Page 48 of Cruelly Fated
“I’ve got a business meeting I simply can’t miss,” he said, a hint of apology in his voice.
“This late?” I asked, glancing at the moonlit sky beyond the windows. My voice sounded smaller than I wanted. I didn’t want to be left alone. What if he had another episode?
He gave a faint smile. “Vampires keep odd hours. The medic should arrive shortly.”
“Of course. I’ll be fine,” I said, biting my lip. Will he heal faster without it?” I asked, pointing at Kyon’s ankle bracelet.
Torian grimaced. “It’s complicated. The medic may be able to help with it.” He pocketed his phone and strolled to the terrace, which doubled as a massive landing pad. There he paused and glanced back over his shoulder. “If you change your mind about that drink, there’s a stocked bar on the main floor.”
With that, he stepped into the moonlight, his body swelling and shifting into his dragon form. The steel-blue beast bellowed into the night, a sound that boomed across the mountain like a warning to anything foolish enough to get close, then he launched into the sky with thunderous grace.
I spun in a slow circle, taking in the space. Kyon’s family clearly didn’t care for furnishings—at least not on this floor. A single, sleek accent chair sat in the corner, all sharp lines and brutal modernity, with a white chenille throw draped across it like a gallery piece, too perfect to sit on.
I pulled it closer to the bed and plopped down, tucking my feet under.
Kyon’s breathing hitched again, growing ragged. He tossed his head from side to side.
“Shh…I’m here.” I scooted to the edge of the chair, itching to touch him. Hold his hand maybe? But neither Valor nor Torian had said I could. What if touch disrupted his healing process?
A soft, guttural sound rumbled from his throat, half sigh, half growl.
“Can you hear me?” I held my breath. “It’s Allie.”
A low hum vibrated from his chest, almost like a purr—if dragons could purr.
A stupid, sappy smile broke across my face as tears spilled down my cheeks. What was it about this man that made even the smallest sound from him undo me? Could he really mean this much to me after just a few weeks? A handful of prison visits that had come dangerously close to conjugal?
His eyelids fluttered, and I could see his eyes shifting beneath.
His chest rose with a shaky inhale, but then his fingers twitched and curled tight around the bedsheet. His entire body tensed. A tremor passed through him like a shock wave.
I leaped from the chair, hovering over him.
“Easy… Easy,” I chanted.
He arched off the bed, teeth clenched. Fresh blood seeped through the gauze, staining the sheets beneath him. The flow wasn’t a trickle this time. It spread like a puddle.
“Oh, fae gods—please,” I gasped. He writhed in pain, a silent scream stretched across his features.
Panicked, I bolted for the staircase.
“Torian! Valor! Anyone?!”
The legs of the bed scraped harshly against the floor. I snapped my head back. A low, guttural snarl tore from Kyon’s lips, ruthless and pleading, the sound of a creature straining against its cage. His eyelids flew open, revealing the glowing emerald of his dragon’s eyes.
Of course. He’d heal faster if he shifted. But the damned anklet kept the dragon locked inside.
His body trembled violently, muscles twitching beneath his bloodied skin. Why hadn’t Torian or Valor removed the bracelet? Why the wait? The metal glimmered, tempting me to remove it.
I hesitated, arms hugging myself, my mind warring between fear and instinct. The doctor would know what to do. I should wait. But Kyon's snarls deepened, morphing into a ragged roar. The dragon inside him was pleading to be set free. Blood soaked the wrap across his chest and began to streak lower, past his waist.
I surged forward, grabbing hold of his convulsing leg. My fingers fumbled across the cold metal, searching, until I found a recessed notch. With a soft click, the cuff disengaged and dropped to the floor.
His entire body sagged.
The snarls fell silent. The tremors eased. And he exhaled a long, shuddering breath.
“Kyon?” I neared the top of the bed, my voice quaking.
