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She frowned, her top fangs digging into her lower lip. “My healing magic isn’t very strong.”
He held out the claw. “What if you use this?”
She took the claw from him, turning it over in her paws. “What is it?”
Emotion strained his words as he looked down at his mate again. More fur had sprouted on her body. The area around the wound looked like cracked, parched earth, and her breathing had become labored and ragged. “She said it might save her.”
“I can feel the magic buzzing inside,” she said as she held the claw to her ear. “I need your blood.”
He gave her a questioning look, backing away when she held out the claw.
“I need fresh blood for the spell,” the she-cat said. “Your blood is less likely to be rejected, since you’re her fated mate.”
He gritted his teeth, letting out a low growl. “If you’re deceiving me, I’ll rip out your throat.”
She snarled at him. “Save your threats, lecher. I’ve died many times and do not fear another death.”
Snatching the claw from her, he used it to rip open his arm. Blood pooled on his silvery skin, and the demon clenched his arm, dragging him to the floor beside Bennu. She whispered a spell, the words “vivica” and “sano” barely audible as she pressed his cut to Bennu’s lips. She took the claw from him, drawing a pentagram of blood across Bennu’s chest while continuing to repeat the spell. He blinked at that pentagram, wondering where so much blood had come from as it pooled out of the claw’s tip like a spilled inkwell.
His mate moaned and shifted as the patches of fur on her skin slowly receded and her cracked skin healed.
“It’s working,” he hissed.
The she-cat mumbled the spell louder, drawing another pentagram and another over Bennu’s heart until his mate’s rapid breathing returned to normal. The she-cat gave a violent shudder, dropping the claw and collapsing beside his mate.
Bennu blinked up at him, and her jaw went slack. She was in shock.
Cadmus pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her face while looking at her through a hazy gaze. “Bennu, are you okay?”
She blinked at him several times. “What happened?” she rasped.
His heart gave a shudder as a mixture of relief and guilt coursed through him. “My bite infected you.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” she whispered. “You were cursed.” When she wiped his cheek, then smeared grime across her tunic, he was suddenly aware that he’d been crying.
“Now that we’ve had our happy reunion, can we get the hell out of here?”
He glared at the she-cat.
“Tigress.” Bennu flashed a weak smile. “You returned.”
“I did.” Tigress thrust the crystal toward them. “Now recite the spell.”
Bennu pushed herself up, her bronze cheeks reddening. “You stole my crystal!”
“You dropped it when you fell.” Tigress averted her gaze.
Either she was lying or plagued by guilt. Cadmus didn’t care the reason. He still didn’t trust the demon cat.
“Give it to me!” Bennu snapped, snatching it from Tigress.
Cadmus helped his mate to her feet. Her legs wobbled while she leaned against him. Cupping her cheek, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. How odd that she said they’d been separated over two millennia, yet he could’ve sworn he’d been holding her only a few days earlier.
“My goddess,” he said, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb. “Go with Tigress back to our dimension and get help.”
She shook her head, her eyes pooling with moisture as she clutched the crystal. “I can’t.”
He feared she’d fight him on this. He squeezed her shoulders, desperately searching her eyes. “You don’t have a choice. My brothers will gain strength soon, and you’ll be in danger. You have to return to your dimension—now.”
