Page 85 of Stalk the Dark
“He wasmakingme. His voice in my head.”
“He’s getting stronger much faster than anticipated, considering…”
“Considering what?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m staying with you tonight…if that’s all right. I’ll bring my things and sleep on the floor.”
The panic that had ebbed spiked again. “I thought you said I was safe now.”
“I did. And you are, but…Ezekiel isn’t himself right now. The attack on him, the dead man’s blood…He obviously hasn’t fully recovered, and the rite is only as strong as the honor of the being it’s invoked on.”
“You mean he can disregard it?”
“He could,ifhe completely lost his mind.”
“I’m not sure he has much of a grip on his mind to start with.”
Hemlock sighed. “Enough of a grip to acknowledge the rite, so we have to hope that he’ll honor it, but to be safe, I’m staying here tonight.”
I didn’t want Hemlock sleeping in my room, but I didn’t want Ezekiel sneaking back for a round two either. “Thank you.”
He dropped me a nod and headed for the door. “I’ll be right back.”
I caught sight of his bare back then, the silver lines and recent scabs crisscrossed with fresh welts, then he was gone.
He’d been whipping himself again. Probably when I’d called him.
I’d interrupted him and…and I was glad of that.
Maybe Ezekiel’s visit tonight had been a blessing.
“Ghosts?”Hemlock looked up at me from the floor.
He’d made a bed with his duvet and pillows and was lying on it without a blanket, just loose black pants and a black tee, and there was no denying that hispantherine form looked good on my floor. His features seemed softer when caressed by moonlight, less guarded.
He’d asked to crack open a window too, saying he was hot. The Singer brothers obviously had a temperature regulation issue.
“Did youseethese ghosts?” he asked.
“No. But I heard them, and they were pissed. I could feel their anger as if it was mine. Then Ezekiel grabbed me and went all feral.”
But there was no denying that having Hemlock in the room with me made me feel better. The fear was gone for now, but there was no doubt that it had saved my life tonight, allowing me to stave off his compulsion and fight my body’s traitorous reactions.
“Why did you go there, to the east wing?” Hemlock asked. His eyes gleamed silver in the moonlight, and I suppressed a shiver. “Did you really forget it was off-limits?”
“I’m flattered that you all seem to think I have some kind of super memory, but I’m only human, and a lot has happened in a very short space of time. And to be honest, even if I did remember, I wouldn’t have had a clue I was in the east wing. It’s not like it’s signposted.” I pulled the covers up to cover my shoulders. “There were these portraits of women. But they all had the same eyes.”
“Maybe Ezekiel has a type,” Hemlock said flatly.
A low, mournful howl filtered into the roomthrough the window, and I could have sworn that Hemlock tensed up.
“Please don’t tell me we have wolves nearby.”
He was silent for several seconds, jaw tight, eyelids at half-mast, and I was beginning to think he’d fallen asleep with his eyes half open when he spoke. “Dracul territory is dangerous. Best to stay inside the castle after sundown. Unless you’re with me or Ordell.”
Speaking of Ordell… “Is he okay? Ordell, I mean…He seemed…distracted today.”
“You’ll have to ask him. I’m not his keeper,” he said gruffly.
