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“He’s getting there,” Alek rumbled. He set the tray on the small end table next to the bed. He lifted a couple pieces of bacon and tossed them into his mouth. He didn’t moan at the first taste of grease on his tongue, but he wanted to. The dishes were hot and fresh, and the aroma of the bangers began to overtake the lingering stink of the tomb.
“Thank you for this, Farica,” Alek said. “For being here. Thank you so damn much for everything.”
“I’m always there for you. You know that,” she said softly.
Yeah, he did know. When he finished a few scoops of eggs, he asked, “How’d your wolf learn to fight like that? She’s always so peaceful and sweet.”
Farica scoffed and rolled her eyes—looking just like their mother, a beautiful, amused smile gracing her face. “Only when she needs to be. She’s sugar and spice, can charm the fury out of the meanest man… and then, she can kick ass if all else fails.”
Alek smiled for the first time since he’d landed in the UK. He finished his breakfast while Farica updated him on Justice’s briefing from the home front. Which was still pretty quiet, but Alek knew they couldn’t stay away much longer. They all needed to get back to the White Forest Mountains.
Never in his life had he come so close to death. As a matter of fact, he’d thought he was dead—floating in the void of the Underworld. It had taken him a long time to realize he wasn’t dead, and he knew it because his entire body hurt like hell. He’d fought in many battles, but never had he experienced such a crushing defeat. For hours upon hours his mind had wandered, refusing to come to consciousness because of the excruciating agony that awaited him. But, he couldn’t continue to ignore Alek’s pleas. He wasn’t sure of the exact time when his beloved became real in his head and not fantasy, when he realized that Alek was there talking to him, touching him, caressing him… feeding him. It’d been his cherished’s blood that’d saved him.
Bell had been too weak, too confused, too hurt to even lift his head, not strong enough to puncture Alek’s skin with his fangs. He’d been barely cognizant, but he’d heard Alek when he’d said ‘he’d come to him instead’; then his parched throat was again coated by Alek’s rich blood. It’d been like warm, saccharine honey gliding down his throat and filling his stomach. He’d felt the difference immediately. The life slowly coming back to him. Gods, he’d been so close. At that moment, Bell knew without a doubt that Alek was his fated love. Look at all he’d done.
Bell fought his way through the haziness, clamoring to focus enough to form words. He was still achy all over, but no longer feeling like a fragile mortal on life support. There was another voice in the room with Alek that he remembered hearing before, but couldn’t quite place it. His ability to scent was very limited, but Alek’s enticing, manly scent was strong. Then the smell of fresh-cut roses drifted around him, making him feel as if he was lying in a hammock in the middle of the Keukenhof Gardens. Then a pleasant laugh that gave him flutters in his stomach. It was Farica. She was there too. Was Alek’s entire pack there? Gods. Bell needed to wake up. He figured he’d start with his eyes. He should’ve been able enough to open them by now.
Several minutes went by before Bell could feel his eyelids twitching. Coming to full consciousness from such a deep slumber was extremely difficult. No wonder those half-woken vampires were so useless and easy to manipulate. Bell teetered on the edge of what was real for a long time before his mind realigned itself.
“I’ll be in the main house while Mac watches the grounds, then we’ll swap in a few hours,” Farica said in a low tone, her footsteps moving to the other side of the room.
Bell was more awake now. He’d just cracked his eyes open, his vision slowly clearing as Alek’s muscular back came into view. He watched him embrace his sister and kiss her forehead.
“Thank you,” he murmured. Bell thought his beloved’s voice sounded full of weariness and heartache. Alek closed the door then leaned his head against the frame, exhaling a few long breaths.
“Alek,” Bell mouthed, unable to speak yet. His throat started to throb. That heat that had flooded his mouth when he was hungry was the first sensation to make itself known with his full consciousness. Bell squeezed his lids closed at the feeling of pain in the center of his abdomen, breathing shallowly through the discomfort. He had to hold on and not fade to blackness, where the pain didn’t exist. Alek couldn’t reach him there. Bell swallowed several times, trying to work his neck muscles and vocal cords. He wanted his mate’s attention.
