Page 46 of The Shadow of the Count
“I love you, old friend.”
Tears streamed down his face, and he choked out, “I love you too.”
Then Lyle closed his eyes, and Jeb stepped up. Donnie hefted his remarkably sharp shovel, ready to cleave Lyle’s head from his shoulders.
He could fall apart after the deed was done.
It was neither fast, nor clean, but there was peace in Lyle’s face when it was over, the demon gone.He had given his dear friend the true rest in death that he deserved.
His knees crumpled, and Peter was right there to support him.
“Come along, Donnie. Clark and Jeb say they’ll put him back to his grave fully.”
Douglas helped lift him up. “Brother.” The agony in Douglas’s voice was for him, he knew.
“I think I might be sick,” he said, very primly.If he let the emotion out, it would take over everything.
“Outside.” They dragged him out of the crypt, and the cold night air hit him, which helped.
“There’s a bath waiting,” Peter whispered, keeping him moving to the car, where Peter stripped him down.
He didn’t even want to think of what was all over him. Peter bundled him into a blanket and Douglas rubbed his back. As soon as a grim Clark and Jeb joined them, they were off to the mansion.
He hid in Peter’s shoulder, refusing to let the horror seep into his brain. He had felt more than he was capable of, and he was tired.
Peter excused them, leaving the rest of the shell-shocked team behind and taking him to their rooms for that bath. Thank God.
Before he got into the steaming tub, Peter cleaned the blood away, so that he could soak and not mar the water. His muscles relaxed one by one, his body still shaking a little after what he’d had to do.
“Tell me I did the right thing,” he begged, not at all certain… Though Lyle had asked him to, hadn’t he?
“You did the only thing, love. Lyle needed to be able to rest. That was—” Peter shuddered. “He needed you to help him and you did.”
He swallowed hard and held out his arms. “Come in with me?”
Peter gave him a ghost of a smile before stripping down and sliding into the large tub behind him when he leaned forward.
“You did well, my love. You delivered him from hell. Now his soul can rest.”
“Thank you.” He leaned back against Peter. “Then we go after the count and kill him.”
Peter exhaled slowly. “I know. It’s going to be hard.”
“He deserves to die. He killed my friend. He tried to kill you.”
“He does, love. And people are not safe with him in the world.” Peter kissed the nape of his neck. “You’re not safe with him in the world.”
“No. He’s a soulless demon.” Donnie wanted him dead, wanted him wiped from the face of the earth.
“We’ll find him.” Peter began to wash him, hands moving slowly over his skin. Nothing sexual, just soothing touches that helped ease his soul.
“I love you. This is—my heart hurts, Peter.”
“Of course it does, love. Your friend is gone. It was a terrible thing. And we’ve seen many terrible things. Clark says we’re chosen, and we need to know this is our lot.” Peter sighed. “If it is, then I am so glad I’m with you. And I’ll never deny it again. Ever.”
“Thank you.” He put his hands over Peter’s, bringing them up to his heart. “I need you.”
“I need you, as well. I love you. We’ll take out the count. Then we’ll go anywhere but Paris.”
