Bound by Forever (True Immortality #3) - S. Young Page 0,101

shimmered gold and pulsed with vitality.

His strained features had smoothed in his sleep, assuring her he no longer felt pain.

Satisfied, Niamh rounded the bed and climbed onto the other side to lie with him.

There was nothing to be done now but wait until sunset.

“Astra, you evil cow,” she said hoarsely, “if anything happens to him, I’ll drive an iron blade straight through your black heart.”

Time crawled.

Just when Niamh was sure the day would never come to an end, the sun began to set. She knew it was time.

Releasing Kiyo from the magical stasis, she sat up on the bed and watched him struggling into consciousness. He did it with a start, his eyes flying open, stark with pain, as he clutched at his chest.

Niamh reached for him, brushing his hair off his damp forehead. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” she tried to reassure him.

His eyes flew to her, somewhat panicked. “Niamh?”

“The moon is about to rise. The change will heal you.”

Kiyo’s face flooded with remorse and he gasped out, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

He tried to grab hold of her other hand but his coordination was totally off. Niamh reached for him instead, still petting his hair. “Try to lie still.” There was silver near his throat.

The veins had climbed right up his torso.

Panic prodded her.

She fought it back.

“What I did,” he choked out. “What I said. The lodge.”

Realizing he was apologizing for his behavior, Niamh shook her head. “You can say sorry later when you’re in your right mind.”

“I am …” He winced, hissing. “Oh fuck … Niamh … I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She pressed a kiss to his temple. “Shh, it’s okay.”

Kiyo squeezed her hand so tight it was almost painful, but she endured it as she held him to her while they waited for the moon to rise.

Fear soon swamped Niamh as moonbeams flooded the dark hotel room with light.

And Kiyo didn’t change.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

Kiyo had settled somewhat, seeming to suffer the pain without shuddering and jerking as much. “The silver … affecting … change.”

She cursed under her breath.

He needed to bloody transform.

“Argh!” he suddenly roared in agony, bolting upward on the bed, ripping himself from her. His arm snapped the wrong way but then snapped back into place.

“What’s happening?” Niamh cried.

Growls ripped from the depths of his belly and he lurched onto all fours. Cracks rent the air as his limbs broke as if to change but then broke back into human form.

“Kiyo.” Her hands hovered near him. She was desperate to touch him, to help.

Claws protracted from his fingers, long and sharp and black and deadly, and he bellowed as he tore his shirt from his body.

How Niamh thought to protect their privacy during such a terrifying moment, she’d never know, but she sent out a flare of magic around the hotel room to soundproof it. “Kiyo.” She rushed at him, staring in horror at the silver veins pulsing beneath his skin, all over his torso like tree branches. They reached up toward his throat and down his shoulders, stopping just before his biceps. She placed a hand on his sweat-slicked shoulder and he roared in outrage and swiped at her.

Niamh startled, falling off the bed.

His eyes widened in horror. “Niamh.”

“I’m okay.”

Snarls and grunts fell from his mouth as his jaw elongated, his mouth filling with sharp teeth. Niamh rushed toward him, and he held up a warning hand just as his spine snapped.

“Kiyo!”

“No!” he yelled, eyes wide with terror. “Go! I’m not …” He panted for breath. “I’m not in control.” To her shock, tears wet his eyes. “I could kill you. Please. Go.”

The thought of leaving him like this broke her. Tears spilled down her cheeks. He couldn’t kill her. Not being what he was to her.

But he could bite and change her.

And he’d eventually be lost to her.

Niamh considered it, thinking it might be worth it to stay, to comfort him.

Kiyo saw her indecision and roared as his legs snapped. He clutched the bedcovers, ripping them to shreds with his claws. “LEAVE!”

Niamh sobbed. “I can’t!”

Horror filled his eyes. “Please,” he begged.

And she saw it. The possibility of hurting her was unbearable to him.

He didn’t know he couldn’t kill her and being here was making this worse for him.

“Okay,” she nodded, swiping at her tears. “Okay.”

She traveled.

But only into the locked bathroom.

Sliding down to the cold tile floor, Niamh pressed her ear to the door and cried quietly as she was forced to hide and do nothing while Kiyo endured an entire night of torturous torment.