Flesh And Blood: House of Comarre: Book Two (House of Comarre 2) by Painter, Kristen (best books for 20 year olds .txt) 📕

Creek lifted a brow. ‘I put those stitches in. Or didn’t she tell you that?’

‘I told him.’ Chrysabelle’s face went from pale to pink. Was she blushing? Not a look Mal recalled seeing on her before. ‘What can I do for you, Creek?’

‘Like I said, I just came to see how you’re feeling.’ He glanced at Mal. ‘Check on those stitches.’

‘You’ll do no such thing,’ Mal growled. He’d be double damned if he was going to let that mortal touch Chrysabelle again.

‘You both need to relax.’ Chrysabelle rolled her head from side to side against the chaise’s back. ‘And stop acting like children.’

Creek laughed in Mal’s direction. ‘I’m pretty sure he’s more of a senior citizen.’

‘You’re definitely a child.’ Mal shrugged off his jacket. ‘One who could use a spanking.’

With some effort, Chrysabelle swung her feet onto the ground. ‘I’m done with both of you. Go home.’

Mal rushed to her side to help her up. Creek got to her two seconds later. Senior citizen, indeed. ‘It’s not safe for you to be alone.’

Creek nodded. ‘I agree with the old man on that one.’

She pulled away from both of them, her eyes flashing sparks like her signum. ‘Fine. Stand guard. Patrol the grounds. Beat each other to a bloody pulp. Whatever makes you happy. Just don’t think you’re coming in. Either of you.’ She headed for the house. ‘I have a battle to prepare for.’

*

‘I don’t see anything but rat droppings and rust down here.’ Dominic grimaced as he surveyed the cargo hold.

‘She’ll be here soon as the loop starts.’ Doc rubbed a hand over his scalp. This had to work. He was out of ideas, and this wasn’t even a good one.

Dominic eyed Doc suspiciously. ‘Why are you so twitchy?’

‘I’m not twitchy. I’m anxious. I miss Fi.’ Which was true. He ached for her. Hated what she was about to go through. Again. But his nerves were also wired with what was about to go down.

Dominic walked to one of the storage containers and leaned against it. Doc had told him to wear casual clothes. For the Italian, that meant dress slacks and a silk shirt, but at least he’d left the suit at home.

The solar lantern at Doc’s feet cast weak shadows into the solid black surrounding them. A bead of nervous sweat zipped down his spine as the prickle of his sixth sense raised the small hairs on the back of his neck.

‘She’s here,’ he whispered.

Dominic straightened. ‘Where?’

Doc pointed to the faint glow drifting down the corridor. He was counting on Dominic being mesmerized so he could get into position.

‘Doc? You there?’ Fi sounded tinny in the cargo hold’s expanse.

‘Sure ’nuff, baby. Right here. See the light?’

‘Who’s with you?’ Fear edged her voice. Her image emerged as she got closer. She squinted at Dominic.

‘Don’t worry, sweets. Just a … friend. Dominic. Maris’s friend. Remember? We all went to Corvinestri together?’

She scowled. ‘He’s the reason for your curse.’ Suddenly her ghostly image shifted into something freaky scary. Her face flickered between flesh and bone, her skull showing through the flesh, her eyes like burned-out coals. ‘I don’t like him.’

‘It’s okay, Fi. He’s not here to hurt either one of us.’

‘What’s the meaning of this?’ Dominic shifted uneasily. ‘Tell her I want to speak to Maris.’

‘Chill. We’re dealing with a lot of unknowns here, you dig? She’s not quite herself.’ Damn, he was starting to look forward to this. ’Bout time someone took Dominic down a peg.

‘You told me she’d had contact with Maris. I want to talk to her now.’

‘Soon. Be patient. Fi’s got to get through her own stuff first.’ As if on cue, Fi screamed and the thin sound moved him into action. The loop had begun.

From the tangible blackness surrounding her, a skeletal figure attacked, grabbing her.

Dominic grimaced. ‘No wonder Malkolm has such anger. To be left to rot like that … ’

Doc tried not to watch. He’d seen it too many times. Plus, he had work to do. He reached beneath his jacket to the waistband of his jeans and pulled out the syringe.

Her mouth opened in a second scream. The flashlight fell from her hand and landed with the beam pointed at her.

Hands still behind his back, he moved into position behind Dominic and worked the cap off the needle.

Oblivious to Doc’s scheme, Dominic watched with blatant curiosity as Mal’s carcass sank his fangs into Fi’s throat, shredding her flesh like tissue paper. Blood spurted down her front while Mal gorged.

Doc’s anger peaked. With a quick jab, he hammered the syringe into Dominic’s jugular and shoved the plunger down, filling his system with a cocktail of laudanum and colloidal silver. Dominic cried out, spinning to face Doc.

The color seeped out of Fi as she fought.

Dominic’s hand clenched at his neck. He yanked out the needle. ‘What have you done?’ He staggered backward through the loop. His true face erased his human one, but his fangs only descended halfway. He dropped the syringe.

Fi’s punches bounced off Mal’s thin frame. Her feet dangled off the stone floor of the nightmare’s ruins.

Doc pulled out the empty second syringe. ‘I did what I had to. To help Fi.’

Fi went pale as ash.

Dominic fell, his eyes rolling back in his head. ‘Stay away from me. You don’t know what you’re doing.’

‘I know exactly what I’m doing.’

With a groan, Dominic went completely still. Doc got the needle into a vein and pulled the plunger back until the barrel filled with blood. There. Mission accomplished.

Doc looked up. Mal’s image in the loop stared back with hazy eyes. A scrap of skin hung from his withered jaw. Once again, Fi lay dead at his feet.

Time to get moving. Once Dominic came to, Doc would have a target the size of Texas on his back. But the repercussions meant nothing. He pocketed the precious vial and returned the specter’s dead-eyed gaze. ‘Your days are numbered. I’m about to set your captive free.’