t us out at the Haunted Hound. We stood in the dark corridor to catch our breath.
Quinn appeared at the entrance. Concern was etched across his strong features. “Carrow? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I trusted Quinn, but the Devil didn’t. He was inexplicably feeling low, and I didn’t want to draw attention to that fact.
All the same, the vampire’s shoulders straightened. “We’re fine.”
There wasn’t the slightest hint in his voice that he was hurt.
“All right. Let me know if you need anything.” Quinn melted into the shadows of the bar, leaving me alone.
I turned to Grey, worry twisting inside me. “You really aren’t okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“Fine is a weak word.”
“I’m not healing as well as I normally might, but we’ll get to the bottom of it.” His expression was bland and calm, reassuring.
I didn’t buy it for a minute.
I tilted my head to reveal my neck. “Drink my blood. It worked last time.”
“No.” His voice cracked like a whip. “Absolutely not.”
“Just a little. It will help. It always does.”
“You know what might happen if I drink your blood.”
A vision of my dream flickered in front of my mind. Cursed Mates.
“We’ll do it at your place. You have the self-control, I know it. And it’ll heal you.”
“Not even there. I want it too badly, and once I start…”
He wouldn’t be able to stop.
He didn’t say it, but he didn’t have to. I could read the fear in him clearly.
“It will never happen,” he said. “Thank you, but forget it.”
“Fine, then we’re getting a healer.” I prayed it would help.
“Excellent plan.”
I nodded and took his arm. “Let’s go.”
We switched to the other abandoned hallway and took the portal back to Guild City, staggering through the streets to his place. It was after midnight, and the pavement bustled with people going from bar to bar, shouting and laughing. Shops glittered with life and magic, but I had no interest in them.
By the time we reached the Devil’s tower, even I was feeling drained. The two security guards at the front hopped to attention, their movements gracefully powerful in the way of all shifters. They swung open the doors, and we entered, finding Miranda at her station.
Concern creased her brow. “Devil? What’s wrong?”
“Everything is fine, Miranda.” His voice sounded normal, but his face was so pale. “Don’t concern yourself.”
“Could you get the healer?” I asked.
She nodded, her gaze moving between us. “He’s having a drink in the bar, in fact.”