Pandora's Box - Eve Newton Page 0,25

my ass into gear. I open Aleister’s mouth and dump the contents of the vial into it. I slash open my wrist again to make sure he gets a good mouthful of my blood before I shut his mouth, keeping my hand on his chin and hoping he swallows it. He coughs and splutters, so I let his chin go and wait.

We all wait.

There is complete silence.

“Please,” I mutter. “This has to work. Please.”

I watch as his eyelids flutter and then pop open, looking around at everyone looming over him.

“It worked?” I ask hopefully.

He wipes his mouth with a moue of distaste. I don’t take offense as Gargoyles don’t drink blood as a rule. Plus, Shax’s is probably burning him inside, but mine must be trying to counteract it. I didn’t even think about the fact that Shax’s blood hurts my Demons. Combined with mine, it heals them. His skin is losing the stony exterior. That’s all that matters.

“It worked,” he says with a groan and looks at the hole in his side that is now closing and staying closed. “You don’t know how close that was.”

His slate gray eyes find mine and fill with love. “Thank you,” he murmurs.

I kiss him and climb onto the bed. I straddle him carefully. “Am I hurting you?” I ask as I lay down with my head on his chest anyway.

“No, stay right where you are.” He turns his head to the side and says, “Thanks for sticking around. It wasn’t so lonely.”

I glance up to see that he has directed his words to Sid.

I choke back the sob. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t quicker.”

Aleister looks back at me and then his eyes close wearily. He wraps his arm loosely around me. “Your timing was perfect,” he says and then his breathing deepens as he falls asleep. I can hear his heart beating strong in his chest and I sigh. I find Sid’s eyes and whisper, “Thank you.”

He nods and then dissipates, the stress of so many people around him getting to him. I feel terrible. He wanted to talk to me, and I ordered him to help Aleister. I want to follow him, but I don’t want to leave Aleister again. Not yet.

The words that I have been too terrified to say to any of them are hovering on my lips, but I just can’t do it. Not even now. If I say them and I lose him, I won’t be able to go on. I shove them aside and vow never to utter those three words to any of them.

I just…can’t.

Chapter 13

Elijah

After Axelle leaves, Killian and I move away from Aleister now that he seems to be okay. That was really close. I honestly thought he was a goner.

Annabelle has curled up on him and is holding hands with Xavier, who has moved into a chair to sit next to them.

“Do you think Annabelle is okay?” I ask Killian quietly.

“She will be. She has come close to losing someone permanently. That has never happened before. She’s realized that we aren’t all as immortal as she is, but she will rise up from that disappointment.”

“I hope so. I didn’t like seeing her so upset.”

“Because you love her,” Killian states.

“Do you?” I ask him back.

He ignores me.

The females are talking quietly and then they laugh, looking over at us.

I narrow my eyes at them.

“I’m not sure I like this,” I sulk to Lian.

“Ha,” he scoffs. “Try stopping it. It’s like a freight train on a collision course with an F-15.”

I give him a puzzled look. “Huh?”

He shakes his head. “Never mind. Just know that Annabelle is the F15.” He snorts at his own joke.

“Whatever,” I grumble. “This doesn’t bother you?”

His white eyes fix on mine. “Of course it bothers me. You know what will happen if we spend too long together.”

I grunt. Hell freezing over will be the least of our worries.

“I don’t get it, though,” he mutters, glaring at the two females.

“What?” I ask.

“We are not supposed to cross paths. Sure, it’s happened once or twice over the centuries, but we are never supposed to be in Hell at the same time. Why is she here? Why was she recalled at the same time I was?” He gives me a perturbed look.

I lower my voice even more. “You think this isn’t a coincidence?”

He shakes his head. “It feels deliberate somehow. I don’t know… I have to go.”

“Where?”

“To Roberta. She is responsible for all of the Demons duties.