Page 83 of Veiled Yearning

Metal splits flesh and bone.

His body shudders. Blood spills across the floor.

Nicolas is finally dead.

Finally.

It’s a solemn victory. With his death come the memories of those he killed. Those he terrified. Threatened. Tortured.

If only he had been stopped sooner. I’ll carry that failing to the grave.

But it’s over. Without Nicolas, the Custodians will be easy to bring under control. We can cut off access to the Veil. It will finally be safe for vampires and humans alike.

I’ll be able to start a life with Chiara. We can find our cabin. She can feel safe again.

“Gavril.” Frederick’s voice is strained. Brittle. An icy tendril snakes down my back.

My chest suddenly tight, I stand and turn to face him.

And my heart stops.

Chiara’s sprawled out on the floor, her eyes closed, unnaturally still. She’s deathly pale. All her features are drawn and shadowed. I can’t even tell if her chest is moving.

Frederick and Cait kneel on either side of her, their expressions tight with worry. Cait clutches Chiara’s hand between hers, rubbing it briskly. She’s whispering urgently, “Wake up, Chiara. Wake up. It’s all over. Wake up.”

Frederick’s gaze jumps to mine, his eyes dark as night. “She just collapsed. As soon as you leapt on Nicolas. She looked fine, and then—”

Chiara!

I cross the room in a blink, crashing to my knees beside her. I press my ear to her chest, praying to any higher being that could possibly hear me, holding my breath. For one terrifying, breathless moment, I’m not sure if she’s alive or—I can’t even think it—

Still alive. Still breathing, though it’s shallow and weak. Tears I haven’t felt in over two hundred years burn behind my eyes.

“Chiara, love.” I gather her limp body in my arms, hugging her to my chest. “Please wake up.”

I jostle her gently, but there’s nothing. Her eyes don’t flutter open. Her features don’t move. She’s like a rag-doll, her head lolling against my shoulder, all her limbs boneless.

Panic surges, frantic wing beats in my chest.

Despite the fear breaking over me in chilling waves, I kiss Chiara’s forehead and croon, “It’s all over, gorgeous, you can wake up now. You’re safe.”

But she doesn’t react. Not to my words, or my kisses, or when I tap her cheeks lightly with my fingertips.

“Please,” I beg her. There’s a quiver in my voice, and I feel moments from breaking. “Please, love. Please come back. It’s all over now.”

“She said it makes her sick.” Cait is still kneeling beside me, her gaze never leaving Chiara. She sniffs before adding quietly, “If it makes her ill just using one ability—”

“I know that.” Fear makes me snap at her, and regret jabs at me, but I brush it away. I don’t have room for any concern other than Chiara.

“We need Ethan and Ivy. Or Titus.” Frederick casts a quick glance at the stairs, as if he can magically summon them there. Then he looks back down at Chiara, and his face creases. “Quickly.”

I stand up, cradling Chiara in my arms. Through a clenched jaw, I grit out, “Get them. Now!”

But it’s a struggle to breathe. It’s hard to think. My heart is skipping beats, beating a crazed staccato rhythm in my chest.

I can’t lose her. Not now.

Grace moves closer, and says softly, “Roman is finding Ethan and Ivy. Or Titus.”

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