Let go, they called. No more pain. Quintus licked his cracked lips, sucking in the moldy air. He blinked up to a crack in the apex of the marble roof. A sliver of moonlight crept in, and he drew on its strength. One more day, and the pain will go away. I live. He coughed, his life force seeping out of his chest in a gurgle. Closing his eyes, he gave in to her sweet deadly song. So tired, he'd just rest until sunrise.
A feminine scent carried in the air, and he thought it a deliriously incredible dream. The scraping of stone on stone sounded, yet he failed to rouse, again falling victim to the dark slumber. Hot air infused the room, his cool skin touched by a brush of warmth. The voice spoke his name, its words dancing in his mind.
"Quintus," she whispered, her voice vaguely familiar. "I've come to get you. Please, wake up."
Her call tempted him from death, but the siren sang louder, and the light shone bright. Comforted by the wonderment within his mind, Quintus stepped toward the tunnel. In the distance, he spied the silhouette of his pixiu. Come darling, she beckoned. As he went to find her, the whispers of the female faded.
"Quintus. It's me. Please. No, you can't die. Feed. Feed from me," she begged.
So far, far away, Quintus studied her, hot tears splashing onto his cool skin. Saying goodbye to the dangerous world he'd loved, his dream faded, and he surrendered to his slumber.