Page 50 of Dead

Kane slipped silently into Ralnur’s room and slowly approached the bed. “I won’t let them kill you.”

Ralnur was suffering, sweat coating his brow, his body in turmoil. “Kill me,” he whispered.

Not happening.

Kane didn’t know why, but he couldn’t let this man die. He was only a half-vampire, one who had never tasted the blood of another, so he wasn’t even sure he was strong enough to do what his instincts screamed.

He sliced a line down his arm and offered the blood to Ralnur. A cry rose from Ralnur’s lips, and his eyes slid back into his head before he took to the vein and drank.

Kane slid into the bed beside Ralnur and fed the dying man. He felt his own strength fading… Ralnur was taking too much… he struggled to get his arm away but couldn’t. Finally he tugged and fell into the floor, his body wracking with its own pain.

After he licked the wound to get it heal, he pulled himself up to his feet and stumbled to the door. He gave one last look in Ralnur’s direction—the man was now looking peaceful—and exited the room.

The guard still slept at his post. Idiot.

Kane heard voices and pulled his ballcap back on before slinking in the opposite direction. He slid into one of the doorways down the hall as he saw two guardsmen bringing another man in cuffs to the room. One of the king’s guard kicked the stool the sleeping guard sat on before the pair shoved the cuffed guy into the room.

Once they were out of sight, Kane fled the scene, hoping it was enough to save the warlock’s life.

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