A Valley of Darkness (A Shade of Vampire #52)(57)

“Stop underestimating me. Stop underestimating my team, too.” I held my own, my muscles tight and buzzing, and my fists balling at my sides. “We’ve already uncovered more in one day than you self-assured snobs managed in two years!”

I’d made him angry. He scowled at me, his nostrils flaring and his jaw clenching, moving forward another inch—enough for his hot breath to warm my nose and lips.

“Watch yourself,” he hissed, “or you’ll get yourself and your friends killed.”

“Is that a threat?” I murmured, my voice weaker than my stance.

“No, it’s just a fact. One I’m not eager to see occur.”

He left, leaving me there in utter silence. My whole body trembled from his proximity. I realized then that my heart had been banging itself against my ribcage. I took several deep breaths just to regain full control over my senses.

What did he mean? Was he warning me? Did he really know something that I didn’t, something that, if uncovered by GASP, would jeopardize us? Or was he simply trying to intimidate me because of some dark secret that he was hiding?

I groaned, then walked back down to the infirmary, unable to get Caspian and his words out of my head. Was he connected to the daemons or Sienna’s disappearance? Or was he a witness, too, genuinely trying to warn us?

I cursed under my breath.

What the heck is going on here?





Scarlett





(Daughter of Jeramiah & Pippa)





Patrik and I spent some time further analyzing Minah’s body, but nothing new came up. He even performed a couple of spells to reveal additional trace evidence, but found only a few particles of pollen and dust in her hair, most likely something she’d picked up from the gorges the night we found her.

He still collected it for Avril to look at, just in case she’d be able to help track its origin. It could give us some insight as to where Minah had been in the Valley of Screams before we rescued her.

I was staring at the map of Azure Heights, carefully reviewing our strategy, while Patrik prepared herb and crystal mixtures in a few bowls for the protective spell. The silence weighed heavy on my shoulders, mainly because I wanted to ask him about the dream he’d had but didn’t know how to bring it up without being ridiculously awkward.

“I can’t help but feel sorry for whoever Minah left behind,” Patrik said, his gaze fixed on his bowls.

“Her family, you mean?” I asked.

“Her family, if she has any left. Her significant other, if there was one.” He shrugged, his voice low. “The dead don’t care. They’re dead. They’re gone. But the living who stay behind, they suffer. I feel sorry for them.”

Something clawed at my stomach. I knew he was speaking from experience.

“How have you been faring? You know, since Kyana passed away?” I blurted out, hoping he wouldn’t change the subject or scold me for bringing it up. But he’d sounded so raw, I had a feeling Minah’s death had brought up the old stuff and he needed to talk to someone, just to process it all again.

Patrik looked up, his eyes finding mine.

“It hasn’t been easy.” He sighed, his shoulders dropping. “She was the love of my life, and I don’t know how to bounce back from that. I don’t know how to be myself again. The Patrik before Kyana…”

His honesty floored me, and I fought the powerful impulse to just take him in my arms and never let him go. Life hadn’t been fair to him, leaving him without the creature for whom he’d suffered so much.

“You can never be your old self again,” I replied softly. He didn’t respond, though, simply watched me as I opened one of Caia’s journals with no specific purpose, just out of the need to keep my hands busy. “You should just focus on getting to know the new you better, broken heart included in this upgraded package. Despite the pain, you’re a better version of yourself now. You can’t turn the clock back on that one, but you can give yourself some time to get reacquainted with… yourself.”

A minute passed as we stared at each other. He gave me a weak smile and continued prepping the protection spell for the city.

“You know, I’m impressed by your insight,” he said. “And you’re absolutely right. I’ve never thought of it that way before, so… thank you for the perspective.”

I smiled, pleased with myself for my tiny contribution to his wellbeing, then frowned slightly. I built up the courage I needed to ask a more important question.

“Do you think you’ll ever fall in love again?”

My voice was barely audible, but, judging by the way his eyebrows raised in response, I knew he’d heard me. He shook his head slowly, and I felt my stomach tie itself up in painful knots.

“I doubt it,” he replied, and I could hear myself deflating like a balloon. “But, then again, nothing is permanent. Not even thoughts. I might feel different a hundred years from now… Who knows?”

I nodded, unable to utter a worthy reply and struggling with disappointment. I liked Patrik. A lot. But the obstacles kept piling up in front of me, and it was becoming harder for me to even think I could reach him.

Maybe a hundred years from now…





Hansa