Page 143 of Memories Like Fangs
“Itisif youjustsmell it!”
I tuned them out as Quinn’s body jerked one final time. Then, it settled. I watched her face relax. The wild rage faded into sweet slumber. Seeing her so restful should have put me at ease. No longer seeing the smoky red clouding my mate’s stunning gold should have been a relief.
But her face was pale.
Sopale.
How had I not noticed how much rosiness and life had been lost from her skin?
Her wounds were still trickling with blood. I willed it to be my imagination that the stream of them had grown and increased their flow.
I cradled her face in my hand.
It was ice-cold.
Socold and clammy with sweat.
She wasn’t dead.
Quinnwasn’tdead.
But her heartbeat was faint.
Sofaint.
And fading.
I closed my eyes, placed my forehead against hers, and sought the bond, that beautiful string that tied us together. I pulled, tugging on her end to try and find her. My dragon whimpered and whined, encouraging me forward to find her as fast as I could. The hot, red fog of ire lingered. I couldn’t even get near it without being burned. But, it had thinned enough for me to see her, feel her presence.
She’s still here.
Barely.
Justbarely.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have done something sooner. I should have—” I whispered, my voice cracking. I didn’teven realize I was crying until my tears started falling onto Quinn’s face, and I had to wipe them away.
I couldn’t lose her, too. I couldn’t lose her, too. I couldn’t lose her, too.
Not without completely losing myself.
I wouldn’t survive it.
A warm hand squeezed my shoulder before Isidora knelt down next to us. Something about her patient, maternal presence took some of the worry away. It still felt like trying to drain a flooded house with a Solo cup. Izzy placed her hand on Quinn’s forehead. Quinn jolted under her hold, but she made no further indication that she noticed it.
“I’m going to give Quinn a fever to burn through this curse,” Izzy whispered carefully to me.
I sniffled, my voice shaking as I asked, “W-Will it hurt her?”
When Izzy met my eyes, hers weren’t their usual dark chocolate flaked with caramel but a fiery, almost-orange. It wasn’t close to coral, but there was still something there that made my heart ache. Izzy nodded to my question. “I’m afraid it will, little lotus. I know that isn’t what you want to hear, but it will break the blood spell and keep your mate alive. Okay?”
I set my lips into a thin line, unable to trust them to give the right answer. I gave her a quick nod to proceed.
Isidora closed her eyes. I was sure her pupils were narrowing into black slits amongst that burnt yellow color underneath her lids. Her nails lengthened, and her hand glowed against Quinn’s brow. From where my hand still cradled Quinn’s face, I could feel the distinct contrast of the warmth of it compared to the chill of Quinn’s clammy skin.
I watched on in helpless silence as nothing happened for a moment. My chest tightened. I almost wished that powerful witches and witch-fae did have to use audible words to do their spellwork. Then, at least, I could perceive something happening.I could have somewhere to place all this anxiety while waiting for the incantation to be done. Instead, the only thing I had was the crackling of magic that smelled like fire and sand.
Then, Quinn’s back arched up sharply.
