Page 189 of To Ashes and Dust
“Damien?” It was Vincent whose voice rang out across the house, his words laced with panic. “Are you here?”
I hesitated, but left Cassie and headed for the door, dipping my head into the hall to call to him. “I’m up here!”
His feet thundered against the wood steps as he rushed upstairs, and I returned to Cassie’s bedside.
“What the hell happened? Anna got a call from Johnson about darkness exploding in Cassie’s room, and...” His words trailed off as he entered the room, his eyes landing on Cassie. His chest heaved, as if he’d run the whole way here. “Is she?”
I nodded my head. “She’s alive.”
“But... but how? Johnson said she... she flatlined.” Vincent’s voice broke, and when I got a good look at him I realized how red his eyes were. He’d known she’d died.
I opened my mouth to answer, but considered my words. “I found a way.”
“You mean—” he gaped, his eyes snapping to her again. “Is she... How?”
I couldn’t tell him about Eris, couldn’t risk the consequences if the knowledge got out, if The Twelve might come after us. “An old spell... Forgotten magic.”
He eyed me but approached the bed. “Johnson’s office is freaking out. They thought you lost it when they couldn’t revive her. You weren’t answering your phone. No one knew where you’d gone.”
“Sorry, it’s...” I drew a deep breath, the nerves still leaving my body shaken. “It’s complicated, but she’s alive.”
My eyes drifted back to her, taking in every detail of her beautiful face.
“She’s still with us.”
69
CASSIE
Iwas hollow... I was empty... I was void... I was...
What was I?
Something delicious filled my senses, my lungs, and... Oh gods, I was starving, as if I’d never tasted food, never drank water. My bones ached as if every inch of my body had been broken down, as if it were mending itself back together piece by piece. My mouth watered, my lips parting as I inhaled that delicious fragrance. I wanted it.
Someone was speaking, but their voice.... It was as if water divided us, as if I were sitting beneath the surface, listening. I couldn’t understand anything they said, their words, their voice so muffled I couldn’t even discern who it was. I didn’t care, though. The pain in my stomach and my mouth was too much to bear. An intense throbbing echoed to my core, my teeth hurting so badly. Why did it hurt? Why—
A pounding flooded my ears, a rhythmic beat so melodic, so beautiful, that my mind, my thoughts narrowed in on it. It was all I heard, all I cared about.
My eyes were leaden, but I opened them, the dim light burning, and I groaned. Something touched my arm, but I couldn’t see straight, couldn’t think straight as the person spoke, their voice murky and rippling like a pond surface disturbed by a stray stone. The sweet scent filled my lungs as I breathed, and the pounding picked up, a steady, exciting thump... thump... thump. The throbbing in my teeth became too much to bear, my stomach so hollowed I thought I might die... Iwoulddie.
My body hummed, my bones singing, and... Gods, my throat. It burned so badly, so dry, I thought it might be on fire. I panted as I pushed myself up, the fibers of the blankets like sandpaper against my skin.
The person spoke again, but I didn’t care to try to discern what they were saying as they pressed against my skin. My ears narrowed in on the pounding that nearly drowned out their muffled words, the sound growing louder and louder until nothing else occupied my mind.
My gaze latched onto the person leaning over me, their features blurred and melted, dark and covered in red shadows. Everything was red, energy rippling off every object around me like steam, but their body… Gods, their body was white hot, pumping with veins of liquid life. My mouth watered as my vision latched onto the pulsing, as if I could see the flow of what my body wanted, the liquid concentrating in one place. I inhaled the scent so delicious that I couldn’t want anything more. I needed it.
I pushed myself up, my body taking over, and I couldn’t get to them fast enough, couldn’t latch onto whatever it was I saw, the scent too much to resist. I slammed into them, my breath coming in shallow gasps as my body protested every movement. The air was icy against my skin, the scratch of the fabric clothing my body far too irritating. I wanted to rip it off, but I needed what they had, needed it above all else. My lips parted as I inhaled the scent beneath the surface, that source I so desperately needed to taste.
Someone grabbed hold of my arms from behind, pulling me away. I pulled against their hold, desperate to taste that power, that life, my stomach howling, throat burning. They persisted, struggling to drag me away, and I jerked my gaze over my shoulder. How dare they put their hands on me, come between me and what was mine? White hot anger flared within me as I bared my teeth at them. The hands released me with a shout, and I dropped down, thrusting my foot out to swipe their legs out from under them. Their body hit the floor with a thud, and I leapt, pinning them to the floor beneath me. They didn’t smell nearly as nice, but Gods, I didn’t care. I was so desperate, so thirsty.
The pounding grew louder and louder, the glowing red energy pulsing so brightly that I couldn’t pull myself away from it, from the luscious scent lingering just beneath the surface. I lowered myself, and the pain grew more unbearable the closer I got to tasting it. My lips parted, the throbbing concentrating into two points.
A voice from behind me shouted, but I didn’t care, couldn’t stop myself as I—
I froze as a stronger, richer scent flooded my senses from behind me, decadent and everything I could have ever wanted. I lifted my head, turning my gaze to the figure standing behind me, the source of life, the power, the rich red liquid dripping from the person’s wrist as they held it out to me.
The body beneath me remained frozen, and I pushed myself up from them, my gaze locked on the liquid dripping to the floor, the bright light of power fading to darkness as it hit the wood. My body quaked, hollow stomach howling as I watched it fall.
