Ruby Shadows (Born to Darkness #3)(42)

I swore to myself in the Black Tongue and she flinched back, away from the harsh language. I didn’t want her to fear me but I had to know where they had bitten her—and how many times. I felt panic growing in me—fear that she was in danger past my ability to save her.

“Let me see you,” I demanded, trying to make my voice a little more gentle. “I need to count the bites and get rid of the venom.”

“Oh…it was just once.” She held out an arm to me and I saw something red on her café au lait skin.


Grasping her wrist, I licked it quickly, trying to ascertain from the taste how much venom had been injected. But instead of the bitter, chalky taste of devilkin venom, my mouth filled with something fruity and cloyingly sweet.

“What’s this?” I pulled back, frowning. “This isn’t blood.”

“No—it’s strawberry jam,” Gwendolyn said. She was half laughing, half crying—as though she was just on the edge of hysteria. I wasn’t surprised—being swarmed by a pack of devilkins is a disorienting experience—and a deadly one. Most don’t live to tell about it. But I was determined that she would.

“Come,” I said, pulling her wrist. I meant to take her into the bathroom where the lighting was better but she wobbled again and sank down to the floor. Damn it—the venom must already be working on her!

I swung her up in my arms and carried her through the suite, past the massive four poster bed with its fur coverlet and into the bathroom where the deep marble tub was about to overflow.

“My bubble bath!” Gwendolyn struggled weakly in my arms. “I forgot all about it.”

“Understandable considering the circumstances,” I said. Sitting her on the black marble counter that ran the length of one wall, I turned off the taps quickly and went back to her.

“Laish…I’m sorry. I should have listened to you,” she whispered, her voice soft and weak.

“Yes, you should have but never mind that now. Where were you bitten?”

“Here.” She held out her arm again and this time I saw what the smear of fruit spread had been hiding—an oval ring of wickedly deep bite marks ran around the inside of her forearm. Already black streaks were beginning to climb up her creamy brown skin.

The sight made me swear again—damn it, we might be too late! Anger and grim determination flared in me.

No—she must not die. I will not allow it! I will not lose her!

Quickly, I took her arm in my hands, fit my mouth over the bite marks and began to suck.

“What…what are you doing?” Gwendolyn asked uncertainly as the bitter, chalky taste of the venom rushed over my tongue.

I pulled back and spat in the sink. The inky venom was black as sin but I hadn’t gotten it all—I still saw traces of it under her skin.

“Removing the poison,” I said briefly and went back to her arm again. She moaned softly but didn’t try to fight me as I sucked and spat and sucked and spat again.

Finally her blood tasted pure and clean. I spat once more and rinsed my mouth, ridding myself of the last of the venom.

Straightening up, I examined her forearm under the overhead light. No more black lines ran under her skin but she still appeared weak and only half-awake. Then she started to shiver helplessly.

“Laish,” she whispered in that soft, helpless voice so unlike her usual fearless tone. “So…so cold.”

“Gwendolyn…mon ange…” The nickname fell from my lips. My angel…my dear one. I took her hands in mine—they were cold to touch. The venom might be gone but the aftereffects could still kill her.

Luckily, the bath she had drawn was just what we needed.

Stripping off my suit jacket and shirt and toeing off my shoes, I lifted my little witch gently into my arms. The bottom of the suit would be ruined but that was too bad—I didn’t think Gwendolyn would be comfortable with me bare in the tub with her. And besides, I could always get another pair of trousers.

Gwendolyn was shivering continuously by now, shaking in my arms, her teeth chattering.

“Gently, mon ange,” I murmured, hearing the worried tone in my own voice but unable to help it. “Come, we’ll get you warmed.”

I climbed the steps to the raised tub and, still holding her in my arms, stepped into the steaming water.

* * * * *

Gwendolyn





I didn’t understand what Laish was doing or why he was doing it. I only knew I was cold—so horribly cold and the freezing sensation was coming from inside me. It was almost as though someone had frozen my heart and the ensuing wave of bitter cold was working its way outward, coating the rest of my body in frost.

Then, holding me gently, Laish settled us both in the huge marble tub even though he was still half dressed. Why was he doing that, I wondered hazily. Didn’t he think I was capable of taking a bath on my own? I tried to ask him but my teeth were chattering too badly.

“Just relax, Gwendolyn,” he murmured in my ear, cradling me in his arms as the hot water lapped around us. “Relax and let the warmth penetrate you.”

I tried to do as he said though my first instinct was to ball up and try to keep myself warm. But soon I found that the hot water around me was doing its job—warmth began to creep back into my body and my shivering stopped, leaving nothing but weariness.