Page 98 of In the Blood

I couldn’t believe it.Instead of berating me for leaving my room, he was giving me a gift. A priceless gift.I suddenly felt guilty that I’d tried to steal it behind his back.

“Thank you…” I said awkwardly. He had me at a disadvantage. I was thoroughly confused by his unpredictable behavior. I hadn’t expected him to be kind after what had transpired earlier—after smelling liquor on his breath. But he wassmilingat me… gently rubbing goosebumps from my arms.

“Let it be a reminder that I’m on your side,” he said smoothly. And then his eyes darted to the item I was holding. Before I could stop him, Galen pulled the book from my hand.The Mystery of the Unicorn.He read the title and then looked at me with wide-eyes.

“I knew it. Iknewyou’d found your form. You’re a unicorn? I should’ve known with howdifferentyou taste. Is this why you’ve been so secretive?” His brows furrowed before melting into an awed expression. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Of course he was in awe. This was the last piece of the puzzle. He could now get everything he wanted.

“You know why…” I eyed him warily. His expression was warm, like the Galen I’d known up until recently.

“You thought I’d tell my mother,” he said. “Unicorns are as rare as they come. The last account of one is hundreds of years old. I’ve never seen this book before…” He flipped through it quickly before setting it on his desk. “The Elders would probably remove your horn the first chance they got. They can’t know.”

“No… they can’t. I now hold my life in your hands.” My chest pounded as he tilted his head, studying me, like he was counting every beat, like he could hear the slosh of blood that pumped through my heart.

“When will you understand that I don’t want to hurt you? I love you.” He touched my cheek and I didn’t shove him away.

“You hurt me today. Your moods… I can’t keep up with them. Your lies… there have been too many. Sometimes love isn’t enough, Galen.”

I held my breath, waiting for an explosion. Instead, he led with vulnerability. “If you knew how much I hated myself, you would’ve never given me a chance in the first place. Do you knowwhymy room is so dark? Because I’ve set every inch of it on fire over the past century. Burn marks coat every wall. And that’s how my soul feels. It may have been white once, but now it’s an endless dark hole I can’t climb out of. From the moment I met you, you’ve represented a salvation—an escape from my hell. But maybe there is no escape… I sold my soul long ago. I don’t want to drag you down with me.” He glanced up at me through golden lashes. “But please… give me one more night.”

I wished we lived in a reality where I could be all he needed, but I couldn’t risk everything I stood for on the chance that hemightget better. There was also a chance he’d get worse and hurt me beyond repair. Too many were depending on me. I could give him tonight, though. Closure would help us both.

Salty tears coated my lips as I kissed him in answer. He picked me up effortlessly and carried me to his bed. His kisses were patient and loving. If only he could choose to be this person all the time. He stripped before he removed my nightgown, never breaking eye contact. His touch was feather-light, like he was handling a delicate, rare butterfly.

“Can I taste your magic? One last time,” he asked softly as his body hovered over mine. I had to tell him. “I have to go to the Oracle tomorrow. I need my magic for the journey.”

His eyes narrowed, making my breath catch. “You were planning to go without me?” He went rigid and I felt his biceps flex on either side of me.

“Yes… I decided I couldn’t tellanyoneabout my animal form, for my safety.”

He was still on top of me, processing what I’d said. “But you told Rafael… You’re going to bring him?”

“Only because I shifted for the first time in front of him.” My voice shook, even as I tried to stay calm.

Suddenly his large body over mine felt like a cage. He held me down as he whispered, “I’ll make sure that was yourlastfirst with him.” Teeth sunk into flesh and I was lost to him… to the magic… to darkness.

forty-five

Iwoke up with a pounding headache. My heavy lids reluctantly cracked open to find that the curtains were drawn. I couldn’t tell what time of day it was… how much time had passed.

Assessing my condition, I first noted that I was naked. My neck was throbbing in pain—his bites had never hurt like this before. My throat was dry, my tongue swollen.

Humiliation washed over me as flashes of last night replayed in my head. I could barely remember what had transpired after Galen bit me, but I knew that what had started out gentle had ended roughly. I’d blacked out at some point.

I couldn’t believe that I’d let him trick me into thinking he cared about me. It was a cycle that would end in my death. Had any of it been real? I let out a sob as I realized I waschainedto his bed, with an amber-colored shackle around my wrist. It held firm as I pulled at it. This was lower than anything I could’ve imagined from him.

What was he planning to do with me? Was this because he’d found out what I was? Panic gripped me around the throat, suffocating me. I sucked in the smoke-tinged air that lingered in his room, gasping as I tried not to let fear shut down my mind.

Slow down your breathing, Marigold. You must figure out how to escape,my mother’s voice rang out clearly. I was hallucinating from lack of blood.

I could get myself out of this situation. I peeked around the room to make sure Galen wasn’t lurking somewhere in the darkness. The roomwas empty. Rafael would find me. He’d help me. I didn’t deserve him or his help. Galen was who I deserved.

No. I did not deserve this.

There was no excuse that could justify this level of cruelty. Galen had chained me to his bed. He’d… He’d violated me physically and emotionally. I tried to bury the memories of him holding me down—biting me when I’d told himno. I had to focus. I needed to move.Now.

I tried to shift into my animal form and break the strange stone around my wrist, but the cuff seemed to be impeding my magic. There was a wrongnessto it that made my skin crawl. My magic had fallen into a deep slumber and refused to wake. I tried freezing the stone, but my magic didn’t respond. He’d somehow completely cut off my power with this devise.

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