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Nineteen
I was running in the dark. Running into nothing. My legs burned and I ran. And ran.
You’re mine, Astaroth’s voice echoed in my head, sending a rush of fear-fueled adrenaline through my body.
“Noooo!” I screamed as I fought through the dark, but suddenly there was light.
I blinked as air heaved in and out of my lungs.
Where was I? What was happening? I didn’t remember anything after Eli tried to heal me.
I jumped up in a flurry of movements. My limbs tangled in a mountain of white sheets and I fell to the floor, knocking a lamp over on my way down.
“Chérie.” It was Dastien’s voice, but I wasn’t sure if I could trust it. He stood in the doorway. “It’s fine. You’re safe.” He walked slowly to me, his hands held out.
I looked around the room. The bay window with the padded seat. My bookcase, which was missing a good chunk of books. My favorites were now in a box in Dastien’s cabin. The bed’s sheets had been freshly bleached. The faint scent burned my nose when I breathed deep, and under that, I could smell lavender. My mother’s favorite scent.
This was my parents’ house. I was in my bedroom—although calling it mine was a bit of a stretch. I hadn’t slept here enough for it to feel like home.
Dastien’s eyes were glowing amber as he closed the distance. You’re not in the black abyss. He ran a hand down my cheek before brushing a soft kiss against my lips. It was just a dream. You’re here with me in your parents’ house. He pressed his forehead against mine.
I breathed in his scent. Pine. Woods. And something that was just him. I had to trust that this was real. This was my Dastien. This was my parents’ house.
I closed my eyes and listened. My parents were chatting downstairs, along with a lot of other people, some voices I definitely didn’t recognize.
Mostly our friends, but some new arrivals, too. Dastien used our bond. He hadn’t done that when I’d been in the abyss.
“What happened?” I asked as I got back in bed, pulling the tangle of covers with me.
Dastien sat on the bed beside me. “Eli healed your bite and then we cleared out. The demons were gone, but it seemed stupid to stay on campus.”
“Where’s everyone else?” There had been a lot of staff and Cazadores staying there.
“Their homes. Hotels. Here and there. But the Cazadores agreed to stay close by in case there’s another fight. The Alphas are all close, too.”
That was good news. “Everyone made it away okay?”
“Yes. Thanks to you and Eli.”
“Did he say anything about needing to pay him back? For his help with the demons or with healing me.”
“No. Maybe this one is on the house?”
That seemed like a stretch, but I wouldn’t totally rule it out. I hadn’t asked for him to show up. I’d been praying, but for God, not Eli. But the chances that I’d end up owing him were probably pretty good.
“We’ll deal with that when it comes. For now, I’m just glad we’re all okay.”
“True. That’s a pretty big positive.”
He smiled. “Your cousins are downstairs, along with a few of the others. We need to figure out how we’re doing the bond and get out plane sealed off from Astaroth. I don’t want him coming through again.”
“Me neither.” But when we did the spell, he’d come. “Is Cosette back?”
“Not yet.” I could feel the seed of doubt running through Dastien’s mind.
“Don’t.” I had to shut his doubt down. I didn’t want to even entertain the idea that she was going to no-show on us. “She knows what’s at stake.” If I couldn’t trust my friends to have my back, then we’d already lost.
I kicked myself free of the covers and slid from the bed. I was wearing a T-shirt that smelled like Dastien, so I knew he’d gotten me ready for bed. “Thanks.”
