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We ended up in Michael’s basement somehow. Probably because we were all holding his weapons, honestly. They were all imbued with magic—they probably had some kind of magical homing device or something. Either way, when we tumbled out through the portal, Xero and Kingston were both unconscious. They were also both fully in their human forms, which somehow made Xero’s injuries look worse.
“Welcome back.”
Michael’s voice made me jump, and I spun around to find him on the stairs. I almost didn’t recognize him at first, with his clear eyes and smooth cheeks and blunt fingers. I hadn’t seen him out of his werewolf form until now, and it made me uneasy.
He noticed. “You don’t always want people to know what you can do on sight,” he said vaguely, shrugging a broad shoulder. Then he jerked his chin toward Xero. “I see you got your boy.”
I turned my attention back to the fire demon. Kingston was groaning and shaking himself awake slowly, but Xero was still completely unconscious, twisted in an unnatural position on the floor. He looked fucking dead, and my heart tried to lurch out of my chest by way of my throat.
Turning away from Michael, I crawled to Xero’s side and straightened him out, gasping at the scars and welts that had broken open during our tumultuous transport. Thick blood poured out of his wounds, so dark it was almost black.
“Xero,” I murmured, my voice cracking. “Xero, Xero, wake up. Shit. Help me. How do I fix you?”
I brushed my hand over his short, matted hair and stroked his broken face, begging whatever magic controlled this universe to send some of my life force into him. I kissed him again and again, all over his face and neck. It only gave me strength. My succubus powers were a one-way street, and it was the wrong fucking direction.
“That ain’t gonna work, you know,” Michael said gruffly. “He’s no incubus.”
Xero’s good eye fluttered open. He tried to speak, but it was all he could do to swallow. Panic struck my chest when I saw his teeth stained with blood, sharpening the way demons’ and vampires’ teeth seemed to do when they’re close to death and desperate.
“Somebody help me,” I cried, my voice cracking. “Tell me what to do!”
It wasn’t fair. Goddamn it, this was my fucking rescue mission. I was the one in charge, I was the one who forced all of this to happen.
That was all my power was good for, wasn’t it? Forcing people to do things, rallying troops, changing minds, and manipulating hearts—what else was I good for?
Hot tears spilled down my cheeks as I cradled Xero’s head in my arms. I felt helpless and useless, and guilt battled sorrow for dominance in my bleeding heart.
“He can drink from me,” Kai said quietly.
I looked up at him in shock. “Kai. What about the bond?”
Xero started to shake, and I swore I could feel his skin cooling beneath my touch, growing clammy. Kai knelt down across from me, his eyes flashing fiercely.
“Remember what we talked about, Piper? We’re all bonded, naturally or supernaturally. I don’t care which it is anymore. The bonds are there. They’re real. And they’re good for us. So there’ll be another magical bond in the mix—so the hell what? I’m going to save my friend.”
With that, he took his own wrist in his mouth and slashed it open with his teeth. Blood poured from the wound in a thin stream, splashing on Xero’s cheek before reaching his quivering mouth. Kai pressed his wrist to Xero’s lips, letting the blood flow over the demon’s tongue.
I held my breath, gripping Xero’s hand and praying to whatever higher power might be listening that my bond-mate would react.
He did. Slowly.
First came a noise in his throat like a groan, then little labored swallows. He was so weak. I squeezed his hand, pushing healing thoughts at him, knowing that it was useless.
I wasn’t good at healing. I was good at surviving. I was good at going it alone. I was very good at sex, and now with my powers, I was good at controlling people.
What does that make me? A cold-hearted general?
My blood ran cold. Was I a villain? Xero’s condition was my fault, and I knew it. If I hadn’t bonded with him, he wouldn’t have come out into the underworld with me or stepped in front of me to stop Gavriel’s attack. He would be safe and sound at school, passing his tests and proving himself worthy of his second chance. I’d ruined his life.
My heart squeezed painfully, and I looked around at my guys. They all had good reasons to hate me, but they didn’t. I couldn’t help but think it was purely magical, no matter how much they argued with me that it was real. How would they know? And how could I ever forgive myself if anything happened to them because of their feelings for me?
Xero coughed, breaking me out of my dark thoughts, and my gaze snapped to him.
Blood dribbled out of his mouth, and I couldn’t tell if it was his or Kai’s. His skin had begun to heal, and the swollen knots across his abdomen had receded down to a less alarming size. He took a deep breath, then accepted the wrist that Kai pushed back at him. How much had he had to drink now?
I glanced up at Kai. Fuck. Too much.
“Enough,” I said. “You’re killing yourself, Kai.”
