He shivered, tightening his grip around Vivienne. Once he’d left the ruins and immediate danger had passed, he stopped long enough to dig out a healing salve from his pack. He’d applied Odette’s concoction liberally to his ankle, the lingering pain disappearing almost instantly. He’d have to thank the witch when they returned.
A stone keep with a round tower rose above the moonlit planes, their destination beckoning him forward. Marshwood Tower was abandoned, but this was where Sebastian had arranged for their ride to pick them up.
The bodyguard in Marius’s arms moaned. He halted mid-step, his gaze dropping to her face.
Moonlight illuminated Vivienne’s pale features in silver. Fiery tendrils of hair blew over her face. Her eyes blinked open, and long lashes framed those black eyes he dreamed about more often than not.
A long moment passed as her gaze swept over his, and her red brows creased. Her body tensed, and she sucked in a sharp breath.
“You,” she hissed, her voice husky. “You… drugged me.”
Despite the wind, he heard each word as though she’d shouted them. Accusation shone brightly in her eyes, and his chest ached at the sight.
“I did.” He swallowed. “And I can?—”
“Put me down.” Her tone was hard.
He did as she asked, placing her feet on the cold, snow-dusted ground. She stepped back, her face hardening.
Marius’s arms felt unbearably empty without her in them. His fingers flexed, wanting to reach out to hold her. Touch her. Keep her forever.
Wait.
Where had that last thought come from? He wasn’t entirely sure, but he didn’t hate it. At all. He could easily envision a future with her.
Marius stepped towards her. “Viv?—”
“Don’t,” she seethed, darkness flashing in her eyes. “You don’t get to call me that right now, Prince.”
His heart thundered as he studied her. “You’re angry.”
“That’s an understatement,” she ground out through clenched teeth.
Wings burst from her back in a flurry of night, and darkness swelled around her. Just because she didn’t have shadows—something she’d shared with him during their initial journey to Hoarfrost Hollow—didn’t mean the night wasn’t drawn to her.
In the same way that the High Lady of Life seemed to breathe, and life followed suit—at least now that the balance had been restored—darkness ebbed and flowed around vampires. It was as much a part of them as the need to drink blood.
And Marius had angered Vivienne.
If he were a smarter man, he’d probably consider how quickly the vampire could kill him and back away.
Instead, he stepped towards Vivienne.
She moved back.
Pain lanced through him, but he tried to ignore it, focusing on the vampire.
“What did you do to me?” Her familiar voice was quiet, but there was nothing soft about her words. Her features were like stone, and her fangs glistened in the moonlight.
He hated that he was the reason she was angry.
“You were about to touch the water.” He itched to step towards her, but he held himself back. “I couldn’t let that happen. It would’ve killed you.”
Those bones at the bottom of the pool flashed before his eyes. He couldn’t imagine this vibrant vampire reduced to nothing but a skeleton, the light in her eyes forever extinguished.
“You stopped me.” Not a question, despite her earlier inquiry.
He dipped his chin. “I did.”