Page 33 of Mirror of Vanity

I wanted this. I wanted it more than anything. “Yes, I do.”

Garrick motioned to one of his men. “Inform the guards that we will delay going to the Veil of Shadows until the vampire is in suitable condition.”

I led him back to my room through the hallway, past the statues and tapestries. Guards looked at us questioningly, but no one stopped us.

I opened the door and led Justice into the room, guiding him toward the bathroom. “Sit down, please,” I urged.

He gripped the edges of the sink as if it were the only thing keeping him upright. His arms trembled with exertion, his head bowed low. “I can take care of myself,” he insisted, his wavering voice betraying his rapidly fading strength. At any moment, his legs would give out, crashing him onto the pristine white marble floor.

“Please, just sit down.” I rolled my eyes, exasperation mingling with concern. Male vanity. Now, he was behaving like my brother and my dad. Neither of them ever wanted to admit when they were hurt or needed help.

Justice cast me a disapproving look, his pride clearly wounded. However, the exhaustion in his eyes overrode his stubborn nature. He relented, plopping down on the toilet seat with a heavy sigh.

I quickly grabbed a clean cloth and ran it under the warm water, adjusting the temperature until it was perfect. After wringing out the excess moisture, I knelt before him and gently cleaned the blood from his chest. My heart clenched at every wince and sharp intake of breath he tried to conceal. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my fingers moving with utmost care. “I know it hurts, but we need to get you cleaned up.”

Justice’s hand found mine, stilling my movements. “Sawyer,” he rasped. “You don’t have to do this. I’m not worth?—”

“Don’t.” I cut him off, my voice fierce with emotion. “Don’t you dare say you’re not worth it. You are worth everything to me, Justice. Everything.”

The air between us grew heavy with the weight of my words, the unspoken feelings that had long simmered beneath the surface. Justice’s gaze softened with wonder and longing.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand. “Now, let me take care of you. Please.”

With a small nod, he relented. As I worked, a comfortable silence settled over us, broken only by the occasional splash of water and the steady rhythm of our breaths. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not Maggie, not the Grimoire, not the dangers lurking beyond these walls. All that existed was the two of us, bound by a connection that ran deeper than the scars we bore.

Someone knocked at the bedroom door, interrupting the intimate moment.

Our eyes met, and I found myself reluctant to leave him, especially after this simple gesture had brought us closer. However, I forced myself to stand, placing the rag on the counter. It could be something important, like Garrick demanding that we leave.

“I’m going to jump into the shower,” Justice mumbled as he shakily stood.

I gave him a hard glance, not sure if he could manage it alone. However, saying anything would have wounded that male ego.

As I left the bathroom, the stream of water pelted from the other side of the door, and I tried not to think of Justice stripping off his pants.

Keep your mind out of the gutter.

I answered the door to find two servants. One held a pair of jeans and a clean black shirt, while the other bore a tray with three different colored ointments. One purple, one pink, and the last white. I cast them a wary look.

“I have clothes for the vampire,” the taller servant announced.

“Thank you so much.” I tilted my head. “You can put them on the bed.”

I was only half paying attention to him as I focused on the tray.

The other servant bowed his head respectfully. “The king sent these. The ointments will help heal your vampire’s wounds. The purple one is Nocturne Nectar, best for deep tissue wounds. It comes from a rare nocturnal flower that blooms under moonlight. It works best at night, but its properties will still aid in healing him.”

Curiosity piqued, I pointed to the pink ointment. “What about this one?”

“That is Dawn’s Delight,” the servant explained. “It works on any superficial skin lesions, burns, or scratches. It also helps to reduce scarring, although vampires can heal scars on their own.”

I nodded, my gaze shifting to the final ointment. “And the white one?”

“It’s called Lunar Luminance,” the servant clarified. “It’s a wonderful ointment that soothes pain and inflammation. I recommend starting with that one first, then applying the other two.”

Gratefully, I took the tray from him. “Thank you. Please convey my appreciation to the king for his generosity.”

The two servants nodded. “We will, miss.”

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