The words dried up on my lips as the crumpled heap of man raised his head.
“Pia,” a familiar voice croaked.
I was on my feet and running toward him before the word could even form in my mind . . . Kristoff.
CHAPTER 4
“What happened to him?” I cradled Kristoff’s head against my chest protectively as I hastily searched his upper torso for signs of injury.
Kristoff made a plaintive noise. It resonated within me, bringing to the surface all sorts of emotions that I had no idea lurked beneath. I wanted to protect him, shake him, demand he speak to me, give him comfort, and tear off all his clothes and have my wanton way with him.
It was an effort, but I managed to tamp down the wave of emotions. “Dear God, what happened to you?”
Eyes that I knew could shine a brilliant teal were now dulled with pain. Waves of anguish rolled off him, suffering etched in every line of his now horribly gaunt face.
“Pia, don’t,” he groaned, trying to push back out of my embrace. “I can’t fight it if you touch me.”
“Fight what? Good Lord, Kristoff, you look like death warmed over. Haven’t you been eating at all?”
He closed his eyes, his face a mask of pain as he again struggled to get away from me. I wrapped my arms tighter around him.
“Animal blood.”
“That obviously isn’t doing you much good. Why didn’t you tell me you needed some blood?” I asked.
He shook his head and wouldn’t answer.
“Why did you bring him here?” Mattias demanded of Rowan. He gestured toward where I sat. “That one seduced my wife!”
“Oh, be quiet, Mattias,” I said, brushing the hair back from Kristoff’s brow.
“I gave you the benefit of the doubt once,” Christian said, strolling up behind me. “I will not be so foolish as to do so again. You may cease playacting.”
“Playacting?” I asked, suddenly furious. Couldn’t they see that something was horribly wrong with Kristoff? He looked terrible, his flesh grey and clammy, his body emaciated, racked with waves of pain so strong even I could feel them. “What the hell is going on here? Why aren’t you doing anything to help him?”
“They deserve no help,” Mattias muttered. “They are evil. You should have destroyed them. You should have wiped them from the earth, as you were supposed to do.”
“Knock it off,” I snapped at Mattias.
His expression grew darker, but at a menacing gesture from Andreas, he slumped back in his chair.
“I do not like to be deceived, Pia. I would have thought you’d recognize that fact.” Christian stopped next to me, his eyes distrustful.
Julian, standing in the open doorway, shook his head. “I told you the council would not welcome lies.”
“What lies?” I yelled, wanting to scream at them.
Julian said nothing more, just closed the door.
I twisted my head around to glare up at Kristoff’s brother. “You’re his brother! Why aren’t you doing anything to help him?”
“His plan has been discovered,” Andreas said in cold tones that sent a little shiver down my back. “His plan . . . and yours.”
Mattias burst into laughter. I wanted nothing so much as to smack him right at that moment, but reminded myself that Kristoff needed my attention more.
“You’re all insane,” I said, looking around for help. Kristoff shuddered in my arms, his knees pulling up as he fought an almost overwhelming wave of purest agony.
“Please.” He gasped. “I can’t stand your being here much longer.”
“Well, life is full of trials,” I snapped at him, too overwhelmed with anger and pain at his insult to temper my words. “I’m sorry to burden you with my presence, but no one here is making any sense!”
“Christian,” Allie said, limping slowly over to us.
“Stay out of this,” her husband said without taking his eyes from us.
“It is not too late, wife,” Mattias called out. “There are two of us here-we could perform the ceremony for you to end that pathetic one’s life.”
“So help me God, if you don’t shut up, I’m going to call down the light and smite you with it!” I bellowed at him.
My threat echoed around the suddenly quiet room.
Mattias’s eyes grew round. “You are Zorya. I am sacristan. You cannot harm me.”
“You want to bet?” I growled, my attention returning to Kristoff as another wave hit him.