came back with gauze and an old bottle of antiseptic ointment, Grim winced. “I think I’ll risk the infection, thanks.”
“Is that seriously all you have to say?” I demanded.
“No. I’m glad you’re okay, that nothing has happened to you. I’m glad I can take your place, because I know with you out there, you stand a better chance than being stuck in here, even if you have to wear the magic cuffs. When I saw you, I knew I would do whatever I could to get you out of here, and I did. If I have to hang out here while you go find his head, then so be it.”
“If they threaten you with a building in the graveyard, the subbasement, or the cages, choose the cages. There’s some kind of man in the subbasement that likes to perform experiments, and the building in the graveyard… I don’t know what’s in there, all I know is that the screams never stop coming from it. You have to be smart while you’re here, Grim. You have to keep yourself alive. I need you.”
“I need you too, Mae, which is why it’s so important that you get out there and do what you do best.”
Tears choked the back of my throat. “I thought he was going to make me watch you die,” I said, the words spilling forth unbidden.
Grim reached out and delicately cupped my cheek as I dabbed blood away from a cut on his forehead. “I know, sweetheart, I know. But we got out of it, just like we always do.”
“You know I can’t come back until I have a way to kill him, right?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I wouldn’t want you to. I can endure. I promise.”
“You better. I love you, Azrael.”
His breath hitched, and I wasn’t sure whether it was the confession of my feelings for him or the use of his real name, or maybe even a combination of the two. After he cleared his throat, he said, “I love you too, Mary.”
I pressed my lips to his, tasting the salty tears that I hadn’t even noticed flowing down my cheeks, and he kissed me back with such reverence that it took my breath away. I wanted to bathe in this moment, to let it soak into my soul, but the sound of footsteps had us jumping apart and me wiping the tears from my face as I went back to cleaning his wounds.
16
Hunter
I stood beneath the spray of the shower, washing the blood from my skin. When I’d returned home, everything had been far too quiet. Alastair was still asleep, Grim and Ellis were gone, and I felt like shit. Even killing half a dozen crazed ghouls hadn’t made me feel better.
Now, I was just tired, sore, dirty, and injured. None of what I had done had taken away the darkness that was eating me from within, and I hated myself for it. Any time my inner demons affected my ability to protect my friends and be there for them, it only made me feel worse.
Not only was Mae gone…and in danger, Ellis hated me too.
And I hated myself.
I pressed my forearms to the wall of the shower and bowed my head, watching the trails of water run down my body, mixing with the cuts on my arms, chest, stomach, and legs. It was strangely fascinating when the water touched the cuts and the liquid turned scarlet. For some reason, it felt like I deserved this. I deserved worse than this.
My mind went back to Elis’ horn.
Then to Mae’s smile.
My hands balled into fists and I squeezed my eyes shut, but the memories remained.
There was a light tapping at the bathroom door. Fuck. Was it Ellis? Was he ready to see me yet? Or had Alastair awakened and needed me?
“Come in!” I said, the words coming out strangely harsh.
I heard the door open, and the coolness of the house pressed into the room. A shiver rolled down my spine, and I waited for what was about to happen.
“Can I join you?”
My heart hammered, and I pulled back the curtain. Mae stood on the other side looking dirty and tired, but no worse for the wear. Strange glowing blue cuffs encircled her wrists and she was wearing a bizarre dress, but her expression was no less fierce than it always had been.
“Is it really you?” I asked.
She nodded, then started to remove her clothes.
I watched her in fascination, wondering what the hell this