As I stared at the carving on my door, I sat frozen in place, my eyes wide with fear.
"Blake," Ginevra's worried voice sounded distant, muffled by the cold grip of fear that clung to my heart. I struggled to shake it off, but it refused to let go.
"Hey?"
A warm, comforting hand squeezed my shoulder, breaking through the fog. I managed to tear my eyes away from the door, though the dread still lingered.
"You need to leave. It's not safe here," I said, my voice trembling as much as my body.
"Where are you going to go?" Ginevra studied me with his eyebrows pinched together thoughtfully.
"Go?" I echoed absent-mindedly as I stumbled over to the couch, throwing myself onto it with a defeated sigh.
"Blake, I know what happens to... Uhm...fallen Night Hunters," he began hesitantly.
"Please don't go there, Ginevra," I interrupted.
"It's safer if you just strip off your wings, leave the Hunter life—"
"Just stop!" My sudden outburst startled even me, anger giving way to a broken sob.
"The same way you would feel if someone else captured your soul is how I would feel if I stripped my wings," I said, my voice cracking.
Ginevra sat down beside me and wrapped me in a firm hug. "I'm sorry. That was stupid and inconsiderate of me," he murmured against my hair.
"If the angels know I'm alive, they'll be looking for me," I admitted, my words choked by another sob. "I need to help my parents as soon as possible."
I heard Ginevra suck in a shaky breath and tighten his arms around me. "Let me find Damien. I know he's the reason for your attack the other night."
I pushed out of his arms to look at him directly. "How do you know?"
"The woman who attacked you has been obsessed with him and will do anything to win him over," he explained. "I suspect he charmed his way into making her burn down a fae's club. She wouldn't have risked making enemies with the fae for anything else. I know that much about her."
Damien was more than willing to kill me, and Ginevra was more than willing to protect him—against anyone, even me.
If anything, I knew I just had myself and the damned deal I'd made with the devil fae.
I got up from the couch and started pacing, my thoughts racing. I needed to see Cecilia for help. Depending on Ginevra wasn't an option. He had made it clear he'd defend his brother, even if it meant standing against me.
"Blake. Why do you always do that?" Ginevra's voice pulled my attention back to him.
I froze, meeting his gaze. Was it even a good idea to date a man whose brother I might have to kill at some point?
Before I could answer, Ginevra reached out and grabbed my hand. I felt a strange pull, like something was being dragged out of my body.
"What are you doing?" I yanked my hand away and jumped back, my heart racing. The sensation left me disoriented yet energized as if a weight had been lifted.
"Why do you keep doing that?" I demanded sharply. "Are you using your magic on me without my permission?"
"I'm sorry," he said, casting his eyes to the floor.
"Look, just tell me why you keep doing that. It makes me feel... weird?"
He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, hesitation clear on his face.
"I—I'm a Geriseuz," he stuttered, his brows knitting into a deep frown.
"What? No way. Those are extinct!"
Ginevra winced, and his frown deepened.
Dear Angels, he's serious.
"Wait," I said, trying to process what he'd just revealed. "Aren't Geriseuz humans who can use healing magic? But... you're a vampire."
"Blake, that's not important right now," he muttered, his tone tense.
"Are you kidding me? It's important. The Geriseuz were—"
"Just let it go!" he snapped, his eyes flashing angrily.
The sharpness of his tone sent a shiver down my spine, and I let out a low, instinctive whine. I didn't know much about him yet, but his anger had never scared me like this before.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice softening as he turned toward the door. "I'm leaving. Please, Blake, leave this place. It isn't safe here."
Before he could step through, I moved to block the door, my hands outstretched. "No."
He stopped, turning to look at me with an unreadable expression.
"I know I said you should leave before," heat rose to my face. "But I-I don't want to be alone right now. Please, don't go. Can you tell me more about the Geriseuz?"
Ginevra released a sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I can see other people's pain," he began. "Be it physical, mental, or emotional. But with you... I can't just see it—I feel it too."
"I don't understand. How?" I asked, taking a step closer.
He stood in front of me, his hand hovering as he traced invisible lines in the air over my body.
"I—I can't fully explain it," he admitted. "But I see these lines. Each one has its own colour, representing different levels of pain or happiness." His lips curved into a bitter smile, as if the gift he spoke of was more of a curse.
So, my entire being is laid bare before him.
"Just a moment ago..." He hesitated, his eyes flickering over me. "I don't know what you were thinking, but some of your lines grew even darker."
His gaze bore into mine, quietly urging me to explain.
Damn it. I had been thinking about how hopeless this felt—how whatever we were trying to pursue between us would go nowhere because of his brother.
"And I can't help but want to reach out to you," he continued, his tone almost pleading. "It's maddening, just looking at the lines. I want the darkness to go away. I want to see them brighten up." He paused, his eyes searching mine. "I want to see you glow. I can't stop myself, and I'm sorry for intruding."
There was so much more I wanted to know—about him, about the Geriseuz, about what had really happened to them. But it was clear this was a raw, painful subject for him.
He'd healed me so many times without my realizing what he was doing. If only I could heal him from whatever hurt he carried.
Without a word, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. He leaned into me, resting his head in the crook of my neck, his breath warm against my skin.
"I'm usually the one who gives comfort," Ginevra said with a dry chuckle, stepping back just enough to meet my gaze.
"Well, I'm not sure how to go about it, but just tell me how to make you feel better," I offered, feeling a little awkward.
He studied me for a moment, his lips twitching like he was trying not to laugh.
"What?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"Nothing," he said, shaking his head with an amused smile. "I'll help you clean up, but then I have to go home."
"Aww," I groaned dramatically, giving him an exaggerated pout. "But why?"
"Well, I need to feed," he cocked his head to the side. "It's been a while."
I paused, considering him for a moment, and a bold thought crossed my mind. You can feed on me. I laughed internally at the idea, shaking it off before it could show on my face.
"I would have loved to stay tonight, especially after all this," he said, gesturing to the mess scattered around my cabin.
"I understand," I did my best to mask the disappointment creeping into my chest.
True to his word, Ginevra helped me clean up. The work didn't take long with the two of us, and before I knew it, I was standing at the door, saying goodbye to him.