be futile—but then, the firestorm lit again. Her heart leaped at the white glow of light and the little flurry of sparks between her lips and Hadrian’s cheek. She heard Balthasar’s hoot of triumph, but continued to concentrate on her task. Frost formed around her mouth and she felt a chill move into her mouth, but she kept drawing the power of the kiss of death from him. There were icicles on her tongue and her mouth was numb, but Rania kept gathering that malice.
The firestorm burned brighter with every passing moment. She stole a peek to find color returning to Hadrian’s skin and continued to draw the toxin from him. She found herself running her hand over Hadrian’s chest, caressing him as she undid the damage, and his heart pounded beneath her fingertips. She kept drawing out more, feeling his skin warm, her sense of victory growing when his hand closed over hers in a reassuring grip.
She felt Hadrian take a breath. She heard his groan. He shivered and stirred to life again, his skin warming beneath her lips. When there was no more toxin to withdraw from him, Rania straightened, holding her breath. She saw Hadrian open his eyes. He ran a hand over his hair, scanned his surroundings, then his gaze locked with hers. He smiled and she felt warm to her toes. His green eyes were glowing with affection that Rania knew she didn’t deserve. He held her gaze as he lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss against her palm.
“You really want to use that bichuwa,” he teased and Rania almost laughed.
She held her breath, though, wondering what to do with the toxin of the kiss of death. She didn’t want to give it to Alasdair or Balthasar. She didn’t want to disperse it, to spread its poison everywhere.
A flicker of movement caught her gaze and she saw a salamander dart across the floor. It wasn’t a normal salamander, because its skin like jewels. It could have been made of opals edged with gold, which made her wonder whether some of the Pyr could take other forms.
The salamander darted over Hadrian and leapt toward Rania. She caught it instinctively and it looked her right in the eye. It seemed to wink, then coiled its tail around her wrist.
“Stay with me!”
Rania heard the words in her own thoughts, spoken in a man’s commanding voice. She chose to trust her instincts and follow his suggestion. She nodded and the salamander shimmered blue. He then vanished right before her eyes and Rania did her best to keep up.
“What was that?” Alasdair demanded as he charged back to Balthasar’s side. After the emergency crews had put out the fire and left, he and Balthasar had taken Hadrian into his own room. Alasdair had driven into town for pizza because neither of the Pyr felt like cooking.
He’d felt the spark of the firestorm suddenly and had come as quickly as possible. He found Balthasar staring down at Hadrian, who was drifting off to sleep.
But he was alive. Alasdair nearly wept with relief when he reached the side of the bed. Hadrian’s hand was warm and Alasdair shook it, even as Hadrian smiled.
“Rania saved me,” Hadrian murmured, his eyes drifting closed. “She really is my destined mate.” He smiled a little. “It really is love.” Then he fell asleep, his breathing slow and steady.
Alasdair looked at Balthasar, knowing his question was obvious.
“She came back,” that Pyr said, his tone thoughtful. “She thought she could reverse the kiss of death and she did it.”
“But why? I thought she had to kill Hadrian to save her brothers?”
“I’m going to guess that Maeve broke her word.”
Alasdair nodded agreement. “Rania?”
Balthasar shrugged. “That’s what he’s calling her now. Maybe she finally told him her name.” He shrugged.
“Then where did she go?”
“With the salamander.”
Alasdair turned to Balthasar in confusion. “The what?”
“Didn’t you hear the old-speak? It said ‘stay with me’ in old-speak.”
“Then it was Pyr.”
Balthasar nodded. “Sloane said that some of the Slayers who had drunk the Elixir had the ability to take a third form, that of a salamander. Rafferty is the only Pyr who can do it.”
“Was the salamander opal and gold?”
“Yes, it was.”
“Then it had to have been him. I wonder how he knew to come here,” Alasdair mused.
“I wonder where they went,” Balthasar said. “I’d like to know where all that nasty malice ended up.”
“If it was Rafferty who guided her away, then we don’t have to worry about it