Page 52 of Veiled Yearning

“You’re dead,” Gavril bites out as he looms over her, the edge of his knife pressing into her neck. “There is no survival after what you did.”

She coughs, spitting blood. “It doesn’t matter.” Her eyes jump to Gavril’s, and her lips bare in a rictus of a smile. “Nicolas will get her. Especially now, with the woman’s protector dead.”

What is she talking about?

Frederick hisses out a low curse.

Gavril lowers his face close to hers. In a deadly tone, he says, “Nicolas will never have her. Ever.”

And in a vicious slice, he cuts off her head.

The relief should be enormous. But why did she say that? She had to mean Gavril. My protector. Who else would she mean?

He’s not dead. He’s—

When he stands, that’s when I see it.

The long gouge across Gavril’s stomach, blood pulsing from it.

He casts an angry glance down at the wound, and grits out, “She used the poisoned blade.”

The what?

“What?”

Frederick and Gavril turn towards me. “What poison?” I ask, my voice going shrill. “What poison are you talking about?”

The blood is still gushing from Gavril’s stomach, not slowing like it should be.

“Gav. What poison?”

Knight answers me. “It counteracts the natural vampire healing process. We can’t heal normally if the wound is caused by a poisoned blade.”

What?

I rush over to Gavril, panic bursting, its jagged claws tearing at me. Once I get to him, I clap my hands over his terrible injury, desperately trying to summon any healing energy I can. Tears are pressing behind my eyes, but I ruthlessly force them back.

I need to be calm. I need to heal Gavril. Somehow.

He’s patting my head, saying something, but I can’t hear it over the rushing in my ears.

“Get the tokens,” I shout. “All of them. There’s no light in here, please get the tokens, now.” My voice cracks. “Please. Hurry.”

I can’t lose him. Please.

I can’t.

17

Not the Best Man

GAVRIL

This is a Chiara I haven’t seen.

Frantic. Shouting. Her tightly reined-in emotions breaking free.

She’s kneeling in front of me, her hands dark and slick with my blood, a wild and terrified look in her eyes.

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