“By all the gods, I hope you won’t hate me for this when you wake up,” Marius huffed as he climbed the steps out of the House of Forgotten Shadows. His bodyguard’s unconscious body was cradled in his arms, his hands wrapped around her upper chest and thighs.
Vivienne had been out for a solid hour.
Marius thought his heart would explode out of his chest when she dove towards the glowing water littered with bones.
The vampire had seemed single-minded about touching the pool. He’d yelled at her to step away, reminding her that it would kill her and they needed the water to stop the First, but she hadn’t seemed to hear him.
Thank the gods, he’d been able to stop her.
Vivienne’s sword was sheathed at his hip, and his pack was on his back as he trekked forward. He hadn’t dared walk the silver planes to See what was ahead, but he was prepared to fight if anything came at them.
He wasn’t able to move quickly, and he was incredibly aware of every creak, every whistle of wind, and every footfall.
Phyrra had been right.
This place was filled with death.
He’d spent hours with the spymaster before leaving Castle Sanguis, plying her for any information she knew about the House of Forgotten Shadows. She hadn’t known much, but she’d admitted that throughout her travels, she heard tales of vampires entering the ruins and never leaving.
At the time, Marius had thought they were just stories. Now that he’d seen the bones, he knew they were all true.
A shiver ran through him, and he tightened his grip on Vivienne. She was safe in his arms, but she’d come far too close to joining her brethren at the bottom of that gods-damned pool.
A vivid imagination wasn’t required to realize precisely what would’ve happened to his bodyguard if he hadn’t stopped her.
The vial of prohiberis-laced water had been his last resort. A gift from Phyrra, in case of emergencies. He’d never dreamed he would have to use it on Vivienne.
Unstopping the cork and forcing the liquid down her throat had been the hardest thing Marius had ever done. And the wounded look of betrayal on her face before she stopped fighting him…
His heart had nearly shattered at the sight.
The moment Vivienne fell unconscious, Marius lowered her carefully to the ground. Keeping himself between her still body and the pool, he’d hastily collected the vial of water they required, wrapped the glass containers in several layers of wool and twine, and tucked it in his bag.
Then, he’d picked Vivienne up.
When the vampire was awake, she was all fire and spite. Fromthe first moment she interrupted his escape into the woods, he’d admired the life that flowed effortlessly from her.
Now, it was barely present.
The slow, steady thump of his bodyguard’s heart was the only reason he was moving calmly through the darkness and not panicking about how she felt in his arms.
He hadn’t killed her.
Relief had coursed through him when he realized that, his breath catching in his throat. He wasn’t entirely prepared to unpack what it meant, but he knew that Vivienne’s survival meant far more to him than he was prepared to admit.
It was more than just her riveting company—although he immensely enjoyed the way hours melted away when they were together, talking about everything and nothing. There was something about her that made him feel safe in a way that nothing, not even his sister’s presence, ever had before.
Marius’s chest warmed as he carried the vampire, and despite the near-death situation they’d just escaped, he felt a strange sense of peace. He’d spent so long searching for adventure, yet he felt more alive with Vivienne in his arms than he had when they faced the First.
Vivienne moaned as he carried her through the dark ruins.
He tightened his grip around her protectively and brushed his lips over her forehead. The silky kiss was barely a touch, but his lips heated.
“Rest, Viv. I’ll get us out of here.”
As if she heard him, she exhaled softly, curling her head into his chest. He blew out a low breath and hugged her tighter as he exited the House of Forgotten Shadows.
A whipping,howling wind had been haunting Marius since he left the ruins an hour ago. A storm was in the air, the skies were dark, and the breeze was cold.