Page 79 of The Road to Hell

Vol had stationed himself on Lily’s other side, his usual comments absent as he sat cross-legged, watching her with an uncharacteristic stillness. Even Purrgy, who had spent the last few hours pacing, had finally settled, curled up on Lily’s chest, his tail flicking with quiet agitation.

No one spoke.

There was nothing to say.

Calyx, for once, wasn’t running his mouth. A scowl had replaced his usual smirk as he watched Lily in silence. Every so often, his brows pulled together before he rubbed at his temples like a human nursing a bad headache. Whenever I asked, his answer was always the same—she was reliving her memories, and she would wake when she was ready.

And so we waited.

I swallowed, then leaned my head back against the rock, eyes closed. I’d fed yesterday by draining the hellbeast that had resided in this cavern. It should have been enough. But a new hunger crawled beneath my skin. It had started a few hours ago and refused to abate. It gnawed at me, likely fed by my fury, frustration, and fear.

The thought of leaving to feed while Lily lay there, unconscious and defenseless, churned my stomach. I could almost hear her voice in my head, calling me a starving stray. She’d roll her eyes. Maybe laugh. Order me to go hunt something before I lost my mind.

I dragged a hand down my face.

“You look like shit,” Eliza muttered, still twirling her dagger, her voice flat.

“I’m fine,” I muttered.

“Uh-huh.” She tossed the dagger in the air and caught it without looking, studying me now. “You’re pale.Palerthan normal. What’s going on?”

“He’s hungry,” Calyx answered before I could. His tone was bored, but his eyes shone with interest. “Curse of the vampire. They need blood to survive.”

Eliza’s brows lifted slightly. “You just fed.”

My jaw tightened. “I said I’m fine.”

Calyx chuckled softly from his side of the cavern. “Strong emotions stir the appetite in the blood-inclined. He’s fine for now but give it time. He’ll need to feed again. Sooner rather than later.”

I glared at him.

Unbothered, he stretched his legs out and leaned back against the rock. “What? I’m just stating facts. You’re coming apart,brother.And while I’d love to see what happens when you finally lose it, I assume you’d rather avoid making a meal out of your precious friends.”

My fangs ached. My instincts screamed totake.Sink my teeth into something. Tear and drink andfeed.

“Oh, Iknowthat look,” Vol piped up. “Lily gets like that when she’s hangry.”

Eliza snorted. “Yeah, difference is,herversion of hangry doesn’t involve murdering the nearest warm body.” She nudged my foot lightly with her boot. “You should probably do something about that before you get any worse.”

“Not happening,” I grumbled.

Eliza gave me a pointed look. “You do realize you’re not useful to her like this, right?” When I didn’t respond, she rolled her eyes. “Go find something to eat before you lose what little sanity you have left.”

The hunger scraped against my ribs, a cold, twisting thing, but I shook my head. “No. Not while she’s like this.”

Calyx hummed. “Ah. The self-sacrificing, brooding type. Classic.”

I ignored him.

Eliza let out a long sigh and slid her dagger back into its sheath. “You’re being stupid.”

“Noted.”

Vol’s tiny hands smacked against his face. “He’s beingsodramatic right now. I almost respect it.”

“I don’t. It’s painfully predictable,” Calyx said. Sighing, he sat forward. “Go, brother. Before it gets any worse. I vow I will not harm a single hair on your girl’s head. And herenchantingfriend here can watch me the entire time.”

Eliza arched a brow at Calyx. “First of all, don’t call me enchanting. Second, yeah, I’ll be watching you like a hawk. So, don’t get any ideas.”

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