Page 136 of To Ashes and Dust
“Easy; try not to move.”
My brows furrowed as I looked up at him, dazed and confused.
“Are you in any pain? I can ask Anna to get you something.”
“Anna?” I asked. I craved water so badly, and my eyes dragged from him, searching for where my nightstand should be, where I might have a glass of water. I was greeted with monitors. Why were there monitors in our room?
“Does anything hurt?” he asked again as I attempted to lift my hand to scratch my arm. It was suddenly so itchy. “Try not to move that arm. You dislocated your shoulder.”
The room came into focus, and my gaze drifted over the bare white walls, the various monitors and IV drips on the other side of my bed.
“Where are we?” I groaned, my voice hoarse. God, did that horrible sound come from me?
“We’re at Johnson’s,” Damien answered, lifting his hand to brush back my hair. Exhaustion painted his face, his eyes red and swollen. Why? Had he been crying?
I lifted my eyes to the TV mounted to the wall. The volume was muted, set to the news. Subtitles flew across the screen, my eyes unable to focus fast enough, and I couldn’t make out what they were saying. It was an aerial view of the remnants of a big fire, nothing remaining. What had burned do—
Fly, spitfire.
The monitor started to beep faster, the room spinning as everything resurfaced.
“Cassie, you’ve got to slow your breathing. Look at me.” Damien’s voice was a rush, and his hands cupped my face, forcing my gaze to him. “Breathe, for me. You need to try to calm down.”
My eyes flitted everywhere, panic creeping in. “Barrett. He—”
His jaw tensed, the inner corners of his dark brows curving up as he pressed his forehead to mine. His silence was deafening. I couldn’t bear it; I wanted to hear him speak, hear him reassure me that he’d made it out.
“No. No. Please tell me you found him...” My voice quivered.
“He’s gone,mea luna.” His voice was heavy, as if it took everything in him to force the words past his lips.
It was a lie. He couldn’t be. He was too stubborn for that, too hardheaded.
“He was bitten,” I muttered, and Damien tensed.
Tears welled in my eyes, my chest so heavy, I thought it might cave in. “I couldn’t...” My lips quivered, my throat burning as I fought the tears threatening to fall. “I couldn’t do anything for him...” Realization shot across my thoughts, and my body went rigid. “Oh, God. What about Zephyr? Vincent? Are they ok?”
“They’re both safe. Zephyr came out of surgery thirty minutes ago and is resting right now. He’ll pull through.”
“I want to see them,” I said, pushing myself up. “Please, Damien. I need to see them.”
“Anna said you can’t stand. They had to run a catheter into your heart.”
I froze. A catheter? To my heart? I lifted my eyes to him, and he met my gaze with sorrow-filled eyes. His throat bobbed.
“You...” His words fell short. “You had a heart attack, Cas.”
I parted my lips, but I couldn’t find the words. “Damien, I—”
“Damien? Cassie?” A voice shot out through the halls.
“Thalia, you can’t come through here!”
“Damien!” she called out again, heavy footsteps echoing down the hall.
Icy dread and guilt swept over me.
Thalia appeared in the doorway, breathless, as if she ran the entire way here. Her silver eyes were wide, terrified, her cornsilk hair a windswept mess. She was pale, so pale, and her gaze found me. She rushed to my bedside, looking me over. “Thank the Gods you’re okay, Cas.”
