery isn’t very pretty.”
Shayna grew very still. The oddest sensation went through her, a kind of possessive vibration that made her clamp her hand around Marius’s wrist. And before she’d actually formed the words in her head to analyze their merit, she stated in a voice she barely recognized, “The hell anyone else is feeding you. I’ll do it. You saved my life. My blood is yours.”
He shifted slightly to meet her gaze. “Thank you.” But his jaw looked stiff, and sweat had beaded up on his forehead. Because of the chains, she could feel how quickly his condition had turned for the worse.
He was breathing hard now, trying to hold himself together. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and quickly removed the chain from around her wrist and fingers. She wouldn’t be able to do anything very fast if she wore the chain, but she tucked it into the pocket of her jeans to keep it close. Even with a layer of fabric separating her from the metal links, she still siphoned his power.
“How do I tie you up? What do I use? Where do I do this?”
“We’ll have to do it here. Look under the bed. The chains are secured into the stone floor. Oh, God, Shayna, hurry. I’ll hurt you if I’m not tied down within the next minute.”
“I understand.” Shayna had already seen enough of Marius’s world, and of him, to believe him.
“Shit, this is coming on fast.”
“I know. I can feel it, too.”
