The Touch of Demise │18+

19: Hurt but Alive

She paced in her room. He still wasn't back at the palace. It was early in the morning now, but it was still dark out. She looked at her phone - it was 3 in the morning. Her stomach twisted with anxiety from whatever he was doing with her ex.

She didn't want blood on her hands, and if Demise killed him, it would definitely have been her fault. She jumped from the sound of the large double doors shutting from downstairs. She quickly made her way down seeing Demise come back in with a deep scowl.

His deep malicious expression was the first to strike her, followed by the blood on his hands. "What did you do?"

"I handled it." He walked past her, clearly not wanting to talk about it.

"No," she demanded, grabbing his arm, turning around to watch his back. "That's not how being mates work." The muscles in his back tightened and he stood straighter from the mention of their relationship.

"I'm Primus-"

"I know, but I'm your mate. I have no power in our world now and I am fine with that, but I damn well have power between us. You don't get to use your political title against me. What did you do to him?"

Demise turned slowly. Shrugging, he responded coldly. "We fought. I won."

Grace paled. "Did you kill him?"

"Why do you care?"

She tried to ignore the change in tone. He was concise with an angry edge.

He continued with annoyance lingering on his tongue. "Do you have feelings for him?"

"Of course not-"

"Then why do you care so much? Why do you care if he's dead?"

"Because it isn't right. He shouldn't die because we had a relationship."

"And he wouldn't have died because of that. He would have died for touching you. You know males and females die all the time by the hands of mates. He knew it, you know it...No one should be stupid enough to touch the mate of a Primus. You don't like death, but you are and always have been surrounded by it. Even your father died protecting your mother." Demise locked eyes with her for a long moment before turning back around and starting up the stairs. "Any male who lays even a friendly hand on you will die by my claws, Grace. That male you say you don't care about; I didn't kill him. He's hurt but alive with the medicus."

She watched as her large and seemingly omniscient mate climbed the rest of the stairs. She could not ignore the relief that filled her chest. She knew he told her where he was to see if she would visit him. Demise felt like she still had feelings for the other male...

"Fuck," she muttered to herself as she grabbed her winter jacket. As the brisk air hit her face, she realized there might be some validity to Demise's suspicions. If this were any other male, would she care as much? Did she simply care because of the history they shared?

She wasn't sure if old feelings were coming back, but she was sure about one thing: she wanted to find out more about Primus Xerxes and his need for her blood.

»»————-　　————-««

The medical wing was almost vacant except for the handful of medicus. She knew the Land of Demise had very stringent ideals of pain and medicine. No one sought help, fearing they would be seen as weak.

Nearing the counter, Grace watched someone fill out paperwork. "Excuse me?"

"Yes?"

"I'm looking for Alexander Slivinski. Do you know where his room is?"

"Of course, he's in the room right over there, hon."

"Thank you." As she closed to door behind her into his room, she noticed all the lights were turned off, probably to help him get some sleep. He was resting on the bed, his chest wrapped with gauze, his arm in a sling, and his face decorated in new wounds. Demise didn't kill him, but he almost did.

He whimpered under his breath from the presence of someone in his room. That was natural; his wolf was protecting him as he healed. "Alex?" She neared the bed, watching as he opened his eyes slowly and groaned in pain. "Can I get you anything? How much pain are you in?"

"Your mate is one strong wolf, he muttered, unbothered by her presence.

She smiled with a soft blush. "Yes, he is. I'm sorry this happened."

"Don't be. I touched his female. Any wolf would have probably done the same. I should have been smarter."

He groaned as he attempted to sit up.

"Don't move. What do you need?"

"Water."

Grace walked to his side table and grabbed the glass. She held it near his lips for him to suck from the straw. Once he was finished, she put it back.

"Why are you here, Grace?"

"To check on you and...I want to know more about Primus Xerxes."

He chuckled dryly. "Ah, you're curious. He...You've heard the rumors about him. They're true. He's a hybrid; lycanthrope and vampire, Grace."

"But...I thought vampires went extinct?"

"They were deemed extinct years ago, but there are few clans still alive. Primus Xerxes only consumes blood for nutrients."

"He can't eat our food?"

"No, it makes him sick – violently sick, Grace. Years ago, he consumed blood from a certain supply and ever since could no longer drink any other's blood."

"My blood?"

"And your mother's. For some reason, the blood from you guys...is his perfect diet. I don't know why, and he doesn't either. That's why your mother died, Grace. He ordered his constituents to get as much as they could from her while keeping her alive to produce more..."

"They took too much," she finished.

"It was an accident and Xerxes was furious, but he only had to live off of other blood for a bit before he realized your blood affected him in a similar way."

"But why us? Why our blood?"

"I don't know. If he knew you were Demise's mate, he wouldn't have sent us. He thinks it might have something to do with your illness."

"But my mother wasn't sick."

"I know. It doesn't make sense. But if he doesn't get blood – your blood – he will die."

"I'll give more blood, but Demise..."

"He can't know, Grace. He'll go berserk. I will tell the others and they will contact you, alright?"

She nodded. "I have to go now."

Alex nodded and she walked to the door. Making her way outside, she watched as Demise exited his car and walk around to open her door. He followed her because he knew she would come to see him.

She got in quietly. He didn't speak either.