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Riley clutched the triangular necklace at her chest. The talisman matched her sister’s, and she prayed to it as if it could somehow ward away this evil. “Deruthel bit him. How do we stop the infection?”
“I cannot cure him without the source. I will make a salve that will stall the infection, but it won’t last forever. You need to acquire the antidote.” She said while mixing ingredients into the bowl.
“Where do I get an antidote?”
“I cannot give you any guarantees. We may be able to create one with Deruthel’s blood, since he’s the one who infected Colton.”
Riley’s jaw dropped. “Are you suggesting I get Deruthel’s blood? How do I get the blood of a demon general? It’s not like I can go up and say ‘pretty please’ and he will hand it over.”
Colton hissed when Anaisa began pushing the salve into the wound. His tendon and sinew reached for one another, knitting together until his flesh smoothed over, but a large black stain remained on his skin.
Anaisa inspected the healed wound, frowning when she pushed against the dark area that looked like a bruise. “I will make you a syringe. Demon skin is extremely tough, but I’ll dip it in an acidic compound that will soften the tissue. It will burn its way into the demon’s flesh. He will feel it. You must be extremely quick with your extraction.”
She went to the shelving unit with the array of glass containers, opening a jar filled with clear liquid. She dipped a syringe before putting it in a wooden container with strange symbols etched on the lid. She handed it to Riley. “I would give you more than one, but if you miss the first time, you will not get a second chance. The container is blessed and will shift to the shadows.”
She handed Colton a mug. “Drink this, it will help slow your metabolism. While this will slow the infection, it will also sap your strength. You will not recover as quickly from your travel.”
Colton drank the liquid. “It’s been a long time since I had tea. Thank you, Anaisa.”
Anaisa nodded, but there was no missing the concern in her eyes. She patted Colton’s leg. “Rest for a minute while I talk to Riley about possible side effects.” She led Riley to the small kitchen attached to the living room.
Brass pots, drying herbs, and ceramic roosters gave the kitchen a homey and inviting feel. Riley could imagine Anaisa cooking for her family and friends, the aroma of spiced meat and seasoned vegetables permeating the room. An experience Riley would never have again. Still, that reality was less concerning than her dying mate. What good was a family gathering if you lost the one you loved?
“What side effects?” Riley asked.
Anaisa glanced towards the living room where Colton lay peacefully on the couch. “I need to warn you.”
“You already told me he could die.”
She shook her head. “I wish that were the worst of it, but the infected turn on their loved ones first. You are in danger.”
CHAPTER8
Riley grabbed the couch as they coalesced in the living room of the tree house. Colton had led their travel through the pathways and it had been smooth, though she detected some hesitation. She turned to him, slipping her arms around his waist, needing the reassurance. The warmth and safety only her mate could provide.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
He smiled, though she noticed the droop of his eyelids. “Better. At least I’m not bleeding out on the floor.”
She pursed her lips. “That’s good.”
“You have been quiet since we left the Haitian village. Did Anaisa tell you something that concerns you?”
Riley looked at him with regret. Recognizing the man he was. One too good for this world. She couldn’t bring herself to answer his question. She could give him this moment, letting him know that she would fight for him with her last breath; knowing it wouldn’t be enough. That she would always choose him even if fate designated their time together to be unnaturally brief. She kissed him with everything she had. Fire. Passion. Love. This one night would encompass a lifetime of devotion and she wouldn’t let it pass them by. She would show him without words what a miracle he was, how thankful she was for their time together.
His growl rumbled against her lips and caused a rush of liquid between her legs. Her body was so hot. Aroused. Electrified. She pulled his shirt from his jeans, feeling his indecision. “Don’t say no. We don’t know what the future holds. Be with me now.”
He grabbed her, backing her up until her spine bumped the wall. She felt the cool breeze through the open window. The leaves brushing against one another created a soft lullaby accented by the choir of night crickets. She moaned when he shifted their clothes to the shadows, and his heated skin pressed against hers.
Everything about Colton had screamed discipline. Reserve. Leadership. There was nothing like that now. His desperation as he kissed her generated a rush of damp heat to pool between her legs.
He kissed her breathless. His body was naked, hard and ready. “I have waited hundreds of years for you. Trapped in a dark void, daring to hope you existed. There will never be another for me.”
Riley touched his face. “I’ve never wanted anyone. I choose you now, and I always will. No matter what happens, I will never regret a single moment with you.”
Colton pulled her against his taut body. “You speak as if we won’t find a cure. I promise I will not let you down. This is not the end. Only our beginning.”
“There are no guarantees in life. Not for us. Not for anyone,” Riley said.
