let me die.”
It was her punishment. In trying to kill Damian, she’d succeeded in killing herself. It didn’t hurt. Painless, just this sluggish lethargy as if her limbs were turning to stone. She wanted to feel something, not this horrid draining as if she were already dead.
In her computer world, Celyndra possessed incredible strength and health. Jamie regenerated fast in cyberspace. Now, her body failed.
Damian sank down onto the couch. He seized her wrist, bound it with gauze on the table. Two strong arms pulled her to him. He muttered something she couldn’t understand, brushed her hair back. Jamie caught a glimpse of long canine teeth descending. Sharp. Dangerous.
Damian bent his head, nuzzled her neck as if kissing her skin.
He bit her.
Sizzling pain screeched along her nerves. Her scream was cut short by a slow, almost erotic scrape as his tongue traced the wound. Strength fled as she collapsed, sagging like a rag doll.
Damn you, Draicon, I was already dying, she thought fuzzily before darkness claimed her.
She mustn’t die. No. Not again. He couldn’t watch her die, lose her like he’d lost his family, little Annie …
He’d acted on instinct. Knowing his bite infused her with good magick. Knowing it would save her.
Very gently Damian cradled her as she fell limp. Her pallor grayish, her hysteria abated. He felt her forehead. Cold but no longer icy. He waited a minute, frantic with worry, then checked her wound. Watery crimson leaked out. Blood.
Relief filled him, so intense he shook. Damian licked her laceration with his healing saliva. He fetched a blanket from the bedroom, covered Jamie to keep her body temperature warm. He punched a number on his cell phone and explained what happened.
When Raphael arrived, Damian’s duffel bag slung over his shoulder and carrying a paper sack, Damian led him upstairs. Rafe dumped the items and gently picked up Jamie’s wrist. “The spell starts working from the inside out on the extremities, then spreads to the vital organs, clogging the blood supply. The fingernails and hair usually turn gray before it gets to this point. Mon Dieu, I’ve never heard of it accelerating this fast. When did she get bit?"
“Kane infected her six weeks ago. Why is it spreading like this? She’s human and it shouldn’t affect her as much.”
A frown puckered Raphael’s forehead as he put down Jamie’s hand. “Humans. She’s your draicara. No Alpha Draicon ever had a human mate. Maybe she’s not human.”
Stunned, Damian sank onto the couch. He held Jamie’s hand, reassured at the warmth spreading through it, the pulse beating slow but steadily. “For now, we have to assume she’s human. What else can I give her?"
Raphael dumped the bag on the kitchen table. “I called Paw Paw and got the recipe for a potion. Should help for a while.”
“I hope so. By the way, I need you to dispose of a body. Ma Petite Voodoo Maison. Morphs got to her.”
Blood drained from Raphael’s face. “Renee?”
His brother raced down the stairs. When Raphael returned, he looked grim. “Too late. There’s people in front of the shop. She’s been found.”
Worry riddled him. He pushed it aside, concentrating on Jamie. She came first.
Someone pressed a cup to her lips. “Drink,” the deep voice commanded. “It will help you, Jamie.”
Still confused, her mind muzzy, she opened her mouth and obeyed. The liquid smelled coppery and tasted faintly of something salty, warm and rich. She gagged and glanced down at the cup. Red liquid sloshed inside.
“Again,” the voice insisted.
Jamie shook her head, but instead of the exhaustion she’d felt, energy poured through her. Real energy, as if she were awakening from a spell.
“What is that?” she croaked.
“A magick potion with herbs and spices and nothing that will harm you.”
Her mind processed the information. A potion aiding her. A fierce desire surfaced to live, to fight whatever had crippled her.
The cup was put to her mouth again. Jamie grabbed the glass and drank, resisting the reflexive instinct to gag.
More energy filled her. Wary of pushing it, she slowly sat up, flexed her fingers. Jamie stared at the now-healed cut on her hand.
Seeing the question in her eyes, Damian nodded. “You bleed red now, Jamie. I bit you to infuse you with my magick, but it’s not permanent. For now, it will help. The tired feeling you had should be gone. It was the spell.”
A shiver snaked down her spine. “How long will I feel better?”
“Without more magick, a week, perhaps, maybe a little longer. I’m not certain. I don’t have experience with this.”
He took her palm, stroked it. “How are you feeling?”
Stronger. Better. Perplexed. “Why did you do that?”
Damian squeezed her palm. “Chère, don’t you understand? I’m trying to save you.”
“Why? I tried to kill you. I’m not the kind of mate you want.”
“Want has nothing to do with it. Call it biology. Laws of the pack. You need me, and I need you.” His fingers trailed over her palm.
Damn, this was mighty confusing. His brusque statement contrasted with the gentle stroke of his fingers across her chilled skin. It broke down the black-and-white areas into patches of gray. She didn’t like gray. Black-and-white was much easier, like computer coding.
I have to survive. And if he’s the means, then I’ll think about the other stuff later. Like I always have. “I need to see Mama Renee. She has lots of experience with potions. She’ll have answers.”
Damian exchanged glances with someone standing silently in the doorway. A strip of pure white hair streaked through the man’s shoulder-length dark hair. About four inches taller than Damian, he had the face of an angel and dressed like a biker. Jamie blinked in vague recognition. She’d seen him somewhere before. “Who are you?"
Introducing her, Damian explained Raphael was his brother. Oh God. Memories ate her guts like a horde of angry ants. Jamie swallowed hard. One of the Draicon who’d joined Damian in killing Mark. Tearing her brother to pieces, as he screamed …
“Another Draicon? How many stray dogs are there in this city?” Jamie shot out.
Raphael’s mouth thinned to a tight slash. He didn’t appear to like her any more than she liked him.
“Dai, I’m headed out. Call me if you need me.” Raphael gave her a hard look and left.
The Draicon slammed the door behind him. Jamie set down the glass and pushed off the couch, relieved to find her limbs functioning normally.
“Where
