Page 119 of To Ashes and Dust
I wiped the blood from my dagger and rose to my feet as I slid it back into its sheath at my hip. “Her name was Lee Dreevas. Contact James to find out if she has any living relatives. I also need to know who else lived here. She said there were a total of four.”
Aiden nodded, his jaw tight as he pulled his phone from his pocket.
“As of right now, she’s the only one who didn’t get taken. Did you see any darklings on your way here?” I asked, heading for the stairs.
Aiden shook his head. “None.”
How did Cole play into this? Had he been a distraction? Had he set the darklings on this family? Gods, I wanted to believe he’d been corrupted, that none of this had been his doing, but it was getting more and more difficult each day to separate him from everything.
“Thalia,” I called, glancing back at her. Her brows lifted, and she rose from Lee’s side. “We need to get her body down to the morgue and get her cleaned up before whatever family she may have sees her. Can you arrange that?”
She nodded. “I can do that.”
The rest of the house needed to be searched to make sure there weren’t any others who might’ve died before they completed the conversion. I knew none remained alive—if they had, we would’ve already been attacked. The warriors who’d answered Cassie’s summons didn’t speak as I found them in the living room, already hard at work looking over the scene—their sorrow a heavy scent in the air, like freshly fallen rain.
What had changed with the darklings? This house was so far from the city. Darklings didn’t roam where immortals and humans were scarce; they had no reason to, not when there were easier targets roaming the streets. My greatest concern was that darklings never entered homes unless they were led to them. This was the second house darklings had broken into, had attacked immortals unprovoked. Were their senses strengthening? Were they getting smarter? Gods help us if they were.
“Logan, Maria.” The two warriors lifted their eyes to me, pulling away from what they’d been inspecting. “I want you both to check upstairs, make sure there aren’t any others who might’ve died before the transition. I don’t want any left behind when we torch this place.”
They both nodded, heading for the stairs, the wood creaking with each step. The only sound of Thalia’s approach was her heavy sigh. I turned to see her carrying Lee’s body.
“Johnsons got a car on its way to transport her,” she informed me, and I nodded.
“Thank you, Thalia.” I stepped to the side, allowing her room. The warriors lowered their heads as she passed them, offering their respects.
“Aiden,” I said, and the Flame Stoicheion user turned his gaze to me, black brows rising. “I’ll need you to take care of the house once it’s cleared.”
43
CASSIE
Isat on our couch curled under a blanket, the fire crackling in the fireplace before me. It had been an hour since Barrett brought me home, leaving Damien and Thalia to meet with the other patrols to clean up the mess left behind by the darklings.
Time passed too slowly, the hands of the clock teasing me with each painfully slow tick. I wondered how Damien was doing. Barrett had left to help; I could only imagine the cleanup they’d have to do. I hadn’t heard from them, and the worst possibilities churned in my mind. Lee’s face remained etched in my thoughts, blood coating her body, her face, the marks left by the darklings’ claws and teeth. I could only imagine the horrors she’d witnessed. Had she watched her loved ones die? Had she watched them change?
I drew a deep breath, lifting my teacup to sip the warm caramel liquid. I’d bathed and changed out of my leathers, but I couldn’t wash away the image of Lee in my mind, the pained look on Damien’s face as he prepared to end her life.
It had to be done. She would’ve changed, and I knew it was a mercy to do it before she did, but what Barrett said clung to me.
Again.
How many times had Damien done this? I never knew, had never considered the possibility, and I hated that he carried that burden.
Wood groaned down the hall, and I shot to my feet, setting the teacup on the end table as I rounded the couch. I peered into the hallway to find Damien, his back pressed against the wall, eyes downcast.
My heart twisted at the sight of him. Splattered blood painted his face and armor, sweat glistening on his brow. He remained where he stood, staring into nothing. He slid down the wall until he sat on the floor, his arms resting loosely on his knees.
I approached him slowly, my voice soft. “Damien?”
He didn’t look at me, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. I lowered myself to my knees before him, lifting my hand to touch his cheek. That touch seemed to awaken him from wherever his mind had wandered, his amber and ashen eyes finding me. He looked... exhausted, worn... defeated.
“Mea sol,” I breathed. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
I pushed myself to my feet and hurried to the kitchen, where I grabbed a large bowl, filled it with warm water, and grabbed a rag. He hadn’t moved from where I’d left him, his eyes burning into the wood floor. I set the bowl down, settling back down on my knees between his legs. He remained still, his eyes low as I dipped the rag into the warm water and lifted it to his face.
His hand shot up, grabbing my wrist. Confusion marred his face, but I offered him a smile. “Mea sol. Your face; let me clean it.”
He blinked and released me to touch his face. The crusted blood broke onto his fingertips as he pulled his hand away to look at it. Had he not realized?
