a deafening clank as Dem

t o

rely human. The force of his shou

inch. She did

nds, palms open.

king sound. "Help? I'l

battling with the freezing air of the roo

closer. Her boots crunched on the frost covering the floor.

ked to the side, a predator

out of his reach. "I'm the only one

ognition flickered in his eyes, cutting thr

," Fiona said flatly. "

gain, the metal groaning. "I d

at you, you'll be a crip

ep forward. Int

she expected. His hand sh

. They clamped around her wind

ing at his wrist.

his face. She could feel the heat radiating from his s

straight into those black voids. "Be

osened. Jus

asped, "I have

t and pulled out a silver needle. Before he could react, s

fened. His

is arm vanished.

or, coughing, massagi

r five minutes," Fiona said, her voic

e bed now, breathing heavily. Th

led out t

od," sh

Lotus, meant to 'strengthen the Orozco bloodline.' Fiona never understood it. But in her past life, after years of research in the palace's forgotten archives, she found a

in the science.

r left wrist. A line of crim

" she o

leeding wrist ag

him. His pupils dilat

is grip bruising, and

dra

t made her stomach flip. She could feel his tongue a

pun. The r

hand finding its way into his sw

ter. She was saving th

issipate. The unnatural flush faded fro

sto

t heaving. There was blo

black receded, revealing i

her. Really l

he blood loss, combined with the

. His voice was deep

lapsed

re no longer burning hot;

sed against his bare chest. She could hear hi

brushed the cor

," he

time, it wasn't the cold darkness