"I don't know, but it was wonderful. Incredible. The absolute best."
Laughing softly, he lifted his head and she frowned at the sight of his eyes in the dull candlelight. They were no longer black, but a strange hazel-green. "Kyrian?"
He looked around the room, then grimaced. "My powers are gone," he whispered. And it was then she felt weakness overwhelm him.
He could barely move.
Worse, she felt intense agony invade his skull as he placed the heel of his hand over his right eye and hissed.
"Oh, my God," she breathed as he lay beside her in complete misery. "What can I do?"
"Call Talon," he said between clenched teeth. "Dial two and a pound sign on the phone."
She rolled over to reach the nightstand and pulled the phone to her, then quickly dialed.
Talon answered on the second ring.
By the sound of Talon's voice, she could tell he'd been fast asleep. "What's wrong?" he asked calmly after she told him who she was.
"I don't know. I've done something to Kyrian."
"What do you mean?" he asked in a tone that told her he found it hard to believe she could do anything to his friend.
"I'm not sure. His eyes are a different color and he's doubled over in pain."
"What color are his eyes?"
"Green."
Talon fell silent for several rapid heartbeats before he spoke again. "Let me talk to him."
She handed the phone to Kyrian.
Kyrian gripped the phone as another wave of pain racked him. He'd never felt anything like this before. It was as if his Dark-Hunter and human halves were at war with one another.
"Talon," he breathed.
"Hey, buddy," Talon said. "You okay?"
"Hell, no. What's going on?"
"Offhand, I'd say you just found the way to drain out your Dark-Hunter powers. Congratulations, bud, you found your out-clause."
"Yeah, and I feel peachy keen about it, too."
"Don't be a smart-ass. The thing to remember is it's temporary. I think."
Not comforted by the doubt in Talon's voice, he asked, "How long?"
"I have no idea. I've never had my powers drained."
Kyrian hissed against another wave of pain.
"Stop fighting it," Talon snapped. "You're only making it worse. Just relax."
"Oh yeah, like you know."
Talon snorted. "Trust me, there are times to fight and this isn't one of them. Just go with it."