Part 14 (2/2)
”Nika. You're hurt.”
She turned toward the deep, cultured voice to see Logan standing in the doorway. His eyes zeroed in on her neck. His nostrils flared and, without looking away, he shut and locked the door behind him.
”Madoc killed him,” she whispered, still not sure it had really happened. Maybe this was some sort of trick of her minda”something the Synestryn had done to confuse her. If so, it was working.
”Back away from him, child. He's not yet dead. I can hear his heart beating.”
Nika stared down at Tynan. He sure looked dead.
”Come to me, Nika. Let me close your wounds.” Logan held out his hand, keeping a careful eye on Tynan.
She tried to stand but shock had robbed her of her agility, and she stumbled into a bookcase. Logan darted across the s.p.a.ce, faster than she thought was possible. He grabbed her arm and eased her away from Tynan, into a nearby chair.
”Hold still,” he said, then pressed his fingertips over the two puncture wounds for a brief second and closed his eyes.
Tingles bubbled over her skin until she felt the need to pull away. She didn't, though, not knowing what that might do.
”That feels like what Madoc did when he healed my blisters.” She held out her wrist, checking to make sure she hadn't imagined that, too.
The handprint of healed skin was still there, outlined by angry red blisters.
Logan used the collar of her s.h.i.+rt to wipe away the blood. ”Madoc healed you?”
She felt off balance and uncertain. Everything seemed so far off it was as if nothing could touch her.
Madoc had killed, and deep down, she knew it was somehow her fault. He'd tried to warn her he was dangerous, but she didn't listen.
She nodded. ”One of the Theronai grabbed me.”
”Where was Madoc going?”
”I don't know.”
There was a horrible crunch, followed by a sickening sucking sound from where Tynan lay. He flopped onto his back and lay there, panting. ”I know.”
Logan went to him, leaned down, and they spoke too low for her to hear. When Logan looked at her again, his face was grim. ”If you don't find him, he's going to kill himself.”
Slowly, Tynan pushed himself to a sitting position. He looked gray and gaunt, but he was alive. Logan had been right.
”We can't let that happen,” said Tynan. ”We need him. You need him.”
She'd always felt that need, but it hardly mattered now. ”He doesn't want me.”
Logan laid a hand on Tynan's shoulder as if to quiet him. ”Madoc doesn't know what he wants right now. He's not himself. He's . . . sick.”
”Not sick. Dying. His soul is dying,” she whispered.
Logan nodded slowly. ”I know you weren't raised as one of us, but surely you know what that meansa”what will happen if Joseph finds out.”
”He'll kill him.”
Tynan rubbed the back of his neck. His voice was still quiet, like breathing was difficult. ”You have to find him. Stop him.”
”How?”
”You have to take his luceria.”
”I tried. It didn't work.”
”I felt the power of your blood combining with his inside me. It was . . . incredible. That's why I'm not dead right now. I was able to heal myself because of that power.”
”You took her blood again?” asked Logan in confusion. ”You said it was dangerous.”
”There was no other way. I had to know.”
”Know what?” asked Nika.
”If the two of you were compatible.”
”Madoc says we're not. He says we'd know if we were.”
”He's wrong. His blood mixed with yours, keeping it from hurting me. I also have fed from enough bonded Theronai pairs to know what I felt. He's using some kind of magic to slow the normal aging process of his lifemark. That magic must be getting in the way of your bonding.”
Realization hit her as all the pieces fell into place. ”The black ring,” she whispered.
”What ring?” asked Logan.
”He wears this ugly black ring. It's unnaturally cold.”
The two Sanguinar shared a look that seemed to communicate something she didn't understand.
Logan rose to his feet, stripping off his s.h.i.+rt. ”Go in the bathroom. Clean the blood off and change into this s.h.i.+rt. Then you need to leave. Immediately. Find Madoc; take off that black ring, even if you have to cut off his hand to do it. Once you do that, you should be able to take his luceria.”
”And if I can't?” she asked.
”Then he's going to die.”
”What about Tori? She's still alive. I have to find her.”
”How?”
”I don't know. She won't talk to me anymore. She's keeping me out.”
”Then you truly do need Madoc,” said Logan. ”His power could help you find her, okay? He'll make you stronger.”
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