Page 86 of Hell to Slay

He shrugged. “I’m… figuring it out.”

“You can control it,” I said with full confidence.

He nodded, not contradicting me.

We’d all faced death inside and outside the infernal realm, yet we’d survived yet again. Someday we might not be so lucky. I meant what I said about considering a different career. We had a coven now, and I wanted to keep it together. Mel wasn’t the only one I cared about. Jax was my brother, so that was a given, but I felt a similar brotherly affection growing for Nico. We’d blood-bonded, and now I wasn’t sure anything could tear us apart.

“I’m glad you’re part of this coven, Nico.”

His lips curled up into a smirk. “Good, because I’m not going anywhere.”

We lapsed back into silence, but then Tempest’s voice echoed around my head.“Everyone’s gone. You can do what needs to be done now.”

Nico gave a slight nod, showing he’d heard.

“What do you mean?” I asked out loud.

“She’s a vampire. You’re all blood-bonded.”The hellfox’s mental voice sounded exasperated.“She needs to be healed. Give her your blood.”

I practically flew out of the chair to lean over Mel. Tempest was right. Why hadn’t I thought of that?

Forcing my fangs to extend, I sliced one across the side of my palm, then pulled down Mel’s jaw to let my blood dribble onto her tongue. Nothing happened immediately, so I sliced the wound open wider, and tried again. When my blood filled the back of her mouth, I gently closed her jaw and watched as her throat constricted.

“She’s swallowing it instinctively,” I whispered.

I tried it again, but Mel’s steady breathing didn’t seem to change, nor did her eyelids so much as flutter.

“Allow me,” Nico rumbled, trying the same trick.

Once again, Mel swallowed instinctively, but nothing else happened. Nico and I took turns feeding her our blood until Eli came back around to check on her once more.

“She’s going to be fine,” Eli said again. “My shift is almost over, but Rye will be by in the morning.” They glanced from me to Nico. “At least two of you should rest, not just the one who was wounded,” they scolded.

“I’ll take my shift as soon as Jax gets back,” Nico grumbled.

I was glad to hear him say that, because I wasn’t ready to leave Mel’s side. Eli left, and it wasn’t long before Jax returned.

Nico enveloped him in a giant hug when Jax’s hopeful gaze fell on Mel, only for his shoulders to slump. It was strange seeing Nico show so much affection, but my brother needed all the comfort he could provide.

“Get some rest,” Jax told him, then gave him a kiss goodbye.

After Nico left and Jax got settled in, I told him what we’d tried.

“Good idea,” he said. “Let me give it a shot. Maybe it’s like the blood-bond, and she needs all three.”

“He may be right.”

As my brother held his hand to Mel’s lips, I glanced over toward the bag in the corner. “It was all Tempest’s idea.”

Then I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to see Mel’s eyelids fluttering open. She grinned up at Jax and croaked, “My sexy chef.”

“Kitten!” He leaned down and kissed her gently, cupping her chin with his hand, which was rapidly healing.

I kissed her next and then told her, “Nico is resting, helping top up our reservoir so you can heal.”

“I know,” she whispered. “I could feel all of you doing your best to wake me up. Is it… over?”

We caught Mel up on everything that had happened, and I messaged the Wildes coven and Nico to let them all know that Mel was awake and doing great.

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